Department Reports on Inclusive Excellence/Equity

Why do we write Inclusive Excellence – Equity Reports?

To help departments/programs plan & reflect on inclusive excellence
To promote a culture of data-driven, outcome-based strategies for equity
To support UWL & UW System strategic planning goals for the Inclusive Excellence initiative to
1. Improve student access
2. Close equity gaps between underserved populations & the larger student population
3. Improve campus climate for students, faculty, & staff

What is the recommended timeline for this process?

Fall Semester
September/October	Department/program meeting to review feedback & set annual goals
November/December	Connect with available resources (e.g., invite your college DEI Fellow or the CATL inclusive teaching specialist to work with your department on goals)
Spring Semester
February/March	Check-in as a department on progress to annual inclusive excellence goals
April/May	Department/program meeting to reflect & synthesize annual efforts to report
July 1	IE Report due as part of department/program’s annual report
Summer	Academic Department Equity Liaison Steering Committee reviews & provides feedback on reports

What are some best practices for IE reports?

Strong reports follow the format in the report template at the link above & here
Strong reports identify SMART department/program goals for at least one of the following areas: (a) improving student access, (b) closing equity gaps, (c) improving campus climate for students, & (d) improving campus climate for faculty & staff
- Departments/programs with graduate studies should include at least one goal related to inclusive excellence in graduate education
Strong reports identify clear metrics for assessing progress
Strong reports review & use data intentionally, including the IRAP dashboards
Strong reports build on efforts & feedback from the previous year
Strong reports focus on collective, systemic efforts over individual contributions
Examples of strong reports:
- English (CASSH)
- Exercise & Sport (CSH)

What resources are available to support equity reporting?

Your college DEI Fellow & the Academic Department Equity Liaison Steering Committee (comprised of the DEI Fellows from CASSH, CSH, CBA, & SOE and CATL’s Inclusive Teaching Specialist)
1. Committee will provide annual feedback using this rubric
Center Advancing Teaching & Learning (CATL)
1. Guidance from specialists, including the Inclusive Teaching Specialist
2. Grant programs for faculty & academic staff
3. Inclusive Teaching Institute (ITI) & other professional development programming
4. CATL’s Inclusive Excellence Guide of equity strategies
Institutional Research, Assessment, & Planning (IRAP)
1. Data website for Equity Liaisons about equity gaps
Division of Diversity & Inclusion
1. Equity liaison program

What is the relationship of the IE report to the Equity Liaison program?

The goal of both the reports and the Equity Liaison program is to promote a culture within departments to engage in serious data-driven, outcome-based strategies regarding inclusive excellence and equity. Although the department chair submits the report, the process should be a department-level process and the Equity Liaison (EqL) can serve as a resource in the development and implementation of the plan. Departments are encouraged to develop goals and plans with the data on equity by department provided at the Equity Liaison website. The reports are linked to two of UWL’s primary strategic planning goals; namely, 1) achieve demographic equity in access and retention for students, staff, faculty, and administrators, and 2) provide fully inclusive educational experiences for all students.

Do you have questions? Need help? Please contact Ashley Edwards (CST) – aedwards@uwlax.edu

What to consider when developing goals: UWL and UW System have identified three central goals for the Inclusive Excellence initiative, aimed at serving historically underrepresented student populations better: improving access; closing equity gaps (differences in performance between underserved populations and students as a whole); and improving the campus climate. The form asks units to report in one or more of those three goal areas.
-The data website for Equity Liaisons and departments provides several sources of information about equity caps.
-The CATL Inclusive Excellence Guide includes instructional "equity strategies" for helping to close equity gaps.

Definitions and sample responses: Remember that this report should reflect unit-level activity, rather than individual. Think of each element of your “plan” as a “goal.”

IE AREA	Definition	Sample responses
1.Improving access	including but not limited to, improving access to: higher education in general, UW-L in particular, specific majors and minors; the full range of educational opportunities offered to students through your college and its programs (including, but not limited to internships, service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad, problem-based learning, authentic assignments).	Identify the “High-Impact Practices” department members currently use and assess student use of and barriers to engaging in them; use this information to reduce barriers. Useful help: colleagues from outside the department to interview students or administer surveys; list of “high-impact practices” and strategies for improving them. Work with community partners on diversity awareness.
2.Closing equity gaps	including but not limited to narrowing performance gaps between dominant groups and historically underserved populations in: initial courses leading to a program (“gateway” courses); courses within General Education for non-majors; courses across a program; particular types of assignments or learning experiences.	Implement student self-evaluation forms on written assignments to help students and the department identify gaps in knowledge and/or skills. Department will evaluate these forms at the end of each term and develop appropriate responses. Useful help: examples of such forms, CATL staff assistance in developing responses likely to help; data from IR to help gauge success. Develop and implement diagnostic, early assignments (within the first three weeks of a course) that can identify problems; develop and implement early and intentional interventions based on this assignment. Useful help: workshop to develop such assignments and interventions (CATL? Writing Center?); data from IR to help gauge success.
3.Improving campus climate	including but not limited to: developing effective, civil communication skills for discussing difficult topics related to diversity; bringing diversity issues into course content; providing the campus and community with diversity-related programs and events; developing student, staff, and faculty bases of knowledge related to diversity or particular populations; developing partnerships with diverse communities beyond UWL that serve community-defined needs; extending expertise on diversity issues and populations to other organizations (e.g., professional associations, other campuses, local businesses or agencies, UW System organizations).	Learn about implicit biases and identify ways they might influence our pedagogy. Useful help: resources on implicit bias and its effects; free books; facilitator from outside the department to guide departmental discussion.. Find ways for more students to see themselves represented in course content and assignments across our programs. Useful help: strategy for mapping across course sin a program; assistance developing and delivering a department-level workshop.