2021-2026 Social Equity Framework

Executive Summary 

Clark College understands, confronts, and challenges the institutional systems of power, privilege, and inequity so that all members of the Clark College community can succeed. Embedded within Clark College’s Strategic Plan is the objective to facilitate student learning by providing conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups. This objective is the guiding principles that guide Clark College’s decision-making, policies, and processes.  

In alignment with Clark College’s vision, mission, and values, we are committed to building an environment where all students feel welcome, accepted, and valued.  

Vision 

Rooted in social justice, Clark College is a beacon of hope, opportunities, and transformation providing excellent and equitable education to create economic, cultural, and community growth.

Mission 

To cultivate an inclusive, equitable, and vibrant community, Clark College educates, empowers, and elevates individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Downloadable PDF of the Social Equity Framework

Downloadable PDF of the Social Equity Plan

Social Equity Framework info graphic with Advancing Social Justice in the center of a circle with four sections surrounding it that are labeled Abolitionist framework, Inclusive Practices, Transformative Mindset, and Collective Care

 

Acknowledgements 

The Social Equity Strategic Framework was developed by a cross-section of employees on the Social Equity Advisory Committee serving in 2020-21.  

  • Alyssa Voyles, Associate Director of Employee Equity, Outreach, and Engagement
  • Becky Engel, American Sign Language Faculty
  • Chippi Bello, Associate Dean of Financial Aid
  • Chris Layfield, Security Manager
  • Darcy Kennedy, Chemistry Faculty
  • DeGundrea Harris, Executive Assistant to the VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Megan Jasurda, Director of Disability Access Center
  • Melissa Williams, Director of Student Equity and Inclusion
  • Michele Volk, Interim Dean of Social Sciences and Fine Arts
  • Quincy Berkompas, Administrative Assistant III, Office of Instruction
  • Dr. Rashida Willard, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Rhea Becke, Transitional Studies Faculty
  • Rosalba Pitkin, Diversity Outreach Program Manager
  • Vanessa Bural, Human Resources Consultant, Employee Development
  • Wendé Fisher, Educational Planner, Advising Services 

Core Themes

Academic Excellence 

Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions for intellectual growth through scholarship, discovery, application, creativity, and critical thinking. 

  • Increase completion rates
  • Improve student learning 

Social Equity 

Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups. 

  • Eliminate racial disparities in educational outcomes.*
  • Improve intercultural and multicultural competencies among students and employees (including educational opportunities and institutionalizing hiring and retention practices that challenge systems of power, privilege and inequity). 

Economic Vitality 

Facilitate student learning by providing programs, services, and conditions that improve the economic well-being of the students, college, and community. 

  • Ensure graduates are employed in livable wage jobs either directly after professional/technical program or after successful transfer to four-year institution.
  • Reduce the cost of education.
  • Align program offerings with regional workforce needs to include technical and work-readiness skills.
  • Environmental Integrity
  • Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions that continually improve the college’s physical, virtual, and social environment.
  • Develop and improve sustainable environmental, physical, virtual, and social college systems. 

Values

Social Justice 

Institutional commitment to produce equitable outcomes and challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity.  

Partnerships  

Collaboration with individuals, organizations, and businesses to increase student success and improve the community.  

Innovation  

Development and implementation of creative and agile strategies to enhance student learning and respond to market needs.  

Sustainability 

Effective and efficient stewardship of all college resources. 

Continuous Improvement  

Evaluation and enhancement of all college operations based on data-informed planning and resource allocation.  

Shared Governance  

Clear communication, inclusive consultation, and respectful consideration of multiple perspectives guide decision-making throughout the college. 

Racial Equity Statement

Clark College leads with racial equity as a holistic approach to identify barriers and best practices relating to the retention, enrollment, and completion of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Using data to guide us, we proactively seek out best practices and eliminate barriers to ensure equitable outcomes for students and employees. We accomplish this through abolishing practices that do not effectively serve students or employees, dismantling White Supremacy Culture, and by adopting principles of anti-racism, disability justice, and universal design. 

