Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Message from the President
So much has happened in our world since the murder of George Floyd and countless other Black lives at the hands of the police, combined with a global pandemic that has put a disproportionate health and financial security burden on communities of color. Together with everyone in the Western Washington University community, I stand with you in proclaiming that Black Lives Matter.
These recent events are a stark reminder that race determines profoundly unjust outcomes not only in our systems of policing and incarceration, but in every part of our society, including education.
WWU’s Black student organizations, along with student groups representing other oppressed and marginalized identities, have long called on this institution to focus first on making lasting change that will significantly impact the lives of Western’s current and future students. While we have made progress since Winter 2019 in our efforts to increase equity and inclusion, it has not been fast or ambitious enough. The most significant way we can acknowledge and correct the past and ongoing injustices is by accelerating the rate and scope of our own systemic change.
Below are a set of both short-term and longer-term policy, program, learning and infrastructure initiatives, along with timelines and accountability targets, to guide our collective work in making Western Washington University a place where all community members feel truly safe, supported and included.
Sabah Randhawa
July-December Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Timeline
Action | Implementation/Next Steps |
---|---|
Hire Director of Multicultural Student Services |
Complete draft position description Summer 2020 and launch search in Fall 2020 with students on search committee |
Hire Retention Counselor for African American and Black students |
Complete draft position description Summer 2020 and launch search in Fall 2020 with students on search committee |
Structure set up and Bias Response Team formed in Summer 2020. Launch Fall 2020. |
|
DEI leadership education/training |
RE-Envision 2020 virtual training package on diversity, equity and inclusion, developed by Dr. Kathy Obear, will be implemented for senior leadership in August 2020 and Academic Affairs leadership in Fall 2020. Evaluate “Undoing Racism” from Seattle-based People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond for follow-up sessions. |
Mandatory DEI training for students (in addition to sexual assault prevention training) |
Launch Fall 2020 |
Mandatory DEI training for new and existing employees including senior leadership |
Launch Fall 2020 for professional and classified staff and new faculty appointments. Discuss and pursue training for existing faculty with the Faculty Senate and the UFWW.
|
Research existing campus building namesakes, and appoint a legacy review committee for Huxley College of the Environment |
Research completed by Western Libraries Heritage Resources in July 2020. Appoint legacy review committee Fall 2020.
|
Name new residence hall after one of Western’s first notable Black graduates |
Internal and ancestry research completed Summer 2020. Seek input from Black student organizations in September 2020. Take to Board of Trustees for review and approval in October 2020.
|
Climate survey conducted by USC Center for Urban Education |
Launch Fall 2020 |
Sign on to the Okanagan Charter and make a commitment to become a health promoting institution. |
Complete review process with the President’s Council on Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice in Fall 2020. |
Ethnic Studies curriculum |
The university has vetted a decision package for state funding in FY21, however, given that it’s unlikely to be funded due to the current state mandated COVID-19 budget reductions, the Provost will work with the Ethnic Studies Collective (faculty and students), and others as appropriate, to support development of curricula and programming. |
Add a General University Requirement focused on African American studies and structural anti-Black racism |
A Committee on Undergraduate Education Task Force is at work this summer in order to forward in the fall a recommendation to the Academic Coordination Committee (ACC) on changing the Comparative, Gender and Multicultural Studies general university requirement to a Diversity, Equity, Justice (DEJ) requirement. Plans are that this could include one required DEJ course that would be concerned with theory, structures or forces of stratification and bias. |
Expand Viking Launch for first generation, Pell Grant eligible and scholarship students |
Fall 2020 and ongoing. |
Annual institution-wide recognition and celebration of Black History Month, MLK Day and Juneteenth |
Expand and enhance current work for Winter-Spring 2020 and ongoing. |
Campus Resources
For Faculty and Staff
Western's
Framework for
Equity Inclusion Diversity
Goals
Advancing Inclusive Success
Increasing Washington Impact
Enhancing Academic Excellence
The Feedback Loop
Western's framework is illustrated here, with links to relevant pages. Our Policies and Programs feed our Learning and Traditions, which in turn leads to Support Resources and Infrastructure. This all creates Accountability, which then creates a feedback loop to strengthen and improve all aspects of the framework.
