Proposal for Elevating the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies (ERS) To
Departmental Status
By Carol K. Oyster
Director of ERS
2/20/12
Overview…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Centrality to University Mission……………………………………………………………….. 3
Program Quality: Faculty………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Students………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Curriculum……………………………………………………………………………. 6
Accreditation………………………………………………………………………… 6
Lateral review……………………………………………………………………… 6
Demand for program by students……………………………………………………………. 8
Demand for graduates of the program; number of graduates………………….. 8
Program Uniqueness: relationship to other programs, duplication locally, 10
regionally
Potential for external resource support, success in accomplishment…………10
Costs to deliver the proposed program including: faculty, staff, capital
equipment, and supplies and services………………………………………………………10
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………….11
References……………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Appendix A – Faculty Senate Definition of Department……………………………13
Appendix B – Faculty Senate Definition of Department Chair Duties……..…16
Appendix C – Choices for Electives in the ERS Minor………………………………..19
Appendix D – Outline for the Latina/o Minor Concentration……………………20
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Appendix E -- Ethnic Studies Programs Across the US……………………………..21
Appendix F -- Academic Priorities Committee Report, 2007……………………23
Appendix G – Letter of Support from Dean Ruthann Benson of CLS……...28
Appendix H – Letter of Support from Acting Provost Betsy Morgan ……..29
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OVERVIEW The UW-L Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies (ERS) was founded as a certificate
program on April 25, 1972, and assumed its current role of providing an academic minor in the
College of Liberal Studies (CLS) in response to recommendations from its 1997 Academic
Program Review. Beginning in January, 2000, ERS offered a twenty-four credit minor with one
of the minor classes (ERS100) also serving to satisfy a General Education requirement. ERS was
at the time a small unit with three tenure-track faculty members and additional part –time
Instructional Academic Staff (IAS). ERS was evaluated by the Academic Program Review
committee (APR) in 2008 based on a self study conducted by ERS in 2007.
In the fall semester of 2009, an outside director was appointed to a half-time position with
responsibility for teaching one course and administering the program. In the next three years
the program more than doubled the number of students minoring in ERS as well as increasing
the number of students taking ERS100. Other changes include a redesigned minor, recapture of
both positions (one as a tenure-track position and the other as a Growth, Quality, and Access
[GQA] permanent, full-time Instructional Academic Staff appointment), and planning for the
creation of additional minor ‘tracks’ in Latina/o Studies, American Indian Studies, and African
American Studies. Future plans include development of a track in Asian American Studies.
At this point in time, ERS is a department in all but title. Faculty members teach, create
scholarship, and provide service to the College, the University, and the System. There is an
internal governance system and bylaws that guide the unit’s operation. The Director is included
with department chairs in meetings for, and training of chairs, and meets all the criteria of a
department chair as set out by the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate. Faculty members and students
in ERS are eligible for the same awards and distinctions as those recommended by
departments. (Appendix A contains the criteria that define a department as established by the
Faculty Senate in 2011 and a point by point discussion of how ERS meets all the criteria.)
Yet the lack of the designation as a department creates problems. While we believe that ERS is
functionally equivalent to a department, institute status sets the unit apart from other
departments and negatively affects perception of ERS as a ‘lesser’ unit. The long term strategic
plan for ERS also includes offering a major in ERS – which can clearly not be done while we have
Institute status. The administrative support structure of UW-L also limits the types of support
personnel available to Institutes as opposed to Departments. We believe that the following
document more than makes the case for conferring departmental status on ERS, and believe
that the committees and Faculty Senate will agree.
CENTRALITY TO MISSION The UW System created the first diversity initiative in the US –
Design for Diversity, in the late 1980’s. The intent of these programs (including Plan 2008 and
the current Inclusive Excellence initiative) has been to create a more accepting environment for
a diversity of students, faculty, and staff at the System and two year campuses.
The mission of ERS is defined in its bylaws as:
The Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies (ERS) offers an academic program within the College of Liberal
Studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Its mission is to foster an awareness and understanding of
the multiracial and multicultural reality of American society. Through a systematic and rigorous
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interdisciplinary instructional approach the program focuses on the historic treatment and the contemporary
experience of ethnic and racial minorities. The program highlights individual or group contributions by
members of these groups to American society and culture. ERS developed a program minor in January
2000 and offers General Education courses to students throughout the university. The Institute also
collaborates with other units of the university to sponsor events that promote an awareness and
appreciation of ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity in America.
This statement fits well with the statement of the Inclusive Excellence Initiative handed down
from the UW System:
The central premise of Inclusive Excellence holds that UW System colleges and universities
need to intentionally integrate their diversity efforts into the core aspects of their institutions—
such as their academic priorities, leadership, quality improvement initiatives, decision-making,
day-to-day operations, and organizational cultures—in order to maximize their success.
(University of Wisconsin Academic Affairs website)
ERS serves as the academic center of diversity efforts at UW-L by providing rigorous courses in
the history, sociology, and psychology upon which all of the phenomena of diversity are based.
