Mission

Vision

• Provide exceptional quality services in all aspects to enhancing diversity
• Be a model for creating an environment that embraces the synergistic aspects of diversity
• Be a leader in preparing individuals to successfully live and work in a global society
• Be a catalyst for systemic change regarding the value of diversity

Core Values

Diversity - We believe diversity strengthens our character, and we will create and maintain an environment where diversity is respected and encouraged.

Excellence - We seek excellence in all our endeavors, aspire to new heights, and are committed to continuous improvement.

Intellectual Freedom – We respect the rights of all to pursue knowledge in an unfettered manner.

Integrity – We are committed to the principles of truth and honesty, and we will be fair, equitable, impartial, and professional.

Service - We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor, and we seek to provide exceptional service.

Stewardship of Resources - We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust, and are accountable for our actions.

Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal One: To create a climate of trust that fosters the success of diverse individuals.

Critical Success Factors:

• 22% minority student enrollment
• 20% underrepresented minority employment
• 23% underrepresented minority faculty
• 34% female tenure track faculty
• Maintain and/or increase the enrollment of international students from countries where successful graduates reside

Objectives:

• Provide academic departments names of potential minority faculty candidates for tenure track positions
• Provide financial support from intramural and extramural funding sources for underrepresented minority students, non-traditional students and students who are first generation college or from low-income families
• Develop work-study programs for all students
• Provide financial support for non-traditional students whether single or with dependents
• Provide a Minority Graduate Student Incentive Fund to increase the number of underrepresented graduate students of color in all disciplines
• Establish a Minority and Women’s Faculty Incentive Fund for the purpose of recruiting and retaining underrepresented and female tenure track faculty
• Increase community awareness through an annual informative program on the recruitment and retention of minority and women faculty
• Utilize all databases, professional societies and maintain close contact with other PhD granting institutions for potential new faculty
• Build an incentive reward for performance through the appraisal of all administrators who show enhanced diversity in their units

• Provide training for all manager/ supervisors on the value of diversity
• Utilize the expertise of faculty in diversity training through out the OSU System
• Reward all academic and non-academic units that have successfully incorporated diversity enhancing activities
• Reward units that have successfully enhanced the number of underrepresented minority groups as defined by the Affirmative Action Plan
• Provide faculty, staff and students assistance in resolutions of issues and educate them on the value of diversity
• Be a resource for local, state, regional, and national entities on timely issues on diversity

Goal Two: To ensure the inclusion of diversity in educational and institutional programs.

Critical Success Factors:

• Increase student enrollment in Area Studies Courses as a part of a student’s general education
• 10% increase of faculty in specialized Area Studies including American and Women’s Studies
• 20% increase of minorities and women in teaching and research programs throughout the OSU system
• Increase the visibility of minorities and women in all publications through out the OSU system
• Provide selected faculty with summer salary to revise their courses to include and strengthen diversity in the curriculum
• Bring 2-3 underrepresented minority and women academicians to the campus for presentations every semester

Objectives:

• Reward faculty for revising their curriculum to reflect the changing demographics in the academic culture
• Create a competitive fund for faculty to provide two months of summer salary to do scholarly work and revise their courses to include more diversity
• Assist and/or augment Women’s Studies with the inclusion of women of color in their educational programs
• Teach special courses in diversity
• Faculty time may be purchased through a faculty line fund established by the Provost and the Vice President for Institutional Diversity
• Establish a diversity component of the University Curriculum Committee
• Seek extramural funds to enhance diversity in the curriculum

• Encourage students and faculty to become engaged in scholarly work in all areas of diversity, education and research
• Increase the number of underrepresented minority students engaged in undergraduate research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
• Teach a course in diversity as a part of the general education curriculum
• Solicit extramural funding to support undergraduate students for summer research and scholarly work in the Humanities and Social Sciences
• Establish more support for graduate student research in the Social Sciences and the Humanities

Goal Three: To make Oklahoma State University the institution of choice for diverse individuals.

Critical Success Factors:

• Graduate women, underrepresented minority students, students with disabilities, and first generation college students
• Graduate women and underrepresented minority students that will attend graduate and/or professional schools
• Develop outreach programs associated with underrepresented and ethnic minority communities
• 90% enrollment of the “college ready” participants in the Education Talent Search and Upward Bound Programs
• Increase extramural support for ancillary programs to enhance the outreach of high school and college relations and the recruitment of underrepresented graduate students

Objectives:

• Use extramural support along with intramural support to nourish minority student leadership and research
• Provide support for underrepresented groups to be involved with undergraduate research and present their research finding at local, regional and national meetings
• Establish a seminar and lecture series to bring academic role models of underrepresented minority students and women to engage with students

• Encourage department heads to write proposals for ancillary funding of programs to support diversity education
• Work with Enrollment Management in a cooperative effort to recruit and retain high achieving underrepresented minority students
• Provide persons with disabilities with access to all educational opportunities and research and ensure there is a compatible user-friendly work environment

• The Division of Institutional Diversity will monitor all areas of the system and encourage all units to implement diversity in their units
• The Affirmative Action Department will monitor employment to provide departments with recruiting resources
• Encourage the utilization of institutional funds for university-wide diversity programs in education, research, and outreach
• Create a mentorship program for underrepresented minority students and women that will prepare them for advanced degree programs
• The Vice President for Diversity will meet with individual underrepresented faculty to ascertain their comfort and progress as tenure track faculty