Background

Historically, Clark College has not always placed equity at the forefront. Since 1997, “offering opportunities for individuals of diverse backgrounds” was stated as part of the Clark College mission. The concepts of social equity and inclusion were not added to the values statement until 2016. However, social justice is at the core of Clark College’s mission, vision, and values.  

The college is at a place where equity is front and center, and should be embedded in every aspect of its work.  

It is the college’s goal that each department has an achievable social equity operational plan to provide accountability for ongoing professional development by infusing Power, Privilege, and Inequity in courses, syllabi, and assessments across the college, and all aspects of the college and surrounding community. The college wishes to provide an environment in which all students, staff, and faculty feel included, safe, connected, and engaged.  

The expectation is that all members of the campus community are accountable to the Social Equity Strategic Framework.  Each department will be responsible for developing their own equity plan and express how it will support and act upon the overall social equity goals to support the students, staff, faculty, administration, and community. 

Currently, the College offers opportunities to operationalize equity on campus such as: B.U.I.L.D. (Broadening Understanding, Intercultural Leadership and Development) Training Program, Work it Wednesdays, trainings and workshops. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion continues to provide spaces of community, and trainings to all faculty and staff to discuss, review, examine, and understand concepts of systemic racism, White Supremacy Culture, and power, privilege, and oppression.  The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has extended trainings to the broader community in the region and offers the NW Regional Equity Conference which has provided an opportunity to learn from national leaders in the field.   

This Social Equity Advisory Committee reviewed the following priorities to help guide the implementation of the Social Equity Strategic Framework:  

  • intercultural competency,
  • inclusive climate
  • qualitative and quantitative data research
  • hiring and retention of employees of color and systemically non-dominant* populations 
  • retention and completion for students, staff, and faculty 

Introduction to the Social Equity Strategic Framework

The 2021-24 Social Equity Strategic Framework is meant to be a tool to use that could help employees see themselves in the social justice work happening at the college, and to help operationalize equity in their own work.  

The Framework features four tenets with one central goal of advancing social justice.  

Abolitionist Framework 

Abolitionist Framework 

An abolitionist framework prompts us to critically examine policies, practices, procedures, and systems at the college that do not serve everyone effectively. When data shows that there are inequitable and disparate outcomes for systemically non-dominant* (Jenkins, 1995-present) groups (employees, students, or community members), Clark College will re-envision a new process using anti-racist, disability justice, and universal design practices. 

Strategies for Anti-Racist Practices:

  • Disaggregation of data to discover disparate impacts

    • Use of quantitative and qualitative data

  • Intentional inclusion of all voices, especially the most marginalized and minoritized populations

  • Commitment to continuous improvement

  • Use of asset-based, non-discriminatory, and unbiased language

  • Critical examination of processes, policies, and practices through a racial lens to mitigate harm to systemically non-dominant* communities

  • Acknowledgement of the presence and history of race

  • Understanding the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture

  • Know the historical and organizational context of institutional decisions

  • Consideration of how power and privilege impacts decisions

  • Awareness of own implicit bias 

Disability Justice (Sinsinvalid.org) 

  • Consideration of intersectional identities (disability, race, gender, class, etc.)

  • Center the most impacted; ensure that people with disabilities (PWD) are leaders in the decision-making process. ("Nothing Without Us” disability rights slogan).

  • Consider a person’s lived experiences; People with disabilities are whole persons with lived experiences and histories.

  • Awareness that many disabilities are invisible and people can have more than one disability. 

  • Strive for sustainable, long-term decision-making; move toward justice

  • Expand thinking beyond the able-bodied, able-minded normativity narrative and consider voices of the most marginalized. 

  • Be aware of Disability Access Center accommodations for students and Human Resources accommodations for staff. Yet, find ways to create additional supports or community for those with disabilities beyond minimal accommodation compliance. 

