Timeline of Initiatives

Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Progress Over the Years

College-Level Timeline

(This webpage is a work in progress. Please check back for regular updates.)

For questions on student support services or ways to get involved, contact Shalini Singh.

 

2022

In-progress:

2021

  • After a year-long formal review, Western Washington University’s Board of Trustees voted to remove the name Huxley from the college on December 9, 2021. 
  • College and Department diversity committee's write letter of support of WWU Chief Diversity Officer position and resources
  • College Diversity and Community Affairs committee provides input to Provost for upcoming Dean's search
  • College of the Environment Student Senators organize and coordinate student forum for college name change 
  • College Diversity and Community Affairs Committee creates an ADEI course guide for students to select courses with a social justice focus 
  • College Curriculum Mapping project continued
  • Black Student Organization and BLM Solidarity Statement follow through. In-progress

2020

  • Integration of DEI into college budget planning with Huxley Policy Committee. 
  • Created annual budget support for Diversity Recruitment and Retention Office. 
  • Integration of diversity into college committees, particularly HPC and Scholarship Committee. 
  • Emphasis on recruiting underrepresented students to serve on college committees.
  • ADEI Progress reported via college annual report, committee reports at college meetings, university- and program-level accreditation documents, reports to university-level committees and Huxley Advisory Board.
  • College/department leadership participation in various university DEI training opportunities. - On-going
  • College staff participation in various DEI training opportunities. On-going
  • Social media focus on inclusive content, including important dates and contribution of underrepresented minorities. 
  • More inclusive approach to existing events and celebrations. 
  • DEI and environmental justice focus of Huxley 50th events, media, fundraising. 
  • Diversity emphasis in university- and college-level student award nominee selection. 
  • Recognize Custodian and Service Worker Leadership: focus on relationship building and recognition for custodial and facilities staff in ES and AH. 
  • Dean directive to apply Provost Diversity Initiative standards to ALL faculty searches in the college. First college to do so. Model for other colleges. 
  • 100% success in hiring underrepresented faculty in every search since the Diversity Plan was adopted.  
  • Diversity focus on all staff hires, applying same Diversity initiatives standards from above.
  • Black Lives Matter Solidarity Statement and follow through - In-progress 

 

2019

  • ESCI Inclusion & Equity Committee established
  • ESCI Faculty trainings: Faculty member attends Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Earth and Environmental Sciences workshop - creates training content into a Canvas site as a DEI Toolkit with papers and outlines provided by the conference. Was adapted as training for NTT faculty in the Peninsulas Program.
  • DEI priorities addressed at ESCI Faculty Retreat
  • Creation of Environmental Justice Minor
  • Updating visibility/accessibility of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI, aka EID) work and resources on the College (HC) website
  • Setting up a textbook lending library for core/required College of the Environment courses
  • Developing metrics for assessing DEI progress and resource allocation
  • Curriculum mapping to audit current integration of DEI content in College of the Environment courses
  • Created 9, 4-year scholarships for recruiting and supporting underrepresented students. First WWU college to do so. More than any other college. Also available to transfers. Model for other colleges. 1 BIPOC scholarship offering, 4 indigenous student scholarship offerings (1 Demy-Gibbard and 3 Sutherland-Keyes), 4 financial need based scholarship offerings (50th, Louis & Penny Graham, Thomas Graham, and Bliss).
  • Articulation agreements developed/updated with partner institutions. 
  • Developing guaranteed admissions agreements with key partner institutions (Olympic College, Peninsula College, Everett CC). 
  • Masters pathway for NWIC student (NSF Grant). 
  • Various pilot projects with high schools serving underrepresented students. 
  • Secured AH 221 as temporary room to serve as a dedicated student space
  • Supporting the new Environmental Student Union (ESU), an AS club meant to facilitate programming and functions, centered through the student space, around issues of the environment and/or of HC*
  • Supporting the development/approval of a new core College of the Environment course around DEI and the environment
  • Projects spearheaded by College of the Environment alum Dario Castellon. Dario Castellon's large grant application to the Sustainability, Equity & Justice Fund (SEJF) is approved, securing funding to renovate and refurnish AH 221 & 223, as well as employ a student who would serve as a steward and program coordinator for the proposed student space
  • COLLEGE FORUM: Forum Materials
  • HDCA undergraduate members conduct Community Input Series, collecting responses on college climate
  • Website, marketing, social media materials updated and developed with ADEI lens -  On-going
  • Textbook Lending Library "Book Barn" created for students
  • All new employees, including NTTs, required to complete online sexual assault prevention training through Everfi, recently expanded to include general harassment and discrimination, Title IX and Clery. 
  • Two-hour “in-person” Sexual Harassment Prevention training required for all permanent employees, with a “refresher” requirement every three years (NTT’s currently not required to take this. Question, could Huxley require this of NTTs?) 
  • All TAs participate mandatory DEI and Sexual Harassment Prevention training conducted by the EO office, as part of the orientation process.  
  • Additional TA DEI training as part of ENVS 510. Required for ENVS TAs and strongly encouraged for ESCI TAs. 
  • Involvement of recruitment and retention specialist in ENVS 510 training. 

2018

  • The Department of Environmental Studies conducted a College-wide student climate survey, disaggregated by gender, first generation, LGBTQ+, race and ethnicity. 
  • HDCA hosts diversity training with consultant Avarna at College of the Environment Fall Retreat (documents from Avarna training)
  • HDCA develops strategic sub-plans for delegating priority tasks & formulating budget requests
  • External review of HC concludes need for college-wide emphasis on environmental justice (EJ), cultural sensitivity & inclusion in curricula, physical space (for student collaboration) that could facilitate additional spaces for environmental education & programming, and many other recommendations
  • New inclusive events organized by Diversity Recruitment and Retention office.

2017

2016

  • HC unanimously approves Diversity & Inclusion Plan
  • ENVS faculty adopt "Diversity Manifesto;" HC ad hoc diversity committee submits 3-year Diversity & Inclusion Plan

2015