DIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

JESS and MILDRED FISHER
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
DIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

FCSM Diversity Action Committee Members (2010-2011): Roland Roberts (BIOL); Ryan Casey (CHEM); Alex Wijesinha (COSC); Tatyana Sorokina (MATH); Reizelie Barreto-Espino (PAGS)

FCSM Diversity Action Committee Mission Statement:
The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM), in accordance with the Towson University Strategic Plan, believes that we must support initiatives that promote diversity among FCSM faculty, staff and students while continuing to meet the workforce needs of the State of Maryland. To fulfill that vision, we are committed to increasing the quality and diversity of our students, faculty and staff while increasing retention, curriculum initiatives, scholarship and research. In accordance with the University's Diversity Action Plan, this document describes the FCSM Diversity Objectives, Action Steps, Assessment and Time frames for Evaluation.

Defining Diversity:
Diversity is a pluralistic term and emphasizes different areas. Hence, diversity as defined by the FCSM includes attending to climate, recruitment and retention of students, staff and faculty of various age, career experiences, nationality, philosophies and viewpoints, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, gender, disabilities and race. Addressing different dimensions of diversity in this manner ensures that Towson University, and specifically the FCSM, attends to a perennial diversity challenge in post-secondary education.

Ethnicity Statistics:
According to statistical information of the Maryland 2009 US Census Bureau, approximately 29.7% of the state's population is African-American and 7.2% is Hispanic. The table below provides population estimates for racial groups at the national, state, university and college level.

FCSM Climate
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
Formalize FCSM Diversity Action Committee (DAC) as a standing committee of the FCSM College Council	Documentation of Committee status in FCSM College Council Minutes	FCSM Diversity Action Committee, FCSM College Council
New Faculty Orientation program	• Develop committee with departmental representatives • Develop program for 2011-2012 AY	FCSM Orientation Committee
Parental Leave Policy	Develop standardized FCSM policy in alignment with University/AAUP recommendations	FCSM Council of Chairs
Stop the Clock Tenure Policy	Initiate cross campus discussion to establish a university policy	FCSM Council of Chairs
On-campus Child Care	Facilitate a cross campus discussion concerning issues related to faculty access to on-campus child care and possible alternatives (infant/drop in)	FCSM Diversity Action Committee, ADVANCE
Develop plan for annual recognition (Fall Forum) for Department exhibiting best practices in support of diversity initiatives	• Annual self assessment from each department based upon their respective Diversity Action Plans • Implement for 2012-13 AY	FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Establish Faculty/Student diversity liaison officers (designated on course syllabi on Blackboard-directed to website)	• Establish responsibilities of Diversity Liaison officers • Collect a list of faculty and students willing to serve as Diversity Liaison officers	FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Develop Committee website with relevant University and Departmental Data	Establish Website and management plan for updates	FCSM Diversity Action Committee and Howard Kaplon
Develop Committee website with best practices links, reference resources	Establish Website and management plan for updates	FCSM Diversity Action Committee and Howard Kaplon

FCSM Faculty Recruitment
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
Ensure diverse composition of search committees	• Departmental Records • Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity Records	Department Chair, Search Committee Chair	Annual, as searches arise
Ensure dissemination of advertisements to diverse outlets	Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity Records	Search Committee chairs	Annual, as searches arise
Develop a working list of outlets for recruiting underrepresented groups to be made available on FCSM website	FCSM Diversity Action Committee	Chair, FCSM Diversity Action Committee	Annual updates
Encourage faculty membership in minority/underrepresented group professional societies	Survey of FCSM faculty (Potential funds available to support secondary memberships)	Dean, FCSM Diversity Action Committee	Annual
FCSM faculty recruitment goals will align with the statistics related to race and ethnicity for the recruitment area	Compare recruitment statistics against National Figures for Ph.D. in each discipline	FCSM Diversity Action Committee	Annual