Universal Design 

  • Center the most impacted in our work to proactively build equitable systems for all. 

    • Use Clark’s Universal Design Guide for principles on how to be inclusive of people with disabilities.

  • Think about accessibility at the beginning of your project and ensure you are building in accessibility throughout each phase.

  • Create accessible content of your digital materials.

    • Familiarize yourself with Clark’s Accessibility Resources page and contact accessibility experts on campus when you need support.

  • Advocate that your department and the college provide resources/trainings on Disability Awareness, Universal Design, Digital Accessibility, Disability Justice, and/or other anti-ableist topics. 

Inclusive Practices

Applying the Equitable Decision-Making Tool as a guide to ensure all voices at all levels are included in decision-making and policymaking. Inclusive practices incorporate individuals’ unique perspectives in the critical work of the college and ensure that individuals’ needs are met equitably. 

Transformative Mindset

As a college and department, we will lean into equity competencies around diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice to expand our social justice knowledge and further advance equity. We will provide opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to build capacity in these areas and apply them to their work to create equitable interactions and engagements with each other. 

  • Engage in proactive self-reflection and capacity-building through programs or assessments such as the Intercultural Development Inventory or participating in the B.U.I.L.D. program.
  • Use the Equitable Decision-Making Tool, Shared Governance Tool, and the Universal Design Guide to incorporate various perspectives and narratives 
  • Provide equity professional development 
  • Use of continuous assessment and metrics
  • Engage in allyship practices (i.e., upstander training or PPI opportunities)
  • Be able to receive critical feedback, and make effective changes to behavior to mitigate harm. 

Collective Care

We are a part of a whole community that is accountable to each other and demonstrate a collective care for each other through relationships and interactions. We will use the shared governance framework to create an equitable and just environment. 

  • Use the shared governance framework
  • Use restorative frameworks: Acknowledge the harm and impact of actions, and focus on sustaining relationships, and building community
  • Engage in ongoing policy review
  • Support systemically non-dominant* people in achieving healing and liberation with the ultimate goal of advancing social justice
  • Create spaces of affinity for systemically non-dominant* communities 

Definitions

Historical and current systems of oppression fundamentally impact our lives and the lives of the communities we serve. Our actions have important consequences, therefore, collectively and as individuals, we will prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as urgent and critical to our success as an organization, as these values help us better serve students, employees, communities, and ourselves. As we commit to make our mission a reality, we acknowledge that we will make mistakes; we will hold ourselves accountable as individuals and as an organization to reflect and do better.  

In order to gain a better understanding of the concepts and foundations of the Social Equity Plan, we present the following list of definitions:  

Anti-Racism: “Anti-racism is the active dismantling of systems, privileges, and everyday practices that reinforce and normalize the contemporary dimensions of white dominance.” (Crenshaw)  

Diversity: The presence of different types of people (from a wide range of identities of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience. This list is not finite, can change, and is intersectional beyond definition).   

Equity: The process of ensuring equally high outcomes for all and removing the predictability of success or failure in our experiences that correlates with any current or historical racism and systems of privilege that continue to disadvantage marginalized groups and privilege others.  

Inclusion: The process of putting diversity into action by creating an environment of involvement, respect, and connection—we value each individual, their backgrounds, and unique contributions.  We take collective responsibility for creating a caring culture, so that we can all be authentic and feel fully welcomed, valued, supported, and heard.  

Community of Care: A community where the organizational culture begins the process to shift from one of control to one of connecting (Bailey, Mrock & Davis, n.d.).  

Demographic Diversity: Differences in observable attributes or demographic characteristics such as age, gender and, ethnicity (Landy & Conte, 2007, p. 555).  

Historically Disadvantaged Group: A group in U.S. society that has been systematically discriminated against over a significant period of time (e.g. Native American/First People's, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender communities).  

Institutional (as in institutional barriers): Refers to both the institution such as Clark College and systemic societal dynamics.  

