Reed College's Seven Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commitments
Updated October 30, 2024
1. Expand DEI Training and Education
Reed College is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive learning, living, and working environment where continuous growth in DEI is not only encouraged but also embedded in our institutional practices. To achieve this, we have implemented several strategic initiatives aimed at expanding DEI training and education across our community.
- Inclusive Hiring Initiatives: Over the past year, OID has actively promoted equitable hiring practices across Reed. We partnered with 18 faculty search committees, facilitating the hiring of 6 tenure-track and 12 visiting faculty. In addition to providing inclusive hiring workshops and developing a toolkit to support equitable faculty searches, we also conducted unconscious bias training for numerous departments that employ student workers. We are currently collaborating with HR to review and enhance inclusive hiring practices for staff positions as well.
- New Hire Training: Reed began prioritizing DEI training for new hires in Fall 2023, and this remains an ongoing focus. To date, of the 847 new employees assigned to take the training, 67% of faculty and 83% of staff completed the two modules on inclusive hiring and unconscious bias. Additionally, in compliance with Title IX regulations, new hires were also assigned sexual harassment training, with a 91% completion rate for both faculty and staff.
- Enhanced Training Platform: To improve the efficiency and quality of our training programs, we have transitioned to a new platform that also enables us to generate comprehensive institutional reports. This fall, all new employees were assigned the "Disrupting Our Unconscious Bias" module.
- Looking Ahead: We are currently leveraging our new training platform to evaluate and select appropriate discrimination and harassment training modules for all new employees, supervisors, managers, and departments involved in student worker hiring.
2. Invest in Programs that Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As thoughtful stewards of college resources, we recognize that strategic investment is key to achieving equity. OID has supported various programs and initiatives that address historical and systemic disadvantages while empowering marginalized communities.
Formal Funding Opportunities
- Social Justice Internship Program: This program fosters hands-on experiences that contribute to a more equitable campus and community. This year, we supported nine collaborative projects between faculty, staff, and students. We are pleased to share more information regarding these projects in our 2023/24 annual report.
- Institutional Mission Grant: This grant supports projects aligned with the college’s mission. This year, we funded 12 projects, primarily faculty-led, with examples ranging from supporting dance and music projects to bringing a noted Indigenous scholar to Reed.
- New Scholars Series: We relaunched this funding opportunity to actively increase the representation of underrepresented groups among Reed's faculty. The Math department recently leveraged this program to host postdoctoral fellows attending a national statistics conference in Portland, showcasing the unique benefits and environment of a liberal arts college.
3. Informal Support and Student Engagement
Beyond structured programs, OID is committed to empowering student agency and fostering a sense of belonging through informal support and engagement opportunities. The past year underscored the importance of our ability to respond nimbly and effectively to the evolving needs and aspirations of our student body. Whether it was backing the inaugural student-led Multicultural Fair, providing sustained resources for the Jewish Student Union's Shabbat dinners, or funding a vibrant cultural dance event for our SWANA students, we consistently strive to meet students where they are. To continue fostering this sense of belonging and responding effectively to emergent student needs, continued support and flexibility in our resource allocation will be crucial. This allows us to remain agile and adaptable, ensuring that we can empower student-led initiatives that promote cultural expression and build community.
4. Supporting Employee Affinity Groups
Reed College currently supports seven employee affinity groups, including the recent addition of the Jewish Faculty Cultural Identity group. Additionally, there is interest from the community in establishing a new affinity group for individuals who are neurodivergent. These groups play a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging and community on campus.
Recognizing their valuable contributions, OID has steadily increased funding for affinity groups over the past two years. As stewards of resources, OID is committed to supporting the continued growth and responsible management of resources. We are collaborating with affinity groups to clarify their roles and functions within the broader context of the college's DEI initiatives, establish clear guidelines for group operations, and create a system to measure their impact on the college's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism (DEIA) goals, particularly in terms of recruitment and retention efforts. By strengthening affinity groups and recognizing their advocacy efforts, we aim to foster a more diverse and inclusive campus community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and support. This approach directly aligns with our broader DEI goals and contributes to the college's overall success.
5. Improving Bias Education and Response
In Spring 2022, Reed College committed to enhancing its approach to addressing bias on campus. A climate survey conducted by the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) revealed a lack of awareness about our existing procedures, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive and proactive approach. This realization led to a pivotal shift from a solely reporting-focused process to the establishment of the Bias Education and Response Team (BERT) in Fall 2023. BERT's mandate is to not only address bias incidents effectively but also to foster a more inclusive and respectful campus culture.
BERT meets weekly to ensure that all bias reports are promptly reviewed, assigned, addressed, resolved, and documented. The team's work encompasses resolving incidents fairly, providing support to individuals and the community, delivering bias education and training, maintaining open communication, and continuously refining the bias response process.
During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, BERT received and addressed 52 bias incident reports, the majority of which involved concerns related to race/ethnicity, national origin, and religion. This data highlights the ongoing need for proactive measures to address bias and promote inclusivity on campus.
To further our commitment to community care and education, BERT launched a pilot bias response protocol on September 1st, 2024. This protocol prioritizes education, accountability, and a streamlined reporting and resolution process. We anticipate that increased awareness and trust in the new system may lead to an initial rise in reported incidents. To gauge its effectiveness and reassess the campus climate, we will conduct another HEDS survey and community feedback sessions in Fall 2025.
6. Creating Spaces for Connection and Understanding
Building on the success of the Dinner Dialogue series and recognizing the vital role of student leadership in fostering an inclusive campus, OID and MRC are excited to launch a pilot Intergroup Dialogue program for student leaders this Fall. This 7-week program will provide student leaders with essential facilitation and conflict-resolution skills, empowering them to lead meaningful discussions with their peers on topics related to diversity and inclusion. The program will culminate in a student-led Dinner Dialogue in October, allowing participants to apply their newly acquired skills in a practical setting. We will solicit recommendations from student facilitators on how to enhance the program's design, content, and delivery to maximize its impact and reach.
7. Division-Level Administrative DEI Strategic Plans
Our path forward involves fulfilling Commitment #7, which calls for the development of division-level administrative DEI strategic plans. This will require a collaborative and data-driven approach to ensure alignment with the College's overarching strategic plan and DEI priorities.