A COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING DIVERSITY

THE COLLEGE OF EARTH AND MINERAL SCIENCES

1998 -2003  Record of Progress

2004 -2009  Strategic Plan

Introduction

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is committed to fostering diversity and equity.  In 2003, a revision of the College’s Strategic Plan recognized the importance of this challenge by outlining the actions To Develop a Diversity and a Climate that will Empower Future Generations of Scholars as one of the College’s three strategic objectives.  The importance of this strategic objective to the College is clear.

The demographics of our Nation and of the college-bound population are changing.  Women in our society are more career-oriented, and they are frequently out-competing men in high school, leading to a transition of male-majority student populations to female-majority populations within the Nation’s universities and colleges.  In twenty-five years, U.S. Census projections indicate that African-Americans and Hispanic populations will grow substantially as a percentage of the total college-aged population. 

EMS must position itself to attract and enable this future generation of scholars.    Historically, our disciplines have had notoriously low participation by women and by under-represented groups.  At a time in which the number of college-bound women is growing, the participation in many EMS disciplines is stagnant or even declining.  A recent survey of PhDs announced by the American Geophysical Union placed the broad arena of geosciences as dead last in the generation of minority-population degrees of all sciences.  A search of the CIC database on degree awardees in Earth, Atmospheric and Marine sciences yields not a single minority PhD for the year 2002/2003.  Neither the fraction of, nor the trends in, traditionally under-represented groups among students, faculty and staff is a source of pride for the College and the above statistics are unacceptable for our disciplines.  The challenge for EMS is enormous, but the potential long-term consequences for the success of the College will be significant if we do not focus our energy and commitment in altering these trends.

EMS efforts are now guided by four actions developed by a College-wide task force on diversity, fully endorsed by the faculty, and outlined as one of three key strategic objectives for the College. This strategic objective serves as a foundation for College efforts to promote diversity and equity (see Appendix A) and is intended as an enduring commitment to A Framework to Foster Diversity at Penn State.

CAMPUS CLIMATE AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS

Challenge 1:  Developing a Shared and Inclusive Understanding of Diversity

A) Defining Diversity

B) Distribution of Information and Discussion of Initiatives

C) Diversity Committee Roles, Functions and Composition

D) Role of the Multicultural Coordinator

E) Best Practices

F) Measures of Success

Challenge 2: Creating a Welcoming Campus Climate

A) Demonstrated Commitment of Unit Leaders

B) Identification of Climate Issues

C) Monitoring Climate

D) Response to Climate Issues

E) Best Practices

F) Measures of Success

REPRESENTATION (ACCESS AND SUCCESS)

Challenge 3: Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Student Body

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is committed to becoming the most student-centered college in Penn State history.  This objective, one of the three major strategic planning priorities of the College, cannot be achieved without greater attention and focus on inclusiveness across the student body of our College.  Intentional efforts must be made to increase the diversity of our undergraduate and graduate population to achieve the promise of the College.  The College has made strides towards this goal.  There is a new energy and spirit in facing the critical challenges of diversifying the College.

This goal can only be realized by:

• Exposing potential students to the disciplines of EMS and resulting career paths.
• Increasing access into our programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Providing engaging supportive out of classroom experiences.

A) Strategies to Recruit and Retain Undergraduate and Graduate Students from Underrepresented Groups

• Each department head or institute director identified the issue recruitment of undergraduates and graduate students as critical for both the department and the College.  Efforts in the departments vary; however, each department is actively engaged in recruitment activities independently or through the participation in Office of Diversity Enhancement Programs.  Efforts are underway at the undergraduate level as well as the graduate level.  Outreach activities in the undergraduate area include Geoscience’s, “Shake, Rattle and Rock,” which brings 5^th and 6^th graders onto campus to explore Geosciences through hands-on experiential learning, Geography’s program with middle school girls and GIS Day, Meteorology’s Weather Camp, and Materials Science and Engineering on-going workshop development for WISE Week (Women in Science and Engineering).  Across the College, participation by faculty, staff and graduate students in SEEMS (Summer Experience in EMS) demonstrated a powerful commitment of time, energy and resources.  The Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering hosted 6 out of the 11 SEEMS experiences.
• AESEDA is building partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).  Through the identification of matching research areas and faculty sponsors, student and faculty exchanges are beginning.

·       A spring 2004 visit by a team of EMS faculty to Howard University, as part of an agreement with the Office of Graduate Educational Equity and Howard University, is planned to begin to build a win-win relationship.

