Fulton Schools Diversity and Inclusion Initiative earns ASEE Diversity Recognition Program Award
Last year, in January 2019, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering launched a new initiative focusing on diversity and inclusion — DII@FSE — intended to dedicate focus to a topic that is a core value to the Fulton Schools and ASU as exemplified in the university charter. As part of the launch, a task force of faculty and staff from across the Fulton Schools was formed and comprised of the following members: Jesus Chavez, Tara Morley, Veronica Lupampa, Debbi Howard, Colin Ben, Sarah Hoyt, Cindy Boglin, Deana Delp, Andrea Richa, Ross Maciejewski, Jennifer Blain Christen, Sarah Stabenfeldt, Jimmy Abbas, Abdelrahman Shuaib, Chris Lawrence, Kristen Parrish, Brooke Coley and Rod Roscoe.
The task force goals have included articulating a vision/mission for diversity and inclusion in the Fulton Schools and working on the identification of strategies and practices that support a diverse workplace and an inclusive environment where individuals feel included, valued and respected, and where different kinds of people can thrive and succeed. Promoting a culture and an environment that recognizes and promotes diversity as a fundamental source of strength driving our collective success is a key focus of DII@FSE — one we’re accomplishing in collaboration with student-facing programing coordinated by the Fulton Schools’ Academic and Student Affairs.
The task force began meeting in the latter part of the Spring 2019 semester and re-initiated their engagement in Fall 2019. The task force has made substantial progress and is emerging as a key focal point and driver for advancing ideas that connect into faculty and institutional initiatives related to diversity and inclusion. This will clearly be a strength and important role for the group moving forward.
The task force has also led the development and submission of the Fulton Schools’ proposal to the American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Diversity Recognition Program. That proposal — the 2020-2022 FSE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan — was recently awarded bronze status (the highest entry status a university can be awarded). Next steps for the initiative will be working together to realize the plan’s goals:
- Create and maintain a student body and workforce across the Fulton Schools that is diverse in multiple dimensions and inclusive for all.
- Empower faculty, staff, students and academic associates at the Fulton Schools to embrace the core values and practice of diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Be a global leader in diversity, equity and inclusion in engineering.
See additional details on DII@FSE and the 2020-2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan.
We will be aiming to meet these goals by achieving a series of strategic objectives that include benchmarking as well as through a request for proposals (RFP) for all Fulton Schools faculty and staff. (Download the RFP as a PDF.) We welcome your ideas and suggestions to any of the task force members identified above or through email at [email protected]. You can also anticipate regular communication about events and other activities.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks and months for opportunities to get involved with DII@FSE and advance this important mission!
Have ideas, feedback or suggestions? Email [email protected].