As such, it could hardly be more centrally related to the mission of UW-L and the UW System.
PROGRAM QUALITY: FACULTY, STUDENTS, CURRICULUM, ACCREDITATION,
LATERAL REVIEW
FACULTY During the 2008-2009 academic year, large changes took place in the ERS staff. At
the beginning of that year there were three tenure-track faculty members in the Institute and
at the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year, after the retirement of the acting Director
Jonathan Majak and the move of Dr. Vincent Her and his tenure line to the Department of
Sociology, there was only one tenured faculty member in ERS – Dr. Sarah Shillinger.
In the fall of 2009 an outside candidate, Dr. Carol Oyster from the Psychology Department, was
appointed to a half-time appointment as Director of ERS for a three year term. Thus there was
staffing for only five courses or sections of courses. The unit routinely offered six or seven
sections of ERS100. Additional sections of the Institute’s introductory course (ERS 100) had
been, and continued to be taught by instructional staff, all of whom were funded by the Dean
of CLS. Also in the fall of 2009, two new instructors were hired to teach sections of the ERS 100
course: Dr. Audrey Elegbede and Tim Kullman.
For the fall semester of 2010, the Institute was awarded a GQA position to create a permanent
Instructional Academic Staff position. The position was awarded to Dr. Elegbede based upon
her excellence in teaching (as measured by her SEI scores and by classroom observation). This
provided some long-needed stability and continuity in the staffing of ERS courses, particularly
ERS 100. During that same academic year Dr. Elegbede applied for and received a Curriculum
Development grant to create a course on White Privilege that is being taught for the first time
in the spring semester of 2012.
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In the fall semester of 2011, the vacant tenure line (that had been occupied by Dr. Majak) was
approved for a tenure-track search. After a national search, Dr. Richard Breaux, a specialist in
African American Studies was hired for the position – to start in the fall of 2012. Also at that
time, Dr. Oyster was awarded a second three-year term as Director of the Institute.
Thus, as of the fall semester of 2012, the Institute will have returned to the number of core
faculty that existed in the fall of 2008, with the addition of the Director who contributes one
course per semester. This increased faculty will allow for the development and teaching of
more advanced courses to expand the curriculum.
The Faculty Senate statement of Policies contains a statement on the duties of the department
chair. These duties are listed in Appendix B with a point by point discussion of how all of these
duties are currently being completed by the Director of ERS.
STUDENTS Traditionally, students who minored in ERS came primarily from CLS. These
students were usually attracted through the ERS100 course. Efforts to recruit students to the
minor fluctuated over time. In the fall of 2009 the number of ERS minors had dropped to
eighteen.
Starting in the fall semester of 2010, faculty and staff were encouraged to discuss the minor in
their sections of ERS100. To ascertain whether this informal approach was effective, the ERS490
capstone course of the Spring semester of 2011, created a questionnaire that was administered
in all of the sections of ERS100 being offered that semester. The results were somewhat
unsettling. Approximately half of the students reported they had not heard of the minor. And,
even among those students who knew of the minor, a number of students reported that the
minor was irrelevant or ‘not useful’ to them and their future careers.
These findings resulted in a full-scale publicity campaign to increase awareness of ERS among
the members of the UW-L community. This included participating in Diversity Dialogues,
posting messages on the marquee of Cartwright Center, visiting various department meetings,
creating alliances with the Office of Multicultural Student Services, and sponsoring programs
and speakers such as Dr. Dawn Bragg, Associate Dean for Diversity of the Medical College of
Wisconsin, who presented on the Importance of Diversity in Medical Education.
In addition, to strengthen recruitment from the UW-L colleges, documents were created for
each to distribute to their advisors for use in discussing ERS with their students. That these
alliances were fruitful is indicated by the fact that of the 44 ERS minors in February, 2012, 7
were from SAH. The curricular structure of CBA does not require a minor, so fewer students in
that college have declared ERS as a minor. The count of 44 minors in mid-February of 2012 is
244% of the 18 minors in September of 2009.
Finally, during the 2011-2012 academic year ERS contracted with Interact Communications to
create a promotional video about the ERS minor. The video was featured by Chancellor Joe
Gow at his welcoming remarks at the beginning of the Spring semester and will be linked to the
ERS website, made available to be shown in large introductory courses in departments such as
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Psychology, Sociology, and Communication, and provided to Admissions counselors for use in
recruiting future UW-L students.
CURRICULUM In September of 2009, the ERS minor required 24 credits. Discussion with
staff members of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs indicated that a number of students
had stated they would like to declare an ERS minor but the number of credits and the lack of
frequency with which courses were offered resulted in the minor taking too much time to
complete. Based on this information, the ERS minor was completely revised.
