With all of that said in my previous posts, and with full realization that it is important not to put the cart before the horse; that is, not to start proposing solutions before we even really know what the problem is, here are some thoughts I might throw into the hopper of the analysis process I described above, both as questions to ask in the fact gathering stage and as ideas to put on the table in the objectives, and proposed solutions steps:
1) Every college or university has a culture all its own. Some schools try very hard to establish that culture and inculcate its students with the key tenets of the school.
Some schools have a “code of conduct.” I know that at the University of Virginia “We don’t lie, cheat, or steal” is almost a mantra. How about writing and training all students about a “Brown University rules of Debate?” How about staring with “We don’t yell,” and “We don’t interrupt?” Make it part of orientation. Make it part of the overall atmosphere at Brown.
2) The Brown University web site includes a “Diversity Initiatives Status Report” that is dated Fall 2007.
http://www.brown.edu/Administration/...pdate-0907.pdf
I’d expect such a report to be more recent than 2007. Maybe there is one but I could not find it.
Be that as it may, the report is heavy on minority recruiting and very light on what’s acceptable and not acceptable behavior on campus. I didn’t count the entries in the report, but I’d venture a guess the ratio between recruiting minorities and promoting behaviors that foster tolerance and inclusiveness of ideas to be about 98 to 2.
So as a second recommendation I’d say to make an effort to flatten out that ratio a bit.
The report is divided up into categories, listed below, the great majority of which are focused on recruitment of minorities.
Quote:
- Establish leadership and responsibility for fostering
diversity goals at Brown
- Increase the diversity of the faculty through
targeted and aggressive recruitment strategies
and innovative retention programs
- Address diversity among undergraduate students
- Review rates of dismissal, academic probation, and
graduation rates across various group categories
such as race, gender, and socio-economic status
- Increase financial aid for transfer and International
students
- Improve recruitment and retention of graduate
students from underrepresented backgrounds
action taken
- Improve recruitment and retention of medical
students from underrepresented backgrounds
- Increase the diversity of staff in areas of
continued underutilization
- Provide support for managing diversity among
students, faculty, and staff
- Change the focus of their diversity program from recruitment to recruitment and understanding
- Add diversity of ideas to their programs
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Looking at the data within the categories, only one of them contains any real indication that Brown’s diversity programs go beyond recruitment. That category is copied below. It is actually much longer on the Brown web site than what you see here because I’ve edited out recruiting-type stuff and included only those items which might be interpreted as fostering diversity of ideas. The stuff I deleted has to do with things like “Third World Center,” “faculty development,” minority peer counseling, disability support, LGBTQ support, and advisory committees.
Quote:
Provide support for managing diversity among
students, faculty, and staff
action taken
• Conducted diversity workshops for staff.
• Conducted multiple workshops on new discrimination policy.
• Increased the number of diversity programs in the residence halls.
• Created and implemented new sexual harassment training.
• Revised discrimination and harassment policies and grievance procedure.
• Developed diversity Web site.
• Revamped diversity training for student leaders.
• Developed diversity development program for selected staff units.
• Appointed associate dean for Orientation and diversity initiatives in
the Office of Student Life.
• Launched Web site with centralized information about support for
students, including information about resources for harassment and
discrimination.
• Designed additional residence hall bathrooms as gender neutral.
action needed
• Launch Bi-Semester Campus Climate Forum.
• Conduct climate assessments.
• Continue to evaluate diversity related programs and centers.
• Create more diverse options for staff and faculty to learn about sexual
harassment and diversity related issues.
• Revise DSS Web site.
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It’s difficult to know exactly what some of these things mean, but I might suggest
adding "rules of debate" or "tolerance to diverse ideas" that mirror items like the following:
• "Increased the number of diversity programs in the residence halls.
• Created and implemented new sexual harassment training.
• Revised discrimination and harassment policies and grievance procedure."