·       The College efforts to recruit graduate students have multiple facets to ensure success.  Through the Office of Graduate Educational Equity, annual graduate recruitment trips are made at the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso.  The College focuses resources at large national venues including SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science), AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society), SHPE (Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers) , and NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) in order to reach students with undergraduate studies in our disciplines. Recent efforts have included participation in graduate school fairs held at Tuskegee University, North Carolina A&T University, Cheyney University, and Lincoln University.  In addition, EMS is participating in the National McNair Conference at North Carolina A&T and is coordinating with the visits of the Office of Graduate Educational Equity and the College of Agricultural Sciences. 

·       The Department of Geosciences, is working to build a CIDESS (Center to Improve Diversity in Earth System Sciences) with the City University of New York, which will target k-12 as well undergraduates.  The goal is to increase representation at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

·       Through the Office of Diversity Enhancement Program and BRIE, the College participates in graduate school fairs at The University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and University of Texas at El Paso as well as University of Puerto Rico, all Hispanic-serving institutions.

·       The Director of Diversity Enhancement Programs annually attends and exhibits at the AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society) National Convention.  The College advertises in the Winds of Change Magazine, in the College issue.

·       The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is a member of the GEMS Consortium (Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc.) and a voting member.  EMS is represented at NACME (National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering), NAMEPA (National Association of Minority Engineering Program Administrators) and WEPAN (Women in Engineering Program Advocates Network) annual meetings and forums.

·       Nittany Science Camp for Girls and Girls Utilizing Technology and Science, are summer day camp programs designed to keep girls in grades 6-10 engaged in science.  Since inception, more than 175 girls have participated in the program, which provides hands-on learning and exposure to women scientists and engineers.  A follow-up plan is in place, which invites past participants to college events and encourages them to follow an educational path of science and engineering.  

B) Specific Initiatives Intended to Reduce Intergroup Disparities in Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation Rates

• The budget for Diversity Enhancement Programs has been doubled.  A staff position has also been added to assist in recruiting and retention. 

·       Outreach efforts to under-represented populations in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as well as Sharon, PA, New York City and the Washington, D.C. area have been undertaken and will be intensified.  Recruitment is an issue throughout the College.  Many of our disciplines are poorly known and a variety of surveys suggest a national trend of students shying away from the physical science.  Our focus is on increased exposure, experience and enticement. 

·       The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, through a joint effort of the AESEDA (Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa) and the Office of Diversity Enhancement Program is building a relationship with Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia.  Foundations, Inc. is now operating the high school.  The school is now sub-divided into 4 “Houses” with one house focused in science and mathematics, a pre-engineering high school program, “Project Lead the Way.”  The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and AESEDA are partners in this program.

·       We are working effectively with the federally funded Trio programs which is having a positive impact on recruitment. SEEMS, Summer Experiences in EMS, provides a 30-hour research experience to participants in the Upward Bound Math and Science (UMBS) summer residential program.  Working in research teams, the UBMS students, under the direction of EMS faculty, staff and graduate students, research topics over the course of 5 weeks resulting in formal, juried research presentations.

·       AESEDA will support in the participation of 3 Martin Luther King High School 9th grade students in the UBMS program ($15,000) in the Summer of 2004. With 3 years of participation in the UBMS program, 100% of these students finish high school, apply and are accepted into college.  Additionally, 80% of UBMS students graduate within 5 years, with 60% of them in science and math fields.

·       We continue too utilize the services, resources and advice of the Minority Affairs Community Affairs (MACA) Offices to coordinate participation in activities and events to increase identification of potential students.  Additionally, through repeated interactions with the MACA Centers, we exchange knowledge about EMS majors and resources of MACA.

·       EMS participates in academic enrichment programs to aid historically underrepresented students in their adjustment to the University through academic, social and cultural support.  The Director of Diversity Enhancement Programs is an instructor for African-American American Studies 003, ”Scholarship and the Community,” a first year seminar that all Bunton-Waller Fellows complete.  The College also participates in PREF (Pre-First Year Program).

·       A number of retention and development activities are undertaken by the Diversity Enhancement Program: individual development sessions for time management, academic planning and transition issues are a requirement for Bunton-Waller Fellows, First Year Students, and Change of Assignment students.  Additionally, each underrepresented student is invited and encouraged to meet with the director. Regular meetings are encouraged to gauge progress, highlight upcoming opportunities and access needs. Networking opportunities are created for current undergraduate and graduate students for role modeling, norming and to allow a better understanding of the range of possibilities for the student’s future. Encouragement of undergraduate research is an important objective of the College.  We support many programs, including CAUSE (Center for Advanced Undergraduate Study and Experience), SROP (Summer Research Opportunities Program), BRIE (Biogeochemical Research Initiative for Education), WISER, MURE as well as additional experiences in internships, co-ops, and external research programs to enhance their classroom experience.

