Division of Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Division of Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Five-Year Equity-in-Action Plan
INTRODUCTION
MESSAGE FROM VICE CHANCELLOR
The Division of Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance is a part of the larger university system and is designed to enhance the university community. The Equity-in-Action plan for the Administration and Finance division is a living document including a set of action items the division is committed to enacting and monitoring as a part of the University of Mississippi’s Pathways to Equity strategic plan. Administration and Finance is a wide-ranging division of professionals committed to providing quality service that supports the academic, research and professional programs at the University of Mississippi. The Administration and Finance division includes the following units: Accounting, Bursar, Procurement, Budget, Contractual Services, Facilities Planning, Landscape Services, University Golf Course, University Airport Operations, Parking and Transportation, Facilities Management and Human Resources (including Payroll). The Division of Administration and Finance supports the university’s goal to “Increase Diversity and Excellence – promote a welcoming and diverse campus environment by sustaining excellence among students, faculty and staff,” as outlined in Flagship Forward – The Strategic Plan of the University of Mississippi. The division’s plan includes tactics to address promoting competitive recruitment and retention of a diverse community of excellent staff by effective hiring practices that focus on the key traits for success.
Our ultimate goal is to provide an environment that is welcoming to all. We are extending our commitments as outlined in our plan to ensure we are advancing university goals as outlined in the Pathways to Equity strategic plan:
- Advance Institutional Capacity for Equity
- Cultivate a Diverse and Equitable Community
- Foster an Inclusive Campus Climate
Our five-year plan centers around important strategic activities:
- Assessment of leadership’s understanding of common diversity, equity and inclusion concepts/principles
- Assessment of staff’s satisfaction with division alignment with vision statement and key values
- Interaction and reflection of forum of leaders within the Division of Administration and Finance to progress:
- Enhancing diversity in employee recruitment, onboarding and retention
- Ensuring equitable services to a diverse body of communities and stakeholders throughout the division
The division remains committed to the establishment of baseline data collection that will inform our practices and determine how we allocate resources and collaborate with campus partners to advance the mission of the Pathways to Equity strategic plan.
MESSAGE FROM DIVERSITY LIAISON
Creating a culture where people are respected and appreciated requires attention in all areas affecting our employees and the students we serve.
We continue to recruit a diverse workforce that includes a range and blend of experiences, ages, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, disabilities and veteran’s status. As leaders and stewards of the organization, it is our responsibility to promote inclusion and to make sure that all voices, opinions and preferences are expressed, heard and valued.
Inclusion describes the extent to which each employee within our division feels welcomed, respected, supported and valued as a team member. Our efforts focus on ensuring the right conditions are in place for all our employees to achieve their full potential. As such, we strive to create a working culture and environment that achieves the following:
- Recognizes, appreciates and effectively utilizes the talents, skills and perspectives of every employee
- Uses employee skills to achieve the division’s vision and mission
- Connects each employee to the division and university
- Encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness
The Division of Administration and Finance accepts this opportunity as we align these efforts with the division’s objectives, identify the organization’s level of intercultural competency and capacity to accept these principles, and use a strategic and ongoing approach to employee communications.
PATHWAYS TO EQUITY: University of Mississippi Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
The University of Mississippi continues its commitment to excellence and making a positive difference in society through higher education. Pathways to Equity stands as our institutional guidepost for addressing and advancing our institutional mission through centering on diversity, equity and inclusion. Our complex institutional history coupled with our rich culture of students, faculty and staff striving for inclusive change has led us to the solidification of this institutional plan. Pathways to Equity works in concert with the university’s strategic plan to leverage university-wide, college/school-level and departmental transformative initiatives that cultivate a more diverse, equitable and inclusive campus.
With Pathways to Equity, the University of Mississippi aspires to achieve the following statements by the conclusion of this plan.
- The University of Mississippi consistently and comprehensively articulates diversity, equity and inclusion as essential in fulfilling the mission, vision and values of the institution.
- The University of Mississippi is organizationally and culturally equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to continue advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
- A campus climate is fostered that ensures all individuals are valued, supported and feel a sense of belonging at the University of Mississippi.
- The University of Mississippi has decreases in disparities across underrepresented groups in the enrollment, retention and graduation rate at undergraduate and graduate levels.
- The number of underrepresented groups employed at the University of Mississippi is increased to reflect a talented and diverse workforce at all organizational levels, especially tenure-track faculty, managerial positions and executive leadership positions.
Guiding Principles
The development of this plan requires us to address individual, social, organizational and systemic factors that create and sustain inequities that prevent all members of our community from fully participating and thriving at the University of Mississippi. As we embark on this journey together, we must commit to the following shared principles:
- Equity-mindedness[1] – This requires us to be data informed and connect best and promising practices to generate high-impact change for underserved groups in our community.
- Institutional Accountability – We must ensure efforts outlined throughout Pathways to Equity are acknowledged in the established systems of recognition, performance and accountability.
- Transparency – We will consistently, publicly and broadly share our intended actions, goals and measurable impacts of this plan.
- Innovation – A disposition of robust inquiry will create a community of learning, growth and development as we collectively engage in this complex work.
- Alignment Resources
OVERARCHING GOALS
The following goals represent the University of Mississippi’s commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). These overarching goals represent interconnected priorities that are applicable to UM broadly, from our comprehensive divisions, down to individual teams. We aim to have all units see meaningful alignment of these goals with their work. We will ensure UM embraces the transformative nature of diversity, equity and inclusion across all levels of the institution, addressing challenges to DEI at every corner of our institution by combining contextual understanding with internal and external expertise.