FCSM Faculty Retention
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
Get data on faculty retention for the last 5 years from each department that includes number hired and number retained with related diversity information: number of tenure-track/tenured, permanent lecturer etc. , number of faculty leaving grouped by reason for leaving (if known) etc. (to be updated annually)	• Summarize results and assess individual department with respect to FCSM averages and relate to diversity • Evaluate department actions to improve retention based on data	Department chair, Dean's office	End of this academic year?
Develop guidelines for new faculty mentoring by specifying how mentors might be selected to help faculty prepare for annual/3rd year/tenure review/promotion to full professor (if possible select senior faculty mentors in related research area or with similar interests in teaching etc.)	Measures to assess role of mentoring in faculty retention and how mentoring effectiveness can be improved (are approaches adopted by some departments more successful than others, how can the FCSM reward successful departments? give an annual award for most successful department?)	Department Chair, P & T Chair
Evaluate faculty review results to identify faculty member's strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan to address issues before the next review	Measure success of plan and list plan changes to be made if any	Faculty member and mentor, Department Chair, P & T Chair
Identify areas that impact faculty retention (determine resources/ equipment needed by new faculty for research and teaching, ways to give credit for activities that complement teaching and scholarship, spouse or partner employment, new faculty development workshops and information resources, workload/ salary/travel/ compensation issues)	Determine what resources/equipment are needed and evaluate ways to effectively meet new faculty requests; ways to assess new faculty feedback and concerns; evaluate success of specific actions taken to improve faculty retention	Faculty member, Department Chair
Establish system for Exit Interviews when someone chooses to leave the university	Perform Exit Interviews for all faculty that leave prior to retirement	FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Establish interdepartmental opportunities for networking	Happy Hours or FCSM-wide seminars and receptions

FCSM Faculty Professional Development
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
Create a short (5 min) online diversity training course for faculty and students that will include committee members' names. Each faculty and student will have to take it once a year (e.g. on Sept. 5th nobody can log into their e-mail account without taking the course first). Keep modifying this course every year.	Include a feedback question at the end of the course. Provide a small stipend to the person who will be developing those courses (minimester or summer)	COSC Grad Student?, FCSM Diversity Action Committee	The first course by 09/2011
Invite a prominent speaker annually, possibly have him/her speak in departments (speak on diversity or have diverse speakers provide disciplinary lectures)	Distribute a short questionnaire/information sheet at the end of the talk. Allocate some funds for the speakers.	Dean, FCSM Diversity Action Committee	Start now!
Apply for new award category in diversity (for a department rather than an individual)		Dean’s Council
Establish diversity committees in each department	Develop Departmental Diversity Action Plans and perform annual assessments	FCSM Chairs	2015
Have each instructor add a diversity link to each of their syllabi. FCSM DAC will write a brief, universal statement to be added with link to information.	The department chairs should communicate this requirement to the faculty.	FCSM Chairs	09/2011
Each department web page should have a diversity link to several pages, including contact names for students	Inform the chairs, and set a deadline	FCSM Chairs	09/2011

FCSM Student Recruitment
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
FCSM student recruitment goals should be aligned with Maryland ethnicity statistics	Annually review FCSM Student ethnicity	Institutional Research, FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Create an active network with Alumni (Target Science Education Faculty who can recommend TU to students)		Alumni Office
FCSM Participation in High School College Fairs	Check University level recruitment efforts	Admissions
Hands-on Innovation Career Days at FCSM		Hackerman Academy?
Encourage recruitment Field-trips to High Schools and Community Colleges led by FCSM Student Organizations (e.g. MSTC)		FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Create partnerships with other Universities, Colleges and Community Colleges (e.g. transfer students)	Gather list of all articulation agreements
Facilitate one-on-one TU/High school mentoring program	Pilot program?
Encourage admissions to conduct tours in other languages (targeting 1st generation families)	Provide suggestion to Admissions	Admissions
Facilitate grant writing to support Pre-college Summer College Experience (students in 10th and 11th grade)—(include Pre-Professional Skills Tests –SAT-Workshop) see appendix for detail	Encourage multi-institutional program
Facilitate grant writing to support Summer College Experience—see appendix for detail
Support faculty participation in recruitment when attending the McNair/ABRCMS/SACNAS Conference to present their or their student's research	Provide recruitment materials
Encourage admissions to create (if it doesn't exist) a FCSM recruitment officer staff position

FCSM Student Retention
Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
Assist faculty to be sensitive to the issue of diversity in the classroom	Orientation of faculty at the College and Department level	Department Chairs
Assist faculty with ways to introduce diversity in the classroom and make course material more inclusive	Orientation function for new faculty. Establish web resource site with best practices for current and new faculty	May be best done at the College level – FCSM Diversity Action Committee
Work with University to increase support services to students from underrepresented groups	Increase FCSM support for TOPS, TOP10 and other TU outreach initiatives to under served groups Establish "baseline" data for these students and determine action plan if needed	College Dean or Associate Dean, Administrator for TOP 10 and other TU-wide initiatives

Appendix information Student Recruitment:

According to the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics (2010) there is prevalent disparity among degrees conferred when considering race/ethnicity (see Table below).

