September 30, 2022

Academic Affairs Division

  • Faculty Tenure and Promotion and DEI
    • The “Self Report” is the document faculty members prepare to report on their activities as part of Ohio Wesleyan's faculty evaluation process. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the Faculty Personnel Committee revised the report language to include a specific invitation to faculty members to talk about their work on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a valued part of being an OWU faculty member. This language was approved by a vote of the faculty and will be part of the Self Report going forward.
  • Faculty Cohort Hire
    • This academic year marks the third in a row in which Ohio Wesleyan has launched an innovative cohort/cluster hire to enhance the diversity of its faculty and curriculum. As in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 cycles, this year’s cohort hire emphasizes the three foci of flexibility, interdisciplinarity, and equity, and takes advantage of new systems in Academic Affairs to infuse these foci throughout the search process. This year’s cycle features positions in Sociology & Anthropology (Criminology/Criminal Justice), Biological Sciences (Microbiology), Economics & Business (Entrepreneurship), Education (Elementary Literacy), Environment & Sustainability (Earth Sciences), Journalism & Communication (Mass Communication), and Neuroscience. Positions in Fine Arts and Performing Arts will be added to the cohort later this fall.
  • New Faculty Orientation and Mentoring
    • This year’s faculty cohort has participated in our newly revised New Faculty Orientation (NFO) and is a part of the second year of our Faculty Mentoring Program (FMP). Both programs have a DEI focus, including NFO sessions with the DEI Council, an introduction to OWU’s student population, and teaching-oriented sessions on working with diverse students. The FMP utilizes a team mentoring model that pairs small groups of new faculty with colleagues trained in DEI practices. Each mentoring team has been selected to match mentors and mentees with similar personal and professional interests, but also linking them with faculty that both share backgrounds and are diverse from them.
  • General Education Competencies Implementation
    • The Nine Core Competencies are a key part of the reimagined General Education curriculum, and two of these competencies explicitly foreground DEI issues: “Engage Diversity” and “Examine Power and Inequities.” Nine teams of faculty, each with three-five members, worked over the summer to develop a set of shared learning objectives for each competency. This fall, CAP is reviewing and revising draft learning objectives for each competency group, with a focus on defining parameters for requirements and ensuring that competencies are assessable. In spring, faculty will apply to have their courses counted toward the competencies. Beginning in fall 2023, all OWU students will be required to take one course from each of the competency groups. Any course that satisfies a competency requirement will have been vetted by the Committee on Academic Programs (CAP).
  • Study Away External Financial Support for Under-Represented Groups – Access Study Abroad
    • Six of the 37 students studying away during fall 2022 received first-gen/low-income (FGLI) supplemental scholarships/grants from our institutional partners. One student received a U.S. Gilman Scholarship. Of the 37 students studying away, 13 are enrolled in OWU-run programs. Of the remaining 24 students, in total, 11 students received over $35,000 in external additional financial aid. For spring 2023, three students are pursuing Gilmans, and many more applying for other external financial aid supporting under-represented groups. Our Access Study Abroad program provides support programming for FGLI students to improve universal access to study-away opportunities.
  • Former Ohio Senator Nina Turner presents the 2022-23 Butler A. Jones Lecture on Race and Society hosted by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Her talk is titled “The Hook-Up: How Race and Class are Soulmates for Life.”
  • Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, presents the 2022-23 Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs hosted by the Department of Politics and Government. Her talk is titled “A Nonpartisan Defense of Democracy.”

Athletics Department

  • Finalizes DEI questions to be added to the post-season survey completed by student-athletes at the end of their competitive seasons.
  • Continues to provide education and resources for student-athletes and staff.

Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Five-Year DEI Strategic Plan
    • The Bridge Program moves into the active phase of its first-year build-out through the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. This includes developing an Achievement Mentors Program to provide active wrap-around care for Bridge participants in their first year at the University. Summer Bridge students also are registered for unique sections of UC160 to continue to provide more individualized support in their first semester.
  • Training
    • All incoming first-year students complete DEI training prior to arriving on campus this fall.
    • DEI Council works in partnership with The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship to provide DEI-centered training for the center’s scholars programs.
    • OWjL Camp leaders receive training on gender identity and understanding harmful/helpful language.
    • Student Board representatives who participate in annual faculty evaluation processes complete required DEI Training.
  • Programming
    • “How to Have Difficult Conversations about Race” with Kwame Christian, co-sponsored by The Delaware County Foundation; OWU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and OWU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
    • DEI Book Club reads White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson as its book for fall semester.
    • Bishops of Color and Mosaic grow in numbers and hold their first events of the semester in September.
    • Black Wall Street is set for Oct. 6 in partnership with The Woltemade Center, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU, and OWU Connection. This event brings together local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) businesses and BIPOC student-entrepreneurs.
    • Summer Bridge participants take part in workshops regarding DEI work on campus.
    • First-Gen Advisory Board holds a social to create space to socialize and connect with other first-gen students, staff, and faculty. Participants enjoy meaningful conversations revolving around first-gen experiences.
  • DEI Grants Awarded
    • Jada Respress '23 receives funds for her project “The Global Majority: The Development of Black Journalism.” She is currently in South Africa gathering information related to the development of Black journalism and the key role it plays in Cape Town. Afterward, she will travel to London, United Kingdom, to do the same.

Enrollment and Communications Division

  • OWU staff participate in the I Know I Can (IKIC) Founders Scholars Celebration, recognizing the 20 students (1 attending OWU) who earned the IKIC Founders Scholarship. (May 2022)
  • Renews and expands our partnership with College Greenlight, an organization that gives us access to 1,500+ CBO (Community Based Organizations) who work directly with underserved populations. Our expansion includes participating in the Greenlight Match program in Chicago and Philadelphia. This program allows us to offer admission to qualified candidates who might not have otherwise known about OWU. (2022-2023)
  • Becomes a member of Coalition for College, an organization that supports students through the search and enrollment process with a specific and committed focus on working with students from communities that are marginalized and underrepresented in higher education. Being a member gives us opportunities to engage with 500+ CBOs, hundreds of Title 1 high schools, and all students who utilize the SCOIR college search and application platform. (2022-2023)
  • Renews formal partnership with Chicago Scholars, a CBO in Chicago. (2022-2023)
  • Hosts a number of CBO groups for a visit to campus ((summer 2022). Examples include:
    • University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter School
    • Schuler Scholars
    • Cranbrook Upward Bound
  • Staff participate in a webinar sponsored by OACAC called “The Importance of Gender Identity in the Admission Process: Chosen Name, Pronouns and More!” (June 2022)
  • Staff collaborate with OMSA to encourage participation in the Summer Bridge Program (summer 2022)
  • Staff participate in and share notes from sessions they attend as part of the Carnegie Virtual Conference, including sessions dedicated to DEI issues (Reality vs. Aspiration -- Representing Diversity Authentically in Higher Ed Marketing) (July 2022)
  • Our Multicultural Recruitment Coordinator hosts a DEI professional development topic at staff meetings about every 4-6 weeks. (ongoing)
  • Staff hear from guest speaker, Dr. Chinwe Okpalaoka (Assistant Dean, Office of Undergraduate Recruitment, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University) as a DEI presenter during our annual office retreat. Our Multicultural Recruitment Coordinator leads us in an effective SWAT analysis exercise at the same retreat. (July 2022)
  • Staff participate in a joint Multicultural Diversity Workshop, hosted/sponsored by the GLCA ACAD Committee. (August 2022)
  • In collaboration with OMSA, the Office of Admission hosts a Multicultural Information Session held in conjunction with the Global Majority Block Party. (September 2022)
  • Staff participate in various recruitment activities focused on underrepresented populations (including, but not limited to):
    • TRIO Programs (Michigan) College Block Party (August 2022)
    • I Know I Can Panel/College Fair (August 2022)
    • Black College Football Hall of Fame College Fair (August 2022)
    • Independent Living Class with Delaware County Jobs and Family Services (September 2022)
    • Essay Review Workshop at Cristo Rey Columbus (September 2022)
    • “Say Yes to College” College Fair event (September 2022)
    • Learning Differences College Fair (September 2022)
    • Big Futures Program Event -- Big Brothers/Big Sisters (October 2022)
    • Collegiate Directions CBO “Counselor Collaborative” Panel (October 2022)
    • Southeast Ohio Regional College Fair (October 2022)
    • 100 Black Men of Chicago College Fair (October 2022)
    • Chicago Scholars On-site program (October 2022)
    • Detroit College Access Network College Fair (October 2022)
    • First-Generation Virtual College Fair, hosted by Horatio Alger Association (November 2022)
    • “A Call to College” Application Workshops (November 2022)
  • The Office of Admission re-commits to the expansion of the Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship that occurred in Spring 2022. The expansion allows us to award at least 20 Thomas Scholarships, which meet a student’s full demonstrated need as determined by the FAFSA.
  • The Office of Admission hosts a reception to honor and recognize the eleven 2022 Thomas Scholarship recipients and posts a photo and story of the cohort on social media and website. (Fall 2022)
  • OWU welcomes its largest incoming first-year class in many years, 40 international students (six of whom are exchange students) and eight global nomad students (U.S. citizens whose permanent residence is abroad). In total, students who call 25 countries home arrived this fall. (Fall 2022)

