Race and Ethnicity Task Force Report: Six Years Later

Larry G. Martin, Ph.D.And

Simone ConceiçãoUniversity of Wisconsin‑Milwaukee

Race and Ethnicity Task Force Report: Six Years Later

The Task force on Race and Ethnicity identified nine major problems and/or issues, and it made recommendations to address these concerns.

What has happened during the intervening years?

To what extent have the recommendations been implemented?

Purpose of the Task Force

Investigate the extent to which UWM has provided an accepting and accommodating environment for individuals from various racial and ethnic backgrounds,

Identify the race and ethnic diversity-related issues and concerns that currently exist among faculty, academic staff, and classified staff, and

Purpose of the Task Force (Con’t)

Make recommendations to the administration to guide the implementation of policies and effective practices to build awareness, energy, and commitment for addressing the issues and concerns highlighted by the task force.

Composition of the Task Force

Task Force – over 60 faculty, academic staff, classified staff, and students were either nominated or volunteered to serve on the task force

Much of the work of the task force was accomplished via a Leadership Team comprised of 18 individuals.

Composition Of the Task Force (Con’t)

Leadership Team – assisted with the development and implementation of five Work Groups.

Work Groups – provided assistance in the investigation of various issues and concerns of importance to targeted interest groups: Campus Survey Exit Survey Faculty Hearing Academic Staff Hearing Classified Staff Hearing

Conclusion and Recommendations

A Campus Climate Exists at UWM That Marginalizes People of Color and there is no coherent strategic plan for diversity.

The strategic apex of the university should demonstrate a commitment to effectively managing diversity and offer a leadership training program to support racial ethnic minorities in preparing for leadership positions. No leadership program has been provided to

faculty and staff of color.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The campus should develop a coherent university-wide five year strategic diversity plan.

No plan has been developed. It is currently in the planning stages. This program is part of the planning process.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Race and Ethnicity Related Bias in the Discretionary Enforcement of UWM’s Rules and Policies.

UWM should become a learning organization—create a campus-wide advisory committee. The committee should also employ Action Learning as an approach to working with and developing individuals in management/supervisory positions to address race/ethnicity problems in their units.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Council on Inclusion, 2005 Developing a strategic diversity plan with a

broad-based support; Providing recommendations for attracting and

retaining faculty and staff of color; Developing a diversity training program for

the entire UWM campus. Diversity Leadership Committee (DLC),

2008.

Conclusion and Recommendations

A Campus-wide ombudsman position should be created.

The Chancellor’s Ombuds Council was created October 22, 2007.

serves as a resource for those who seek informal guidance on policies, procedures and regulations affecting faculty and staff.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Communicative Patterns are often Dominated by Defensive Routines that Inhibit Organizational Learning.

Employees should be provided professional development workshops on communicative competence, multicultural leadership, organizational learning, and ethics. These types of workshops are not

currently provided.

Conclusion and Recommendations

New-employee training should include a component that provides insights into some of the types of race and ethnicity problems and issues they may encounter as employees.

Some training is provided; however, no evidence was found to connect it to these topics.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Majority of Negative Cases in the Personal Reflections Survey were not Satisfactorily Resolved.

All administrators and supervisors should be required to participate in university sponsored leadership training workshops and seminars on interpersonal relationships, leadership, inter-group relations, and group management skills.

Some strategic leadership training workshops are provided; however, diversity and climate has not been addressed.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The performance of administrators and supervisors should be assessed via a 360 degree evaluation.

No 360 evaluations have been conducted.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Under-representation of People of Color among Faculty and Staff.

Increase the percentage of TRE faculty and staff to the level mentioned in Phase II of the Milwaukee Commitment document, i.e., to reflect either the U.S. Department of Labor accepted availability and utilization data or the TRE/D composition of UWM students, whichever is greater, and achieve parity in the promotion rate with non-TRE faculty and staff.

Incumbency vs. Estimated Availability : Two Job Groups

Faculty Job

Group

Workers TRE Minority

% Avail. Less than

Expect

Bus Admin

58 Black (1) 1.72 12.43 Yes

L&S Nat. Science

130 Black (0) 0.0 3.00 Yes

Conclusion and Recommendations

Lack of University Commitment to Race/Ethnicity Diversity.

Revise UWM’s Mission Statement to include valuing race and ethnic diversity.

The mission now states: (e) To further academic and professional

opportunities at all levels for women, minority, part-time, and financially or educationally disadvantaged students.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Exit Interview Data are Unanalyzed and Exit Interviews of Internal Transferals are not Conducted.

The HR Department should tabulate and analyze the exit interview data from previous years and the unit should conduct exit interviews with individuals who transfer internally.

Exit interviews of internal transferals are not yet conducted.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Surveys of Perceptions and no Plans for Follow-Up Studies.

Implement follow-up studies and monitor the extent to which the campus climate for racial and ethnic diversity improves.

Wisconsin System Climate Assessment Project, Dr. Susan Rankin, November, 2008.

uwm.edu/acad_aff/climate/survey08/index.cfm

Conclusion and Recommendations

Confusion Regarding the Official Policy S-47 Document.

Adopt an Official Discriminatory Conduct Policy that is properly vetted.,

Restore the rights of UWM employees and students to complain of discrimination at UWM.

The informal complaint process should be restored.

Employees and students at UWM who observe discrimination against others or themselves should be allowed to file either formal or informal complaints against the alleged discriminator.

S-47 Document Revised: February 16, 2006

The revised document included the following:

An expanded list of “protected statuses.” Re-insertion of wording on consensual

relations and reporting of same. Wording on filing “third party” complaints of

discrimination. Clarification of filing complaint procedures.

uwm.edu/secu/facdocs/S-47-02-16-06version.pdf