 Degrees Awarded in 2007–08*

Initiatives for increasing student recruitment should be made by creating an active, positive, and long-term relationship with Alumni that are currently teachers, counselors, psychologists, administrators in educational settings that can help us identify and connect with potential students. Simultaneously, we need to increase our participation in high school College Fairs. We need to create a database of specific middle and high schools which have a diverse pool of students to create partnerships. In these efforts it is important for us to maintain regular visibility in student's options. Attention to middle and high school students should also be extended by financially supporting schools to transport students to our campus. During such visits faculty and administrators, in conjunction with students, can offer engaging hands-on activities that not only interest potential college students in science, technology and math but also emphasizes our place as a leading institution in education.

According to an online report, Coppin University recruits primarily from the following schools:

• Ballou Senior High School, Washington, D.C.
• Baltimore City College High School, Baltimore, Maryland
• Baltimore Polytechnic Institute High School, Baltimore, Maryland
• Benton Harbor High School, Benton Harbor, Michigan
• Crossland High School, Temple Hills, Maryland
• Edmondson High School, Baltimore, Maryland
• Frederick Douglass High School, Baltimore, Maryland
• Frederick Douglass High School, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
• Muskegon Heights High School, Muskegon, Michigan
• Northwestern High School, Hyattsville, Maryland
• Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School, Washington, D.C.
• Surrattsville High School, Clinton, Maryland
• Western High School, Baltimore, Maryland
• Western Vocational Technical High School, Baltimore County, Maryland
• Woodlawn Senior High School, Baltimore County, Maryland

The list above can serve as a starting point (if we don't have relationships with these schools already) for the FCSM recruitment officer.

The FCSM should also think of recruitment efforts beyond face-to-face interactions. For example, we can create (suggestion #6) an online mentoring program between selected high school students and selected FCSM students. The mentoring program would include the following aspects:

• Tutoring (Math and Science)
• University enrollment mentoring
• Long-term career motivation
• “Buddy” system for life issues

Engaging in an eMentoring program promises positive benefits for not only recruitment but also student retention.  By partnering current FCSM students with potential students requires commitment and gives our students responsibilities in succeeding because they have an impact on a child’s future (social justice principles).  In fact, FCSM students could be freshman students that are enrolled in a special course as a retention strategy.  Furthermore, this project could start as early as 3^rd or 4^th grade; producing a long-term pipeline.

The Pre-college Summer College Experience (PSCE) initiative is suggested with the premise that often minority students have not had the same educational experiences than their counterparts. Hence, this pre-college program will target 4 main areas:

• College, Career, Community
• SAT preparation
• Language, literacy and composition
• Technology

The PSCE project would be an intensive residential program for sophomore and juniors and would be taught by FCSM faculty. The goals of this project would be to 1) prepare high schools students for college entrance 2) expose students to college life 3) familiarize students and families with Towson University 4) offer a credit acceptance for major if they choose TU and 5) expose current faculty to multiculturalism in a purposeful environment.

The third highlighted suggestion is the Summer Intensive College Experience (SICE). The SICE program would be a recruitment tool directly linked to retention. Once students are accepted to the FCSM they apply to the SICE program and would be selected on a competitive basis. Selected student would participate in a summer intensive college experience program targeting areas of typical difficulties among FCSM students:

• Math
• English Composition
• Chemistry
• Physics

In fact, we can create a link between this program and the previous program (PSCE) as a long-term commitment with students.

The Jess and Mildred Fisher
College of Science and Mathematics
Smith Hall, Room 312 (campus map)
Phone: 410-704-2121
Fax: 410-704-2604
E-mail: fcsm@towson.edu