Action Project

Institution: Moraine Valley Community College
Submitted: April 29, 2005
Timeline:
Planned project kickoff date:
Target completion date:
Actual completion date:
A. Give this Action Project a short title in 10 words or fewer:

Embracing Diversity: Implementing a College wide Diversity Plan

 
B. Describe this Action Project's goal in 100 words or fewer:

Moraine Valley’s Diversity Plan was reviewed by the college community to ensure input from all stakeholders.  Our Board of Trustees approved the plan in March 2005.  Plan implementation will include, but not be limited to, the following activities:
•  Integrate intercultural perspectives into the curriculum
•  Influence attitudes and behaviors of the college community through formal/informal learning and education, and leadership role modeling
•  Implement a comprehensive college-wide recruiting strategy to attract, hire, and retain diverse employees
•  Institute a culture change process that supports creating and sustaining an environment that is aware of, open to, and respectful of differences.

C. Identify the single AQIP Category which the Action Project will most affect or impact:

Primary Category: Understanding Students' and Other Stakeholders' Needs

D. Describe briefly your institution's reasons for taking on this Action Project now—why the project and its goals are high among your current priorities:

The college’s district population and student demographics are becoming more diverse.  In order to meet the needs of our students and stakeholders, Moraine Valley created a strategic priority of Embracing Diversity. The college recognizes the need to foster an environment where diverse people are not only present, but also where their talents are honored, engaged, and applied to every aspect of how the college fulfills its mission and purpose.

E. List the organizational areas - -institutional departments, programs, divisions, or units—most affected by or involved in this Action Project:

•  Academic Affairs
•  Human Resources
•  Student Development

F. Name and describe briefly the key organizational process(es) that you expect this Action Project to change or improve:

•  Curriculum design & teaching strategies: Integrate global and intercultural perspectives into these areas
•  Training and Development:  Provide current employees with professional development programs and activities in behavioral objectives related to diversity
•  Recruitment and Hiring: Implement a comprehensive college-wide recruitment strategy to attract, hire, and retain diverse employees
•  Planning:  Each department will be responsible for identifying a diversity objective as part of its annual plan
•  Performance Evaluation: Within the professional performance evaluation, employees will set goals related to their involvement in diversity initiatives for the upcoming year

G. Explain the rationale for the length of time planned for this Action Project (from kickoff to target completion):

Reports on action team progress will be provided at least once each semester to the following campus groups:  Board of Trustees, Executive Leadership Team (president, vice presidents and CFO), Administrative Council, President’s Advisory Council.  In addition, college wide updates will be disseminated via Valley View staff newsletter and MV eNews electronic newsletter.

H. Describe how you plan to monitor how successfully your efforts on this Action Project are progressing:

•  Identify steps to implement new hiring practices
•  Define and select new teams to be charged with specific tasks related to key processes to be improved
•  Form academic teams to consider curriculum design and teaching strategies to integrate global and diversity perspectives into courses.
•  Develop and implement individual and departmental goals and objectives to support the college’s diversity initiative for fiscal year 2006

I. Describe the overall "outcome" measures or indicators that will tell you whether this Action Project has been a success or failure in achieving its goals:

•  Identify steps to implement new hiring practices
•  Define and select new teams to be charged with specific tasks related to key processes to be improved
•  Form academic teams to consider curriculum design and teaching strategies to integrate global and diversity perspectives into courses.
•  Develop and implement individual and departmental goals and objectives to support the college’s diversity initiative for fiscal year 2006

J. Other information (e.g., publicity, sponsor or champion, etc.):

Implement campus-wide training effort.  Launch the team focused on new recruitment and hiring practices focused on diversity.  Evaluate the results of department and individual objectives to identify successful activities that can be replicated in other departments on campus. Complete campus wide training effort, and initiate new hiring practices. Begin to effect change in actual hiring outcomes and results. Through student evaluations, document effects of changes in curriculum.

