Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential initiatives on any college or university campus today.
Beyond compliance, there are important reasons behind ensuring this is top of mind. In order to retain and support a diverse student body, the faculty and staff must reflect that diversity. Creating and sustaining hiring practices that continually focus on attracting talent with an array of backgrounds benefits your campus in multiple ways.
There is a lot of research on how you create a diverse and inclusive campus—but what are the benefits?
Better Student Retention
By learning from a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff, your students will be more invested in completing their degree. According to Inside HigherEd, “Even more important, the research and money being poured into helping improve retention often don’t flow to those who are crucial to student success: the faculty and department chairs, program directors, and deans who shape faculty culture. Faculty members are often the most direct way to help at-risk students.”
With a range of faculty differing in sex, race, and class – students will be able to see themselves in their educators. Diversity not only benefits the students but improves faculty retention by creating communities of support.
Improved Departmental Culture
Diversity and inclusion improve overall morale and create a diverse skillset within an institutional department. According to Inside HigherEd, “Departmental culture, therefore, is also crucial to students graduating. Even at colleges and universities with low graduation rates, there are bright examples of departmental success.”
When ensuring you are focused on diversity, it is important you understand where there are areas of opportunity through data. With the Faculty Information System Balanced Hiring Dashboard, you can understand where your college stands and evaluate your next steps.
Modernize your Institution
Efforts to increase diversity and inclusion have long been a part of HR within the corporate world, but they are just as vital on college and university campuses–if not more. There are many examples of institutions launching successful DEI campaigns that benefit both faculty and students– and the key is often programs and funds that are solely dedicated towards DEI efforts. UC Berkeley created institutional programs to support diversity by creating a dedicated office and promoting multicultural clubs on campus. With this focus, they have improved their retention and truly created a more diverse campus.
Overall, diversity and inclusion have proven to benefit every aspect of a college campus. In the Community for Accredited Online Schools, it states, “Empirical studies have shown that socializing and interacting with those of a different race has a positive personal and academic influence on students. Benefits include improved academic development, increased cultural awareness, satisfaction with the college experience, and desire to promote racial acceptance. Of course, diversity doesn’t just have to refer to different races, but other groups, lifestyles, and cultures as well.”
Tell your institution’s story one faculty member at a time.
Faculty achievements are pivotal to driving growth at institutions, yet greater than 50 percent of institutions use paper-based performance and promotion processes. It’s time to remove the time-consuming task of administrators, deans, and leadership tracking, compiling, and reporting on faculty activity. Faculty Information System (FIS) provides a centralized hub for all faculty data and activities by offering a platform for the full lifecycle of faculty from hiring, onboarding, and professional development, to achieving a promotion or tenure. Analytics and dashboards provide data at your fingertips whenever you need it. This brand-new platform offers data management, activity management, and promotion & tenure management. FIS executes these critical functions to ensure your faculty has time to focus on research, teaching, and service.
Watch our latest webinar here to learn more about the HigherEd Platform Faculty Information System (FIS).
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