Equity Strategic Action Plan

Equity Strategic Action Plan Logo

Everyone at the University of Wisconsin–Madison deserves to feel welcomed, valued, and included.  The Center for Leadership & Involvement (CfLI) is committed to doing our part to make that happen, including addressing racism and dismantling systems of oppression, especially within our programs and services. We commit to being engaged in a never-ending process of improvement, self-reflection, learning, and unlearning.

Recently, CfLI engaged in an in-depth, year-long, organizational review in partnership with CultureBrokers, a diversity, inclusion, and equity consulting firm, to help identify actionable ways to improve our policies, practices, and support of our marginalized campus community members. This process yielded our Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP), which is informed by campus community involvement in targeted surveys, report debriefing sessions, and open forums.

We will be accountable to this plan through routine public updates and are dedicated to transparency in our inclusivity work.  Please find more details below and in the following article, including highlights from the consultancy process and our past racial justice commitments.

Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP) Progress

Spring 2023

  • Concluded implementation support from CultureBrokers (February)
  • Goal Progress
    • CfLI Strategic Communication Plan
      • Drafted a report highlighting specific efforts to serve marginalized students and student groups
      • Identified gaps in demographic participation data related to CfLI programs & services
    • Red Gym Wayfinding Signage
      • Digital display in Red Gym lobby completed
      • Communicated wayfinding challenges in Red Gym as part of Student Affairs Space Study
    • Registered Student Organization (RSO) Gallery Space
      • Photos and descriptions sourced from RSOs for gallery space in Student Activity Center (SAC)
      • Identified RSO related content from Sifting & Reckoning exhibit to find a permanent home in the SAC

Fall 2022

  • Communicated the launch of the ESAP to stakeholders
  • Met monthly with CultureBrokers to support implementation efforts
  • Goal Progress
    • CfLI Strategic Communication Plan
      • Developed ESAP logo for use in promotional materials
      • Initiated data collection focused on DEI efforts in CfLI’s programs & services
    • Red Gym Wayfinding Signage
      • Identified initial signage focus on Red Gym lobby digital display
      • Coordinated with Red Gym partners to gather information for display
    • Registered Student Organization (RSO) Gallery Space
      • Transitioned plan for Gallery Space from Red Gym to the SAC
      • Process for gathering RSO photos and student feedback identified

 

ESAP Summary

Historical Overview of Justice & Equity Actions in CfLI

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Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP) Development

Fall 2021

  • Developed partnership with CultureBrokers, LLC
  • Surveyed 150 UW Community Stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, and alumni)
  • Used survey data to inform GAP Report
  • Shared GAP Report data and gather feedback through 4 Debriefing Sessions and 2 Open Forums

Spring 2022

  • Developed two teams and formed three actionable goals based on a pair of GAP Report dimensions:
    • Political Capital- Aspects of an organization that makes decisions in a culturally inclusive manner and has strong ties to diverse external leaders.
    • Built Environment-Aspects of a welcoming and culturally inclusive built environment. This includes all human-made items, such as the building, offices, signage, machines, furnishings, and technology. It also reflects choices made, such as location.
  • Shared finalized goals with Senior Leaders
  • Adopted Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP)

CfLI Racial Justice Statement - Summer 2020

The Center for Leadership & Involvement staff acknowledges and shares in the pain and anger experienced by our students, colleagues, and community at the senseless death of George Floyd at the hands of police.  This tragic act serves as a stark reminder of the existing and historical oppression of our Black and African American communities.

We have an obligation, as a leadership department dedicated to inspiring purposeful action and positive change, to address racism and dismantle systems of oppression.  Our staff is committed, individually and collectively, to this work.  That labor has historically been shouldered by our most marginalized communities, including our Black and African American colleagues – student organization leaders, advisors, and staff.  We seek to share that burden and stand committed to:

  • Intentionally reaching out to our marginalized students to support them where they need it through advising, leadership development, and funding.
  • Providing leadership training to our UW-Madison community that elevates and centers minoritized voices while addressing existing systems of power and privilege.
  • Reviewing our policies and procedures to make certain they meet the needs of marginalized students.
  • Assessing our programs, resources, and services through a social justice lens and making necessary changes to limit gaps and ensure accessibility.