Intersectionality: “A metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves.” (Crenshaw) 

Marginalization: occurs in part when some observable characteristic or distinguishing behavior shared by a group of individuals is systematically used within the larger society to signal the inferior and subordinated status of the group (Cohen, 1999). 

Power and Privilege: Rights, entitlement, advantage, or immunity granted or enjoyed by certain people or groups of people beyond the common advantages of others.  

Psychological Diversity: Differences in underlying attributes such as skills, talents, personality characteristics, attitudes, beliefs, and values; may also include functional, occupational, and educational background (Landy & Conte, 2007, p. 555).  

Reciprocal Student Development Pipeline: A two-way, mutually beneficial relationship between the college and the community.  

Social Equity: Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups.   

Social Justice: Institutional commitment to produce equitable outcomes and challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity.  

Social Group: People sharing a social relation sometimes based on demographic or cultural similarity.  

Systemically Non-Dominant* Groups: Systemically non-dominant* (Jenkins, 1995-present) refers to membership outside of the dominant group within systems of oppression. Systems of oppression are created to provide benefits and assets for members of specific groups. The recipient groups are referred to as dominant groups because such advantages grant impacting levels of power, privilege, and status within social, economic, and political infrastructures of a society. For example, such frameworks are established to specify who is in control and who is not, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable, and who will have access to resources and who will not.  

Universal Design: Universal Design involves designing products and spaces so that they can be used by the widest range of people possible. Universal Design evolved from Accessible Design, a design process that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. Universal Design goes further by recognizing that there is a wide spectrum of human abilities. Everyone, even the most able-bodied person, passes through childhood, periods of temporary illness, injury and old age. By designing for this human diversity, we can create things that will be easier for all people to use. 

White Supremacy Culture: the widespread ideology baked into the beliefs, values, norms, and standards of our groups (many if not most of them), our communities, our towns, our states, our nation, teaching us both overtly and covertly that whiteness holds value, whiteness is value (Okun). 

References

Jenkins, D. (1995-present). IST of an ISM Paradigm. Share the Flame: Vancouver, WA 

Copyright (2021), The copyright includes all revisions to the IST of an ISM paradigm by Debra (Debi) Jenkins, PhD. The document is continuously being revisited and revised by all versions are the copyrighted property of Debra (Debi) Jenkins, PhD. The language systemically dominant and systemically non-dominant and IST of an ISM are the trademarked property of Debra (Debi) Jenkins, PhD. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document or presentation may be re-enacted, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without expressed written permission of Debra (Debi) Jenkins, PhD founder of Share the Flame LLC at debrajenkins@shareflame.com. 

Last Updated 1/7/2021

 

 

2015-2020 Social Equity Plan

Vision

Clark College recognizes, understands, confronts and challenges the institutional systems of power, privilege, and inequity so that all members of the Clark College community can support student learning.

Purpose

Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups.

Download printable version (PDF)

 Overview

The Clark College 2015-2020 Strategic Plan requires the college to provide the conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups. The college’s strategic plan established the expectations that all students are prepared for life and work in a multicultural, diverse and international society as well as are exposed to a variety of beliefs, cultures, and differences as a catalyst for intellectual growth while challenging the systems of power, privilege, and inequity. This Social Equity Plan will guide the college in these efforts.

This social equity plan is deeply rooted in the college’s former diversity plan. The Cultural Pluralism Committee (CPC), proud of the previous plan and related work, believed continuity was critical to implement the new plan. Consistent with the former diversity plan, this social equity plan explicitly recognizes, facilitates awareness and addresses patterns of social inequity at Clark College. This desire for equity is reflected in its definition and vision at Clark College and is based on several assumptions:

  1. Clark College approaches diversity from the standpoint of differences among social groups, not among individuals. For example, while the presence of a variety of psychologically diverse attributes such as personality or individually based values are critical to our institutional development, these are not the areas specific to social inequity in which groups of people systemically experience inequitable treatment and institutional barriers to success.
  2. Social groups are marked by socially created differences in power, privilege, and access. Approaches to social difference, social identity, social location, and social inequity calls for appreciation of the multiple, complex, fluid, and cross-cutting aspects of social identities, and awareness that the inequities experienced by any and all disadvantaged groups warrant attention and collective efforts towards remedy (Adams et al., 2013).
  3. Fostering social equity requires purposeful, institutional-level change. Individual-level strategies by themselves cannot create and sustain a diverse college community.

