Author Archives: stearney@uoregon.edu

Committee Members

Date
Posted by
Comments0

Lynn Stearney, Director of Research Development Services (Chair)

Elizabeth Skowron, Professor, Counseling Psychology, Prevention Science Institute

Karl Reasoner, Manager, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

Laurie Powell, Research Associate Professor, Center on Brain Injury Research & Training

Brendan Bohannan, Professor, Biology Department,  Institute of Ecology & Evolution

Dena Zaldua, Operations Manager, Center for the Study of Women in Society

Jim Hutchison, Professor, Department of Chemistry, AVP of Research

Fred Sabb, Director, Lewis Center for Neuroimaging

Ute Hostick, Senior Research Associate, Histology & Genetic Modification

Carolyn Craig, Senior Research Compliance Administrator, Research Compliance Services

Dave Landrum, Assistant Vice President Business Administration, OVPRI

Timeline

Date
Posted by
Comments0

Timeline

  • January 18, 2017       Meeting with VPRI David Conover to receive charge and review goals
  • January 23, 2017       First meeting of the committee
  • February 15, 2017      Second meeting of the committee
  • March 1, 2017             Draft of action plan shared with full committee
  • March 9, 2017             Final committee draft to VPRI and Executive Leadership Team
  • March 17, 2017           Deadline for submission of final draft action plan to VPEI

Leadership

Date
Posted by
Comments0

LEADERSHIP

STRATEGY 1:  Develop and promote programs that support, mentor and prepare members of under-represented groups for leadership opportunities

A.  Model our commitment to diversity by ensuring that leadership in the OVPRI includes gender balance and representatives from under-represented groups.  Currently, six members of our executive leadership team are white males and one is a white female.

 STRATEGY 2:  Identify and develop resources to advance the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Research & Innovation by leveraging federal agency and private foundation programs.

A.  Conduct a broad inventory of all EXISTING programs which address issues of diversity and inclusion, include NSF “Broader Impacts” outreach programs, undergraduate research opportunities programs, training grants and supplements associated with NIH and NSF training, Center grants and HHMI.  Because of UO’s decentralized structure, they remain isolated “outposts” with no cohesion, coordination, or understanding of how they contribute to UO’s diversity and inclusion goals.  Leveraging these already successful programs and allocating additional resources to them would attract and retain undergraduate and graduate students from diverse groups.

B.  Create a job or role to accomplish the task outlined above.  Assess the current efforts, develop evaluation and tracking mechanisms, and consistently monitor them in terms of their success in meeting our goals for inclusion, diversity, and achievement for undergraduate and graduate students.

C.  Dedicate funds to support minority and underrepresented population’s participation in high impact practices.

D.  Assign a team, develop a proposal, and pursue funding from the NSF INCLUDES program, which is specifically focused on advancing the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.  Dedicate institutional resources to proposed programs.

E.  Assign a team, develop a proposal, and pursue funding from NSF ADVANCE to advance the work of gender diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.  Commit institutional resources to pursue proposed projects to demonstrate institutional support and to pursue strong programs, despite the funding outcome.

F..  Assign a team, develop a project / proposal, and pursue funding from HHMI’s Developing Scientists program, which advances the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.  Commit institutional resources to pursue proposed projects to demonstrate institutional support and to enhance and develop strong programs despite the funding outcome.

G.  Pay for a replacement employee when lab staff take family leave.  Technicians paid on grants must continue to be paid while on family leave, but the funding is no longer available for someone else to do the work, creating a disincentive for researchers to hire women, who are more likely to need that kind of leave.  This may be attractive to a donor interested in barriers to women in STEM.  This idea was offered by Vidusha Devasthali, Assistant Director of Research Development Services.

H.  When faculty members want to attend a conference, pay for “companion travel” so that a companion can take care of a child while the researcher attends the conference.  This idea was offered by Vidusha Devasthali, Assistant Director of Research Development Services.

 

Achievement

Date
Posted by
Comments0

Achievement

STRATEGY 1:  Eradicate gaps in achievement (graduation, tenure & promotion, professional opportunities, leadership, recognition)

A.  Increase undergraduate minority student access to research opportunities on campus.

B.  Increase minority graduate student’s access to RFP’s (Laurie, could you add more here?)

C.  Increase the number of minority graduate and postdoc positions

D.  Offer strong seed funding programs that enhance access to and communication of research on diversity and research capacity of researchers from underrepresented groups

E.  Promote and support a more diverse group of researchers.

F.  Consider diversity as a criteria for participation on review panels for internal award programs

 

STRATEGY 2:  Increase participation in leadership, research, professional development, honors, awards, and scholarships

A.  Create a mechanism for tracking undergraduate participation in research by hosting a central “portal” which allows faculty to post research opportunities and invites students to apply and furnish demographic information.  Faculty members who are sponsoring student researchers would also use the portal to log students who are working in their labs or on their research projects.  This would collect useful data about activity that is already occurring, invite additional undergraduate student research opportunities, and furnish metrics on our progress in providing opportunities to students from underrepresented groups.  Student engagement in research at the undergraduate level has been demonstrated to positively impact academic performance, retention, and graduation rates. This suggestion is from Annie Powell, Assistant Professor of Biology, who also forwarded this idea to Brendan and Ute.  They may want to add more here.

