Diversity Action Plan

“ We are committed to increasing the quality and diversity of our students, faculty and staff while increasing retention and curriculum initiatives ”

PAGS Diversity Committee Mission Statement:

The Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences (PAGS), in accordance with the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) and with the Towson University Strategic Plan, believes that we must support initiatives that promote diversity among FCSM faculty, staff and students. To fulfill that vision, we are committed to increasing the quality and diversity of our students, faculty and staff while increasing retention and curriculum initiatives. In accordance with the FCSM’s Diversity Action Plan, this document describes the PAGS Diversity Action Plan goals, action steps, assessment, responsible person(s) 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.

Diversity Action Plan Goals:

Develop and promote a respectful departmental climate and provide services that appreciate and celebrate differences.

 

Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
All new faculty shall participate in the New Faculty Orientation Program provided by the FCSM	Post FCSM Orientation Survey	PAGS Diversity Committee	Survey administered within one week of orientation program
PAGS will work to offer a diverse representation of seminar speakers in the department seminar series	Monitor the number and types of speakers presenting each semester.	PAGS Diversity Committee	Data will be collected and evaluated once per year.
The PAGS department will develop a diversity committee website and establish a link to the commitment-to-diversity section on the home page of the PAGS’ department website and add a diversity initiative to the departmental spotlight area of the homepage.	Ensure PAGS departmental website has working commitment-to-diversity link on its homepage and update the diversity initiative in the departmental spotlight area of the home page.	PAGS Webpage Coordinator	Each semester

Recruit, hire and retain culturally diverse employees within the PAGS department

Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	Time frame
The PAGS department, in accordance with Towson University Hiring Protocols, will ensure the diverse composition of search committees. To ensure the diversity composition of search committees, the search committee chair can recruit faculty or staff members from outside the department to serve.	Departmental records; Office of Inclusion records	PAGS Chair; PAGS Search Committee Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual, as searches arise
The PAGS department, in accordance with Towson University Hiring Protocols, will ensure dissemination of advertisements to diverse outlets.	Office of Inclusion records	PAGS Chair; PAGS Search Committee Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual, as searches arise
The PAGS department will add a link to the PAGS departmental web page that provides the TU Office of Inclusion’s working list of outlets for recruiting underrepresented groups.	PAGS Diversity Action Committee	PAGS Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual
The PAGS department will get data on faculty retention for the last five years 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.	Summarize results and assess PAGS department with respect to FCSM averages and relate to diversity.	PAGS Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual

Provide professional development activities that assist staff and faculty to understand their own and other cultures.

 

ACTION STEPS	ASSESSMENT AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES	RESPONSIBLE PERSON(S)	TIME FRAME
The PAGS Diversity Action Committee shall meet no less than twice per year to evaluate existing goals and propose implementation of new activities for the department.	An annual report of diversity assessment will be produced and submitted to the FCSM Diversity Committee	PAGS Diversity Committee	Every year
Each departmental instructor will add a diversity link, developed by the FCSM Diversity Action Committee, to each of their syllabi.	The department chairs will communicate this requirement to the faculty	PAGS Chair	Every semester
The PAGS departmental web page will have a diversity link to several pages, including contact names for students.	PAGS Diversity Action Committee	PAGS Chair; PAGS Website Coordinator	Every semester

Recruit and retain culturally diverse students within the PAGS department

 

Action Steps	Assessment and Performance Measures	Responsible Person(s)	TIME FRAME
The PAGS department will develop a working list of outlets for recruiting culturally diverse students to be made available to the FCSM Diversity Action Committee.	PAGS Diversity Action Committee	PAGS Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual
The PAGS department will collect data on student retention for the last five years that includes number of majors and number of majors retained with related diversity information.	Summarize results and assess PAGS department with respect to FCSM averages and relate to diversity.	PAGS Chair; PAGS Diversity Action Committee	Annual