The University has released a report on inclusion at UP, which includes recommendations for the president and his Leadership Cabinet on how to promote inclusion and diversity.
It was completed July 16 by the Ad Hoc Presidential Advisory Committee on Inclusion (PACI) and released to President Fr. Bill Beauchamp and the Leadership Cabinet. The report is the result of feedback the PACI received from students, faculty and staff at the community listening sessions it held last spring and of its review of Church documents and examples of other Catholic universities.
The listening sessions happened after a campus-wide debate and student-run demonstration concerning the Nondiscrimination Policy's omission of sexual orientation. In September, the Board of Regents approved adding sexual orientation to the Nondiscrimination Policy.
Within a month, Beauchamp will meet with the PACI to discuss its recommendations. Beauchamp said he will publish his personal responses to the recommendations after that meeting.
The full report is posted on the Pilots UP page under the Policies tab.
Recommendations
-Create a standing Presidential Advisory Committee on Inclusion to manage discrimination concerns and address prejudices, including stereotypes about Catholicism. The committee would continue to seek campus feedback and make recommendations.
-Change the Nondiscrimination Policy to include sexual orientation if possible. (The Board of Regents voted to alter the policy Sept. 27 after receiving the PACI’s report.)
-Be more transparent and communicative about ways for UP employees to report discrimination, as well as streamline current procedures.
-Create a document explaining the guidelines used to ensure campus programs and guest speakers fit UP’s mission.
-A general review of curriculum for diversity skill building, especially in experience-based courses like nursing clinicals.
-Change employee orientations to include information about Catholic teachings on diversity, protection from harassment and what policies protect UP faculty and staff from discrimination.
-Have new students and their families be educated about UP’s stance on discrimination and community values during orientation.
-Create an ongoing diversity training program for faculty and staff.
-Hire more women and people of color for leadership positions, especially at the officer level, as long as they are equally qualified for the job.
-Have the president and the Human Resources department work to make the hiring process for faculty and staff more open to diversity.
-Have the president clarify the relationship between the Catholic Church and UP, and explain why the University has both a Nondiscrimination Policy and a Statement on Inclusion. The president could also address concerns about how the administration would respond to someone who is openly against Catholic teachings.
Committee members weigh in
Senior Kirsten Rivera: “I feel this was step one of a multi-step exploration of a problem we want to solve. The most important thing is that we started the conversation.”
Director of Health Services Paul Myers: “If you look at the essence of a university, it is about bringing diverse opinions and diverse peoples together, and then engaging one another in a pursuit of truth. And that’s a messy affair.”
Alum ‘13 Austin Veiga: “I believe the purpose of the recommendations were all-encompassing. And I firmly believe that the primary focus and goal of the school at the present is to make all students and faculty welcome.”