The first change was to drop the number of required credits to 18. Most of the required courses
from the earlier minor were retained, but course numbers were modified to indicate the
preferred sequence through the minor. The four required courses are ERS 100 – Introduction to
Ethnic and Racial Studies; ERS 220 – Ethnic and Racial Stereotypes in the Media; ERS 351 –
Ethnic and Racial Relations; and ERS 490 – Ethnic and Racial Studies Seminar. In addition,
elective courses to be chosen for the remaining two classes in the minor were identified in
thirteen departments (see Appendix C).
Currently, plans for the creation of several specialty tracks are at various stages in their
development. In collaboration with Dr. Victor Macias-Gonzalez, a track specializing in Latina/o
Studies has been created entirely from already existing courses taught by faculty from several
departments, and will be presented to the Academic Program Committee in the very near
future (Appendix D). A specialty track in American Indian Studies is well along in the planning
process. The capabilities to assist the Institute develop a track in African American Studies was
one of the criteria used to select the newly hired tenure track Assistant Professor, Dr. Richard
Breaux.
Once ERS has been elevated to department status, the next goal for the unit is to complete the
expansion of our minor offerings and to begin planning a major in ERS. We envision the major
as mirroring the structure of the expanded minor – offering a major in Ethnic and Racial Studies
with the ability for students to concentrate in the areas of Latino/a Studies, American Indian
Studies, African American Studies, and Asian American Studies. As can be seen in Appendix E,
there are a number of departments at colleges and universities across the country who offer
majors in Ethnic Studies with similar areas of concentration.
ACCREDITATION There is no accrediting agency for Ethnic and Racial Studies programs.
LATERAL REVIEW The last Academic Program Review was conducted in 2008 (see Appendix
F). This was before the changes to the program discussed above (a 24 credit minor with three
full-time tenure-track faculty members). The following recommendations were made by the
Dean of CLS to the APR committee:
 Attract and enroll more students beyond ERS100 and increase overall number of minors
 Provide more comprehensive rationale for elevation to departmental status
 Improve communication regarding the Institute’s resources to faculty and students
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 Consider hiring a Director whose duties are to administer the Institute and to recruit
students
The APR committee subsequently made the following recommendations in their report:





Provide more substantial data on program assessment, including learning goals and
outcomes for the Institute, the degree to which they are being met, and subsequent
changes based on assessment data
Change the status of the Institute to that of “Program”
Increase the number of graduates with an ERS minor through recruitment
Improve the communication of resources and programs to faculty not affiliated with the
Institute through promotional materials and an electronic mailing list
Develop a more detailed plan for student and program assessment
There are three themes that appear in both sets of recommendations: improved assessment of
the program, improved recruitment for the program, and better communication with the
campus. At this point there has been more progress on two of these recommendations than on
the third.
Improved recruitment has increased the number of minors from 18 in September of 2009 to 44
in February of 2012. This recruitment has been accomplished through increasing both the
quality and quantity of communication channels to faculty and students. Agreements have
been created with the Colleges of Business Administration and Science and Health to encourage
their advisors to recommend both ERS 100 as a diversity course and the ERS minor. Since these
agreements were put in place, there was so much increased demand for ERS 100 that in the fall
of 2011 record 11 sections were offered – all of which were fully enrolled with 35 students. (It
must be noted that a record number of entering freshman students probably also contributed
to this demand.) The ERS 100 course is the primary pipeline to the ERS minor, as well as being
the first required course in the minor.
An additional tool for increasing awareness of the minor and ERS has been the creation of a
group of affiliated faculty for ERS – referred to as “Friends of ERS”. This is equivalent to the
system employed by the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Department (WGSS). In WGSS, the
group consists of faculty in other departments that have taught courses that are cross listed or
applicable to the WGSS program. The “Friends of ERS” consists not only of faculty in other
departments who have taught courses cross-listed with ERS, but also any faculty member who
expressed the desire to be included in the group. The group was recruited in the fall semester
of 2011 and will serve as an advisory council to ERS through biannual meetings. The “Friends”
will also receive the newly instituted newsletter for ERS minors. Biannual meetings for minors
will also be held starting in the spring semester of 2012 to improve communication about the
minor and to offer students opportunities for advising from ERS faculty and staff. Finally, the
newly created video on the minor will be employed as both a recruitment tool and method of
creating more awareness of ERS.
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Assessment in ERS has been focused thus far in two areas. The two General Education courses
(ERS 100 and ERS 220) have been evaluated as required by the Gen Ed program, and the
students in ERS 490 (the capstone course in the minor) evaluated several aspects of the minor
(student satisfaction with the minor, awareness of the minor in the ERS 100 sections, and
attractiveness of the ERS minor to employers in the La Crosse area. The results of the Gen Ed
assessment consisted of five questions students answered at the end of the semester. Over
90% of the students were able to answer four or five of the items correctly, indicating that we
are achieving the goals established.
