Division Meeting - March 19, 2021 UofSC Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Achievement Task Force Review Session" presented by Silvia Patricia Rios-Husain, Student Success; Alisa Liggett, Student Conduct and Academic Integrity; Jerome Scott, Student Government; and Joe Fortune, University Housing

1. DEIA TASK FORCE REVIEW SESSION
March 19, 2021

2. DEFINING DEI
Definitions provided by Julian Williams and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that frames our
continued conversations on diversity, equity, inclusion and achievement.
 Diversity is the representation of all our varied identities and differences (race, ethnicity, gender,
disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, socio-economic status, thinking
and communication styles, etc.), collectively and as individuals. We should be seeking to proactively
engage, understand, and draw on a variety of perspectives, believing that the solution to the problems
can be found by affirming our similarities, as well as by finding value in our differences.
 Equity seeks to ensure fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and fairness in access to
information and resources for all. This is only possible in an environment built on respect and dignity.
 Inclusion builds a culture of belonging by actively inviting the contribution and participation of all
people. Believing that every person’s voice adds value, and we striving to create balance in the face of
power differences. True inclusion holds that no one person can or should be called upon to represent
an entire community.

3. TASK FORCE MEMBERS
• Sonia Badesha, Student Disability Resource Center
• Alicia Bervine, DSA/AS Human Resources
• Joe Fortune (chair), University Housing
• Timothy Lewis, New Student Orientation
• Alisa Liggett, Student Conduct and Academic Integrity
• Scott McDonald, Student Success Center
• Chris Mobley, Veterans Enrollment Services
• Silvia Patricia Rios Husain, Assistant Vice President for Student Success
• Jerome Scott, Student Government Leadership

4. TASK FORCE CHARGE
1. Review the University’s Strategic Plan Priority #4
2. Review of Student and Staff DEIA efforts in the DSA/AS
3. Identify and review concerns and gaps in DEIA efforts for
students and staff
4. Recommend a shared structure and staffing from across the
Division for DEIA leadership
5. Recommend an approach for DEIA leadership at the AVP
and/or Central Office

5. STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITY 4
Cultivate a more diverse, equitable and
inclusive campus culture where every individual,
regardless of background, has the full opportunity
to flourish and thrive

6. COMPOSITION GOAL
Goal: Improve the relative racial/ethnic and gender representation of our
student body, staff and faculty
1. Align student population with diversity of our state
2. Ensure professional/administrative staff reflects diversity of our
state
3. Transform full-time faculty to be in closer alignment with diversity of
student body

7. ACHIEVEMENT GOAL
Goal: Ensure that there is equity for all students and staff and
faculty members across key measures of success.
1. Improve academic outcomes for students from underrepresented,
low-income and other marginalized groups
2. Ensure transparent, better and more equitable outcomes for all staff
members
3. Ensure transparent, better and more equitable outcomes for all faculty
members

8. ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSION GOAL
Goal: Create, promote, support and assess a campus culture/climate that
embodies our Carolinian Creed and makes every member of our university
community feel that they are valued and affirmed.
1. Increase engagement of entire campus community
2. Improve sense of inclusion and belonging for everyone

9. OUR 8 ACTIONS TO ACCELERATE CHANGE
A framework to promote inclusion and combat inequities across campus

10. ACTION PLAN INFLUENCES
For South Carolina: A Path to Excellence
• University of South Carolina’s Strategic Plan
2020 Revision Statement: Student sponsored revision of 2015 Vision Statement
Recent Student Senate Recommendations
2020 DSA/AS Blueprint for Service Excellence Priorities
Select diversity plans from various units within DSA/AS
Select literature review
Campus Climate Surveys:
• 2016 Undergraduate Campus Climate
• 2018 Campus Climate
• 2019 UofSC Community Modern Think Higher Education Insights
• 2020 First Year Student Retention

11. ACTION PLAN THEMES
1. Education and Training:
Building new diverse capacities and cross-cultural expectations
2. Infrastructure:
Strengthen services and structural support
3. Equitable Access, Sense of Belonging, and Engagement:
Enhance connectivity and inclusion
4. Communication and Transparency:
Clarify and amplify Division commitments

12. 1
Establish a division-wide council with ongoing and sustainable
senior leadership to include representation from
each department to move forward DEIA initiatives across the
division.