Last Action Project Update: Sept. 13, 2007
A. Describe the past year's accomplishments and the current status of this Action Project.
In year one, we focused this Action Project on the following three specific initiatives. Year two activities included:

Employee Recruitment and Retention – based on the plan completed in Year One, the following recruitment and retention strategies were approved for implementation by the Executive Leadership Team: 1) expanded media use to advertise Moraine Valley Community College positions, 2) attended five off-campus job fairs, 3) contacted 10 area colleges and universities to begin development of partnerships with those institutions, and notify their placement and graduate offices of Moraine Valley vacancies, 4) held presentations and meetings with two consulting firms specializing in employee engagement surveys, 5) began development and revision of behavioral objectives for diversity training for new hires, and 6) held training for faculty search teams on recruitment issues specifically related to diversity.  

Practices, Procedures, and Policies — In fall 2006, the recommendation to pilot the team’s model was accepted by ELT.  The next phase involved selecting a diverse population of college employees to participate in the pilot group.  In July 2007: 1) selected the college’s bidding process to pilot the Practices, Polices, and Procedures Model, 2) the committee discussed the current bidding process, and was assigned “homework” to 2a) think about the diversity and inclusion definition for this pilot phase and 2b) review the bidding process flow chart and identify where/how the college could be more inclusive and diverse.

Classroom and Curriculum – 1) formalized 11 General Education Learning Outcomes for all students including valuing diversity, 2) recent revision of curriculum development process to include Curriculum Development group, which assists those initiating new or improving existing curriculum. Group membership intentionally includes key stakeholders from student development and academic affairs to ensure high quality curriculum that meets the ever-changing needs of the diverse college district, 3) the college’s mandatory freshman transition course (COL 101) ensures that all first-time, full-time students gain understanding of the importance of valuing diversity through exploration of interpersonal relations from multiple perspectives as it relates to the diverse world in which we live, 4) the Campus–Wide Diversity Committee is responsible for academic and social diversity programming and co-curricular workshops to support continuous learning and appreciation of local and global perspectives, people, and cultures.
B. Describe how the institution involved people in the work on this Action Project.
During Year One, teams developed plans with recommendations for improvements within the three specific initiatives.  Once these teams had completed their plans and recommendations, they were disbanded. In Year Two, new implementation teams were formed to implement the recommendations of the Year One planning teams. The implementation teams include representatives from across the college that have direct responsibility for the three initiatives.  As appropriate, implementation teams include leadership from both academic affairs and student development which serves to improve communication among stakeholders.
C. Describe your planned next steps for this Action Project.
Employee Recruitment and Retention – Implementation will continue on each recommendation: 1) expand use of media 1a) Once college branding initiative is finalized, Human Resources will redesign ads aligned with the brand and develop diversity tag line/phrase for employment ads, and 1b) expand where and how the college advertises positions, 2) develop additional partnerships with educational institutions and build relationships with area businesses, 3) increase number of job fairs by holding on-site and attending off-site fairs and determine feasibility of adjunct faculty job fair, 4) create database of employees with connections to diverse communities, 5) reunite the original diversity team to develop updated diversity training for new and current employees, and 6) establish mentoring program for new employees.

Practices, Procedures, and Policies – The pilot group will meet to finalize definition of diversity for this project and make determinations as to where the institution can be more inclusive and diverse in the bid process.  

Classroom and Curriculum – 1) form a team of those identified as leaders in diversifying classroom and curriculum and charge team with selecting and prioritizing emerging strategies for addressing the project goals.  These include formalizing the organization and processes of improved 1a) communication among participants, 1b) campuswide awareness of the various initiatives, 1c) more deliberate coordination of initiatives, and 1d) improved strategies for embedding current administrative and faculty work on diversity topics into classrooms.
D. Describe any effective practice(s) that resulted from your work on this Action Project.
All three implementation teams are in the initial stages of start up and have not yet identified effective practices.
E. What challenges, if any, are you still facing in regards to this Action Project?
Employee Recruitment and Retention – 1) adequate resources to provide training, 2) faculty and staff buy-in to diversity, and 3) communicating diversity statement and a consistent diversity message throughout the college.

Practices, Procedures, and Policies – Challenges remain to be seen as the pilot is fully implemented.

Classroom and Curriculum – This initiative has not been widely considered until now.  Some fundamental questions need to be addressed in order for progress to be made.
F. If you would like to discuss the possibility of AQIP providing you help to stimulate progress on this action project, explain your need(s) here and tell us who to contact and when?