Based on the concern about the level of awareness of the minor in the sections of ERS 100,
teachers of all sections have been encouraged both to show the video and to distribute the
brochures that were created to highlight the minor. The sample of employers in the La Crosse
area who were interviewed was small, but of the nine interviewed, eight indicated that they felt
cultural sensitivity and cultural competence were very desirable qualities in a job applicant. This
information was reinforced by Karolyn Bald of the UW-L Career Planning and Placement Center
who stated that in her experience virtually all employers who recruit through the Center
include questions on cultural competence. Kim Jackson, one of the recruiters for the Gundersen
Lutheran Health System appears in the ERS video emphasizing the importance of cultural
competence in applicants for openings at every level.
It is essential in assessment endeavors to allow time for changes to fully take effect before
attempting an assessment. Now that curricular changes have been implemented, plans are to
begin to assess the revised courses and minor beginning in the spring semester of 2012.
DEMAND FOR PROGRAM BY STUDENTS As stated above, there were 18 ERS minors in
September of 2009 when the minor consisted of 24 credits. After one year of marketing the
program, the number of minors had increased to 27. By February of 2012, there were 44
declared minors. This increase probably has been influenced not only by the increased visibility
of the program (one UW-L student was quoted by the academic advisor in the Psychology
course as saying that they hadn’t known anything about ERS, but now it was “everywhere”) but
also by the agreements in place with CBA and SAH to market the program through their
advisors. That the number of minors has increased 244% in two and a half years represents
clear evidence that there is increasing demand for the minor by students across the university.
DEMAND FOR GRADUATES OF PROGRAM, NUMBER OF GRADUATES The number
of students who have graduated with an ERS minor since the inception of the minor in 2000 is
46 – only slightly more than the number of students currently in the minor. The majority of
students with minors in ERS graduated with degrees from CLS (40 or 87%), with three students
each graduating with degrees from SAH and CAB. Within CLS, the most frequent majors were
Communication Studies (10), Psychology (10), and Sociology (9). The graduates were 87%
female (as compared to the current 63% female minors).
The question of the level of demand for graduates of the program must be identified indirectly
because the program is a minor while the majors of students graduating with an ERS minor are
varied – as discussed above. However, a simple internet search for ‘cultural competence’ yields
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results that indicate that the skills and knowledge obtained by students in the ERS program are
greatly, and increasingly desired in the workplace.
An article from the Michigan State University Career Source Network entitled Competencies
Employers Seek in College Graduates, listed ‘working in a diverse environment’ as their first
competency. As they state, “The increasing pluralism of America and the emergence of a global
economy make diversity a central facet of work life.” Further, they state that employers “seek
candidates who understand diversity on a personal level, value difference, and can interact
effectively with people from many backgrounds.” This list matches closely with the knowledge
and skills acquired by students in the ERS minor.
Randall S. Hansen, PhD, and Katharine Hansen, PhD list the Skills Most Sought After by
Employers in a report on QuintessentialCareers.com. Again the importance of cultural
competence is emphasized. They state that, “There is possibly no bigger issue in the workplace
than diversity, and job seekers must demonstrate a sensitivity and awareness of other people
and cultures.” Cultural competence is listed as a priority in the Codes of Ethics for the American
Counseling Association and the National Association of Social Workers. The Institute for
Educational Leadership, in a paper entitled, Preparing and Supporting Diverse, Culturally
Competent Leaders: Implications for Policy and Practice state that educational leaders need:
“understanding of the impact of race, power, legitimacy, cultural capital, poverty, disability,
ethnicity, gender, age, language, and other factors of learning”, and “understanding of patterns
of discrimination and inequality, injustice, and the benefits and liabilities associated with
individual groups.”
Healthcare organizations are also recognizing the importance of sensitivity to and knowledge of
ethnic and racial groups as part of health care itself, and the business bottom line. In a study
funded by the Commonwealth Fund on Cultural Competencies in Health Care: Emerging
Frameworks and Practical Approaches (2003) conducted by Joseph R. Betancourt (MS, MPH), of
Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School; Alexander Green (MD) of
New York Presbyterian Hospital; and J. Emilio Carrillo (MD, MPH) of Cornell Medical College,
both of these topics are discussed: “The field of cultural competency has recently emerged as
part of a strategy to reduce disparities in access to and quality of healthcare….Experts
interviewed for this study describe cultural competence both as a vehicle to increase access to
quality care for all patient populations and as a business strategy to attract new patients and
market share.”
These are but a few of the thousands of articles that appear in a search on ‘cultural
competence.’ They also support the comments by UW-L senior career counselor Karolyn Bald
and Gundersen Lutheran recruiter in the video created to feature the ERS minor.
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PROGRAM UNIQUENESS: RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PROGRAMS, DUPLICATION
LOCALLY, REGIONALLY There are no equivalent programs to the ERS minor in the La Crosse
area institutions of higher education. There are, however, programs that are roughly equivalent
at four of the UW campuses: Milwaukee, Parkside, Platteville, and River Falls. The programs are
minors with between 18 and 24 credits, and a 15 credit certificate program at UW Platteville. Of
the UW campus programs, the only two that are housed in departments are Parkside and
Platteville. The others are housed in centers.