Policies
- Revised discrimination complaint procedure
- Threat & safety communication protocol
- Gender-inclusive housing policies
- Access to campus records for immigration enforcement purposes
Programs
- Provost’s faculty diversity & hiring initiative
- Climate surveys
- Council & Task Forces
- Enrollment & Student Services Advising Council
- Bias Education & Response Team
Learning
- Recently expanded sexual harassment training for students
- Government-to-Government training
- Ethnic studies curriculum
- College-level EID initiatives
Traditions
- MLK Breakfast & Black History Month
- Pow Wow
- World Kindness Day
- International Cultural Night
- Indigenous Peoples Day
- Social Justice, Equity, and Diversity Awards
- Diversity Achievement Award
Resources & Support
- LGBTQ+ Director
- Tribal Liaison
- Multicultural Student Services Director
- Executive Director of Civil Rights & Title IX Coordinator
Infrastructure
- Disability Access Center
- Multicultural Center
- Meditation/Prayer Rooms
- Gender Neutral Restrooms (recently expanded)
- Indigenous Cultural Center
- Student Success Fundraising Initiative
Accountability
2024-25 Targets
Overall First-year Retention Rate
87 - 90%
- Students of Color: 87 - 90%
- Pell Grant Eligible: 87 - 90%
Overall six-year graduation rate
75 - 80%
- Students of Color: 75 - 80%
- Pell Grant Eligible: 75 - 80%
Overall transfer four-year graduation rate
75 - 80%
- Students of Color: 75 - 80%
- Pell Grant Eligible: 75 - 80%
Percent Students of color
30 - 35%
Percent Faculty of color
18 - 23%
Climate Metrics
Timeline of Projects to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Western
The chart below captures a list of the major projects completed, currently underway, and to be addressed at the institutional level with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is not an exhaustive list, but represents the most pressing and actionable items that have been identified. In addition there are initiatives being implemented within academic colleges and at the department level that are not reflected here. We invite you to check back often as projects are completed and new items are added.
Western is committed to making continuous progress on these issues—some operational, others systemic—and to acknowledging and addressing them in a way that is fully transparent about where we are with the work.
If you have any suggestions or comments about the timeline, please share your thoughts with Enrollment & Student Services Vice President, Melynda Huskey at Melynda.Huskey@wwu.edu or Paul Dunn in the President's office at Paul.Dunn@wwu.edu
2017-18 Academic Year
Established Provost Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Hiring Initiative (ongoing) Item complete
Conducted HERI (Higher Education Research Institute) survey on campus climate Item complete
Created Council for Gender Equity and the Council for Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice. Item complete
Fall 2018
Hired LGBTQ+ Director Item complete
Hired full time Director in Disability Access Center Item complete
Added additional Accommodation Advisor position in the Disability Access Center Item complete
Revamped Disability Access Center website Item complete
Revised Discrimination Complaint Procedure Item complete
Winter 2019
Established Tribal Liaison Office/Hired Exec Director of AI/AN and First Nations Relations Item complete
Review gender-inclusive housing policies and procedures Item complete
Assess threat and safety communications protocols and apps Item complete
Investigate USDA eligibility to accept SNAP benefits to better serve students with food insecurity (Unfortunately WWU does not qualify – basic needs task force will be established in Fall 2019 to address food and housing insecurity among students)Item complete
Hold first MLK Day breakfast (on 1/21/19); Conduct future planning for MLK Day and Black History Month (ongoing) Item in progress
Complete web page on policies, resources, etc. for undocumented students Item complete
Open first meditation/prayer room in Wilson Library room WL 564 (a second room has been added in the Multicultural Center as of Fall 2019)Item complete
Opened meditation room/reflection room in the Viking Union Item complete
Create hearing impairment accessibility specialist position Item complete
Expand number of gender neutral bathrooms (ongoing — currently at 70+ gender neutral facilities)Item complete
Finalize Policy on Access to Campus or Student Records for Immigration Enforcement PurposesItem complete
Develop Ethnic Studies curriculum and delivery structure Item in progress
Spring 2019
Complete Disability Access Center and Veteran's Center construction in Wilson Hall Item complete
Hire Executive Director of Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator(national search is underway)Item in progress
Hire Director of Multicultural Student Services (Impacted by COVID-19 but ongoing)Item in progress
Revise gender inclusive housing policies and procedures Item complete
Assess equity and inclusion training needs for University community Item complete
Operationalize recommendations from Task Force on Preventing and Responding to AntisemitismItem in progress
Complete tribal enrollment descendancy protocol Item in progress
2019-20 Academic Year
Completion of new Multicultural Center Item complete
Assess outcomes, adapt, and expand Provost Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Hiring InitiativeItem complete
Implemented the ability for students and employees to indicate and update their pronouns and gender identity. via Web4U. Item complete
Annually assess outcomes for student access and success metrics; revise and re-prioritize action plan Item in progress
Campus Climate Survey (implementation for Fall 2020) Item in progress
Create a one-stop student support and referral services navigator position Item in progress
