Present: V. Brown, L. Gregg-Jolly, D. Lopatto, R. Osgood, W. Moyer, J. Swartz, R. Vetter, E. Willis

The meeting came to order at 4:25 p.m. in the Nollen Conference Room.

The minutes and excerpts of the 2/2/04 meeting were approved.

President's Remarks

The President noted that the latest draft of the strategic plan will be posted on the web tomorrow. There was some discussion of the sources of revenue that will be used to pay for implementing the plan. The projected five-year budget assumes increases in endowment support, tuition income, and the number of students. L. Gregg-Jolly asked if it is assumed that there will be 1500 students on campus at the end of the five-year period. The President responded affirmatively. There was some discussion of faculty perceptions of the size of the administration. Both Gregg-Jolly and W. Moyer requested the Dean to release information to the faculty on the size of the administration and the faculty over the most recent five-year period.

Dean's Remarks

The Dean noted that he had recently traveled to a meeting of liberal arts college deans called by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York to talk about their investment in faculty career enhancement at our colleges. He noted that many institutions attributed advances in faculty development to their grants and added that the activities they mentioned have been institutional staples at Grinnell for decades.

He then updated Council on the status of faculty searches in economics, philosophy, English, Japanese, and religious studies. D. Lopatto noted that the Consortium for a Strong Minority Presence candidate will be on campus on Thursday. The Dean stated that we might be able to fund another two-year Mellon postdoctoral fellow next year drawing from this year's CSMP pool. Interviews will begin soon for term searches.

He distributed a document which presents campus-wide diversity statistics.

Finally, the Dean reminded Council members that Council discussions are to be considered confidential.

Council Remarks

W. Moyer noted his satisfaction with the Expanding Knowledge Initiative faculty focus group discussions. The Committee will be meeting with students next week and incorporate feedback from them as they continue to refine the draft. He suggested that as they move toward this next draft he would be willing to have a joint meeting of the Committee and Council. There was further discussion.

Diversity Proposals

There was discussion of a diversity proposal in geography.

The President left the meeting at 5:45 p.m.

Discussion of Diversity Strategic Planning

Referring to the chapter on diversity written by the Diversity Subcommittee* of the Grinnell Planning Steering Committee dated April 30, 2004, L. Gregg-Jolly lead a methodical discussion of each of the recommendations of that Subcommittee.

*{Subcommittee members: Leslie Gregg-Jolly and Sig Barber are co-chairs, Henry Reitz, Irene Powell, Frank Thomas, John Rommereim, Adrienne Enriquez, Michael Sims, and Howard Burkle}

Making the Campus More Aware of the Need for Diversity

o Increase understanding of the ways that increasing diversity improves learning outcomes for all students. This may involve studies, workshops, retreats, or the like. Strategies employed should be cognizant of the fact that previous studies have indicated that the campus and classroom climate at Grinnell places extra burdens on persons of color in all areas of the campus community.

*This has been addressed by the Diversity Steering Committee.

o Conduct all-campus discussions about improving the classroom climate and the overall campus climate with regard to diversity. These discussions should be facilitated by outside consultants. The structure for these discussions should be developed in conjunction with the facilitators, and a synopsis of the proceedings should be produced. Provide incentives for participation. We should pursue outside funding for these activities, perhaps from the Mellon Foundation. The dean of the College, the Diversity Steering Committee, and the vice-president for student services would coordinate these efforts.

*This overlaps with the Diversity Steering Committee. We probably need the assistance of outside consultants.

o Reserve annually one convocation slot to address diversity. Preferably this convocation would reinforce the positive relationship between diversity and educational outcomes. The convocation committee would make the appropriate arrangements.

*We charge the Diversity Steering Committee to annually apply for a convocation slot to address various diversity issues on campus.

o Regularly review the definition of "diversity." Such discussion should also assess, for example, to what extent the campus is open and welcoming to persons with disabilities (attitudes and physical impediments in our buildings). The Diversity Steering Committee and the Executive Council would have this item on the agenda annually.

*The Diversity Steering Committee has just completed this.

o Regularly and periodically collect data regarding quality of life and academic issues for students, staff, and faculty of color. This may include data from exit interviews, regular assessment data, and/or reflective data from alumni. Examine such surveys to identify issues regarding diversity that need to be addressed and take positive action to rectify concerns. A committee comprised of a faculty member, the vice president for diversity, an associate dean, and representatives from the Offices of Institutional Research and Human Resources would be responsible for implementing this recommendation.

*The Dean, in consultation with the Office of Institutional Research, will gather and analyze all existing information to inform further Council discussion.

o Have the vice-president for diversity disseminate to the entire campus community an annual State of Diversity report.

*This is done.

o Provide incentives for efforts that are geared to improving campus diversity. For example, add a category to Faculty Activities Reports (FARs) reporting efforts that have contributed to diversity. The Executive Council would discuss implementation of this idea.

*It was decided that the FAR would probably not be the place to ask this question in its truncated format. Perhaps the individual faculty member could offer this information in the Context Statement that they write for their review process. This needs further Council discussion.

o Meet regularly to coordinate diversity efforts. Institute an annual meeting of the vice president for diversity, the Executive Council, and a tenured faculty member of color to monitor adherence to those measures that have been instituted to improve the hiring and retaining of faculty members of color. The Executive Council would determine appropriate measures of accountability for offices engaged in hiring.

*Council will talk about this next week in the broader discussion of the Diversity Committee's draft memorandum on the definition of diversity.