Within the UW System there are several majors offered in ethnicity-related topics. The UW
Green Bay campus offers a major and minor in First Nation Studies within a department of the
same name. There is also an Ethnic Studies major at UW Green Bay (one of four concentrations
within the program of Urban and Regional Studies).
In other schools in the Midwest there are also minors in Ethnic Studies at Edgewood College in
Madison, WI (20 credits); at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI (15 credits); and at the
University of Minnesota at the Twin Cities campus (15 credits). All three are housed in
departments. The program at UW-L falls within the range of credits at these other programs.
Nationally there are a large number of majors and minors offered in Ethnic Studies and closely
related areas. See Appendix F for a list of schools and programs.
POTENTIAL FOR EXTERNAL RESOURCES SUPPORT, SUCCESS IN
ACCOMPLISHMENT There are local grants available from sources at UW-L and the UW
System, and faculty and staff members in ERS have submitted applications for these grants with
mixed success. While we have met with success in receiving small grants for travel and
curriculum development, a large grant to the System to fund an Inclusive Excellence project on
the campus under the Closing the Achievement Gap was denied funding in Spring of 2010. The
recent political changes in the state have resulted in large cuts to the IRE and it remains to be
seen what effects this will have on their grants program. With the increasing size of the faculty,
ERS, and the increasing support for grant writing and application at UW-L, we hope to identify
and apply for more external funding.
COST TO DELIVER THE PROGRAM INCLUDING: FACULTY, STAFF, CAPITAL
EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Because the ERS Institute already exists,
there will be very few additional costs associated with conferring departmental status. Faculty
and academic teaching staff are already funded as part of the CLS budget as are equipment and
supplies. The only additional costs will be associated with the fact that as a department, ERS
will qualify for remuneration for the Chair and for the hiring of an Academic Department
Assistant rather than a USA2 for administrative support. This will incur a very slight increase in
costs – approximately $2,000 for the Chair and $1,000 per year for the ADA position. With the
addition of more student minors, more teaching faculty and staff, and additional minor
programs, the administrative support tasks will be even more in line with ADA status.
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CONCLUSION The Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies currently functions as a department
in all but name. We believe that when the Academic Program Committee, the Executive
Committee of the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Senate itself review the documents presented,
they will agree. The minor is a high quality, growing program consistent with programs offered
at other UW campuses, and is central to the mission of UW-L. The best present the Institute
could receive for its 40th birthday on April 25, 2012 would be an award of department status.
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REFERENCES
American Counseling Association Code of Ethics. www.counseling.org/ethics/
Betancourt, J.R., Green, A., & Carrillo, J.E. (July-August 2003). Defining Cultural
Competence: A Practical Framework for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in
Health and HealthCare. Public Health Reports. Volume 118. Pgs 293-302.
Hansen, R., & Hansen, K. Skills Most Sought After by Employers. Quintessential
Careers. www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html
Institute for Educational Leadership. Preparing and Supporting Diverse Culturally
Competent Leaders: Implications for Policy and Practice.
www.eil.org/pubs/diverseleaders.pdf
Michigan State University Career Source Network. Competencies Employers Seek
in College Graduates. www.careernetwork.msu.edu/pdf/Competencies
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APPENDIX A. FACTULTY SENATE DEFINITION OF DEPARTMENT
IV. Responsibilities of Departments, Department Members and Department Chairpersons
Faculty are organized on the basis of their disciplines into departments. The faculty carry out the
responsibilities of the department through their creative and other contributions in the areas of teaching,
scholarship and service. (ERS response follows at end of this document)
A. The primary function of a department is to teach in its discipline(s). The key teaching responsibilities of
the department and its members include:
1. Maintaining a faculty collectively expert in the breadth and depth of their discipline(s).
2. Keeping abreast of the subject matter of their discipline(s) and incorporating this matter into courses.
3. Continually assessing courses and curriculum to recommend and implement suitable revisions
including consideration of interdisciplinary offerings.
4. Keeping current on and developing new ways of teaching and learning in the discipline(s), including the
use of appropriate technology.
5. Reviewing, developing and expanding library holdings to ensure coverage of the discipline.
6. Continually relating the substance of the discipline(s) to the needs and interests of the general student,
the potential specialist, and the community.
7. Assessing the effectiveness of departmental instruction.
B. The department is responsible for promoting scholarship and creative activities. Scholarship
responsibilities of
the department and its members include:
1. Making contributions of scholarly and other creative activities in the discipline(s).
2. Providing the opportunity for and supervising the scholarly activities of undergraduate and graduate
students.
C. The department is responsible for promoting the continued professional growth and development of its
members by encouraging their participation in sabbatical leaves, developmental leaves, conferences,
professional workshops and other similar programs.
D. The department is responsible for utilizing the expertise and interest of its members to provide
professional service. Service responsibilities of the department and its members include:
1. Contributing to the university through participation in faculty governance or other university service.
2. Actively participating in the functions of the department.
3. Contributing to and participating in professional organizations.
4. Utilizing their professional expertise and interest through participation in community and other
organizations.
