Inclusive Excellence
Charge
The President’s Initiative on Inclusive Excellence provides a framework and the integration of the Inclusive Excellence Ecosystem to advance the university’s commitment to becoming a more inclusive campus, promoting an environment where all members of the UTSA community can engage, learn and thrive.
Inclusive Excellence shifts the responsibilities of bolstering diversity toward the whole institution instead of one unit or area having the sole responsibility of understanding and implementing the diversity mission. Inclusive Excellence moves an institution, organization, or program from valuing diversity – with access and cultural competence as its primary goals – ensuring through structural interventions that all groups achieve the desired outcomes at equitable rates. Working in conjunction with an Advisory Board and many campus stakeholders, Myron Anderson, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, provides primary leadership for this Presidential Strategic Initiative.
Strategic Plan Midpoint Update (Fall 2022)
Since 2019, UTSA has made significant investments to evolve its administrative structure, policies, practices, and support programs to advance its campus climate, cultural intelligence, and faculty and staff diversity. The following efforts have been put in motion:
Advancing Inclusive Excellence
- UTSA partnered with the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation to complete a comprehensive university-wide inventory and benchmarking study of all programs, initiatives, resources, and tools related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The information gleaned through this project continues to inform future strategies to identify points of connection and areas where we can augment UTSA’s offerings.
- In 2020, UTSA was honored to receive the prestigious Seal of Excelencia for our demonstrated commitment to Latino student success and the work we are doing to embrace our identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Efforts are underway to renew the seal in 2023.
- The Office of Inclusive Excellence has greatly expanded campus programming and virtual events through efforts including Hispanic Heritage, Black History and Pride Months.
Campus Climate
- In 2020, UTSA conducted its first comprehensive Faculty and Staff Campus Climate Survey to gather perspectives about UTSA’s workplace environment. Campus leaders have continued to gather additional information from employees and, in 2022, UTSA’s Office of People Excellence has put into place a robust set of Action Plans to address concerns at both the institute-wide and unit level.
- In Spring 2021, UTSA conducted the first comprehensive Student Experience Survey, to gather perspectives and experiences around various topics, including communication, management, student organizations, campus culture, and inclusivity. Survey results have been shared with units across UTSA to identify strengths and areas for growth.
Recruitment and Retention
- Collaborations between the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President and the Office of Inclusive Excellence have greatly enhanced UTSA’s efforts to recruit, hire, and retain excellent faculty and staff. These combined efforts have resulted in a 33% increase in underrepresented minority tenure and tenure-track faculty at UTSA.
- The Presidential Inclusive Excellence scholarship recognizes students who have a passion for diversity, inclusion, social justice and have demonstrated their ability to improve campus culture.
This Initiative Supports Strategic Destinations
- Myron Anderson, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence
- Carolyn Ellis, Assistant Dean, UTSA Libraries
- Norma Guerra, Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development
The Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board will proactively and systemically address strategic issues of critical importance to develop and maintain a welcoming and inclusive campus at UTSA. The IEAB will use nationally recognized best practices as a foundation for their work, shaping priorities based on feedback from broad, representative segments of the UTSA community. The IEAB will create additional committees, councils, and task forces to advance specific aspects of inclusive excellence as needed.
Chair: Kelly Nash, Associate Professor of Physics
The Cultural Intelligence Committee will work to sustain, increase and unify the cultural intelligence of the UTSA community. This committee will develop platforms for all UTSA faculty, staff and students to acquire additional knowledge and tools to engage more inclusively with those throughout the campus community. These may include new learning communities, trainings, workshops, seminars and campus resources. Initially, this committee will work on implementing online professional development training on diversity, inclusion and managing bias.
Chair: Roger Enriquez, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
The Campus Climate Committee will assess UTSA’s overall campus climate through data collection and monitoring activities. The initial project of this committee will be to develop and implement a comprehensive campus climate survey at UTSA. Information gathered through the survey will inform UTSA’s senior leadership on progress toward furthering the university’s inclusivity and workplace satisfaction goals. This committee will work in tandem with UTSA’s existing Campus Climate Team, which is charged with monitoring and facilitating the reporting of bias incidents on campus.
We delayed the intended launch of our Campus Climate Survey in March due to the pandemic. All staff and faculty will be invited to take the survey in October, with students to be surveyed next year. We will use the results to measure our progress in building an inclusive environment for all.
Chair: JoAnn Browning, Dean of the College of Engineering
The Inclusive Recruitment Committee will develop and recommend strategies designed to increase the recruitment of diverse faculty and staff. Initially, this committee will review and assess current recruitment programs, developing and implement new programs and activities as needed to advance UTSA’s inclusiveness goals. This group will also provide guidance regarding search and screening processes in order to increase the inclusivity of applicant pools. On the faculty side, this committee will work in tandem with the Provost’s Strategic Faculty Hiring Initiative, specifically the Advancing Academic Excellence through Accelerating Faculty Diversity Hiring Program (FDP). On the staff side, they will work with Vice President for Business Affairs Veronica Mendez to coordinate efforts through Human Resources.
- Roger Enriquez, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
- Carolyn Ellis, Assistant Dean, UTSA Libraries
- Norma Guerra, Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development
- John Phillip Santos, Distinguished Senior Lecturer, Honors College
This task force will review the draft diversity statement developed by the past Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board (DIAC), infuse the philosophies of Inclusive Excellence and finalize an inclusivity statement that aligns with the mission of UTSA. This statement will be presented to the Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board (IEAB) for review, ratification and recommendation to senior leadership to serve as the inclusivity statement for UTSA.
- Traci Buckley, Assistant Vice President for Inclusive Excellence
- Norma Guerra, Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development
This task force will curate events for Hispanic Heritage Month. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, UTSA is committed to honoring its diverse student population and celebrating its Hispanic community. Members from across the university will collaborate to elevate the month’s events. This year all events will be virtual.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Inventory and Assessment
In partnership with Dr. Damon A. Williams and the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership and Social Innovation (CSDLSI), the Office of Inclusive Excellence is conducting a comprehensive inventory of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, initiatives, resources and tools across the entire UTSA campus. The information gleaned through this project will ultimately, inform recommendations and strategies developed by the Office of Inclusive Excellence with the goal of enhancing UTSA’s DEI infrastructure and overall service-delivery model.
» Visit the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Inventory website
Diversity in COVID-19
The Office of Inclusive Excellence remains concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world and more specifically on our community. We are in unprecedented times that are understandably causing fear, anxiety and confusion in our path forward. It is important to remember that we are an inclusive community of learners, appreciative of multicultural perspectives, linking to our advancement of student success. Various resources are available online including: inclusivity reminders, securing your virtual classroom and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Crisis Action Strategy Guide.
Impacting Racial Injustices
Information and resources for the UTSA community on personal and institutional approaches to standing up against racial inequities within multiple spheres of influence. The Office of Inclusive Excellence and the Multicultural Student Center for Equity and Justice can assist any department, division or campus organization with hosting a Community Gathering to provide virtual spaces for your group to process and heal. Contact Assistant Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Traci Buckley for more information.
Impacting Racial Injustices
Information and resources for the UTSA community on personal and institutional approaches to standing up against racial inequities within multiple spheres of influence. The Office of Inclusive Excellence and the Multicultural Student Center for Equity and Justice can assist any department, division or campus organization with hosting a Community Gathering to provide virtual spaces for your group to process and heal. Contact Assistant Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Traci Buckley for more information.