Implement Government to Government Training through the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs (ongoing)Item complete
Establish a Basic Needs Taskforce to coordinate efforts to address housing and food insecurity among students Item complete
Update Western Alert system protocols to better reflect Clery Act requirementsItem complete
Implement new safety apps – final internal review to be completed Fall 2019, with testing and rollout scheduled for Winter 2020Item in progress
Charge Council on Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice to develop institution-wide bias response program and recommendation on holistic student wellness. Completed recommendations include Recommendation to Create a Structural Equity and Bias Response Team and Holistic Wellness Recommendations.Item complete
Establish Enrollment and Student Services Student Advisory Council Item complete
Enrollment Statistics
All Students, Fall 2020
Headcount
All Students: 15,197
Men: 6,414 (42.2%)
Women: 8,783 (57.8%)
Full-time: 13,390 (88.1%)
Part-time: 1807 (11.9%)
Average Age (All students): 21.7
Undergraduate Headcount
Total: 14,402
Full-time: 12,792 (88.8%)
Part-time: 1,610 (11.2%)
Average Age (undergraduates): 21.3
Graduate Headcount
Total: 787
Full-time: 595 (75.6%)
Part-time: 192 (24.4%)
Fall 2020 Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity
All Students | Fall 2020 | % of Total |
---|---|---|
Hispanic | 1575 | 10.4% |
Hispanic Ethnicity | 649 | |
Hispanic & White | 717 | |
Hispanic & non-White | 209 | |
American Indian or Alaska Native | 288 | 1.9% |
American Indian or Alaska Native Single Race | 68 | |
American Indian & White | 220 | |
Asian | 1,711 | 11.3% |
Asian Single Race | 966 | |
Asian & White | 745 | |
Black or African American | 432 | 2.8% |
Black or African American Single Race | 260 | |
Black & White | 172 | |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 66 | 0.4% |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Island Single Race | 20 | |
Native Hawaiian & White | 46 | |
International | 128 | 0.8% |
Race and ethnicity unknown | 343 | 2.3% |
Two or more races: Other | 191 | 1.3% |
White | 10,463 | 68.8% |
Total | 15,197 | |
Students of Color | 4,263 | 28.1% |
Inclusive Success
First-to-second Year Retention
Overall: 79%
Underrepresented Minority Students: 77%
Pell Grant eligible: 74%
Six-year Graduation Rate
Overall: 67%
Underrepresented Minority Students: 61%
Pell Grant eligible: 61%
Transfer Four-year Graduation Rate
Overall: 76%
Underrepresented Minority Students: 69%
Pell grant eligible: 74%
Faculty Retention Rates
The following are three year retention statistics, showing how many faculty employed in a given year remained employed three years later. For example, in the All Faculty table, the first column for 2010 has a value of 69%. This means that 69% of all faculty employed in fall 2010 were also employed in fall 2013.
These data are broken down by Tenure Status*, gender, and Faculty of Color Status**.
Faculty retirements lower measured retention rates. To account for this, we also present the retention rates of faculty who are under the age of 59 on the hypothesis that faculty who leave WWU before 59 are not retiring. 59 has been used because it coincides with when people can start drawing from tax-deferred retirement accounts. This second table is potentially better at demonstrating the mobility of faculty for reasons other than retirements.
*Tenure status reported is the tenure status of the faculty member at the start of the three-year period.
**Faculty of Color are reported per IPEDS guidelines. Race categories include: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or two or more races.
Retention rates for all faculty
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
69% | 71% | 75% | 73% | 73% | 72% |
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 49% | 53% | 62% | 59% | 58% | 57% |
Female | 48% | 52% | 62% | 61% | 58% | 56% |
Male | 52% | 55% | 61% | 56% | 58% | 58% |
Faculty of Color | 44% | 39% | 68% | 74% | 57% | 56% |
Non Faculty of Color | 50% | 54% | 61% | 58% | 58% | 57% |
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 86% | 87% | 86% | 86% | 86% | 85% |
Female | 87% | 88% | 86% | 86% | 86% | 85% |
Male | 85% | 87% | 86% | 85% | 86% | 85% |
Faculty of Color | 91% | 93% | 94% | 93% | 87% | 88% |
Non Faculty of Color | 85% | 86% | 85% | 84% | 86% | 85% |
Retention rates for faculty under 59
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
73% | 75% | 80% | 79% | 79% | 79% |
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 49% | 53% | 64% | 63% | 62% | 61% |
Female | 48% | 50% | 59% | 63% | 63% | 60% |
Male | 51% | 58% | 71% | 63% | 60% | 61% |
Faculty of Color | 41% | 35% | 73% | 75% | 56% | 50% |
Non Faculty of Color | 50% | 54% | 63% | 62% | 62% | 62% |
3 Year Rate | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 93% | 93% | 92% | 92% | 91% | 94% |
Female | 94% | 93% | 92% | 93% | 90% | 93% |
Male | 92% | 94% | 93% | 91% | 91% | 94% |
Faculty of Color | 93% | 94% | 94% | 96% | 90% | 94% |
Non Faculty of Color | 93% | 93% | 92% | 91% | 91% | 94% |
Summary of Faculty & Staff Demographics
Employee type | Total WWU Employees | Women | Racial/Ethnic Minority | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Faculty | 965 | 487 | 50.47% | 170 | 17.62% |
Staff | 1437 | 817 | 56.85% | 241 | 16.77% |
Total | 2402 | 1304 | 54.29% | 411 | 17.11% |
Source of Data: Banner HR; WWU 2018 AAP for Women and Minorities. Data includes persons employed at any FTE.
Minority women are included in numbers for both women and minorities. Racial/ethnic minority includes individuals who self-identified as: Hispanic or Latino; American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or Two or more races. Providing demographic information is voluntary. The totals and percentages in the above table do not include individuals whose demographic information is not available.
Faculty numbers include tenure track and non-tenure track faculty.