Overview

Identified Goals

This report will focus on the following identified goals:

  • Identifying areas of concern and opportunities for growth within the JEDI structure 91ý
  • Recommending improvements to JEDI infrastructures, role and scope of the Chief Diversity Officer, and resources allocated to JEDI efforts

Overview of Process

As PMJ approached this report, they created a process to move from information gathering to implementing the review recommendations. The initial process began with identifying the goals with CSUN leaders who were charged with implementing the review. The information gathering occurred to understand the situation and needs of the campus community fully. PMJ analyzed the data and information collected and identified key themes and challenges. PMJ then created recommendations based on promising practices and proven practices described in relevant equity and inclusion literature. The recommendations were prioritized based on relevance, scope, the layout of the framework, and resources. Once the report was developed, it was presented to the CSUN leaders charged with implementing this review and key stakeholders to gather feedback.

Key Terms

In the development of this report and in working with stakeholders, it was important that PMJ established shared definitions of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI):

Justice (Social Justice) – full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. Social justice includes a vision of an equitable society where all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure (Adams & Griffin, 2007).

Equity – creating opportunities and ongoing support for historically marginalized, underrepresented, and excluded populations (racial/ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+, etc.) to have access to and participate in opportunities in the classroom, employment, and other university programs and activities that can close the opportunity, economic, and overall success gaps among diverse groups.

Diversity – the full array of individual differences we all have regarding ability, age, country of origin, culture, economic class, ethnicity, gender identity, immigration status, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other ways we may be socially identified similar to one another. Diversity is needed to facilitate the expansion of a welcoming and nurturing environment for discovery, inquiry, and learning that enriches the CSUN environment.

Inclusion – ongoing engagement and support to address the campus climate and culture to create and maintain an environment where diverse, marginalized, excluded, and underrepresented populations feel welcome as active participants in the campus community. The goal is to create an environment where differences are welcomed, and differences in perspectives and opinions are respectfully listened to and heard.

The focus of the project is the evaluation of the equity infrastructure. For the sake of this project, an “equity infrastructure” will look at departments, divisions, positions, committees, and boards with a primary focus on serving marginalized, historically excluded, and socially disadvantaged groups, such as those disadvantaged by race, income, gender, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, language, citizenship, and possibly other identities. Some of those could be related to:

  • Compliance
  • Student support
  • Training and development, teaching and learning, professional development
  • Campus climate and institutional research
  • Human resources
  • Community relations
  • Outreach and recruitment
  • Academic areas (ethnic studies, queer studies, feminist studies, and disability studies)
  • Shared governance committees and other committees,
  • Student-led initiatives (student organizations, houses, etc.)
  • Government relations and tribal relations

Report Structure

This report is segmented into various parts. Part 1 is Information Gathering and Analysis. Part 2 is Areas of Concern & Key Opportunities. Part 3 is Recommendations. Part 4 is Considerations and Next Steps.