February 12, 2003

Action Plan for the Development and Advancement of Faculty and Administrators from Underrepresented Ethnic Groups at UTMB

Presented by the:

Core Committee for the Support of Underrepresented Ethnic Groups

January, 2003

* This document is an updated version of the Action Plan presented to the President in January
Committee Members:

Patrick A. Adegboyega (SOM), Sandra Garvock (SOM), Edilma Guevara (SON), David Harrington (HR), Alice Hill (SON), Clifford Houston (SOM/GSBS), Raymond Lewis (SAHS), Freddy Paniagua (SOM), Suzanne M. Peloquin (SAHS), Anna Rains (SON), Jennifer Raeke (staff), Cecilia Romero (SOM, Chair), Lauree Thomas (SOM), Melvin Williams (Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity)

Purpose of this Document:

In support of UTMB’s Core value of diversity and institutional efforts to reach out to underrepresented ethnic group and also to help create a diverse work force that mirrors the population we serve, the Core Committee for the Support of Underrepresented Ethnic Groups respectfully submit this report to help highlight pertinent issues, prospects and barriers that exist at UTMB. Suggestions are also made for changes and programs that may help us to achieve our goal.

Overview of the Action Plan:

This action plan is divided into the following five components:

I. Institutional Data Assessment

II. Recruitment

III. Retention/Institutional Environment

IV. Faculty Development

V. Appointment, Promotion and Tenure

I. Institutional Data Assessment

Problem/Opportunity 1. Institutional faculty demographic data is not centralized and difficult to obtain.

Goal 1. Create a centralized institutional database that contains the information needed to track faculty recruitment and retention efforts of underrepresented ethnic groups. This should include the distribution of faculty by rank, ethnicity, tenure track, terminal degrees, position, gender, tenure status and promotional history.

Action/Intervention 1. The Office of Institutional Analysis should be charged and given the authority to create and to manage a centralized and comprehensive database for UTMB faculty information. This database should be recognized as the official institutional data. OIA should work with the core committee to determine what data and reports should be created and available on a regular basis.

Measure/Outcome 1. Database created and running by August 31, 2003. 2. OIA has created reports that will allow the accountability and monitoring contained with this report.

Accountability/Monitoring 1. The Office of Institutional Analysis will be responsible for maintenance of the database and running reports as needed. Each school will be responsible for keeping the database up to date.

II. Recruitment

Problem/Opportunity 1. There is a need for an institutional response to the demographic and healthcare needs of the populations UTMB serves. The faculty and administration of the university does not mirror the demographics of Texas.

Goal 1. Increase the number of UTMB faculty in all areas of the enterprise (teaching, research and patient care) from underrepresented ethnic groups to better reflect the demographics of Texas. Increase the number of faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups recruited to the tenure track. Increase the number of faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups recruited to administrative positions.

Action/Intervention 1. Ensure that the new faculty & administrators recruitment guidelines are followed and that the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is consulted to assist with the recruitment of faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups. The office of equal opportunity in collaboration with deans review recruitment packages and salary offers to ensure equity. Provide an incentive for deans and chairs to recruit faculty & administrators from underrepresented ethnic groups. Provide additional monies for the recruitment of faculty & administrators from underrepresented ethnic groups. Include faculty diversity as a performance measure on the annual evaluations of deans, chairs, chairs, associate deans and program directors. Inform new faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups about the merit of tenure track when hired. Current UTMB faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups should be mentored and trained to assume administrative positions that may become available at the institution.

Measure/Outcome 1. The faculty affirmative action goals established by the OEOD for each school are met. Steadily increase the number of faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups in the tenure track. Chairs need to explain why positions were created as tenure-track vs. non-tenure track. The number of faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups who hold administrative positions by August 31, 2003.

Accountability/Monitoring 1. The President’s office will assume responsibility for performing an institutional review of the following reports every six months: (the first being 8/31/03) *faculty and administrative recruitment by ethnicity, appointed rank and tenure track *faculty recruitment against the goals created for each school by the OEOD and the demographics of Texas *trends This data should be reported to the Core Committees and the Faculty Senate for monitoring and reported to the faculty at large. The president should review the annual evaluations of administrators, vice presidents, deans, chairs, directors and others in managerial positions on their efforts regarding recruitment of under-represented minority faculty and administrators. The Core Committees and Faculty Senate will review these reports.

III. Retention/Institutional Environment

Problem/Opportunity 1. Difficulty retaining faculty and administrators from underrepresented ethnic groups at UTMB.

Goal 1. Create an environment at UTMB that values, supports and rewards all faculty, particularly faculty from underrepresented ethnic groups.

Action/Intervention 1. Promote and encourage the development of new policies that support and accelerate the advancement of under-represented minority faculty and administrators. Develop a formal institutional diversity initiative to raise awareness and educate the campus about the benefits of a diverse workforce.

Measure/Outcome 1. An annual review of the number of existing under-represented minority faculty and administrators. An annual review of the number of under-represented minority faculty promoted across academic ranks. An annual review of underrepresented minority-related retention efforts (via a standardized form)

Accountability/Monitoring 1. Use the standardized form which summarizes yearly efforts leading to retention Appointment, Promotion and Tenure (AP&T) and the Post Tenure Review (PTR) committees will report to department heads/deans and also to the Office Of Equal Opportunity and Diversity concerns related to under-represented minority faculty.

Problem/Opportunity 2. Lack of awareness regarding need for diversity among UTMB administration and faculty. 3. Too few under-represented minorities participating in post-doctoral training programs at UTMB to build a pool. Too small a pool of minority post-doctoral and fellows.