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E. The department is responsible for advising students and providing students opportunities to develop
and grow outside the environs of the classroom. The department and its members are responsible for:
1. Providing advising on academic program requirements and presenting the array of available career
opportunities.
2. Affording the student the opportunity to learn outside the classroom through internships, cooperative
agreements and other mechanisms (such as visiting scholars programs).
3. Encouraging and advising organizations for majors and other students interested in the discipline.
F. The department is responsible for providing an internal governance structure in which the functions of
the department can take place. The department and its members are responsible for:
1. Establishing department bylaws that define the rights, responsibilities and privileges of the Ranked
Faculty, Instructional Academic Staff or Academic Librarians, and the chairperson in accordance with UW
System and UWL policies.
2. Selecting the department chairperson (according to UW-L guidelines). The department delegates
authority to the chairperson consistent with section H. of this policy and consults with the chairperson on
department matters.
3. Working with its chairperson, through regular department meetings and committee assignments, to
formulate and carry out policy.
G. The department is responsible for making personnel decisions.
1. The department shall establish bylaws that govern personnel decisions made about Ranked Faculty,
Instructional Academic Staff or Academic Librarians.
2. These bylaws shall specify requirements and procedures for retention, tenure, promotion, tenured
faculty review and development, and the distribution of funds allocated to the department for salary
adjustments or summer salaries. These bylaws shall comply with UW System and UWL Faculty
Personnel Rules.
3. The department shall make these bylaws available to its members. Notification of any changes in
bylaws must be provided to all members within fourteen days.
The Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies (ERS) at UW-L satisfies the criteria described above. Each
section will be discussed separately.
A. The faculty and IAS in ERS teach courses in the Institute’s minor as well as several General Education
courses. Faculty members (and IAS) have terminal degrees in disciplines relevant to the inherently
interdisciplinary topic of ethnic and racial studies. The Institute’s Executive Committee actively updates
both the program (as evidenced by current plans to create both a Latina/o Studies minor and an
American Indian minor) and courses within the unit (recent additions are American Indian Thought and
a course on White Privilege). Faculty and IAS in ERS also continually advance their teaching both
pedagogically as well as technologically through attendance at CATL workshops and applying for (and
receiving) CATL and CLS grants. The Institute strives to “relate the substance of the discipline to the
needs and interests of the general student, the potential specialist, and the community” by creating
courses and providing workshops and presentations to other UW-L units and the University community.
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The Institute also currently functions in a manner identical to a department in creating “scholarship and
creative activities.” In the last two years, members have been awarded two grants and made numerous
campus and professional presentations. The very small size of the Institute in the past two years has
made it impossible to incorporate students in faculty scholarship, however one of the explicit criteria
used to hire the incoming member, Dr. Richard Breaux, was his ability, and likelihood of including
students in his research agenda. With additional faculty, current members will have the opportunity to
focus their teaching more in their areas of expertise and to devote more time to scholarship activities.
C. ERS faculty and staff continue to develop their expertise in teaching and scholarship through
participation in campus and external conferences and workshops. This is one of the criteria that is
included in the annual evaluations of faculty members.
D. The ERS Institute faculty members, individually and as a unit, provide professional service at every
level of the campus, and beyond. The ERS bylaws include all full time teaching faculty and staff in the
Institute Executive Committee, which serves to evaluate and develop the curriculum, perform personnel
functions (such as evaluations and search and screen activities), and provide direction for the unit.
Members of ERS are very active at the College level through membership on numerous college-level
committees such as the Diversity and Assessment committees. At the University level, ERS members
have a very high profile on Faculty Senate Committees such as JMAC (including chairing committees), as
well as service on Faculty Senate itself. Members of ERS played a large role in enacting the Inclusive
Excellence initiative on the UW-L campus, serving on and chairing the task forces that created the
original plan for the campus, and serving on the implementation team.
E. As ERS does not currently offer a major program (although such plans are part of the unit’s strategic
plan), ERS faculty and IAS do provide advising to minors and potential minors in the program. It is largely
through this advising of students that the number of minors has more than doubled in the past two
years.
F. The internal governance structure of ERS is already identical to that specified for a department in that
the unit has bylaws, a committee structure (currently the Executive Committee plays the role of
personnel, evaluation, and resources committees in other units), creates an annual report in the same
format as other departments, conducts evaluations of faculty using the same criteria employed by other
departments, and members are advanced through rank through the Joint Promotion Committee –- as is
true in other departments.
Thus in virtually every way the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies is functioning as a UW-L
department. Where differences exist, they are based primarily on the current small size of the unit.
Therefore, we believe that it is appropriate, that the Institute should become a department in name as
well as in fact.
15
Appendix B. Faculty Senate Policy IV. Statement of Duties of
Department Chair.
