Create a more inclusive and respectful living-learning environment and reduce bias incidents for community members from historically minoritized groups.
Increase the diversity of JMC faculty, staff and students through hiring and admissions.
Increase the retention of students, staff and faculty who identify as members of historically minoritized groups.
Achieve greater equity by providing support for students in financial need.
Increase communication between residence life staff and JMC faculty and staff about incidents relevant to DEI concerns.
Strategy 1.2: With input from the CIC, the Assistant Dean for DEI will implement and analyze an annual college survey on equity and inclusion experiences and views.
Survey distributed to college community: September 2024. Results expected by end of the Fall Semester, with a community event to present findings in the Spring Semester.
MSU is the process of introducing an annual university-wide climate survey. Future initiatives will align with this new process.
Strategy 2.1: Create written policy that includes the JEI office in the faculty and staff hiring process.
Policy development in progress by Assistant Dean of DEI Brian Johnson and Faculty Excellence Advocate Susan Stein-Roggenbuck.
Strategy 3.3: Improve student first-year mentoring program by adding a project/outcome focus.
Strategy 1.1: The Cultural Inclusion Committee (CIC), in collaboration with the Justice, Equity and Inclusion (JEI) office; Student Senate; and other student organizations, holds at least one regularly scheduled open dialogue per year to discuss current DEI concerns and offers regular trainings on DEI issues.
First open dialogue event held: April 15, 2024.
Second event slated for: Spring Semester 2025.
Office of Justice, Equity and Inclusion has held three DEI Dialogue events for the college community (Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 20) and two DEIB discussions for incoming first-year students (Sept. 6).
Strategy 4.2: Extend the JMC Early Start bridge program as a best-practice and model program for recruiting, retaining and graduating on-time first generation college and historically minoritized students.
Program has nearly doubled in size since its launch in 2022, including 40 students in Fall 2024.
Fundraising for the Early Start program will be included in JMC's updated Comprehensive Campaign (set to launch in March 2025). See Strategy 2.2 under Next Priorities below.
Strategy 5.2: Develop a formal system for collaborating with Case Hall and student life leadership about climate in the residence hall and any relevant incidents in the classroom.
Case Hall leadership regularly attends JMC academic advising team meetings to ensure open communication between the college and residence hall staff. Processes are re-evaluated on an ongoing basis.
Strategy 2.2: Increase scholarship funds to help recruit and retain students from underserved and historically marginalized communities.
MSU is preparing to launch its updated 2022-2032 Comprehensive Campaign in March 2025. With the university’s overall fundraising goal increasing to $4 billion, each unit is reviewing how to scale its efforts accordingly. For JMC, this means increasing our campaign goal from $12 million to $25 million—equating to approximately 25% growth. While ambitious, this target is achievable. Increased scholarships funds will be a critical part of the campaign for JMC and fall under MSU's priority for Student Success. Multi-year scholarships are pivotal in attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent. These scholarships offer vital resources and support to deserving students from underserved and historically marginalized communities, ensuring they have the means to succeed. Additionally, scholarship support for research participation allows students to present their work at conferences, further enhancing their educational experience. Early Start Programming serves as a bridge for first-generation and historically minoritized students, facilitating their recruitment, retention, and timely graduation. Finally, the College Emergency Fund offers essential financial support during crises, allowing students to concentrate on their studies and graduate on time. Collectively, these initiatives are designed to foster a supportive environment that promotes success and accessibility for all students.
Strategy 3.2: Improve faculty mentoring to account for different stages in professional development.
Strategy 5.1: Establish an anonymized method for informing faculty and staff of bias incidents that occur in Case Hall.
Strategy 5.3: CIC, in collaboration with the JEI office, residence life staff and college faculty and staff, develop a means of restoring a sense of community when bias incidents do occur, and seek to reduce their overall incidence.