13. Identify and change policies, practices, and procedures that
produce and normalize racial, LGBQ, Trans and gender
nonconforming, and ability status inequities.
2

14. Develop or revise existing curriculum, activities, and interventions
to include common high-quality learning outcomes centered
around inclusion and equity.
• Educate and refresh student services staff about campus resources
(inclusive customer service) to facilitate connecting students with the
right care and support.
• Disseminate best practices across units to implement simple
interventions to reduce student equity gaps for those
underrepresented, first-generation, and Pell recipients etc.
populations.
3

15. Enhance division-wide cross-cultural expectations and
understandings for staff.
• A minimum level of knowledge, skills, and proficiencies will be
developed by division leadership and expected of all employees who
work in DSA/AS.
• Require inclusion and equity change management and skill-building
training for all supervisors.
• Utilize existing and create new trainings and
programs around DEIA topics including but not limited to anti-racism,
LGBQ, trans and gender nonconforming, veteran-status, and ability
status.
4

16. Review student involvement:
• Examine makeup of paid and unpaid student involvement to
determine if inequities exist in hiring and selection processes.
• Centralize use of Handshake platform for all DSA/AS student
recruitment and hiring.
• Include language in all student position descriptions to highlight focus
on creating an inclusive campus environment.
5

17. Enhance coordinated care network for students by leveraging
existing technologies (e.g., Navigate, StarRez, Maxient) to
provide wraparound resources for support from all areas of
DSA/AS.
6

18. Develop a recognition program to share and promote student,
staff, or department success around DEIA (student success,
diversity champions, mentor awards, best practices, etc.).
7

19. Develop a grant ideation program that will provide staff the
opportunity to request funding to support a new diversity
initiative that will positively impact the recruitment or retention
of staff and/or students.
8

20. DEIA STRUCTURAL SUSTAINABILITY
DEIA Priority #1: A shared DEIA Model

21. PURPOSE
Create a coordinated, consistent, and
connected leadership and accountability
structure for DEIA at all levels of the Division

23. DEIA STEERING COMMITTEE
• 10-member group:
• Steering Committee Chair
• One AVP/Dean of Students
• Two Co-chairs of each
implementation group

24. IMPLEMENTATION GROUP MEMBERS
• 9-12 member group
• Co-chairs
• Staff Implementation Efforts
• Student Implementation Efforts
• Student representatives
• Staff from across division
• One AVP/Dean of Students

25. IMPLEMENTATION GROUP CHARGE
Recognize and utilize existing DEIA efforts across the university
Develop specific strategies to implement action items
Develop a timeline for implementation and monitor progress
Prioritize tasks and make alterations to timeline as needed
Establish mechanisms for assessment to determine if action items
are meeting goals and improving campus climate
Provide updates to the division and campus community on
progress made to date at bi-monthly division meetings
Promote DEIA advocacy efforts within their unit and beyond

26. DEIA COMMITTEE INTEREST FORM

27. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

28. ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
• Identified 17 additional recommendations for consideration by
future DEIA planning groups.
• Examples include:
• Establish a full-time senior position for DEIA initiatives within DSA/AS
• Expand financial support for students and staff to attend local,
regional, state, and national conferences addressing social justice,
diversity, equity, and inclusion topics
• Develop early exposure and mentoring programs to yield better
participation for students from marginalized backgrounds in
organizations and where they have been historically
underrepresented to include internships, study abroad and
undergraduate research

29. ANTICIPATED TIMELINE
March 2021:
• DEIA Task Force Action Plan shared with DSA/AS
• Collect and review feedback from more members of DSA/AS
• Recommended actions will go to Vice President Pruitt for his final review and action
April 2021:
• Selection and creation of DEIA Steering Committee
• Applications and Nominations for Implementation Groups
May 2021:
• Implementation Groups Selected
• Implementation Group Meetings Begin
June 2021:
• Steering Committee shares formal update with Vice President Pruitt and the DSA/AS executive leadership team
Early August 2021:
• Implementation Groups share initial plans with DSA/AS
• Implementation Groups share initial plans with student representatives

30. FUTURE DEIA EFFORTS
It is difficult to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and
achievement. This action plan is just the beginning. With this
plan, the Division will work toward a common purpose and set
expectations in making our campus “more diverse, equitable
and inclusive where every individual, regardless of
background, has the full opportunity to flourish and thrive.”

31. THANKS!
DEIA Taskforce
Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support
Spring 2021