Finance and Administration Division/Human Resources Office

  • Continues to expand recruitment diversity resources, which includes coaching search committee chairs to expand their distribution of job posting resources.
  • Restructures the search process to require all search committee members to complete two online DEI trainings before they obtain access to review candidate information. Search committee chairs must sign off on early communication of this requirement to committee members.
  • Reviews statistics of candidate pools, provides coaching to search committees during the candidate screening process to help ensure a diverse pool among candidates is being considered.
  • Partners with DEI Council on DEI strategic planning work and student DEI initiatives.
  • Partners with Bishops of Color.
  • Partners with OWU alumni, former OWU Gospel Lyres members in planning the group’s 50th reunion in fall 2023. Starts liaison with University Advancement and OWU Magazine staff on this project.

Student Engagement and Success Division

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs

  • Completes Summer Bridge Program 2022 with 23 graduates
  • Events
    • Welcome Week Drag Show
    • Global Majority Block Party (collaboration with Offices of Admission and Financial Aid)
    • Local Global Majority food truck vendor
    • Five Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities present
    • Two campus offices
    • One community organization
  • Recruits for Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities
  • Provides organizational support (meets with presidents; assists with event management; recruitment, etc.); aids with the relaunch of:
    • Prism (LGB+ and Trans Inclusive Organization)
    • Black Men of the Future
    • Black Student Union
    • VIVA Latinx
    • Rafika Wa
  • Hirings
    • Student interns
    • Achievement mentors/li>
  • Trainings
    • Camp Leader and Resident Advisor fall training
    • SIO Club Leader retreat
    • Faculty search inclusive advocate training
  • Hire and Onboard Assistant Director Sally Aluso
  • Develop the Achievement Mentor Program -- Achievement Mentors to help students develop lasting relationships, learn to navigate Ohio Wesleyan, and have access to important tools to realize their personal goals.
  • Student Support
    • Meet with at-risk students
    • Create a wrap-around care plan
    • Referrals

University Advancement Division

  • Inclusion Partners: University Advancement and Multicultural Student Affairs partner on a new initiative that centers support around First-Gen students, black and brown students, international students, and LGBTQIA+ students. Inclusion Partners will be piloted by the Alumni Board of Directors and focus on opportunities to provide mentorship, real-life navigation, resources, and connection to others. The group will meet virtually in November to lay out and identify the ways they can support these students.
  • Women of Ohio Wesleyan (WOW)- November 4 - 5, 2022, owu.edu/WOW
    • The WOW Leadership Committee, in partnership with University Advancement, is excited to bring back WOW Weekend 2022 to campus this November. This biennial event started in 2016 under the leadership and support of trustees Colleen Nissel '72, Kathie Milligan '83, Kara Trott '83, and Tracie Winbigler '87 and has grown to a signature event on campus and virtually.
    • This year's program will feature Brigadier General Deydre S. Teyhen 93 as our keynote speaker on Friday. Personal and professional development sessions will be held around the topics of navigating change, the history of women, empowerment, and small group sessions around burnout and life balance on Saturday.
    • WOW celebrates being in a community with other leading women of Ohio Wesleyan (students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends) learning and sharing from each other and walking away with fresh perspectives, professional opportunities, life advice, and new (or stronger!) friendships.