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Diversity and Community Engagement

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Diversity Policy | Documents: Diversity and Student Success | Diversity Reports to the Board | State-Tribal Government to Government | MWESB | Archived Publications

The Oregon University System vision for addressing the needs of a diverse population is a comprehensive and ongoing consideration. OUS strives to proactively enhance the representation, inclusion, and engagement of broadly diverse populations through a variety of initiatives. Community engagement and diversity efforts are designed to support all Oregon communities and promote educational opportunities and outreach.  Inclusive efforts are viewed in broad terms and include, but are not limited to, cultural, racial/ethnic, gender, disability, geographic, and socioeconomic diversity.

Diversity Policy

The Oregon State Board of Higher Education adopted a Diversity Policy for the Oregon University System in 2009. The purpose of this policy is to enhance opportunities within OUS through the application of guiding principles and actions relating to diversity, and it includes 7 Guiding Principles:

• Overall Commitment to Diversity
• Commitment to Workforce Enhancements
• Commitment to Equity in Student Access
• Commitment to Welcoming Campus Environments
• Commitment to Vendor and Contracting Enhancements
• Commitment to Continuous Feedback
• Commitment to Key Goals

Documents: Diversity and Student Success

Below are recent publications related to student success for underserved or diverse student populations. For more information on efforts related to underserved student populations, see the State Board of Higher Education, Academic Strategies Committee and the OUS Student Success Initiatives department.

OUS Native American Resource Guide (2010): This publication offers information about campus resources, web sites, financial aid resources, community college transfer processes, distance education, and more, for Native American students and families.

Board of Higher Education, Student Participation and Completion Committee reports (2007-2010): The Student Participation and Completion Subcommittee was charged to develop analysis and options leading to a statewide effort to improve participation, retention and success of underserved populations in postsecondary education throughout Oregon. Reports, including summaries of the two statewide symposia convened in 2007 and 2009 are available below:

• Breaking Barriers: a report of Oregon community forums on college access and success (symposium held October 2007, report 7/2008)
• From Day 1 to Degree: a written report and summary video of the 2009 symposium on Ensuring Student Success through Effective Precollege Retention Programs (symposium held November 2009, report 3/2010)

Diversity Reports to the Board

• OUS Diversity Policy, Board Docket item, (3/2009)
• OUS Diversity Issues, Presentation to the Board and  Panel Discussion,  (9/2008)
• Fostering a Future of Inclusion II: Expanding the Focus (6/2007)
• Fostering a Future of Inclusion: A conversation with the board (4/2006)
• Diversity Reports: Executive summaries of archived diversity reports:

• Charting a Course for the Future (4/2005)
• Addressing the Needs of an Increasingly Diverse Society (4/2005)
• Student, Faculty, and Staff Racial/Ethnic Diversity: A Retrospective of Five- and Ten-Year Programs(4/2005)
• An Assessment of Progress Toward Enhanced Representation of Students, Faculty, and Staff of Color (4/2002)
• National Trends, and Racial/Ethnic Diversity Among OUS Students, Instructional Faculty, and Staff (4/2001)

• Student Racial/Ethnic Diversity in the Oregon State System of Higher Education (1997) 
• The Status of Women Faculty in the Oregon State System of Higher Education (web based, 1996)

State-Tribal Government to Government

OUS participates in the ongoing work of the State-Tribal Government to Government structure, participating also in the activities of its Education and Workforce Training Cluster.  For more information, see the State of Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services.

Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business (MWESB)

OUS institutions are committed to expanding economic opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, and Emerging Small Businesses by offering them the contracting and subcontracting opportunities available through institution contracts.

Archived Publications

Minority Teacher Act Report: This report documents OUS progress on producing a population of Oregon teachers with racial and cultural demographics that match the demographics of Oregon’s K-12 students.

• Minority Teacher Act Report (4/2005)

Lift Every Voice (LEV): The LEV newsletter provided a forum for sharing information on community and diversity topics relating to educational issues (2005-2008).

• Improving College Participation and Completion (2008)
• Asian Americans in Oregon (2006)
• Addressing the Needs of Students With Disabilities (2005)

Contact:

Joe Holliday, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success Initiatives