CEMS_IE Action Plan Background
Background
- College/Unit: CEMS
- IE Action Plan Category: Background
- Title of Plan: College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Inclusive Excellence Action Plan
- For decades there has been a focus on increasing the representation of women and BIPoC in the STEM fields. While there has been progress, it has been limited. The demographics in CEMS at the University of Vermont are above the average for some populations, but behind the universities that are leading the way. In addition to diversifying our demographics, CEMS is committed to continuing to build a culture of inclusive excellence in the college. The primary motivation for creating a culture of inclusive excellence is to ensure that we are educating a diverse workforce and creating a welcoming place to work and learn. This is particularly critical for the STEM disciplines where the grand challenges of our time require complex solutions best developed from a team of diverse expertise and perspectives. CEMS recognizes identities pertaining to race, ethnicity, citizenship and documented status, gender identity, sexual and romantic orientations, ability, age, neurodiversity, socioeconomic class or status, and spiritual and religious practices, and acknowledges the importance of how identities and affiliations impact community members’ experiences. We also recognize affiliations, including military and veteran status, and other statuses that may increase community members' marginalization, and are committed to our responsibility to address identity-based oppression within higher education and advocate for resources and data needed to identify challenges, implement impactful changes, and measure progress. We embrace the UVM land acknowledgment (https://www.uvm.edu/news/diversity/board-adopts-land-acknowledgment). In CEMS we value: The university’s Our Common Ground (OCG) statement: respect, innovation, integrity, openness, justice, and responsibility. We’ve added courteous goodwill to OCG Academic excellence Our community of peers, students, staff, and faculty and the communities from which they come. Open, honest, and culturally adept communication Community members that hold each other accountable for inclusive practices The health and wellness of our community and the ways in which we can support and include people in every stage of their physical, mental, and spiritual health, fitness, and wellness journeys. In 2019, the College developed a new mission and vision statement. They are: A VISION OF RESPONSIBLE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGY UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences will create a more sustainable and equitable future through its excellence in education and research focused on solving the complex problems facing our world. The College’s graduates will be recognized for: their acumen in discipline, interpersonal and inclusive communication skills, commitment to a just world, lifelong learning, creativity, and actively empathetic leadership. THE MISSION OF CEMS @ UVM UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences is an open and conscientious intellectual community focused on excellence and committed to its public responsibilities as part of a comprehensive land grant institution. The College’s mission is to: • Prepare the next generation of technical and societal leaders who thrive in a world that is volatile, complex, and full of promise, and who are committed to a sustainable and equitable world, lifelong learning, and empathetic leadership • Advance knowledge in fields that align with our commitment to a more sustainable future • Provide leadership and develop partnerships across VT with K-12 STEM educators, companies, and municipalities 2022 Campus Climate Survey Data CEMS analyzed the data for STEM undergraduate students across the campus as part of the Self Study required for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Driving Change grant submission. That summary is included here and is broader than, but representative of CEMS. These data show: 1. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC) students persevere in STEM majors at a lower rate than White Students (WS) after two years (59% vs. 62%). The overall student retention rate at UVM shows a similar disparity. 2. BIPoC students starting in STEM are less likely to graduate within STEM than WS (48% vs. 60% for STEM students, 68% vs. 73% for all majors). 3. BIPoC students in STEM have a lower STEM GPA than WS (-0.2 to -0.35) in the first year. For those that persevere in STEM, this gap is much smaller (-0.1 to -0.15) both in the first and second year, implying that when students’ GPAs are higher, retention is higher. The GPA also impacts merit scholarships, which require students to maintain a 3.0 GPA, further negatively impacting BIPoC retention within STEM and at UVM. In addition, the overall GPA for STEM courses is ~0.4 lower than that in non-STEM courses (Table C5). While all STEM students are more likely to lose their scholarships than non-STEM students, this impacts BIPoC students disproportionately. 4. High DFW (Ds, Fs, and Withdrawal) rates and differential DFW rates between BIPoC students and WS in our introductory STEM courses discourage perseverance in STEM majors. DFW rates in non-STEM courses are lower than for STEM courses (5.4 vs. 6.6% for all students, 8.1 vs. 8.6% for BIPoC students). In addition, a 2019 climate survey (relevant data in Fig. 2) revealed differences in the sense of belonging and satisfaction with advising that are alarming. Black students disproportionately (45%) felt that UVM was not inclusive, 35% felt they did not belong, and 28% felt their advisors were not helpful, compared to 10%, 13%, and 17% respectively of WS. Three BIPoC student focus groups provided perspective from both current and former STEM majors. Qualitative analysis demonstrated consistency in BIPoC student experiences in STEM across UVM: 1. Advisors need to engage more with students and provide both academic and career mentoring. 2. A professional appreciative advising and mentoring process must be developed to help students find the right STEM field that builds on their strengths, interests, and passions. 3. Our programs must double down on experiential learning - hands-on components, creativity, and discovery. This includes STEM-related clubs, project-based courses, and active learning, as well as inclusive learning environments in labs, classrooms, and office hours. 4. We should improve and expand our current small summer bridge program to help students identify fields of interest, build fundamental skills in mathematics and problem solving, build community, and be introduced to eSTEM – which will all support a successful first semester. 5. Students need help engaging in study groups and finding study buddies. 6. Tutoring and group tutoring in key STEM courses or supplemental instruction needs to be offered at times when more BIPoC students can attend. In addition, eSTEM and identity-center staff have many examples showing that UVM white students, faculty, and staff need improved intercultural competency/humility skills to achieve our goals of an inclusive campus. The quantitative data and focus groups support the following conclusions: Our classrooms and advising practices result in better outcomes for WS. The campus culture inside and outside the classroom is negatively impacting the sense of belonging for students of color. A key focus for CEMS must be on transforming the classroom and advising culture, and the student experience of belonging.
Inclusive Excellence Committee/Implementation Team Members
- KC Williams
- Bree Mathon
- Linda Schadler
- Lisa Dion
- David Jangraw
- John Lens
- Dustin Rand
- Danica Dytioco
Unit(s) within College, Division, Department or Unit
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