Diversity

Date
Posted by
Comments0

DIVERSITY

STRATEGY 1:  Recruit diverse staff, faculty, administrators, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdocs

A.  Hire more diverse support staff

B.  Recruit more diverse hiring committee members

C.  Hire more diverse researchers

D.  Pay more attention to diversity on hiring committees

E.  Review how and why we “lost” good candidates in the recruiting process and develop mechanisms for addressing our shortcomings.  The “division of labor” between Centers & Institutes, on the one hand, and Departments, on the other, in recruiting candidates makes this challenging.  VPRI also play a role in funding start up packages

F.  Recruit students and fellows for NIH T32 training grants from institutions with a substantial enrollment of underrepresented students with appropriate undergraduate training.  Visit these schools to publicize graduate training opportunities and look for opportunities to present seminars and participate in discussions with underrepresented undergraduate students.  (LMS)

 STRATEGY 2:  Retain diverse staff, faculty, administrators, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdocs

A.  Review how and why we “lost” good researchers from diverse backgrounds and develop mechanisms to overcome our retention failures.  Again, the divison of labor between Provost/College/Department and VPRI/Centers & Institutes deserves review.

B.  Regularly assess and evaluate our metrics related to diversity and inclusion

Inclusion

Date
Posted by
Comments0

INCLUSION

STRATEGY ONE:  Create a more welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment

A.  Develop or Enhance Formal Programs

  1. Develop a relationship or formal exchange program with  one or more Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs)
  2. Improve resources for researchers from underrepresented groups or who are doing research on underrepresented groups
  3. Create a complementary group of faculty of color and staff / OA’s of color
  4. Create an award program for a PI that demonstrates commitment to diversity and inclusion as part of the Research Excellence Awards.
  5. Create an award program for Centers and Institutes to compete for an opportunity to host a visiting fellow funded by OVPRI.  Visiting fellows should either be from an underrepresented group or conduct research on diversity, equity and inclusion.
  6. Expand and institutionalize the Women of Color Project at CSWS, which is vital in retaining and recruiting talented faculty.

B.  Conduct Training / Organizational Development Activities

  1. Conduct training in understanding privilege and understanding relative difference in privilege
  2. Conduct training in how to identify and overcome bias
  3. Strengthen and formalize mentoring and peer mentoring programs for faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students from underrepresented groups
  4. Conduct observer training in each unit and center, followed by Observations and Follow up Conversations in each unit and center (Dena has volunteered to furnish more explanation of this item)
  5. Require allyship training and unpack privilege training for all current staff, faculty and students annually and for all new hires in a way that becomes an ongoing conversation
  6. Campus-wide training on what NOT to do, including micro and macro aggressions, across under-represented groups
  7. Educate students / faculty / staff on bias, inclusion and diversity issues and experiences

C.  Encourage individual action

  1. Active outreach to underrepresented groups through personal connections
  2. Counteract “sorting” tendency
  3. Open minds
  4. Offer more occasions to gather together and share experiences

D.  Gather Information

  1. Conduct a climate survey within R & I units to identify potential areas for improvement
  2. Conduct outreach to assess what underrepresented groups think will create a more inclusion environment
  3. Conduct exit interviews with researchers and staff members who leave UO

E.  Develop Critical Mass

  1. Ensure that UO leadership, faculty, staff, and students include people that look like you and have similar backgrounds and life experiences.
  2. Develop stronger ties with UO Portland to explore opportunities for connection and participation with more diverse populations

F.  Conduct Assessment

  1. Make use of external groups, organizations, and leaders to provide insight to how to better address inclusion at the UO.

G.  Provide Access

  1. Ensure that all research facilities, including labs, core facilities, work spaces, websites, and offices are accessible to all, including entrances, bathrooms, lighting, assistive technology, and hearing supports.

H.  Communicate

  1. Regularly feature research on underrepresented groups, their needs, and issues impacting them
  2. Improve communication to underrepresented groups but also within and across the research community
  3. Publications from Research & innovation should reflect our diversity
  4. Improve internal communication to foster a feeling of community
  5. Ensure that a strong statement of commitment to diversity is in all R & I communications vehicles, including our websites
  6. Communicate the value of diversity at all levels: on our website, central administration, Deans, Associate Deans, Department Heads, committees

STRATEGY 2:  Incorporate practices that eliminate bias and combat racism and discrimination

A.  Eliminate organizational practices that unintentionally creates barriers to the inclusion of diverse ideas and participants

B.  Investigate whether schedules and calendars allow for access on the part of all students.  For example, do scheduled Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program activities allow for access on the part of non-traditional students?

C.  Ensure that all groups have equal access to resources

D.  Develop evaluative practices that identify and eliminate bias

E.  Conduct a climate survey within R & I units (Research Compliance Services, Research Development Services, Innovation Partnership Services, Sponsored Project Services, Research Technology Services, Research Finance and Business Administration, Office of the VPRI & Executive Team) to gather information about perceptions and experiences of bias and engage leadership and professional staff in enhancing the workplace climate

Assignment for February 15th Meeting

Date
Posted by
Comments0

STEP ONE:       

Review the TACTICS  for Inclusion and Diversity by using the GOAL drop down menu.  ADD any that have occurred to you since our meeting by sending them to rds@uoregon.edu.

Review the TACTICS for Achievement and Leadership under the GOAL drop down menu.  These were ideas generated in our discussion, but may instead (or also) fit under one of these goals.  ADD additional TACTICS in Achievement and Leadership by sending them to rds@uoregon.edu.

From the TACTICS within each GOAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Achievement and Leadership) choose ONE or TWO. Use the following criteria in making your choice:

  • Is this TACTIC within the purview of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the resources managed by that office?
  • If we implement this TACTIC, can we achieve a measurable outcome in 1-3 years?
  • Does this represent a TACTIC that, when implemented, would have significant impact in a reasonably short period of time?

STEP TWO:         

Rephrase the TACTIC so that it is a SMART goal.

Identify the target population for the TACTIC (Undergraduate student researchers, graduate student researchers, postdocs, Faculty, Research and Innovation Staff, Research and Innovation Leadership).

STEP THREE: 

Send your TACTICS to me (stearney@uoregon.edu) by February 13th.  I will  have them available for discussion at our February 15th meeting.