Goal 2. Create an active formal awareness initiative to educate administration and faculty members about the benefits of diversity. 3. Increase the number of under-represented faculty in post-doctoral training opportunities.

Action/Intervention 2. Include diversity topics in all schools’ Faculty Retreats, an agenda item to address any concerns related to diversity. Require campus-wide educational activities related to equal opportunity and diversity issues. The core committee will develop or identify for use an assessment tool to assess knowledge and awareness related to under-represented minority-related issues on campus by June 1, 2003. The assessment tool is used as an activity in the institutional diversity effort. Include diversity in the faculty development plan of each school. 3. Encourage departmental chairs to expand opportunities for under represented minority faculty by utilizing grant-supported post- doctoral training.

Measure/Outcome 2. An annual review of minority related awareness (via a standardized form) 3. Annual review of under represented minority faculty post-doctoral positions. An increase in the number of post-doctoral faculty by 8/31/03.

Accountability/Monitoring 2. The creation of the assessment tool is completed. 3. Annual report from departmental chairs/administrators to Deans, Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity and Office of the President.

IV. Faculty Development

Problem/Opportunity 1. Need for inclusion of under represented racial and ethnic minority faculty in informal networking and research collaborations including sharing of information or resources, strategic planning, socializing at work or outside work

Goal 1. Sensitization of the UTMB leadership team and the general institutional community to the need for the university to be seen as an institution where diversity is truly embraced and nurtured at all levels. Increase opportunities for networking and collaboration among faculty. .

Action/Intervention 1. Make this an issue for discussion at high-level leadership meetings and faculty retreats. Development of administrative mechanisms to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and under-represented racial and ethnic faculty participation. Creation of the Faculty Club will encourage such.

Measure/Outcome Establishment of administrative mechanisms that foster interdisciplinary collaboration and participation of under-represented minority faculty Annual report of informal collaborative initiatives.

Accountability/Monitoring 1. Faculty Development Administrator of each school will include creating, monitoring and improving mechanisms for informal collaborations among faculty members, with particular emphasis on embracing and nurturing diversity as an institutional core value.

Problem/Opportunity 2.Lack of (formal) institutional initiatives to encourage development of under represented racial and ethnic minority faculty and administrative staff.

Goal 2. Creation of intramural research development opportunities for under represented racial and ethnic minority faculty. Development of institution-wide collaborations for attracting federal grants aimed at development of minority faculty. Creation of incentives for departmental chairs and directors to be more actively involved in recruitment, retention and development of under represented racial and ethnic minorities Development of an institutional initiative to assess minority faculty expectation and their needs for career and professional development. Provide faculty with guidance in meeting the criteria for academic promotions and awarding of tenure. Continue to identify the barriers/problems for ongoing development of under-represented ethnic faculty.

Action/Intervention

Measure/Outcome 2. Have such a program in place by the summer of year 2003 An annual survey of NIH grants awardees will show majority of them have applied for the minority scientists/physicians supplements. Increase the number of minority faculty who have grants. Increase the number of under-represented minority faculty being mentored. The Deans will have a scholarly program in place by the summer of 2004

Accountability /Monitoring 2. Deans working in collaboration with the office of the vice president for research will be charged with these responsibilities and evaluated accordingly, on an annual basis. Core committee will continue to report annually to the President and AEC.

V. Appointment, Promotion and Tenure

Problem/Opportunity 1. Effective efforts need to be made to actively appoint and retain under-represented minority faculty in the four schools at UTMB in faculty positions, administrative positions and institutional committees.	Goal 1. Increase the number of under-represented minority faculty appointed to administrative positions and institutional committees by end of year 2003. Explicit APT criteria will be accessible within each school covering appointment, promotion, tenure and tenure-track system.	Action/Intervention 1. A formal mechanism for the appointment of underrepresented minority faculty be established with the Dean of each of the four schools at UTMB. Upper level administration as well as senior faculty will be involved in minority faculty appointments. The UTMB President will announce periodically his support of active minority faculty appointments at Faculty Senate, Executive Committee meeting, Faculty meetings as well as email postings.	Measure/Outcome 1. Annual report to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education and the U.T. System should demonstrate an increase in the numbers of underrepresented minority faculty in leadership positions at UTMB. 2. Increase the number of under-represented minorities appointed to institutional committees. 3. Decrease attrition of under-represented minority faculty.	Accountability/Monitoring 1. Each Dean and ultimately each department chair and division chief will be held accountable for active genuine appointment efforts in support of diversity. This will be reflected in the annual evaluation and merit increases of these individuals. Annual report documenting the year’s activities will be prepared by the Deans of each school and forwarded to the President and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.
Problem/Opportunity 2. Effective promotion and tenure efforts among underrepresented minority faculty are desperately needed to avoid losing good faculty from the rather small number here at UTMB. The percentage loss of minority faculty exceeds the overall faculty percentage loss at UTMB.	Goal 2. Increase the number of faculty appointed on tenure track. 3. Increase the number of underrepresented minority faculty promoted and/or awarded tenure at UTMB. 4. decrease attrition of under-represented minority faculty	Action/Intervention 2. Make promotion and tenure a significant part of all new faculty orientation. Develop a mentoring system for all new faculty using senior faculty in each department. Create faculty development workshops which address promotion and tenure. Reward senior faculty for their time in mentoring the new faculty. This will encourage more informal collaboration among the entire faculty and create a better working environment.	Measure/Outcome 2. Data should be kept on the number of under-represented minority faculty promoted in each department and the length of time to promotion and tenure.	Accountability/Monitoring 2. Central monitoring of faculty development for all four schools. An annual assessment of faculty development should include evaluation of progress made in the promotion and tenure status of underrepresented minority faculty. An annual report will be prepared and presented to the President and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.