University of Southern Maine

Diversity Plan: 2003 - 2005

School of Business

The School of Business regards diversity as a critical issue and is committed to maintaining and continuously improving the climate and inclusiveness of its programs and curriculum. Three forces drive the motivation for this commitment. First, and most importantly, our commitment to diversity is a core value of the School. Second, the University of Southern Maine has repeatedly affirmed and demonstrated its commitment to diversity and, as a unit of the university, the School affirms its commitment. Lastly, the School of Business is one of only two institutions in the State of Maine to be accredited by the world's top professional accrediting agency for business, AACSB International. As an accredited school, we are required to adhere to high standards including standards on the diversity of faculty, students and inclusion of diversity issues within the curriculum.

AACSB International is currently nearing completion of a multi-year standards revision process that will end in late Spring of 2003 with the adoption of revised standards for business accreditation. These standards will then be in effect for all institutions as they are reviewed. The University of Southern Maine will be reviewed under the new standards and will face a substantive review in the Spring of 2005. While the old standards included specific reference to the importance of diversity, particularly in regard to faculty and student composition, the new standards have been further strengthened. Additionally, the new standards include the following requirement:

Consistent with its mission and its cultural context, the institution must demonstrate diversity in its business programs.

In the interpretation guidelines provided following this standard is the following:

"The school shows that it values a rich variety of viewpoints in its learning community by seeking and supporting diversity among its students and faculty in accordance with its mission. The school achieves a broad range of perspectives among students and faculty. The diversity inherent in the participants and their experiences expand the nature of dialogue in the school.

The school must document how it achieves diverse viewpoints among its participants and as a part of the students' learning experience. Education and management practice indicate that sensitivity to, and combination of, a variety of viewpoints may produce higher quality learning results. For the benefit of all, active support of a number of perspectives is desirable."

In the following sections, we provide an updated statement of goals and action plans consistent with USM's four stated diversity goals in the areas of:

1. Campus climate
   
   
2. Curriculum and academic experience
   
   
3. Student recruitment and retention
   
   
4. Faculty and staff recruitment and retention

In reviewing the goals and our accomplishments in continuously improving towards them, we note a strong overlap among goals. For example, campus climate is critical in achieving each of the other three goals. A curriculum that, on the surface, embraces issues of diversity but is delivered in a climate of exclusion and lack of acceptance is doomed to failure. Similarly, campus climate is a critical determinant of success in retaining students, faculty and staff. Because of these overlaps, we recognize that our goals and activities listed under one goal may often play an important role in achievement of other goals within the overall diversity plan.

GOAL I: Climate

USM continuously strives to make the campus a welcoming climate inclusive in its understanding and integration across multiple dimensions of diversity, including but not limited to, diversity based on race and ethnicity, gender, disability sexual orientation, age, gender expression and identity, religion and class.

In achieving this goal, the School of Business will put action plans in place that by 2005 will:

• Discuss diversity and our commitment to inclusiveness and multiplicity at least annually at a School meeting. Invite appropriate USM experts to address the School faculty and staff on diversity issues at least once a year.
  
  
• Discuss diversity and commitment to inclusiveness in 100% of our courses.
  
  
• Increase its student and faculty involvement in diversity day activities of the university by 5%.
  
  
• Increase enrollment in our international business courses by 5%. (These programs are particularly important because they force students to consider how they would operate in parts of the world where they are in a minority.)
  
  
• Increase the number of international students (who are an important component of the overall student environment and are such important contributors to USM cultural community) in its programs by 5%.
  
  
• Increase by 5% the enrollment of underrepresented populations in our programs offered by the Center for Entrepreneurship, including our FastTrac program offered to the minority business community of greater Portland and our first-in-the-nation FastTrac program for military veterans.
  
  
• Increase by 5% the counseling and support services provided to diverse populations through our Small Business Development Centers, which are located throughout the State of Maine, and in some cases, co-located with not-for-profit agencies with close ties to economically disadvantaged populations.
  
  
• Increase coverage of issues of diversity on our cable television show and our weekly Public Radio program by two programs per year.
  
  
• Require all Departments, Programs and Centers to report on diversity accomplishments at least once a year.
  