- Advance Institutional Capacity for Equity
Infrastructure, Information, Systems, Education and Processes - Cultivate a Diverse and Equitable Community
Recruiting, Retaining, Advancing and Succeeding - Foster an Inclusive Campus Climate
Support, Value and Belonging
DIVISION FIVE-YEAR EQUITY-IN-ACTION PLAN
DIVERSITY LIAISON COMMITTEE
- Anne Cofer, assistant director of budget, Budget Office
- Desha Ferguson, associate director of human resources, Human Resources
- Jessica Hughes, manager of human resources, Human Resources
- Nathan Lazinsky, superintendent of landscape services, Landscape Services
- Daniel Morgan, assistant director of contractual services and ID Center, Contractual Services
- Virginia Pence-Waddell, assistant university architect, Facilities Planning
- Cassidy Savage, parking operations manager, Parking and Transportation Services
- Joy Shideler, controller, Division of Administration and Finance
- Scott Steen, assistant director of facilities services, Facilities Management
- Johnette Taylor, executive assistant, Division of Administration and Finance
STRATEGIC ACTIVITIES
SUMMARY OF KEY TACTICS FOR 2022-23:
STRATEGIC ACTIVITY 1:
Increase the diversity of staff in the Division of Administration and Finance within positions or areas that are underrepresented:
Area(s) Responsible: vice chancellor and chief human resources officer
Resources Statement: Existing funding and time allocation will be used to increase current efforts.
The leaders within the Division of Administration and Finance recognize the importance and value of a diverse workplace. Diversity of staff allows for more ideas, synergy and creative processes. This diversity of talent means a broader range of skills among employees, as well as a diversity of experiences and perspectives, which increases the potential for increased productivity.
Mechanisms and processes are or will be in place to facilitate and promote increasing the diversity of staff in Administration and Finance.
- Advance Institutional Capacity for Equity
- Ensure that 100% of search committee members will complete the UM diversity search committee training
- Ensure that 100% of open positions will be posted on diversity-related job boards
- Increase funding available for professional development
- Increase funding available for recruiting diverse candidates
- Cultivate a Diverse and Equitable Community
- Demonstrate an increase of applicant pool from underrepresented backgrounds based on how employees classified themselves when completing the application
- Determine the underutilized positions/department for contractual and noncontractual staff
- Demonstrate an increase of new hires from underrepresented backgrounds in underutilized positions/departments
- Foster an Inclusive Campus Climate
- Measure the extent in which staff feel welcomed and included through a VCAF climate assessment survey conducted annually
STRATEGIC ACTIVITY 2:
Increase Diversity Education
Area(s) Responsible: chief diversity officer (UM diversity liaison), Human Resources.
Resources Statement: Existing funding and time allocation will be used to increase current efforts.
The leaders of the Division of Administration and Finance recognize that diversity and inclusion are an important part of creating a welcoming environment at work. Understanding diversity, equity and inclusion concepts and best-in-class practices improve employee satisfaction, retention and productivity.
Our leaders intend to promote practices that ensure employees feel safe and supported, as well as attract top talent, build stronger teams and improve organizational effectiveness.
- Advance Institutional Capacity for Equity
- 100% of supervisors and managers to complete the Fostering an Inclusive Work Environment by end of December 2024
- Cultivate a Diverse and Equitable Community
- Opportunities for dialogue circles addressing multiple perspectives, backgrounds and institutional practices
- Foster Inclusive Campus Climate
- 100% of staff to complete the Fostering an Inclusive Work Environment by end of December 2025
- Recognize employees of diverse backgrounds through featured bios
- Establish affinity networks for employees who share an identity or role
- Work with our EAP vendor, Deer Oaks, to provide educational programming on diversity
| Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy | Target Measures of Success | Resources Required | Name and Title of Lead Personnel |
Timeline |
| Diversity & Inclusion Search Committee Training for All Search Committee Members | 100% of search committee representatives will participate in the Division of Diversity & Community Engagement’s program for effective searches. | Availability of all search committee members within the division for active search and/or for members who routinely serve on a committee.
Facilitation by the coordinator of inclusion and cross cultural engagement. |
Each participating department leader will be responsible for ensuring the sessions are scheduled and the staff members are present. | All identified members will participate by June 30, 2024 |
| Institutionalize and Expand Diversity Advertising | 100% of the positions will be posted at the Inside Higher Ed job site, and all positions will be posted to sites that appeal to specific diverse audiences. These sites will be updated each night automatically, utilizing connectU recruitment marketing. | Financial support has been provided by the Office of the Provost for fiscal year 2023-24 if successful, additional funding will be required for future years. | Manager of recruitment, Human Resources | The process will be active and fully functional by June 30, 2024 |
| Diversity and Inclusion Education Forum | Facilitate an interactive basic bootcamp forum to include “What is inclusion?” and “Why is it important?” for department heads and managers. Small groups will discuss real-life scenarios and potential strategies, such as engaging in active listening and encouraging different points of view, to foster diversity and inclusion. | Resources and personnel representatives from the Division of Diversity & Community Engagement.
Commitment from division leaders and time commitment (2-3 hours) from participants. Funding for materials, reservation fees and catering. |
Department heads and HR staff for coordination.
|
Forum was held on October 25, 2022. |
| Prepare for a 2024-25 Plan | Research additional best practices for fostering an inclusive workplace. | Additional members to join the VC for Admin. and Finance Diversity and Inclusion committee. | All department heads (or designee) | Draft of 2024-25 strategies will be submitted for review by April 1, 2024 |
[1] Bensimon, E.M., Dowd, A.C., Witham, K. (2016). Five principles for enacting equity by design. Diversity and Democracy, The Equity Imperative. Winter 2016, Volume 19, No. 1.
