Theme 6: Inclusive Excellence

Building our capacity for diversity and inclusion by placing emphasis on the success of students, faculty and staff, the perceptions of internal and external constituents, and demonstrability of diversity and inclusion as a core value for the university.

Awareness

Inclusive Excellence is a national framework that champions the importance of integrating diversity and inclusion efforts into all functions of the university in pursuit of its educational mission. By incorporating and valuing diversity and inclusion as a core component of excellence, diversity and inclusion efforts become critical to the educational enterprise and are not seen as standalone initiatives. Through Inclusive Excellence, we acknowledge the legitimate contributions of diversity and inclusion efforts to the educational mission of the university in all spheres: teaching, research, service, cocurricular, recruitment of students, faculty and staff, and engagement with the publics we serve. K-State has a tremendous amount of diversity and inclusion work taking place across the university landscape. Scholars, practitioners and students alike are working on diversity and inclusion at the local, state, regional, national and international levels. However, much of this work is only known at the individual and departmental levels. Through Inclusive Excellence, we will bring these efforts to the forefront of the university to aid in the accomplishment of our legitimate diversity and inclusion aims and our educational mission.

Alignment

Inclusive Excellence is inseparable from our educational mission. The K-State 2025 Visionary Plan calls for integrated learning communities experienced by students, faculty and staff that promote student success within a culture of excellence. Additionally, K-State seeks to develop, promote, reward and support excellent teaching and teacher development by recruiting and retaining superior, diverse faculty with demonstrated excellence in teaching, advising and mentoring. K-State desires to acquire and sustain a talented, high-performing and diverse workforce recognized for excellence and award- winning faculty and researchers. The K-State Principles of Community are also rooted in the framework of Inclusive Excellence. Our Principles of Community demonstrate our quest for equality and commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of justice based on respect for each other and valuing integrity. K-State believes that diversity of views enriches our learning environment, and we promote open expression within a climate of courtesy, sensitivity and mutual respect. As a university community, we strive to contribute to a positive spirit that affirms learning and growth for all members of the community.

Aim 6

Create and utilize a resource (i.e., dashboard or website) that tracks progress on inclusive excellence outcomes obtained by students, faculty, staff and the university community.

Action Items

6.1 Identify best practices in recruiting and retaining diverse populations and historically excluded individuals by category (faculty, staff, students), and establish recruitment practices that intentionally build more diverse hiring committees.
6.2 Identify best practices in funding according to the K-State 2025 Strategic Action Plan.
6.3 Create and implement implicit bias and equitable access training for faculty, staff and students. Ensure 95% of faculty and staff have completed required university diversity training.
6.4 Integrate diversity and multicultural content and pedagogies in all colleges and curriculum, based on Tilford Multicultural Competences evaluation.
6.5 Identify data-informed working practices in areas of student success and support services for students from historically underrepresented and underserved populations.
6.6 Use data and findings from K-State Climate Survey and focus groups and yearly Office of Institutional Equity reports to find areas of growth and create interventions.
6.7 Celebrate and showcase best practices around recruitment, retention and graduation.
6.8 Develop improved perceptions of K-State to internal/external constituents, through programming and events.
6.9 Create transparent reporting to internal and external constituents for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging-related work, including celebration and awards, as well as current interventions and room for growth.
6.10 Collaborate with community, state and national organizations to create and be recognized for having a model universitywide strategic planning and reporting process for diversity.

Accountability

Assessment

6.1 Measurable use of a diversity inventory to identify varying human differences present in faculty, staff and students.

The inventory shall demonstrate the use of student success markers, upward improvement in equitable salaries for faculty and staff, and equitable advancement measures to further illustrate improvements.
The inventory shall demonstrate the level and scope of engagement in diversity efforts, as measured by outcomes illustrating yearly improvements throughout K-State comprehensively.

View a glossary of terms to ensure common understanding of the plan's details