·       EMS works with the SROP program and the McNair Scholars as well as NACME (National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering) and GEMS (Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science) to support the success of potential graduate students.  A coordinated program of follow up with SROP and McNair participants is in place to encourage graduate application and enrollment.

·       EMS created and provided a Best Practices in Graduate Recruitment document to all graduate officers in the College.

·       Email listserves maintained with underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students to keep them advised of opportunities, deadlines and to keep in touch. 

C) Mechanisms for Collaboration

• EMS, in common practice, is a participant in existing University efforts designed to increase access.  Efforts with Talent Search, Upward Bound Traditional, Upward Bound Math and Science, and McNair scholars plus outreach and education events with CAMP, CSP, and SSS resulted in a “Friends of Academic Advancement Programs” award in 2002 for the College.  In 2002, in collaboration with the Upward Bound Math and Science Program, the College of Earth and Minerals Sciences has developed the SEEMS program (Summer Experience in Earth and Mineral Sciences). In the summer of 2003, 12 27-hour research experiences were offered and completed over an intensive 5-week program.  By all accounts, the program was successful.  In November, the SEEMS program was presented at an annual meeting of Trio programs, PAEOPP (Pennsylvania Equal Opportunity Programs), as a best practice in "Integrating a Research Experience into Upward Bound and Talent Search Program Curriculum."  Additionally, the ripple effect we hoped for has begun to materialize. UBMS students who attend Wm. Penn High School in Philadelphia are working with the Science Coordinator at their school to turn their SEEMS experience into science fair projects for the George Washington Carver Science Fair.  The Upward Bound Math and Science Program's students are primarily from Harrisburg, Reading, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Although students who participate state wide in all Trio programs and any eligible resident of Pennsylvania are welcome to apply to the Upward Bound Math and Science Program. 94% of the served students are under-represented group members.  The UBMS teachers worked in the classroom to support the demands of the research experience and participated as well.  This program will be in place again for the summer of 2004, with additional financial support made possible through the Office of Dean to support graduate student time.  Ten experiences will be offered across the College totaling 30 hours over the course of the 6-week residential experience.

• EMS is a co-sponsor of VIEW (Visit in Engineering Week), working with the Minority Engineering Program (MEP); the College has presented workshops, hosted tours of facilities and identified program participants.  Working with the Black Mountain Coal Company, a travel grant for a 10^th grade Navajo high school student from Gallup was secured, which allowed his participation in the program.  He will return for the weeklong program this summer.

• Each summer, EMS is a participating College with the College of Engineering, MEP, in the PREF program, Pre-First Year in Engineering and Science Summer Program.  Each summer, 20 first year students have the opportunity to get a jump-start on their education through 6 credits of intensive focus on math, chemistry, physics and communications. Current funding has allowed 3 EMS students to participate each summer.

·       EMS has been able to benefit from the skills, services and resources of many  professionals through full participation in Admission’s Minority Affairs Community Affairs at University Park as well as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and New York City,.  Our involvement with MACA has opened new venues for student recruitment while receiving guidance and insight.

·       While Chair of the Council of Directors of Multicultural Programs, the Director of Diversity Enhancement Programs spearheaded an effort on the part of the directors to coordinate recruitment events at large national venues to increase exposure, identification of potential graduate students and make exhibiting more economical.  This team approach is now used at SACNAS, AISES, NSBE, and SHPE as well as other such meetings.

·       Collaboration with the Office of Graduate Educational Equity is essential to our diversity efforts in EMS.  We are at the forefront of development and support of the initiatives of this office.  OGEE is a partner and advisor in our efforts to identify, recruit and retain historically underrepresented graduate students. Our history of increased participation in the SROP program, involvement of faculty, staff and students in the Northeast Alliance, participation of staff, students and financial support in the Chaka Fattah Conference as well as extending our time and services to maximize Penn State’s visibility at graduate school fairs.

D) Best Practices

E) Measures of Success

·       The number of undergraduate students entering the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is small and recruitment is a priority – with diversity as an integral part of this objective.  EMS is a discovery college.  We gain students through participation in our general education courses.  When we look more specifically at entering women, African-American students, Hispanic American students and American Indian students, those numbers are even smaller. Since 2000, the College has steadily attracted more African American and Hispanic American students. We have not earned bragging rights, but we have a noteworthy increase in historically underrepresented students: an increase of 25% for African Americans and Hispanic Americans; and an increase of 28% for women since fall 2000.

·       In the summer of 2000, the College had only 1 funded Summer Research Opportunities Program participant; in 2001 that number was doubled.  In 2002 and 2003, the College has supported 8 SROP students.