The Chairperson shall assume a prominent role in creating a professional environment
conducive to high morale and productivity in the department. Specific department
functions supervised or performed by the chairperson include:
1. Registration and scheduling
a) Developing semester and summer session class schedules in consultation
with the faculty.
b) Monitoring registration and assessing the need to add or cancel classes.
2. Curriculum
a) Implementing the authorized curriculum; initiating discussion of curricular
issues; developing proposals for new or revised courses, special projects, grant
proposals, curriculum changes; arranging for textbook selection; and
participating in the presentation of departmental proposals before the
appropriate committees.
b) Receiving and responding to concerns about curriculum and acting on
substitution and waiver requests brought by students and others.
3. Budget, Textbooks, Equipment and Facilities
a) Preparing the annual departmental budget for travel, services, supplies and
equipment; ordering all budgeted items; and managing expenditures in
accordance with the budget plan.
b) Making recommendations for textbook and library budgets and other
budgets as requested.
c) Reporting textbook choices to the Textbook Rental Service in timely fashion.
d) Making assignments of offices, classrooms, and other work areas; obtaining
other facilities when needed; and requesting maintenance for repairs for
equipment, offices, classrooms, and other work areas.
4. Meetings and Committees
a) Establishing a schedule of department meetings and presiding at same.
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b) Ensuring that departmental committees are meeting to fulfill their
responsibilities.
c) Attending meetings of appropriate departmental, college, and university
committees.
d) Designating or recommending department members to serve on committees
as requested.
e) Arranging for representation and participation of the department at
professional meetings and placement centers as appropriate.
f) Serving on committees as required.
5. Personnel
a) Conveying to the appropriate administrative officer the personnel needs of
the department for faculty and academic staff, graduate assistants, classified
staff and student help.
b) Monitoring all departmental search and screen activities for compliance with
UW-L Affirmative Action hiring procedures.
c) Describing and publicizing faculty and academic staff vacancies and
corresponding with applicants and placement agencies; scheduling and
participating in interviews; making recommendations to the appropriate
administrative officer regarding hiring; and providing orientation for new
members regarding departmental policies and procedures, departmental
expectations for faculty and academic staff, and faculty and academic staff
responsibilities.
d) Arranging for the required evaluations of faculty and academic staff;
scheduling student evaluation of department members; monitoring department
personnel committees with regard to conformance with UW System, UWL and
department procedures; and informing individual members of any
recommendations regarding them.
e) Describing and publicizing graduate assistantship positions; making
recommendations to the appropriate administrative officer regarding hiring of
graduate assistants; providing orientation and assignment for graduate
assistants; and participating in the evaluation of graduate assistants.
f) Arranging for the selection, hiring, training, overseeing, and evaluation of
classified staff and student help.
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g) Recommending summer school appointments to the appropriate
administrative officer within university, college and departmental guidelines.
h) Ensuring the continuation of classes during prolonged faculty absences.
6. Students
a) Receiving and responding to student questions, concerns, and complaints
regarding courses, curriculum requirements, faculty and grades.
b) Coordinating advising activities for the department.
7. Teaching
a) Teaching a reduced load in the department in accordance with by-law VIII.B.
8. Other Responsibilities
a) Responding to inquiries from the university, the UW System, and external
accrediting agencies regarding department programs.
b) Conferring, as needed, with other chairpersons in the university and with
other departments of the same discipline in the system and area.
c) Corresponding with prospective students, teachers, and the general public on
their inquiries.
The Director of the Institute is responsible for all of these described tasks, including
(but not limited to): creating schedules and assigning faculty loads and schedules,
monitoring course demand; developing curriculum; overseeing the budget; making
sure that textbook orders are made in a timely manner and ordering new texts
when appropriate; overseeing equipment monies and upkeep of equipment;
attending and arranging meetings for the Institute; supervising faculty and staff,
including evaluations and advancement; handling any student questions and
concerns; teaching a reduced load; and conferring and collaborating with
department chairs of other units, prospective students, and the general public. The
only difference between the Institute Director’s position and that of Department
Chairs of departments is a matter of scale.
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APPENDIX C. ELECTIVES FOR ERS MINOR
ANT 343
CHE 453/553;
CST 332, 337;
EDS 406/506;
ENG/ERS 207, 210, 215; ENG 380, 381, 382, 477, 478;
ERS 253, 300, 400, 410/510; ERS/SOC 343;
HIS 306, 310, 336; HIS/WG 370;
PHL 321, 329;
POL 342;
PSY 282, 285, 360;
SOC 225; SOC/ERS 280, 343;
THA 130;
WGSS 230.
