Ball State University
PA-4: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The university has a standing University Diversity Committee and maintains a staffed office of institutional diversity which oversees the breadth of campus-wide initiatives and programs related to diversity and equity on campus. The Associate Provost for Diversity is also the Director of the Office of Institutional Diversity and serves as the diversity and equity coordinator. The Office of Institutional Diversity also has an Advisory Council made up of representatives from each college, undergraduate and graduate students who advise the Associate Provost. Selection to the University Diversity Committee: By August 31 each year, the Provost selects new faculty members for the committee and/or re-appoints faculty members whose three-year terms are expiring. The Provost is also responsible for selecting members to fill vacancies for the balance of incomplete terms. People who are chosen to serve on the committee may be of the Provost’s own choosing, a recommendation to the Provost from a member of the Ball State community, or self-nomination by an interested faculty member. An effort is always made to have representation from every college. Officers 1. Chair of the University Diversity Committee The Provost will appoint the Chair and Assistant Chair of the University Diversity Committee for approval by the Board of Trustees. The responsibility of the chair is to preside over Diversity Committee meetings, coordinate the work of the committee, and supervise production of the annual report. 2. Assistant Chair of the University Diversity Committee By July 1 of each year, the committee may nominate an Assistant Chair of the University Diversity Committee for the following academic year. After approval by the Board of Trustees, the Assistant Chair will begin service with a one-year term as Assistant Chair and Secretary of the committee. At the end of this first year, pending approval of the Provost and the Board of Trustees, the person will advance to the position as Chair of the Diversity Committee and serve a one-year term. The chair will continue the third year in the position of immediate Past Chair of the Diversity Committee. Individuals appointed to the Assistant Chair position must commit to a 3 year term of service on the Executive Committee. This means that their term as committee member may have to be extended if they are not selected as assistant chair when initially appointed to the committee The OID Advisory Council develops and reviews progress on the Diversity Strategic Plan and initiatives.

Sponsored by the Office of Institutional Diversity (OID), the Diversity Associates Program provides instructors and staff with the opportunity to execute a diversity-related curriculum development project of their own design. Projects are focused on one or more of the following areas: race, ethnicity, economic status, national origin, disability, gender, sexual identity, age, and/or religious viewpoints. Professors and staff may propose an individual project or may propose a collaborative project with a colleague. Expected outcomes are either (1) and IRB application, conference proposal, or article submission, (2) a plan for pedagogical innovations including a description of initial steps completed; (3) immersive learning application; (4) diversity dialogue workshop presentation, or (5) the development of an idea for a grant project or grant submission. Cultural Competence activities and training are offered throughout the year to Ball State University students. Activities are coordinated by university departments and student organizations. Issues addressed include but are not limited to racial, ethnic, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, and socio-economic status. The Counseling Center offers Safe Zone training to students, faculty, and staff multiple times each semester. Safe Zone offers trainings for those who wish to educate themselves and become allies and advocates, workshops on relevant topics, assistance and support to faculty, staff, students and the greater community as well as resources for LGBTQ people and allies/advocates. http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/counselingcenter/additionalservices/safezone/training The Multicultural Center coordinates and hosts an annual Unity Week each spring semester. The week of events is planned by student organization leaders and professional staff from across the university. Since 1980, Unity Week remains dedicated to unifying the Ball State community through enlightening social, cultural and educational events. http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/multiculturalcenter/unity-week The Unity Week of events concludes with the Unity Connections Conference, The goals of the conference are to help participants: (1) Construct meaning from ideas and concepts related to diversity and inclusion; (2) Explore unique human experiences that make up the human experience; (3) Understand the intersection of socially and culturally constructed identities based on race, ethnicity, gender/gender expression, sexuality, class, age, ability, and religion; and (4) Develop ways to build an inclusive community at Ball State University. http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/multiculturalcenter/unity-connections-conference The Multicultural Center also coordinates the MOSAIC program. MOSAIC is a social justice peer education program whose mission is to engage undergraduate students in open dialogues focused on diversity and social justice topics to promote awareness, change, and inter-group understanding. Faculty are encouraged to utilize these workshops as supplements for classroom instruction. These workshops are also offered by student organizations to their members and throughout the residence halls on campus. The goals of the MOSAIC program are to: (1) Engage students in reflective, interactive, and informative activities related to social justice topics in a safe and inclusive environment; (2) Challenge students to think critically about their experiences and social issues within the world; (3) Help students work towards enhancing their multicultural identities and appreciating cultural differences; and (4) Lead students in discovering ways to embrace differences in order to build an inclusive world and community at Ball State. http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/multiculturalcenter/mosaic-workshop-and-presentation-request.

Related task forces and committees include the Task Force on Faculty Retention, the Diversity Advisory Council, the University Task Force on the Status of Women, the College of Sciences and Humanities Task Force on Diversity, the College of Sciences and Humanities Minority Student Affairs Committee, the College of Sciences and Humanities Women in Science Committee and the Housing and Residence Life Multicultural Committee.