Equity and Inclusion in Everything We Do
SDSU will be a global leader in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, teaching and in community engagement. At SDSU, the mark of our global leadership will be an innovative institutional infrastructure that promotes and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do: research, teaching, professional development, student experiences in and outside the classroom, and community relationships. Our values compel us to foster such an environment, where community members of all identities can thrive. We embrace SDSU’s identity as a Hispanic-Serving Institution on the border and recognize our residence on Kumeyaay land.
Metrics of progress:
- Demographics of faculty, staff and graduate students
- Campus climate measures
- Campus participation in DEI initiatives and programs
- Improvements in DEI infrastructure
- Achievements related to diversity, equity and inclusion
Accomplished: SDSU received federal designation as an AANAPISI-Eligible Institution
The AANAPISI identification acknowledges the university's commitment to serve students who identify as Asian American, Southeast Asian American, Desi American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
All Activities
| Description | Status |
|---|---|
ACTIVITY #31By June 2021: Establish a sustainable centrally funded information technology unit responsible for managing campuswide accessibility to implement and drive institutional governance and policy. |
UNDER REVISION |
ACTIVITY #32
By December 2020: Ensure that every major campus unit (college, division, auxiliary), in coordination with the existing Diversity and Inclusion Planning committees, has a standing diversity council to better coordinate and promote unit-specific DEI activities. |
COMPLETELanguage added to University Policy File. |
ACTIVITY #33
By June 2021: Develop a structured, universitywide calendar to promote and highlight diversity-related programs and university-sponsored events (to include student, faculty, staff and administration-led events). |
COMPLETE |
ACTIVITY #34
By December 2022: Expand the role of the Diversity Liaisons to better coordinate DEI activities across colleges and units. |
UNDER REVISION |
ACTIVITY #35By December 2022: Develop a task force and apply for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) status. |
COMPLETE |
Additional Accomplishments
- Established the Center for Inclusive Excellence
- Every division, college and academic department has a unit-level diversity plan, reviewed and approved by the Senate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.
- Increased full-time staff for the Office of Faculty and Staff Diversity, including two Learning and Development Specialists, Administrative Coordinator and Equity Analyst.
- Established the Office of HSI Affairs and HSI Advisory Councils
All Activities
| Description | Status |
|---|---|
ACTIVITY #36By December 2020: Establish a process and organized structure to coordinate, expand, and increase visibility of heritage month programs and events. |
COMPLETE |
ACTIVITY #37
By August 2021: Develop a protocol for continuous review and development of campus materials, events and programs to ensure diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences are reflected with respect and authenticity. |
STYLE GUIDE UPDATEDInclusive language integrated into style guide; Additional recommendations pending resources. |
ACTIVITY #38
By June 2025: Engage Arts Alive SDSU to display 10 permanent outdoor representations of diverse communities (such as statues, murals, sculptures) across the university campuses. |
COMPLETE |
ACTIVITY #39
By December 2020: Establish a DEI Initiative (analogous to the Shared Governance initiative) to define and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and promote ongoing conversations about DEI and how it can drive action. |
COMPLETEPrinciples of Community adopted. |
ACTIVITY #40By December 2022: Establish and launch intergroup dialogue programs (such as Human Library, racial equity learning groups, peacemaking circles). |
PROPOSAL SUBMITTED |
ACTIVITY #41By December 2021: Implement an on-boarding program that emphasizes SDSU’s values and educates all newly hired staff, regardless of classification (by December 2021), graduate students (by June 2022), undergraduate students (by June 2022), newly hired lecturers (by June 2022), and tenuretrack faculty (by December 2022) about implicit bias, inclusive communication, SDSU’s designation and identity as an Hispanic-Serving Institution, and the university’s connection with the Kumeyaay people. |
COMPLETE |
Additional Accomplishments
- Established Inclusive SDSU bias reporting system
- Expanded services for previously incarcerated students through Project Rebound
- Expanded the Undocumented Resource Area into an Undocumented Resource Center
- Opened the Native Resource Center, Latinx Resource Center, APIDA Resource Center
- Opened the IV Cross-Cultural Center
- Adopted an official SDSU Kumeyaay Land Acknowledgement
- Established the HSI Student Advisory Board
- Office of HSI Affairs sponsored programs to welcome new faculty and new staff launched
- Arts Alive Artist in Residence program established
- Established task forces on Antisemitism, Islamophobia and Black Excellence
- All student leaders in the Residential Education Office (REO) complete the year-long Identity and Allyship Awareness program (101 and 201)
- ALL RSO student leaders must complete Inclusive Leadership Awareness Training
- Naming of Charles Bell and Ellen Ochoa Pavilions
- Launched Black Excellence campus tours
- Launched the Native & Indigenous Research & Arts Symposium and the Black Research Symposium
- Established affinity floors in the residence halls
Accomplished: Student success gaps nearly closed
Since the strategic plan’s launch, and for first-time freshmen, the four-year graduation rate is 57.9% and the six-year graduation rate — the highest ever — is nearly 80%.
All Activities
| Description | Status |
|---|---|
ACTIVITY #42By December 2021: Ensure participation in professional learning on inclusive practices for all search committees (by December 2021), retention, tenure, and promotion committees (by June 2022), staff supervisors and managers (by June 2022), and admissions committees (by December 2022). |
Implemented for SEARCH committees; others in progress |
ACTIVITY #43
By December 2022: Establish and provide institutional support for structured mentoring programs for all faculty and staf (regardless of classification). |
PROPOSAL SUBMITTED |
ACTIVITY #44
By December 2023: Establish and provide institutional support for structured leadership development opportunities for all faculty and staff (regardless of classification) aligned with unit Diversity and Inclusion Plans. |
PROPOSAL SUBMITTED |
Additional Accomplishments
- Established Center for Graduate Life and Diversity
- Completed cluster hire of tenure-track faculty members with a demonstrated record of success in research, teaching and/or service with Black populations
- All tenure-track faculty hires required to meet two of the eight Building on Inclusive Excellence (BIE) criteria
- All tenure-track faculty search committees must include an Inclusion Representative (equity advocate)
- Became lead institution for SoCal HERC
- FUERTE (Faculty Unified towards Excellence in Research and Transformational Engagement) grant project completed cluster hire of 11 early-career faculty across disciplines to bolster Latinx health disparities research and strengthen the pipeline of scientists focused on the subject.
