Diversity and Inclusion Audit

Agnes Scott College prepares all of its students to lead in a global society. Our mission is to educate students to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times.

One of these challenges — on our campus and beyond — is nurturing a community where everyone feels included and experiences equitable treatment. We are prepared to address this challenge.

Timeline

In 2014, the Agnes Scott leadership team used the strategic planning process as a framework to achieve our diversity and inclusion goals. The 2020 strategic plan “Leading in a Global Society: Agnes Scott Reinvents the Liberal Arts for the 21st Century” calls for the development of a campus climate assessment for diversity as one step toward these goals.

In 2016, the Gay Johnson McDougall Center for Global Diversity and Inclusion took on the task of developing a multi-year study to complete the campus assessment and diversity audit.

The center held campus-wide forums in 2017 and convened a diversity research team.

In spring 2018, President Lee Zak convened a diversity and inclusion task force of students, faculty, and staff from across the college with a variety of roles and experiences. Co-chaired by the center's faculty director and staff fellow, the task force embraced its charge to:

1. Review data collected to date and identify any gaps
2. Review and finalize a community diversity and inclusion survey
3. Make recommendations for a diversity action plan

The task force convened in fall 2018 and met weekly throughout the 2018-19 academic year. Additional campuswide focus groups were held, and survey questions were finalized in December 2018.

Agnes Scott students, faculty and staff completed climate perception surveys in January 2019. Creative Research Solutions and college researchers analyzed surveys and other data in summer 2019.

In fall 2019, the co-chairs shared the final report with President Zak and her cabinet to develop the college's next steps. The task force also shared the results with other offices to address any time-sensitive matters.

In spring 2020, the task force presented the final report to the members of the Agnes Scott community in separate forums with the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate and Staff Council.

Process

To inform the work of the task force and develop the final report and recommendations, analysts and task force members used the results from the:

1. Diversity and inclusion survey
2. Agnes Scott student satisfaction survey
3. Environmental scan of buildings, physical spaces and online environment
4. Baseline report based on focus groups
5. EEO-Diversity hiring report. (Student demographic information is available from the Agnes Scott College Office of Institutional Research).

The final report is available to members of the Agnes Scott community by emailing diversity@agnesscott.edu.

Please remember that qualitative data — such as that obtained in a community survey — indicate the perceptions of the participants. In addressing campus climate for diversity, we seek to understand and respond to perceptions, even when the findings are not reflected in more quantitative assessments.

Recommended Next Steps

Agnes Scott should ensure that appropriate recommendations are implemented and future needs are identified by establishing an advisory board of diverse stakeholders and engaging in an ongoing conversation about diversity and inclusion.

We expect that the recommendations will be useful to further improve our campus and continue to ensure a more welcoming environment for everyone.

Lastly, our recommendations are a starting point for conversations on what we are doing well, what changes are needed, and what we should consider when finalizing the next college strategic plan.

Acknowledgments

The task force on diversity and inclusion thanks the Agnes Scott community for participating in this study of campus climate.

We thank V & L Research & Consulting, Inc., for the facilitation of the focus groups and Creative Research Solutions, LLC, for data analysis and reporting.

Task Force Membership

Co-Chair Amy Lovell, Professor of Astronomy, Faculty Director, Gay Johnson McDougall Center for Global Diversity & Inclusion

Co-Chair Machamma Quinichett, Director of SUMMIT Advisors and Associate Director of the Office of Academic Advising & Accessible Education, Staff Fellow of the Gay Johnson McDougall Center for Global Diversity & Inclusion

*A member of the data analysis subcommittee.

**A member whose service on the task force ended due to a change in role.