All institutions value diversity, equity, and inclusion, but what does it take to become an anti-racist university?
The racial justice reckoning of 2020 rocked campuses around the country, and LMU was no exception. Following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent calls to action for equity on college campuses, LMU looked at all levels of the organization to address systemic inequity and build a more inclusive and socially just campus culture. LMU President Timothy Law Snyder shared a set of equity commitments in response to community demands, and a new LMU Anti-Racism Project operationalized the goals. Led by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the project created structure for the campus to pursue equity across three broad priorities set forth by the president: hiring, climate and culture, and academic experience.
LMU’s DEI-focused efforts have already made a significant and measurable impact. Initial outcomes of LMU’s Anti-Racism Project include an increase of diverse faculty members recruited year-over-year, strong community participation in DEI training and programs, and more than $23.5 million in DEI-related grants awarded to LMU over the past two years. Though the work of the anti-racist university has no end, LMU is committed to progress as it works to build an inclusive and equitable organization.
Recruiting and Hiring
LMU’s Recruiting and Hiring Teacher-Scholars for Mission Initiative comprises systematic processes to recruit and hire diverse faculty and staff. Search committees for tenure track faculty are required to attend a “Hiring for Mission and Inclusive Excellence Workshop,” use required boilerplate language in job announcements, and submit a proactive recruitment plan to the Vice President for DEI. Of new tenure-line hires, 62% in 2021-22 and 79% in 2022-2023 were faculty of color. A similar program for staff hiring is in development.
Updating Curriculum
In 2021, LMU’s Faculty Senate approved new requirements for “Studies in American Diversity,” part of the core curriculum. LMU audited courses under this requirement to better align with our commitments to anti-racist instruction. During the 2022-2023 year, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with the Center for Teaching Excellence and University Core Curriculum Committee, will begin professional development activities for faculty and award stipends to engage in curricular revisions.
Addressing Campus Climate through Relationship
The Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center Alliance (TRHT) launched to advance anti-racism in campus climate through intentional efforts to build community and strengthen relationships. The TRHT Alliance, part of a national network of AAC&U-affiliated centers, was launched with seed money from AAC&U and leads story circles and trainings that prepare faculty, staff, and students to engage in dialogue across differences and foster a sense of belonging on campus. The TRHT Alliance director now also serves as the University Ombuds and is collaborating with colleagues across campus to catalyze generative conflict engagement through a restorative paradigm.
Systemic Analysis and Equity Scorecard
The Anti-Racism Project engaged the entire faculty and staff community in a one-of-a-kind process to evaluate policy and culture at the unit level: the Systemic Analysis. The process asked each academic and staff department – 77 in total – to complete a self-evaluation and Equity Scorecard reviewing its own services, policies, team culture, and demographics through an equity lens. Each department reported results on a public website and presented their findings in an open forum. To date, nearly all units have completed a systemic analysis and received feedback from the university community, with the goal of all units having completed the analysis by fall 2023.
Telling an Inclusive History
Launched in Spring 2022, the Institutional History and Images project has gathered archived images and oral histories from historically marginalized communities at LMU. The project addresses important gaps in understanding LMU’s institutional history by gathering stories and images from alumni and the greater LMU community to tell the full and inclusive LMU story. The IHIP Digital Collection, housed in the library’s Digital Collections, began with over 150 photos from the University Archives and submissions from community and alumni to the collection.
The Power of Names
Diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus had previously centered around the concept of inclusive excellence and had been sheltered under the Office of Intercultural Affairs. After consulting with stakeholders, President Snyder changed the name Intercultural Affairs to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to provide a more comprehensive description of the work.
External Funding
Since 2020, LMU has garnered $23.5M in external funding to support college access, retention, and positive experience for underrepresented students, including grants supporting equity in STEM, theatre arts, college access, Catholic leadership, and others.
Strategic Plan
In 2021, LMU took the bold step of adding DEI as one of three pillars of its 2021-2026 strategic plan, ensuring that the university will continue to make measurable progress toward its DEI goals in recruitment/hiring, organizational climate, and student learning.
These new programs, structures, and culture changes represent significant progress toward LMU’s goal of becoming an anti-racist university, a commitment rooted in LMU’s Jesuit mission, which promotes justice and upholds the dignity of all people.