College leadership and the college as a whole will implement this social equity plan. Implementation will require a team effort. The plan will be implemented through broader civil deliberation and a process of exploration among members of the college community to determine how the expressed goals manifest into departmental activities, and contribute to the value of institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 Setting the Stage: The first Clark College Diversity Plan

 

The Cultural Pluralism Committee (CPC) began developing Clark College’s first diversity plan in 2006. CPC began framing the plan to support, enhance, and ensure student success. CPC worked in a manner consistent with the desired outcome of the process, meaning in a civil, respectful, and equitable manner which fostered a community of care and trust among its members. Committee membership included faculty, students, staff, and administrators, each of whom had the opportunity to contribute to the development process.

In winter of 2007, the committee began conducting an environmental scan of how Clark College experiences, supports and, in some cases, potentially undermines the healthy development of a diverse college community. CPC engaged in three fact-finding projects for the environmental scan:

  1. Administered a college-wide survey in winter of 2007. A report was issued in winter 2008. That report is available on the Clark College intranet under College Committees and Reports, Cultural Pluralism and Diversity Evaluation (2007).
  2. Conducted two student focus groups to gain first-hand qualitative data regarding student experiences at Clark College in the spring of 2008.
  3. Convened a broader work group that consisted of the Executive Cabinet, the Instructional Council, Student Affairs' Deans, and Disability Access Center, Multicultural Student Affairs and International Programs staff in summer of 2008.


The Clark College 2008-2014 Diversity Plan was created based on the information that came from the environmental scanning activities. The plan included four broad goals with supporting strategies. These goals directed the college to challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity in the following areas: 1) student recruitment and retention; 2) diversity education and training; 3) curricular transformation; and 4) employee recruitment and retention. The strategies identified to accomplish the goals were incorporated into various areas through department and unit operational plans that were intended to improve student success and sustain a diverse college community.

Introduction

Student learning is the foundation of the Clark College 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. Throughout the development of the college’s strategic plan, social equity rose to the forefront. The college identified social equity as a core theme that must permeate throughout every aspect of the college so that students – all students – can effectively learn. In January 2015 during the final stages of the strategic plan’s development, the Cultural Pluralism Committee (CPC) began to develop an operational plan that outlined how to meet the college’s strategic plan objectives within the social equity core theme. The operational plan became this social equity plan.

The Cultural Pluralism Committee began by reviewing the Clark College 2008-2014 Diversity Plan. The committee affirmed that the college had made gains in cultural competency, yet still had an arduous, but meaningful and important road ahead. The committee identified areas that were not yet accomplished in the former diversity plan, analyzed whether they were still relevant, and, if so, used these strategies as the starting point for the development of the new social equity plan. 

Consistent with the first diversity plan, CPC began the development process for the social equity plan within the context of respect, equity and civility for the interaction among diverse constituents of the college. Speech and actions which perpetuate minimization, hate, oppression, group supremacy or exclusion are not recognized as productive and constructive forms of diversity at Clark College. As a result, CPC chose to use “systemically non-dominant” terminology rather than “historically disadvantaged” developed by Debra Jenkins, AAS, MA, MS, Ph.D candidate.

