|
Diversity Plan:
2003 - 2005
University Extension
GOAL I: Climate
USM continuously strives to make the climate 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.
University Extension at USM currently comprises the following
administrative and program units:
- Center for Extended Academic Programs (Weekend College,
Off-Campus Programs, Distance Education, Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute (and the Maine Senior College Network),
English as a Second Language, Stone House Conference Center,
and the Early Study Program)
- Summer/Winter Sessions and International Programming
- International Exchange
- Center for Continuing Education (noncredit programs)
- Department of Conferences
- Institute for Family-Owned Business
- Lifeline Department of Wellness and Health Promotion
All of these programs are dedicated to some form of community
outreach.
The University Extension office will
- Encourage and lead these units to establish or continue
their efforts to orient their staffs, including those to
teach/facilitate their programs, to University policies
on all aspects of diversity
- Require of its employees the highest standard of ethical
conduct and good customer service behavior in dealing with
constituents of its programs
- Encourage units to anticipate needs of diverse populations
as they plan programs and policies
- Encourage units to explore ways to present their marketing
materials and information packets in languages other than
English, particularly the units that market to international
constituents
- Seek clarification of diversity categories, what is considered
"underrepresented" in various circumstances, and any University
policies that may exist for dealing with conflicts that
may arise among various diverse populations
- Encourage units, particularly noncredit units with self-support
financial mandates, to explore ways to allow people with
limited means to participate in programs, such as building
scholarship funds, exploring grant opportunities, or considering
program pricing at different levels (discounting, etc.)
These efforts will be accomplished through meetings with directors,
discussions during evaluations, approval processes for new or
ongoing programs, and other means of communication.
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.
The University Extension office will
- Ensure that advisory and program planning committees
within the units are representative of the community they
purport to serve, and that they represent a wide variety
of community members
- Require that program planners within the division anticipate
rather than react to access issues
- Report by the semester or term all programs to be offered
in the various units that deal with or reflect diversity;
report will be made to the Office of Enrollment Management,
Office of Diversity and Equity, and the USM Staff Development
Office for communication to USM employees
Goal III: Student Recruitment and Retention
USM strives to increase 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.
The University Extension office will
- Ensure that diverse groups are represented in marketing
surveys/research that is conducted
- Ensure that marketing that is targeted to various professions/customer
groups includes diverse populations in planning and in the
images that are presented
- Ensure that proper disclaimers and statements are included
in all publications, and that alternative ways of communicating
with units are emphasized (i.e., TTY phone numbers, various
languages, etc.)
GOAL IV: Faculty and Staff Recruitment and Retention
USM strives to increase the diversity of faculty and staff,
particularly faculty and staff of color, but inclusive of other
underrepresented populations as defined in Goal I.
University Extension units follow the letter and the spirit
of campus policies on hiring, which has led to broad diversity
among the staff members as well as excellence in their fields
of expertise. Future hiring efforts will follow the University's
policies and procedures; however, we will seek guidance on how
best to appeal to groups that are underrepresented on our current
staff, as well as clarification on what groups are considered
underrepresented. For example, if there is an assumption or
fact that certain types of people are overrepresented at USM
generally, but represent a small minority on the University
Extension staff, how do we proceed to ensure that important
segments of the community we serve are represented on our staff,
even if they are not considered underrepresented in society
at large?
The University Extension office will
- Offer support and training to all staff members, with
special consideration for minorities
- Encourage and require as appropriate all staff members
to participate in diversity and other campus training programs
- Advertise courses offered by its units on diversity subjects
to the campus community and encourage their participation
- Celebrate various types of diversity that currently exist
among the staff, encouraging people to share their experiences
and culture
- Encourage employees to learn new languages (including
ASL) and use those they know in their offices, particularly
when dealing with constituents who speak them
- Ensure that the program units inform or orient their
instructional staffs on University policies dealing with
diversity, harassment, etc.
*The name "University Extension" will change
during the spring of 2003 to something more descriptive such
as "Division of Extended and Community Programs," "Division
of Community Education," or similar. 12/30/02
|