·       Of our SROP participants:  Three are currently EMS graduate students, two are applicants for Fall 2004. Three are in graduate programs elsewhere.  Three are still undergraduates.  Four did not ultimately participate in the program and the remaining four sought full-time employment upon receipt of their undergraduate degree.

·       Currently, at least 7 of our historically underrepresented students are in Masters or PhD programs at institutions other than Penn State.  Howard University, Colorado State University, Texas Tech, University of Southern Mississippi and Michigan Tech are the graduate homes for some of our American Indian, African American and Hispanic American alumni. 

·       Through the care and nurturing of faculty with the support of the College and industry, we are making some progress.  2004 will bring the graduation of an African American female PhD in Fuel Science.  We have 2 Sloan Fellows among our PhD candidates.  Our graduates are highly sought after by industry, government and other universities.  We are not currently producing enough mining engineers, petroleum and natural gas engineers, environmental systems engineers, industrial health and safety professionals, geoscientists, earth scientists, geographers and materials scientists and engineers to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and global workplace.

Undergraduate Enrollment
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Total	825	739	754	719	696
Graduate Enrollment
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Total	382	381	405	432	437
Total Enrollment
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Total	1,207	1,120	1,159	1,151	1,133
Undergraduate Enrollment by Gender
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Female	214	198	220	221	218
Male	611	541	534	498	478
Total	825	739	754	719	696
Graduate Enrollment by Gender
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Female	99	85	114	116	139
Male	283	296	291	316	298
Total	382	381	405	432	437
Total Enrollment by Gender
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Female	313	283	334	337	357
Male	894	837	825	814	776
Total	1,207	1,120	1,159	1,151	1,133
Undergraduate Enrollment by Ethnicity
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
African American	17	14	16	17	23
Asian American	18	14	11	12	14
Hispanic American	16	18	14	8	11
Native American	3	3	4	3	1
Total Minority	54	49	45	40	49
Internation	10	9	19	20	22
White	761	667	677	645	625
Total	825	725	741	705	696
Graduate Enrollment by Ethnicity
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
African American	4	3	4	6	5
Asian American	4	3	2	5	6
Hispanic American	0	3	2	2	5
Native American	0	0	0	0	1
Total Minority	8	9	8	13	17
Internation	171	166	187	190	193
White	191	192	197	217	227
Total	370	367	392	420	437
Total Enrollment by Ethnicity
University Park
	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall	Fall
	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
African American	21	17	20	23	28
Asian American	22	17	13	17	20
Hispanic American	16	21	16	10	16
Native American	3	3	4	3	2
Total Minority	54	58	53	53	66
Internation	181	175	206	210	215
White	952	859	874	862	852
Total	1,189	1,092	1,133	1,125	1,133

Challenge 4:  Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

A) Locating and Recruiting Faculty and/or Staff from Underrepresented Groups

The challenge for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in locating and recruiting faculty and staff from underrepresented groups is enormous.  For example, of more than 19,000 PhD degrees granted in Earth, Atmospheric and Marine Sciences since 1988, less than 150 were awarded to African-Americans.  A search of the CIC database on degrees awarded yields not a single minority PhD for the year 2002/2003 in these disciplines.  At a time in which the number of college-bound women is growing, participation in many EMS disciplines is stagnant or even declining.  EMS disciplines rank at or near the bottom in terms of the diversity of the PhD populations in science and engineering, and in turn, science and engineering rank at the bottom in terms of all university disciplines.  The statistics are sobering.  More importantly, the implications for our ability to empower future generations of scholars are unacceptable.  EMS is committed to focusing our energy to alter these trends. 

In 2003, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences adopted a deliberate strategy designed to recruit and retain a diverse workforce.  This strategy has five major elements:

• The EMS faculty adopted three major strategic objectives for the College, one of which is “to develop a diversity and climate that will empower future generations of scholars.”   Locating and recruiting faculty and/or staff from underrepresented groups is now a priority for the College. 
• The College has developed a pool of “opportunity funds,” as a direct match to the opportunity funds provided by the Provost.  As a matter of policy, the College will now fully match any funds provided by a department prior to seeking support from the Provost’s opportunity funds. 
• The College and its departments have adopted a policy of creating the broadest possible advertisements for new positions in order to ensure the broadest possible applicant pool.  Past practice tended to focus on specific specialties, which resulted in small and therefore less diverse applicant pools.  Some retirements in critical areas still, by necessity, prompt specific ads but there is clear recognition that the historical tendency to write narrowly focused, discipline-targeted ads has limited our pool of candidates.  Broad advertisements (see box 2) in the College are dramatically increasing the size and the diversity of the applicant pool. 

