URGE - Management Plan (2021)

URGE Session 8 Deliverable - Management Plan for the University of Utah College of Mines and Earth Science (CMES), developed by the CMES URGE Megapod (Pods 1-2-3).

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This is a plan to incorporate deliverables into our organization as we continue to develop, assess, and finalize policies and resources.

Deliverable	Existing Policy or Resource?	Policy or Resource Changes Recommended?	Initial Point of Contact(s)	Where URGE Deliverable Will Be Posted	Review/Update Interval	Racial Risk Assessment?	Training Recommended? *High Priority only	Approval, Check, and/or Consequence
Complaints and Reporting Policy	Summarizes Existing Policies	Yes	Bill Johnson	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: recs addressed Fall 2021 semester	Yes		Bill Johnson to report back by Dec 2021 to Lauren Birgenheier, 2021-2022 CMES Committee for the Advancement of Inclusions and Diversity (CAID) cochair.
Demographic Data	Builds on existing resource at University level; new recommendations provided	Yes	Holly Godsey	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: recs proposed to CMES Dean by fall 2021 with target improved demographic data collection and revised goals by spring 2022	Yes – minoritized groups should remain fully anonymous in the data		Holly Godsey to report back by Dec 2021 to Lauren Birgenheier
Policies for Working with Communities of Color	No	Yes, new policy needed	Brenda Bowen	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: New policy in place by spring 2022	Yes	High priority for improved training	Brenda Bowen to provide progress report in Dec 2021 and completion report by May 2022 to Lauren Birgenheier
Admissions and Hiring Policies	Builds on existing policies	Yes	Hiring - Cari Johnson; Admission – Lauren Birgenheier	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: Hiring – fall 2021 Admission: carry out recs by Jan 2022 admission cycle.	Yes		Hiring - Cari Johnson to report back to Lauren Birgenheier by Dec 2021. Admissions – Lauren Birgenheier to report back to Jeff Moore, GEO Graduate Affairs chair and CAID by Dec 2021, ahead of Jan 2022 grad admissions.
Safety Plan	Builds on existing policies	Yes	Mary Anne Berzins; Gannet Hallar	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: Carry out recs by spring 2022.	Yes	High priority for improved training	Mary Ann Berzins and Gannet Hallar to provide progress report in Dec 2021 and completion report by May 2022 to Lauren Birgenheier
Resource Map	Synthesizes some existing resources and policies	Yes	Cari Johnson; Lauren Birgenheier	CMES and GEO Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Websites	Goal: Carry out recs by spring 2022.			Cari Johnson and Lauren Birgenheier to provide progress report in Dec 2021 and completion report by May 2022 to CAID.

 

Additional considerations for each deliverable:

• Agreement - This agreement can be adapted to outline how we will interact and meet with leadership about these policies, as well as regular meetings with key contacts such as diversity/inclusion committees, HR, etc.
• Pod Guidelines - Pod guidelines can be adapted into longer term plans/bylaws, e.g. will this turn into a committee or working group in our organization/institution, will membership/leadership rotate, etc.

Highest Priority Recommendations for Action

• Complaints and Reporting Policy – Develop a one-page/index card size visual flow through chart for reporting violations to be circulated through CMES and GG and in prominent webpage and physical spaces.
• Demographic Data – Work with CMES Committee for the Advancement of Inclusion and Diversity to
  • Goal 1: Develop publicly stated goals to increase the representation from marginalized groups.
  • Goal 2: Create action plan for recruiting and supporting individuals from marginalized groups.
  • Goal 3: Establish ongoing qualitative and quantitative mechanisms for publicly evaluating progress towards diversifying CMES community (Goals 1 and 2)
• Policies for Working with Communities of Color – Develop a policy and resources for working with communities of color in research; advocate improved staff support and integration with existing University resources to achieve these goals.
  • Admissions and Hiring Policies
    • Hiring – work with GG faculty to implement revised/ recommended hiring policies and policies and procedures for search committees for the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year, when up to 3 faculty hires are anticipated.
    • Admissions – Revise and re-submit AGU Bridge Partnership Program application in fall 2021; work with graduate affairs committee to enact suggested policy and practice changes on previous AGU Bridge proposal submission that are needed to be successful.
• Safety Plan
  • Revise Professional Ethics Policy as recommended;
  • Revise existing CMES Safety Plan with attention to inclusivity and specific safety concerns likely to be faced by minoritized students, faculty and staff; advocate for improved staff support to enact inclusive field experiences.
• Resource Map
  • Improve and complete resource map;
  • Put mentoring agreement into place in GG through work with Graduate Affairs committee.

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A racial risk assessment is recommended for all actions requiring policy changes, which is every deliverable except for the Resource Map.

Training recommendations

1. Revise faculty annual review criteria and policies to value DEI focused training participation. In this model, training remains voluntary but valued. This effort is already underway in GEO.
2. Incorporate training for graduate and undergraduate students into required courses (e.g., for graduate students - graduate orientation, Reviews of Earth Science; for undergraduate students – Wasatch in the Field, Field Methods).
3. Delineate and highlight training resources on the GEO EDI webpage.
4. GEO has a list of various trainings, but to be useful moving forward, there is a need to curate and strategize about what is required and of whom.