Values to Action: UT’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• Plans are underway for a special session for the Senior Staff and deans focused on diversity, inclusion and equity.
• Diversity workshops for Baccalaureate Experience faculty and mentors and for other faculty through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) are scheduled. These workshops will be led by Sabrina Griffith, director of Student Care and Advocacy and leader of UT’s Bias Education Resource Team (BERT).
• Continuation of bias training for Campus Safety, and a plan to expand opportunities for bias training to the broader campus.

Of note, more than 25 staff and faculty members participated this summer in a 10-week Sustained Dialogue series. This series taught the participants how to build spaces for challenging conversations about issues that matter and how to create meetings where talking about big issues are celebrated.

• Human Resources’ search process improvements are underway, including a UT employment dashboard that will provide interview resources, diversity ad placement resources and recruiting guidelines. The staff will also host a presentation on building a more inclusive search that addresses unconscious bias.
• Human Resources training on diversity in the workplace and Title IX (9) training will be coming this fall.

• Creation of a new Diversity and Inclusion webpage dedicated to resources on diversity and inclusion for faculty.
• First-Year Experience courses will devote two weeks to the discussion of diversity and inclusion, and first-year students will have the opportunity to sign a diversity pledge.
• The First-Year Experience (FYE) and Office of Orientation and Family Engagement collaborated in Fall 2020 to launch a virtual book club on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
• First-year students and faculty were invited and encouraged to attend the WOW Diversity presentation, Race at the Crossroads of History, Culture and COVID-19. Dr. Benitez addresses how history, culture and racism in the U.S. continue to impact how BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of color) experience and navigate COVID-19 and racial unrest, and how we all can learn from it and work to change it. 
• The Diversity of Transgender Experience was presented by J.E. Sumerau and their book with Lain A. B. Mathers, America Through Transgender Eyes.

Diversity and Inclusion

• Moderator trainings and inclusive communication skill development for students, faculty and staff are offered through Spartan Sustained Dialogue in the form of Skillshhops and Inclusive Leadership trainings, provided by Sustained Dialogue Institute online and in person.
• The Dean of Students Diversity Advisory Group is a forum for the Dean of Students and other University administrators to hear directly from students about their experiences and to better advocate for a more inclusive learning environment that supports unique perspectives and values differences. This group meets monthly to discuss the campus climate. If you have any comments about the campus climate that you would like discussed, feel free to email diversityadvisorygroup@ut.edu. Diversity Advisory Group applications are available now for the 2021-2022 academic year and are due March 20. Apply to the Diversity Advisory Group.
• Student organizations provide support and can connect you to on-campus experiences that assist in discovering more about campus life. Last year, there were 16 registered student diversity/cultural organizations and seven registered student spiritual organizations. These organizations can be a wonderful place of support, and they are actively involved with numerous events and programs. For the most up-to-date lists, visit Engage. If you are interested in starting a new student diversity/cultural student organization please contact Erika Buckley, associate director of Leadership and Diversity Education, at ebuckley@ut.edu.
• The Office of Leadership and Student Engagement is excited to host affinity group meetups.  Affinity groups are designed to create spaces for students who share a common identity or goal to meet and connect with one another. By attending these meetups, students will be able to meet with each other in person and hopefully establish a community they can rely on during their time at UT. For more information contact ebuckley@ut.edu.
• Spiritual Direction is offered to any student at no cost. If you would like spiritual, religious or humanist support, this program may be for you. Contact wellness@ut.edu for more information.
• The Bias Education Resource Team (BERT) is a group of University employees that provides support and resources to those individuals who have been targeted or impacted by an act of bias. The role of the BERT is to offer impacted community members a space to have their voice heard, opportunities for education to mitigate or prevent similar occurrences in the future, and to ensure a comprehensive and timely response to bias incidents. Bias reports can be filled out by using the Spartan Support Program Form or the Incident Report Form.  For more information on BERT contact Sabrina Griffith, director of Student Care and Advocacy, at bert@ut.edu.

Diversity Opportunities

• Jennifer Alger,assistant athletic director/senior woman administrator, serves as the athletics diversity and inclusion designee, and the point of communication between the NCAA national office, athletics department, conference office and campus when information around inclusive programs, emerging diversity issues and other related equity initiatives needs to be shared.
• The Sunshine State Conference has established a Diversity & Inclusion Committee made up of one administrator/coach/staff and one student-athlete from each member institution.  
• The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) participates annually in the Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign which strives to illustrate awareness, education and engagement showing the importance of inclusive environments in college sports.

• UT became fully SAT/ACT test-optional for 2021 admissions. We believe this will enhance the diversity of the student body and will provide for greater access and inclusion.
• UT works with community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide access and opportunity to first-generation and minority students. Every UT admissions counselor works with several CBOs, and this summer the Office of Admissions appointed a counselor who manages our CBO initiatives with 390 different CBOs.
• New since July, UT is one of only 10 schools that are part of a Coalition for College pilot program. This program is designed to provide access and free college search tools for 200,000 under-represented high school freshmen and sophomores.
• This summer admissions created an inclusion video, We Are Spartans, that affirms our commitment to combating racism and discrimination. The video has been shared with prospective students and is posted on the UT website.