Diversifying the Student Body

o Continue our efforts in recruiting students of color. The Office of Admission has done well in increasing the applicant pool of students of color in the past two years. The increased investment in the Office of Admission has paid off, and we urge continuation of such substantial investment to recruit a diverse student body.

*This is underway.

o Re-evaluate the requirement that students should graduate in four years. In order to improve retention and graduation rates, not only for students of color, but all students, the College should re-evaluate the requirement that students must graduate in four years. The requirement that students earn a certain number of credits every year to remain on track to graduate in four years puts a great deal of pressure on students who come to Grinnell with weaker academic preparation than the average Grinnell student. Students who currently struggle to succeed in four courses per semester might be more successful if allowed to focus on three courses for 12 credits. The Committee on Academic Standing would be charged with addressing this recommendation.

*Council decided to remove this recommendation.

o Develop summer supplemental work for students who have inadequate academic preparation for studying at Grinnell College. This would follow the structure of the successful Honor Scholars Program. The mathematics, science, writing, and reading labs have been invaluable in aiding our students. However, it appears that there might be a need for more supplemental opportunities, which again would improve retention and graduation rates for all students. The Curriculum Committee and the Diversity Steering Committee would be responsible for discussing ways to implement this summer supplemental work.

*Council suggests that the Dean, in consultation with the Office of Institutional Research, examine risk factors for poor performance at Grinnell College.

Diversifying the Faculty and the Curriculum

There is a reason why the faculty and the curriculum are lumped together here. The absence of centralization in our hiring structure, as well as the departmentally centered focus of our hiring process, pose difficulties to achieving the goal of greater representation by persons of color on the faculty at the College and efforts to retain them. The institution must take measures to assure that "diversity positions" do not become marginalized. The College needs to beware of tying demographic diversity to curricular diversity in its appointments, i.e., the expectation that a minority faculty member will be expected to be the one responsible for courses in the curriculum that deal with diversity. The operative formula needs to be "diversity AND (not OR) curriculum." Thus the committee makes the following recommendations and notes that adequate resources should be made available to facilitate these activities. Recommendations, where appropriate, should be carried out in conjunction with the Office of Diversity.

To Achieve a More Diverse Curriculum:

o Hire Curriculum Diversity Consultants. Bring discipline-based diversity experts to campus to consult with specific departments on diversifying their courses and curriculum. An associate dean and the Instructional Support Committee can coordinate these efforts.

*Council decided that this element should be explicitly required of the departmental self-study and review process. The College will pledge the resources that departments might need to address this.

o Support the development of new pedagogies. Maintain academic support for pedagogical methods effective for a diverse student body, including stipends for course development and support for multicultural curricular development workshops. Such work falls within the purview of the Instructional Support Committee. Additionally, consider extra support for scholarly pursuits related to diversity (Committee for the Support of Faculty Scholarship).

*Council sees this as a natural activity to take place as part of implementing the Expanding Knowledge Initiative.

To Achieve a More Diverse Faculty:

*Council decided to discuss this next week in combination with consideration of the Steering Committee's memorandum on the definition of diversity.

o Enrich the Applicant Pools for Faculty Positions. This suggestion has a number of components. The recommendations below will require increased staffing in the office of the vice-president for diversity.

1. Educate chairs of searches about the possibilities for adding diversity candidates to the pool. Make departments accountable during searches, including the definition of positions and efforts made to recruit and attract diversity candidates. (See also point 6 in this section.)
2. Identify and increase support for broadening the base of searches to recruit diversity candidates.
3. Encourage faculty members to attend conferences about diversity.
4. Notify department chairs about diversity conferences. It would be useful for chairs to attend conferences sponsored by traditionally underrepresented groups within a relevant field and/or conferences with high numbers of potential diversity job candidates.
5. Put a diversity link on the College website. Make the link available to all faculty members and be sure to highlight that funds are available for attending such diversity conferences.
6. Establish a structure in which there will be a systematic review of current nontenure track faculty members of color, and determine procedures for pursuing possibilities of retaining such faculty members. The dean of the College, the Executive Council, and the vice-president for diversity would be responsible for establishing this structure.

o Create Dedicated Diversity Positions

1. Affirm the practice of "opportunistic hires." Establish a reserve fund, similar to the capital reserve fund (in this case a "human reserve fund"), to ensure that funds will be available. The president of the College could coordinate this effort.
2. Maintain the (five) hires originally approved under the "Diversity Initiative." These diversity positions need to be considered as true additions rather than tied to departmental retirements, curricular issues, etc.; otherwise these initiatives will be eroded over time.
3. Institute a one-semester to three-year "diversity" term position for a senior faculty member (perhaps a named chair). This position would include a substantial salary, research funding, reduced teaching schedule, and would complement the current CSMP and MSIR programs. Its similarity to the Heath Professorship suggests that it could be packaged as an expansion of the MSIR program. The dean of the College would lead this effort as well as the following one.
4. Establish postdoctoral positions in a diversity context. The dean of the College would lead this effort.

Diversifying the Staff

o Expand the use of affirmative action in staff hiring. This should include active pursuit of recruiting opportunities as the population of Iowa diversifies. Employment opportunities should be advertised strongly in the Marshalltown, Tama, Iowa City, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids areas to target the diverse populations there. The Office of Human Resources and the Diversity Steering Committee would monitor this effort.

*Council charged the Diversity Steering Committee to recommend this to the President and ways to pursue this with Human Resources.

o Have vice-presidents in their reports to the president address their own efforts with regard to issues of diversity in hiring and/or workplace climate.

*Council endorses the idea and charged the Diversity Steering Committee to recommend this to the President and pursue this with Human Resources.

The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.

Secretary
Karen Wiese