CESS IE Action Plan Background
Background
- College/Unit: CESS
- IE Action Plan Category: Background
- Title of Plan: College of Education and Social Services Inclusive Excellence Action Plan 2022-2027
- The College of Education and Social Services (CESS) is engaged in cultivating scholarship and practice that is student centered, family-focused, community-engaged, culturally competent, and collaboratively developed. Central to these components is our commitment and responsibility to bring our work to life in the context of the diverse, globalized society in which we operate. We aspire to continue building a CESS community reflective of a diverse and global society, both physically and culturally, embodied through intentionally elevating the presence, contributions, voices, and perspectives of historically marginalized populations in the College and across the University. This commitment -- foregrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion -- intentionally complements the College of Education and Social Services (CESS) mission statement: “…to educate and prepare outstanding professionals in education, social work, and human services; engage in policy relevant scholarship of the highest quality; and provide exemplary professional service within the state of Vermont, nationally, and globally. Our actions are designed to promote a more humane and just society, free from oppression, which maximizes human potential and the quality of life for all individuals, families and communities.” The 2020-2023 CESS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan identified six priorities which guide the strategic vision of the College: 1. Diverse and Synergistic – CESS embraces the full diversity of our society to realize the promise of liberal education in a research university setting, grounding our work in interdependent approaches, a culture of inclusion, and leadership for social change that serves CESS, CESS members, and communities. We will systematically identify and work to remove structural inequities and will prioritize resources to synergistically build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society through our work. 2. Academically Vibrant – CESS identifies and critically assesses learning pathways for academic and scholarly impact and distinction, which connect academic rigor, freedom of intellectual inquiry, equity, and cultural relevance. We will identify, curate, and expand our existing academic resources through data-informed analysis. We will facilitate and innovate for inclusive pedagogical practices. We will foster curiosity and inquiry (free to explore, express, test, and contest ideas) and centering ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will seek relevant external partnerships or resources and opportunity to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our undergraduate and graduate academic programs. We will prepare students to thrive in their educational experience, and for complexity and change in a globalized academy and world. 3. Distinctively Vermont – CESS provides research and academic programs that fully embrace the cultural, demographic, political, economic, and geographic diversity of Vermont. We will systematically focus on areas in the State where our work (knowledge, service, partnerships, policy research, and pathways or cohorts) can have the most significant impacts within our scope of purpose, financial responsibility, and accountability. We will continue to cultivate a deeper contributing presence within Vermont communities and organizations for shared purposes and futures. 4. People-centric and Equitable – CESS develops, implements and assesses strategies that serve to identify, recruit, and cultivate faculty, students, and staff who have been historically marginalized in higher education, and within our College. CESS works diligently towards increased development of knowledge, understanding, and skills on issues of ethnicity, race, gender, disability, inequality, justice, collaboration, and respect, with the intent to encompass the broadest definition of diversity. We will establish and realize annual (and three-year) recruitment and retention goals for our faculty, students, and staff, demonstrating forward-leaning and accountable progress. We will identify innovative and area-specific approaches to recruitment, hiring, and retention with a focus on developing cohorts of historically marginalized identities and backgrounds, and which foreground candidates dedicated to advancing principles centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will expand and deepen our professional development strategies and opportunities. 5. Inclusive and Interdependent – CESS academic programs clearly articulate the College’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of individuals, families, and their communities. Our work is grounded in an interdependent approach, linking students and families to the schools and human service agencies that serve and support them and others in communities. For our work to be genuinely synergistic, it must begin with establishing values and a foundation or practice towards building respectful relationships with an ethos of inclusion. We will intentionally cultivate relationships, and a CESS community deeply reflective of UVM’s Our Common Ground values. 6. Accountable – CESS will strategically resource its work in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion from a shared purpose and an accountability model. We will annually report on realized impacts and areas for improvement and assign lead responsibility for goals and actions. Building off the six priorities identified in 2020, the UVM Provost’s Academic Success Goals, and the CESS Strategic Plan, this Inclusive Excellence plan is a step towards creating a roadmap towards a more inclusive and affirming College, which supports the success of students, faculty, and staff. Given that parts of this work are inextricably linked, some goals and action items are repeated throughout different sections. When applicable, these repetitions will be noted.
Inclusive Excellence Committee/Implementation Team Members
- Katie Shepherd - Dean
- Tiffanie Spencer - Director for Diversity and Community Engagement
- Gabi Cuna - Graduate Assistant for Diversity and Community Engagement
- Lynn C. White Cloud - Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
- Jesse Suter - Executive Director
- Steve Zatarain - Graduate Assistant for Diversity and Community Engagement
Unit(s) within College, Division, Department or Unit
- Department: Ctr on Disability & Community
- Department: Education
- Department: Social Work
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