CPC believed that replacing “historically disadvantaged” with the title “systemically non- dominant” brought the attention to the current systems of oppression and no longer allowed us to deny or minimize the way oppression manifests today. For purposes of this social equity plan, systemically non-dominant groups refer to groups of people outside the dominant group within systems of oppression. Systems of oppression provide benefits and assets for members of specific groups. The recipient groups are referred to as dominant groups because such advantages grant impacting levels of power, privilege, and status within social, economic, and political infrastructures of a society (Jenkins, 2015).

CPC, then, separated into three groups to develop goals and activities for each of the three social equity objectives in the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan.

  • Create and sustain an accessible and inclusive environment by utilizing principles of universal design and social justice so that all students can achieve equitable outcomes.
  • Demonstrate improved intercultural competency among employees and students through comprehensive professional development and curricular transformation.
  • Institutionalize hiring and retention practices that challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity.

Each group began by collecting and analyzing all of the information they had gathered related to their objective. The groups utilized the following sources to develop the goals and activities for each of the social equity objectives:

  • Former diversity plan
  • Student and employee climate surveys
  • Internal committee work regarding hiring and recruitment of employees
  • Clark College Environmental Scan, Spring 2014
  • Key informant interviews of both internal and external experts
  • Best practices and procedures in universal design and social justice
  • Literature review of social equity in higher education

The social equity plan is a product of all the research and discussions of how to create and sustain Clark College as a socially equitable college for all groups. The goals and strategies of the social equity plan are intentionally broad and provide the opportunity for individual units and departments to lead the implementation.

This plan has been developed as a five-year plan, as the identified goals will take time to implement. Both the strategies and progress toward the goals will be evaluated each year by the committee. Additional goals may be added to the plan as continued assessment of diversity at Clark College indicates the need.

The Cultural Pluralism Committee, in collaboration with the Office for Diversity & Equity, will serve as a resource to the college on matters which relate to the implementation of this plan. The committee will develop goals in the annual planning process in collaboration with the Office for Diversity & Equity. The Cultural Pluralism Committee and the Office of Diversity & Equity will serve as evaluators of the plan and strategies which are implemented, in addition to continuing to monitor the diversity-related climate and health of Clark College.

 
The Clark College 2015-2020 Social Equity Plan will guide the college’s efforts in promoting, developing, and sustaining diversity and equity in our college community. The plan’s intention is to develop and enhance systems, trainings, programs, and policies that analyze and challenge systems of power, privilege and inequity to support student learning.

Objective: Create and sustain an accessible and inclusive environment by utilizing principles of universal design and social justice so that all students can achieve equitable outcomes.

  • Adapt physical structures and spaces to meet universal design and social justice principles utilizing the following guidelines:  
      • Clear directional signs have large, high-contrast print
      • Restrooms, classrooms, and other facilities are physically accessible to all individuals regardless of gender identity, mobility, and size
      • Furniture and fixtures are adjustable for mobility and size to allow arrangements that are accessible and improve work environment, various learning activities, and interactions
      • Emergency and security policies and procedures are clear, visible, and inclusive of all individuals. Routes of travel are unobstructed, rubble and hole free, and non-slip
  • Design all courses and learning resources that meet minimum standards for universal design and challenge power, privilege, and inequity within multiple delivery modalities.
  • Utilize universal design and social justice principles in materials, events, and environments utilizing the following guidelines:
  • Provide caption videos
      • Offer touch screens
      • Write out words in materials and signage– no acronyms
      • All Clark College events have marketing tools that are accessible
      • Adhere to Clark’s standards for accessible, adaptable and usable design of websites
      • Create all materials available in various formats and languages
      • Provide comfortable and easy access to computers for both left- and right-handed students
      • Provide audio descriptions for visuals including pictures, videos and charts

Objective: Demonstrate improved intercultural competency among employees and students through comprehensive professional development and curricular transformation.

