Fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Penn State is dedicated to supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging so our students, faculty, and staff can fully realize their potential in an environment of inclusive excellence.
Phase 2: Draft Proposals for Community Review
Our Goal to Foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Penn State will be a place where our students, faculty, and staff can flourish in an environment of inclusive excellence incorporating the fullness of their identities and their whole self.
Draft Objectives and Metrics
To continue building a culture of inclusive excellence, we will concentrate our efforts and resources on these objectives to drive impactful change.
What we want to achieve:
- Objective 1: Address institutional barriers to close student outcome gaps.
- Objective 2: Cultivate a deep sense of belonging for faculty and staff, with opportunities for professional development and an employee population that reflects the classrooms of tomorrow.
Objective 1: Address institutional barriers to close student outcome gaps
Examples of how we will measure success:
- Student sense of belonging
- Inquiry, application, yield, and enrollment rates for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students
- Progression, retention, and graduation rates
Objective 2: Cultivate a deep sense of belonging for faculty and staff, with opportunities for professional development and an employee population that reflects the classrooms of tomorrow.
Examples of how we will measure success:
- Employee sense of belonging
- Underrepresented faculty and staff hiring, retention, and progression across ranks and disciplines
- Hiring yield rates
- Participation in employee resource groups
- Faculty, staff, and administrator participation in DEIB professional development
Learn more:
Phase 1: Findings (Fall 2023)
In the summer of 2023, phase 1 began for the Fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging goal.
The goal group’s information-gathering aligned with President Bendapudi’s DEIB goals to establish baseline metrics for DEIB; increase recruitment of underrepresented students, faculty and staff; close gaps in graduation rates across backgrounds and identities; enable robust and supportive communities; and create equitable professional development and advancement opportunities for staff. While Penn State is in an average position compared to its key peers in several markers, there is a need within higher education to advance DEIB on campuses through enhanced resources and purposeful action.
The goal group identified enablers and barriers, which include a need for a University-wide strategy with defined goals and accountability; increased financial aid for underrepresented students; additional investments in academic advising to support students of all identities; a process to examine policies, procedures and practices that can address systemic barriers; and enhancement of mentorship, professional development and promotion opportunities for faculty. When considering professional development for staff efforts, the University should consider how to align the current infrastructure of initiatives led and resourced by individual units; how to use current tools that may be underutilized; and how to develop University-level policies that provide guidelines for participation.
Phase 2: Community Feedback (Fall 2024)
During phase two of the strategic planning process, small workgroups created draft objectives, measures, and strategies to propose ways to achieve the goals of the institutional plan. These draft proposals were shared with the University community in fall 2024 to garner feedback that will help shape the final draft of the institutional strategic plan.
Phase 3: Unit-Level Planning (Spring 2025)
Unit-level planning is expected to begin in the spring of 2025. There will be guidance and resources shared to aid this process and align unit-level plans with the institutional vision in the fall.
Supportive Initiatives to Transform Internal Operations
The presidential priority of transforming our internal operations will be embedded deeply into each strategic goal. To foster inclusive excellence, we have established agile DEIB teams.