We look to translate this moment into a movement.  An inherently inclusive movement that appreciates the shared struggles and the unique stories of our marginalized communities – advocating especially for those whose intersectional social identities often result in disproportionate suppression.  This will require listening, on-going learning, and a commitment to change.

Ultimately, we will be judged by our behavior and not on our mission, core values, or statements.  We acknowledge and apologize for our silence to date.  We will hold ourselves accountable for our actions and we encourage you to partner with us in bringing forth a more just University and community.

In Solidarity,

Center for Leadership & Involvement Staff

Commitments List

  1. Intentionally reaching out to our marginalized students to support them where they need it through advising, leadership development, and funding.
  2. Providing leadership training to our UW-Madison community that elevates and centers minoritized voices while addressing existing systems of power and privilege.
  3. Reviewing our policies and procedures to make certain they meet the needs of marginalized students.
  4. Assessing our programs, resources, and services through a social justice lens and making necessary changes to limit gaps and ensure accessibility.

Commitments Tracker

RJ Commitment Tracker

Commitment Number(s) Initiative Fall 2020 Progress Spring 2021 Progress
1 Provide training and culturally relevant resources that support CfLI marketing and communications student staff. Adopted new practices informed by the Social Media Accessibility Webinar that was attended by marketing student staff. Attended DDEEA & University Communication’s sessions on culturally competent communications and marketing in order to train our staff.
1 Implement high-touch advising and outreach for marginalized students in Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and the Leadership Certificate program.
  • Sent high-touch email messages about our student organization services to cultural and ethnic based RSOs.
  • Created process to remind upcoming Leadership Certificate applicants about our advising services.
  • Finalized process to connect students with Leadership Certificate reviewers via phone or virtually to supplement comments they receive in Canvas.
  • Worked with campus partners to provide support messaging and resources related to ongoing racial violence to RSO leaders.
2 Create quarterly training for CfLI student staff that addresses power, privilege, and elevates marginalized student voices.
  • Began this effort during CfLI Orientation Day in Fall 2020.
  • Hosted training session during Winter 2020.
  • Hosted training for student staff on building inclusive relationships.
2 Create social justice orientated leadership development workshops accessible for all students. Created a RSO workshop series that includes a session on developing an inclusive environment.
  • Worked with the Student Leadership Program to allocate funds for All Campus Leadership Conference breakout speakers to diversify our breakout offerings and compensate our community partners.
  • Sent outreach messages about leadership development workshop offerings for units that primarily work with marginalized student groups.
  • Provided individualized leadership development workshops for the Posse Program, PEOPLE Program First-Year leaders and WIScience Peer Leaders program.
2 Develop an RSO Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Program.
  • Working with the Office of Inclusion Education to create a required social justice education series by Fall 2022.
  • Training to be piloted with select groups in Fall 2021.
2 & 3 Align our entire organizational social justice competencies to keep ourselves and our student staff accountable. Created plan to align our competencies during our Winter 2021 Professional Staff Retreat.
3 & 4 Conduct CfLI social justice organizational audit. Created an internal Social Justice Change Team to research and select a consulting team to conduct an organizational equity audit of our center.
  • Consulted with Leadership & Engagement’s Diversity Coordinator to select an external consultant.
  • Researched and selected external consultants, CultureBrokers, LLC, to facilitate audit during ‘21-’22 academic year.
4 Review the Leadership Framework through a social justice lens and make necessary changes to ensure cultural relevance.
  • Created a new Leadership Framework principle that prioritizes the need to address systematic discrimination and honor people that marginalized.
  • Revised our Leadership Framework outcomes to align with critical theory and related social justice concepts.
  • Created an Expert Reviewer team that is diverse, student-centered, and centers social justice concepts with leadership development theory to review our Leadership Framework outcomes.