 
  • Provide comprehensive and continuing training and educational resources to help college employees work effectively in a diverse college community utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Select all trainers and facilitators based on their ability to (a) infuse the analysis of power, privilege, and inequity into their trainings and (b) share strategies for creating equitable learning outcomes for students from systemically non-dominant groups
      • Ensure all trainings and workshops rely on active learning methods rather than lecture-based presentations
      • Develop and offer trainings and professional development to be inclusive to all staff, faculty, and administrative employee groups at the college
      • Develop all trainings and professional development in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee
  • Embed intercultural competency in all employee evaluations.
  • Transform curricula in all programs to identify and analyze dynamics and implications of power, privilege, and inequity.

Objective: Institutionalize hiring and retention practices that challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity.

  • Develop and implement a multifaceted, multicultural media recruitment campaign.
  • Improve all components of the internal hiring process and procedures utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Develop and implement tools to assist hiring managers in identifying and supporting equity and inclusion in the recruitment and hiring process.
      • Train for screening committees
  • Outreach with professional associations and other networking groups to effectively source, attract, and engage diverse talent utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Strengthen relationships with community, professional associations and networking groups
      • Develop and implement targeted marketing communications
      • Be present at job fairs attended by systemically non-dominant populations
      • Create a new Clark College diversity hiring event
  • Generate a pipeline of highly qualified diverse candidates utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Partner with regional graduate schools and universities’ offices of diversity to connect their students and graduates with internships and open positions with the college
      • Invite visiting professors from systemically non-dominant populations in the areas where the college anticipates vacancies
      • Increase college presence at regional and national professional conferences and trainings for faculty and staff from systemically non- dominant populations
  • Intentionally retain systemically non-dominant employees by developing and implementing strategies utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Develop multiple communication conduits, relationships, and trust with members and groups in the community which represent systemically non-dominant employees
      • Develop, implement and sustain a mentoring program for employees to create relationships, build community and foster interpersonal self- efficacy in order to navigate dominant systems
      • Develop and sustain an ongoing reporting system regarding issues around power, privilege, and inequity in the college community
      • Create career pathways to prepare and encourage advancement for employees
      • Offer opportunities for employees to build connections within the college community and outside communities through encouragement and support of their supervisor
  • Advocate for the retention, persistence, and completion of systemically non-dominant students utilizing the following guidelines:
      • Create a welcoming physical space to reflect our value in social justice and universal design
      • Sustain peer mentoring programs for students to develop skills in self- advocacy and build a sense of belonging at Clark College
      • Create advocate positions for systemically non-dominant groups to work with students
      • Offer courses that reflect the identities and history of systemically non- dominant groups
      • Develop and sustain an ongoing reporting system regarding issues around power, privilege, and inequity in the college community.

Responsibility and Compliance

In addition to the goals and strategies of this plan, compliance remains a necessity from the standpoint of college policy and state and federal laws and regulations.

The responsibility for and the protection of this commitment extends to students, faculty administrators, staff, contractors and those who develop or participate in Clark College programs. Clark College affirms a commitment to freedom from discrimination and harassment for all members of the college community. The college expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal. In addition, the college is committed to freedom from all forms of harassment including sexual harassment, gender violence, and harassment in the workplace.

