Progress on DEIJ Initiatives

Access and Inclusivity Task Force Recommendations

2021 Update on Proposed Areas of Focus

• Establishment of a Student DEI Council.
• Launch of 13 student affinity and alliance groups guided by faculty lead advisers.
• Formation and ongoing support of faculty affinity and alliance groups (Faculty of Color and Multicultural Backgrounds, Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere (AWARE) – work-in-progress).
• Enhanced academic support team formed for 2021-2022 to help close any learning gaps introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Addition of a full-time counselor of color (faculty position), increasing the number of counselors in our health center to 4.5.

• Appointed director of global engagement. 

• Ongoing participation by administrative team members and department heads in Diversity Directions and National Diversity Practitioners Institute.
• Collaborating and knowledge sharing with the broader educational community [e.g. National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC)].
• Frequent participation in learning events hosted by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) and National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES).
• Partnering with Ron Brown Scholar Program, Breakthrough Collaborative/Breakthrough Greater Boston, Minority Serving Institutions [e.g. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)] to further diversify SPS Teaching Fellows.
• Active faculty/student participation in Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) at PoCC, AISNE High School Students of Color Conference, and National Anti-Racism Teach-In Virtual Conference.
• Cross-cultural training and mini-climate assessment for faculty of color with Dr. Keith Hinderlie of Hinderlie Associates.
• Consultation, diversity audit, and training sessions with VISIONS, Inc.
• Faculty DEI Council-hosted educational events.

• 29% of faculty are POC for 2021-22 academic year; 27% in 2018-19.

• The overall percentage of faculty of color (29%) does not exceed the percentage of students of color (44%). The percentage of faculty with certain identities exceeds that of the student percentage who identify in the same groupings (African, African American, Hispanic/Latinx). 

• Progress has been made across individual departments (nine out of 11 are greater than 20%). Some departments are not yet at 20% of faculty being people of color. 

• Expanding diversity is ongoing focus in hiring and student admissions. Two new admission positions created in 2020-21 to support outreach. 

• Cross-cultural competency through immersive experiences is part of a professional requirement for all administrators, department heads, and new faculty; opportunities also exist for students. Opportunities for staff and trustees have not yet been identified. 

• Many faculty members have participated in Diversity Directions and other comparable programs; it is an ongoing requirement.

• Recent Professional development includes work with Dr. Keith Hinderlie on Culturally Responsive Teaching and ongoing work with VISIONS, Inc. Various departments continue to engage with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on deepening cross-cultural competency. 

•  More than 96% of faculty members have completed this requirement.

• Faculty members have led faculty meetings focused on culturally-responsive teaching; hosted teach-in sessions for current faculty; formed a faculty book group on culturally-responsive teaching, and also work with SPS Faculty DEI Council. 

• "Truths that are Self-Evident," by Vice Rector of Faculty Michael Spencer, CSEE 4/21. 

• The pandemic introduced challenges and forced delays; however, the Asian American Footsteps Conference (AAFC) will be hosted by SPS in 2023.

• The School continues to enhance student leadership programs through a refinement of the student leadership selection process with diverse representation across positions. The 2021-22 academic year is the first with formally structured affinity and alliance groups in place and active.
• The 2021-22 academic year is also the first full year with a formal Student DEI Council.
• The DEI director, in partnership with other community members, is providing resources and creating venues for students to share with the faculty their experiences to foster a more inclusive community. (SPS Voices, Chapel Talks)
• Continue to identify and collaborate with a core group of students as educators who help shape annual inclusivity training. Continue student participation in the formulation of community-wide curricula (e.g. LINC Days, MLK Day, first annual Black History Month Chapel Talk series, Women’s History Month Chapel Talk and virtual salons).
• Continue student/faculty participation in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference at the People of Color Conference. 
• Continue well-supported, visible, and active affinity and alliance groups on campus for faculty/staff and students.
• Working to ensure community spaces are inclusive of heterogeneous populations and available for use by affinity/alliance groups (e.g. dorms/gender inclusive housing, dining hall, Chapel, community center, new student spaces for members of Interfaith Council and affinity/alliance groups).
• A newly reimagined Interfaith Council.
• Co-wrote and submitted a proposal for SPS to host the 2023 Asian American Footsteps Conference for 500+ students, which was accepted. 

• Leadership training enhanced in this area through LINC Day programming.

• Opening of new community hub in Sheldon offers additional resources, connection, and engagement for all students. Created dedicated space for affinity and alliance groups in the lower level of Sheldon, as part of a new, collaborative shared space for the Chaplaincy and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• Work to ensure that campus speakers organized through the Visitors Committee represent diverse speakers/perspectives in annual programming.
• Intentional focus on integration of social justice initiatives connected to Episcopal identity of the School and delivered through the Chapel program and civic engagement. With intentional focus and collaboration, the Chaplaincy team has enhanced/continues to enhance the chapel program by amplifying the eclectic voices of students, faculty, staff, and other social justice practitioners, helping to further enrich the student experience.
• Communicating commitment to an inclusive SPS community through publications and media (e.g. the Alumni Horae magazine, print and electronic community newsletters, dynamic DEI page on sps.edu, development of an internal resource portal, execution of a DEI communications plan).
• Faculty DEI Council learning events.
• Creation of Mosaic (DEI) team comprised of 15 faculty and staff members across departments. The group meets monthly to share DEI updates, seek/provide program and/or event support as necessary, and collaborate around how to meet or exceed institutional goals. 

• Vice rectors for faculty and school life participated in the National Association of Episcopal Schools initiative for diversity practitioners and chaplains. A more intentional focus on the Chapel program and its offerings in relation to NAES's work is now underway.

• The work has begun under the director of DEI; all departments have participated in professional development in this area. This remains an ongoing and developing area of focus for the School. 

• Refreshed DEI website under development; ongoing communications stories, profiles and event coverage disseminated across SPS channels. 

• Reviewing SPS Inclusivity Statement
• Ensuring accountability by integrating diversity and inclusivity tactics into metrics and annual assessments.
• Ensuring that DEI programs and events meet the following criteria: Affirm Identity, Build Community, Cultivate Leadership (Source: Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum)
• Measuring culture shift in the following ways:
• Assessing experience of often underrepresented groups or those whose voices are often excluded.
• Surveying competencies and skills of all constituencies.
• Measuring extent to which faculty are engaging this work beyond the SPS community.
• Examining the traditions, practices, structures, and values we promote as a community and how these promote and support (or not) inclusivity, celebrate unity, and advance equity
• Monitoring SPS community spaces to determine existence of heterogeneous community.