Mission, Equity, and Inclusion

Goal 1

We will affirm the full dignity and humanity of all persons, consistent with our identity as a Catholic and Vincentian university, by prioritizing action for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Action Item 1

The Office of Equity and Inclusion will audit annually the University’s commitment to programs that promote this goal and present a report with a recommendation for future action/investment to the President. The University will disseminate the report and its response to the University community.

• Metric 1: Audit complete and recommendations forwarded. [Year 3, and annually thereafter]

Action Item 2

The Office of Equity and Inclusion – in collaboration with relevant offices – will review all University departments to ensure that they promote this goal.

• Metric 1: All individual policies (by sector) are identified for the annual scheduling of reviews. [Year 3]
• Metric 2: Athletics Department review completed. [Year 3]
• Metric 3: Recommendations for changes and schedule for implementation forwarded to stakeholders.

Action Item 3

The Office of Mission, in collaboration with appropriate University departments and/or institutes, will spearhead the creation of assessment tools and statistical models to enable each of the University’s student services and community-facing programs (with a focus in years one and two on Academic Service Learning, student service, enrollment, and marketing), to uncover and remediate structures or patterns that may perpetuate or cause inequities.

• Metric 1: Assessment tools and models complete and piloted. [Year 3]
• Metric 2: Schedule of implementation agreed upon. [Year 3]

Action Item 4

In developing sector plans, all divisions of the University will use the University's stated commitment to Anti-racism to guide their development.

• Metric 1: Anti-racism sector plans identified by the Office of Equity and Inclusion. [Year 2 and ongoing]
• Metric 2: Reviews and recommendations forwarded to stakeholders. [Ongoing]

Goal 2

We will create and sustain an inclusive and diverse faculty, staff, and administration, enabling all members of the University community to recognize themselves as part of the St. John’s community. (Note: see Pillar 4/Goal 4)

Action Item 1

The Office of Equity and Inclusion – in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources and Academic Departments – will develop, publicize, and implement procedures that will serve to increase diversity within applicant pools for University positions.

• Metric 1: Procedures established with Office of the Provost. [Year 1]
• Metric 2: Procedures established with non-academic departments. [Year 4]

Action Item 2

The Office of Equity and Inclusion, in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources, will deliver two programs each year on how to embrace diversity and inclusion in working environments, and will evaluate their effectiveness in the targeted environments.

• Metric 1: Programs delivered. [Year 1]
• Metric 2: Program evaluation protocols developed. [Year 4]

Goal 3

We will cultivate free and critical inquiry with intellectual humility and mutual respect, expressing our commitment to academic excellence and the pursuit of wisdom.

Action Item 1

The Office of Mission and the Office of Equity and Inclusion – in collaboration with other relevant offices – will deliver programs each year on holding difficult conversations in the University context.

• Metric 1: Programs delivered and evaluated. [one in Year 1, then annually thereafter]

Action Item 2

The Office of Equity and Inclusion, in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources, will deliver two programs each year on how to embrace diversity and inclusion in working environments, and will evaluate their effectiveness in the targeted environments.

• Metric 1: Programs delivered and evaluated. [Year 1]
• Metric 2: Program evaluation protocols developed. [Year 2]

Goal 4

We will develop and implement social justice policies, practices, research, and tools to dismantle barriers to full participation that counter and remove oppression, and that address poverty and exclusion both inside and outside the University.

Action Item 1

The Office of Mission (through the Vincentian Institute for Social Action and the Faculty Research Consortium) in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, other University offices and community partners will create and develop an action-orientated plan to identify a new structural University approach that focuses on inequity and commitment of remediation with a clear focus on the community.

• Metric 1: VISA re-oriented and rebranded as the Institute for Vincentian Impact. [Years 2-3]
• Metric 2: University community-engaged learning experiences defined and inventoried. [Year 4]
• Metric 3: Select groups of community-engaged learning experiences are subjected to impact assessment for a generalizable baseline and the establishment of long-term partner organizations. [Years 4-5]
• Metric 4: Community advisory boards established in partner neighborhoods/areas. [Years 4-5]

Action Item 2

The Office of Mission (through the Vincentian Center for Church and Society and the Faculty Research Council) in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, other University offices, and community partners, will develop and implement an action-oriented research plan to identify structural and persistent inequities and develop plans for remediation, especially in those regions adjacent to the University’s campuses that suffer from persistent poverty.

• Metric 1: Stakeholders identified and onboarded. [Years 1-3]
• Metric 2: Research plan developed and agreed upon. [Year 4]
• Metric 3: Remediation plans in development and implementation. [Ongoing]

Action Item 3

Collaborate with the School of Education Institute for Catholic Schools in assuring access for students in Catholic Schools in underserved communities.

• Metric 1: Reestablish ICS advisory board of Institute along the lines of its original foundation [Year 3]
• Metric 2: Increase Teacher scholarship distributions by 100% [Year 3]
• Metric 3: Conduct analysis of and geo-map the overlap of poverty neighborhoods and existing Catholic Schools or diocesan school-based programming
• Metric 4: Investigate and establish a Catholic school teachers track in the Catholic Scholars program and begin placing teachers in stressed neighborhoods [Years 3-4]