2015 Cultural Pluralism Committee Members 

 
  • Jessica Beach, Secretary  Supervisor, Instruction
  • Randy Blakely, Administrator of Satellite Campuses, Instruction
  • Sirius Bonner, Special Advisor to the College Community for Diversity & Equity, Diversity & Equity
  • Dena Brill, Student, ASCC Student Representative
  • Janette Clay, Learning Communities Manager,  Instruction 
  • Shanda Diehl, Associate Vice President of Planning & Effectiveness
  • Dolly England, Diversity Outreach Manager, Diversity & Equity
  • Rebecca Engel, Faculty, Transitional Studies, English, Communications, and Humanities
  • Christopher Feener, Student, ASCC Student Representative
  • Natalie Guillen, Fiscal Technician 2, Administrative Services 
  • Miles Jackson, Dean of Social Sciences and Fine Arts, Instruction
  • Debi Jenkins, Faculty, Social Sciences and Fine Arts
  • Roslyn Leon Guerrero, Administrative Assistant 4, Diversity & Equity
  • Maria Masson, Assistant Director, Human Resources
  • Malcolm McCay, Faculty, Business and Health Sciences
  • Doug Mrazek, Faculty, Transitional Studies, English, Communications, and Humanities
  • Daniel Mroz, Lead Interpreter, Disability Access Center
  • Felisciana Peralta, Multicultural Retention Manager, Diversity & Equity
  • Rosalba Pitkin, Diversity Outreach Specialist, Diversity & Equity
  • Bevyn Rowland, Faculty, Social Sciences and Fine Arts
  • Kimberly Russell, Faculty, Transitional Studies, English, Communications, and Humanities
  • Amy Tam, Program Specialist 2, Student Affairs
  • Dian Ulner, Faculty, Social Sciences and Fine Arts
  • Heather White, Lead Interpreter, Disability Student Services
  • Siri  Wickramaratne, Faculty, Social Sciences and Fine Arts
  • Tiffany Williams, Pathways Center Program Manager, Instruction

Glossary

  • Community of Care: A community where the organizational culture begins the process to shift from one of control to one of connecting (Bailey, Mrock & Davis, n.d.).
  • Demographic Diversity: Differences in observable attributes or demographic characteristics such as age, gender and, ethnicity (Landy & Conte, 2007, p. 555).
  • Historically Disadvantaged Group: A group in U.S. society that has been systematically discriminated against over a significant period of time (e.g. Native American/First People's, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered  communities).
  • Institutional (as in institutional barriers): Refers to both the institution such as Clark College and systemic societal dynamics.
  • Power and Privilege: Rights, entitlement, advantage, or immunity granted or enjoyed by certain people or groups of people beyond the common advantages of others.
  • Psychological Diversity: Differences in underlying attributes such as skills, talents, personality characteristics, attitudes, beliefs, and values; may also include functional, occupational, and educational background (Landy & Conte, 2007, p. 555).
  • Reciprocal Student Development Pipeline: A two-way, mutually beneficial relationship between the college and the community.
  • Social Equity: Facilitate student learning by providing the conditions that improve educational outcomes and eliminate systemic disparities among all groups.
  • Social Justice: Institutional commitment to produce equitable outcomes and challenge systems of power, privilege, and inequity.
  • Social Group: People sharing a social relation sometimes based on demographic or cultural similarity.
  • Systemically Non-dominant Groups: Systemically non-dominant refers to membership outside of the dominant group within systems of oppression. Systems of oppression are created to  provide benefits and assets for members of specific groups. The recipient groups are referred to as dominant groups because such advantages grant impacting levels of power, privilege, and status within social, economic, and political infrastructures of a society. For example such frameworks are established to specify who is in control and who is not, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable, and who will have access to resources and who will not.
  • Universal Design: Universal Design involves designing products and spaces so that they can be used by the widest range of people possible. Universal Design evolved from Accessible Design, a design process that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. Universal Design goes further by recognizing that there is a wide spectrum of human abilities. Everyone, even the most able-bodied person, passes through childhood, periods of temporary illness, injury and old age. By designing for this human diversity, we can create things that will be easier for all people to use.

References

 

Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H.W., Peters, M. P., Zúñiga, X. (2013). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Bailey, K.A., Mrock, G., & Davis, F. (n.d.) Changing the Culture of Care. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from www.aacrc-dc.org/public/pdfs.

Burgstahler, S. (2013). Introduction to universal design in higher education. In S. Burgstahler (Ed.). Universal design in higher education: Promising practices. Seattle: DO-IT, University of Washington. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-process- principles-and-applications

Jenkins, D. R. (2015). Women of Color Experiences and Intercultural Developmental Strategies Constructing Community College Leadership: A Case Study. Dissertation in progress. Phoenix, AZ: University of Phoenix.

Landy & Conte (2007). Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Updated September 2017