• In initiating a search, search committees and faculty at-large are deliberately identifying, nominating, and contacting potential candidates from underrepresented groups that fulfill the criteria of the search.  Recruitment is becoming an active part of College practice.
• The College is now acting strategically to expand areas of natural strength and interest that also attract scholars from underrepresented groups.  Our Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering and Development in Africa (despite its infancy) is already sending a strong signal which has enabled the College to recruit African-American faculty.  The College has also identified funds to recruit new faculty (Box 3), in any discipline within the College, as long as they have a compelling and enduring interest in Africa.  In addition, the College is increasing its focus in the life sciences, an area that has high proportions of female PhDs.  We believe that successful recruitment efforts in these disciplines will eventually enable successful recruitment efforts in all of our disciplines.

In summary, the EMS efforts can be viewed as a simple yet powerful combination of strategies:  make recruitment a priority, identify funds that enable recruitment, ensure that we have the broadest possible applicant pool, and use natural strengths as a stepping stone to a diverse workforce. 

B) Strategies for Identification and Assessment of Credentials for Purposes of Hiring and Promotion

The College has moved into an active stance of identifying individuals at the start of a search process and in developing strategic thinking about future hires.  A part of this active process is requests for vitae, personal discussions at national society meetings, and discussions with colleagues.   In many cases, this effort is prompting invitations for individuals to visit campus as part of strategic thinking about future hires as well as during a search process.  These actions promote recruitment and they are also resulting in a more diverse composition to our seminars. 

The Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering and Development in Africa (AESEDA), which is currently broadly advertising for new faculty, offers the potential for identifying a host of new faculty that may not have recognized the intersection of their disciplines to the College.  EMS believes that the Alliance will enable us to identify a broader pool of applicants and to enable recruitment and retention in the College.

The College prides itself on its promotion procedures and on the comprehensive collection of data about our faculty.  Even in annual evaluations, we have developed broad assessments and definitions of scholarship in teaching, research and service that fully credits our faculty for their successes and values the breadth of their contributions.  

C) Retention Strategies Implemented to Retain and Promote the Success of Faculty and Staff from Underrepresented Groups

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences believes that we must successfully address every Challenge in the Framework to Foster Diversity if we are to attract, retain and promote the success of faculty and staff from underrepresented groups.   Some specific actions as a part of College activities are particularly supportive of retention and promotion efforts.  These include:

·       The creation of a network of faculty that are engaged in diversity enhancement - this network, The EMS Diversity Council, is predicated on the fact that promoting diversity and an enabling climate is the responsibility of all faculty and all units, not just a responsibility (or burden) for those from under-represented groups.

·       The development of rank-balance as a criterion for serving on important committees and functions in the College – the majority of women faculty and faculty from under-represented groups in the College are young and pre rank of Professor.  By including rank-balance as a criterion, the College is promoting more diverse decision-making and representative bodies within EMS.  This enhances the access of faculty to College leadership and creates a portfolio of service for the faculty member that promotes success.  Similarly, EMS units now recognize that we must ensure that young faculty should not be placed on a myriad of activities and committees in the name of diversity if this precludes, because of time, the ability of these faculty to serve in more important capacities that enhance their national and international stature.  In short, our objective is to promote the success of the faculty member.

·       The promotion of diversity training opportunities, particularly for administrators – the College has begun to seek and fund opportunities for training.  For example, the College spearheaded the visit of Virginia Valian (author of “Why So Slow?  The Advancement of Women”) which included an administrator’s workshop that provided insights on writing and reading recommendation letters, unseen barriers in promoting faculty success, and a host of information on gender schemas and their implications. 

·       The creation of mentoring awards in the College – the College now recognizes, at the College annual banquet, those who support actions that promote the retention of faculty, staff and students from under-represented groups. 

·       The development of policies and activities that are proactive rather than reactive in recruiting and retention – the College is working to create highly visible family-friendly policies relative to maternity leave, nursing mothers, and travel to professional meetings.  We are working to develop clearer pathways for resolution of issues related to climate and to develop links with campus groups, activities and off-campus groups that promote a sense of community.

D) Best Practices in Recruitment and Retention

E). Measures of Success in Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

		Sept. 1997	Sept. 1998	Sept. 1999	Sept. 2000	Sept. 2001	Sept. 2002	Sept. 2003	% Chg 1997-2003
Professor	White	63	58	60	61	56	54	62	-1.6%
	Black/African Amer.	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	0.0%
	Latino
	Asian American	4	5	5	5	4	6	7	75.0%
	Native American Indian