1. ADVANCING INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE
PRIMPING THE PIPELINE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
IN GRADUATE EDUCATION
Dr. Carol E. Henderson
Vice Provost for Diversity
Professor of English and Black American Studies
One key challenge for the academy is to increase the ranks of faculty of color in all institutions….insofar as graduate education remains the primary training ground for academe’s next generation, we [must] focus on ways to improve graduate education for scholars of color.
--William G. Tierney, C. Dean Campbell, George J. Sanchez

2. Demographic Profile (Graduate) UD Quick Facts 2016-2017
Total 3,794 % White 1, African American Hispanic Asian Native American International 1, Other

3. Why inclusive excellence?
Over 30,000 students exposed to diversity believe their degrees have more value;
Our commitment to excellence and consequentiality is firmly predicated on it;
Transformative learning amongst individuals from our entire talent spectrum:
enhances critical thinking,
promotes civic responsibility,
prepares our scholars to navigate in an increasingly global and diverse world.

4. Inclusive excellence Goal 3:
In order to create a more diverse faculty pool globally, we will be intentional in our attempts to recruit, retain, mentor, and professionally develop graduate, professional, and continuing studies students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups, first- generation, and low-income students who are essential to building the pool of candidates in the academic pipeline.
Accountability Partners: president, provost, senior vice provost for Graduate and Professional Education, associate vice provost for Professional and Continuing Studies, deans, assistant deans, director for Graduate Recruiting and Diversity, graduate directors, and all chairs, associate chairs, and faculty.

5. Directed areas of improvement
Encourage departments to develop a plan for diversifying the graduate student populations in their units that attracts students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups, low- income, and first-generation students.
Set intentional benchmark goals in each developing action plan for improving recruitment, retention, mentoring, professional development, and job placement opportunities for students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups.
These plans should align with their college’s diversity blueprint, the Delaware Will Shine Strategic Plan, and the diversity initiatives of the Inclusive Excellence diversity action plan.

6. Directed Areas of Improvement (cont’d)
Assess and strengthen pre-graduate outreach and enrichment programs to improve the pipeline for recruitment of students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups, first- generation, low-income, and other diverse students;
Provide bridge-funding incentives for strengthening graduate student offers to talented students from historically underrepresented and underserved groups, first-generation, low-income, and other diverse groups (i.e. including summer research opportunities).

7. Directed areas of improvement (Cont’d)
Improve graduation rates (and time of completion to MA and PHD) for historically underrepresented and underserved groups, first-generation, low-income, and other diverse groups.
Assess graduate curriculum and encourage the institution, departments and programs to reflect the histories, cultures, and experiences of historically underserved, underrepresented, and international groups in the core academic offerings at UD.

8. Where do we go from here? Get informed.
Speak with your chair about next steps.
Work with your graduate committee to assess where you are…you can make changes today!
Work with the chief diversity advocates or diversity liaisons in your college to coordinate efforts.
Sustainable change takes time…but you must make the first step.

9. We are in this together
“Promoting diversity is no longer simply a question of answering our moral and social responsibilities, but a matter of academic and institutional excellence.”--Damon Williams, Former VP Institutional Equity, U of Wisconsin-Madison “the value of diversity for democracy and a prosperous society is in our compelling interest as a nation.”-Andrew W. Mellon Foundation President, Earl Lewis and Chancellor Nancy Cantor