  
• Annually assess the accomplishments of the above goals by asking the Departments within the School to review and update their diversity goals, and to report to colleagues at the School's annual retreat.

GOAL II: Academic Experience

The USM academic experience, which includes both curricular and co-curricular activities, increasingly reflects the multiplicity and diversity of communities and cultures locally, nationally and globally.

In achieving this goal, the School of Business will put action plans in place that by 2005 will:

• Continually review and upgrade its curriculum (including course content) to reflect the multiplicity and diversity of communities and cultures and to insure the inclusion and effectiveness of multiplicity and diversity components.
  
  
• Increase curriculum coverage of diversity issues by 5%.
  
  
• Increase course-related activities (discussions, cases, readings, lectures, etc.) that explore cultural and global issues by 5%.
  
  
• Research the availability of curriculum supplements (videos, brochures, websites and the like) that faculty may use in upgrading their courses to increase coverage of diversity and use course-related activities as named above.
  
  
• Explore approaches to expanding the outreach to, and inclusiveness of, underrepresented populations in the exploration of business as a career option.
  
  
• Invite additional guest lecturers of diverse backgrounds (both for courses and for workshops/ seminars/ forums).
  
  
• Offer two new courses (as resources allow) in international business and management.
  
  
• Increase the number of courses offered to underrepresented populations through our public outreach Centers.
  
  
• Articulate the accomplishment of the above diversity goals through Department discussion and structured curriculum review. These discussions and reviews are documented both for the SB Dean and for accreditation review.

GOAL III: Student Recruitment and Retention

USM strives to include the diversity of its student body through active outreach and recruitment. USM increasingly works to develop structures and mechanisms that support the retention of all students, particularly students of color and other underrepresented populations.

In achieving this goal, the School of Business will put action plans in place that by 2005 will:

• Continuously design and review marketing materials that reflect our commitment to diversity. Invite the USM Campus Climate, Civility & Diversity Committee to review our marketing materials.
  
  
• Increase our advertising in publications with diverse audiences by 5%.
  
  
• Implement policies and procedures that increase by 5% the recruitment and enrollment of students of underrepresented populations.
  
  
• Increase by 5% our distribution of information and creation of relationships with Portland organizations that serve potential students from diverse backgrounds (e.g. through the USM Center for Workplace Learning, and Portland High School).
  
  
• Involve current and former minority students in recruiting efforts directed towards under-represented populations; serving a double motive to recruit new students and instill pride in current minority students as they "sell" the School to others.
  
  
• Implement policies and procedures that increase by 5% the retention of students of under-represented populations.
  
  
• Increase the number of internship experiences that provide exposure of business and accounting majors to diversity in the workplace by two.
  
  
• Increase minority student membership in USM student organizations by 5%.
  
  
• Continuously assess our recruitment and retention programs to insure the inclusion and effectiveness of these diversity objectives. Report this effectiveness to the SB dean and include in our accreditation reviews.

GOAL IV: Faculty and Staff Recruitment and Retention

USM strives to increase its diversity of faculty and staff, particularly faculty and staff of color, but inclusive of other under-represented populations as defined in Goal I.

In achieving this goal, the School of Business will put action plans in place that by 2005 will:

• Assure that all searches are conducted in coordination with the University's Office of Campus Diversity and Equity.
  
  
• Implement policies and procedures that increase by 5% the hiring of employees from under-represented populations.
  
  
• Ensure that all search committees continue to have the active participation of at least one member of underrepresented populations.
  
  
• Conduct all interview and reference checks in a manner that reveals the applicant's views and experience with diversity issues.
  
  
• Advertise all searches in publications/media that reach diverse populations.
  
  
• Note specifically in all search materials that the university actively encourages applications from members of underrepresented populations.
  
  
• Strengthen its new-faculty mentoring program and to include coverage of diversity issues in this process. Our intent is to ensure both that new faculty feel welcome and part of the business school family and that they become aware of the school's expectations in regards to the inclusion of diversity issues in the curriculum.
  
  
• Periodically evaluate the outcome of minority employee recruitment and retention, and report progress to the SB dean and to our accreditation organization.