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APPENDIX D. PROPOSED MINOR IN LATINA/O STUDIES
18 Credits consisting of:
6 cr. ERS:
ERS 100 (Introduction to Ethnic and Racial Studies); ERS 351 (Ethnic and
Racial Relations)
3 cr. LAT:
LAT 200: Introduction to Latina/o Studies ***
3 cr. History: HIS 336 (Hispanics in the U.S.), HIS 343 (US Borderlands), HIS 347
(History of Greater Mexico), or course to be proposed (and cross-listed with
ERS) “Mexican American History” ***
3 cr. Literature:
ENG 382 (Latino Literature)
3 cr. Social Studies:
POL 345 (Ethnic Politics in Contemporary America) or PHL 345 (Latin
American Philosophy) or new Latina/o Sociology course to be designed by
Enilda Delgado ***
COURSES for which LXs need to be designed: ***
Core Faculty:
ERS faculty
Barillas (English)
Delgado (Sociology)
Macías-González (History)
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APPENDIX E. ETHNIC STUDIES PROGRAMS ACROSS THE US
Arizona Northern Arizona University, Minor
California-- California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo; Department; Major, Minor. California
State University, East Bay; Department, Major. California State University, Pomona; Ethnic and Women’s
Studies Department; Majors in Gender, Ethnicity and Multicultural Studies, African American Studies,
Asian American Studies, Chicano/Latino Studies, Native American Studies, Minor. California State
University, Sacramento; Department, Major. California State University, Stanislaus; Program; Major,
Minors in African American Studies, Chicano Studies, Ethnic Studies. Glendale Community College;
Department, programs unclear. Laney College; Department, Majors in African American Studies, Asian
American Studies, Mexican/Latino Studies, Native American Studies. Los Angeles Valley College;
Department of Sociology and Ethnic Studies; Major. Mills College; Program; Major, minor. Sacramento
State University; Department; Major in Ethnic Studies; Minors in Ethnic Studies, African Studies, Asian
American Studies, Chicano/Latino Studies; Certificate in Pan African Studies. Sonoma State University;
Program in American Multicultural Studies; Major, minor. University of Redlands; Program, Major,
minor. University of San Diego; Department; Major, minor. University of Southern California;
Department of American Studies and Ethnicity; Majors in American Studies and Ethnicity, African
American Studies, Asian American Studies, minor.
Colorado – Colorado State University; Department; Major, minor. University of Colorado, Colorado
Springs; Department; Major, minor.
Hawaii – University of Hawaii; Department; Major, minor, certificate
Illinois – Illinois State University; Program; Minor
Kansas – Kansas State University; American Ethnic Studies Program, Major, minor.
Massachusetts – Westfield State University; Program; Major, minor.
Minnesota – Minnesota State University, Mankato; Department; Certificate program. St. Cloud
University; status unclear; Ethnic Studies minor, African American Studies minor, American Indian
Studies minor, Chicana/o Studies minor, Asian Pacific Studies minor.
Nebraska – University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Institute; Major, minor in African Studies, major and minor
in Latino American Studies; Minor in Chicano Studies; Minor in Native American Studies.
New York – Columbia University; center; programs unclear.
Ohio – Bowling Green State University; Department; Major and minor. Case Western Reserve University;
Program; Major and minor.
Oregon – Lewis and Clark College; Program; Minor. Oregon State University; Program; minor. University
of Oregon; Department; Major and minor.
Texas – University of Northern Texas; Department; Major and minor.
Vermont – University of Vermont; Program, minor.
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Washington – Washington State University; Critical Culture, Gender, and Race Studies; Major and minor.
Whitman College; Program; Major and minor.
Wisconsin – Edgewood College; School of Integrative Studies; Major and minor. Lawrence University;
Program, Minor. UW La Crosse; Institute; minor. UW Milwaukee; Program; Certificate in Comparative
Ethnic Studies; UW Parkside; Program; minor. UW Platteville; Program; minor. UW River Falls; Program;
minor.
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APPENDIX F. ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW OF ERS, 2008
Academic Program Review of the
Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies
February 2008
Prepared by Academic Program Review Subcommittee:
Victoria Calmes
Jocelyn Shadforth
BACKGROUND:
The Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies (ERS) resides in the College of Liberal Studies and
offers a 24-credit interdisciplinary minor. Students electing this minor can choose between a
general approach to their course of study or concentration on the history and culture of one of
the four racial groups: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, or American
Indians. In recent years the program has averaged six graduates a year.
The Institute submitted its self-study to the Dean’s office in April 2007. There was no external
review of the Institute.
SUMMARY OF THE SELF-STUDY:
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Summary of Program goals and objectives:
The Institute’s self-study describes its mission as follows:
It offers a rigorous interdisciplinary minor that is designed to foster an understanding of
the multiracial and multicultural reality of American society. Through a systematic,
interdisciplinary instructional approach the program focuses on the historic treatment
and the contemporary experience of racial and ethnic minorities. The Institute is
committed to providing curricular and other scholarly opportunities for UW-L students
to develop knowledge, skills, and personal dispositions that will enable them to live and
function with intercultural competence in an increasingly diverse nation and the world.
Summary of how the Program attempts to reach its goals and objectives and the extent to
which those goals and objectives have been achieved:
The Institute’s three dedicated, well-rounded faculty have provided a flexible, yet demanding,
academic program for its minors, with good coverage of the four racial group concentrations.
In addition, the Institute also provides support for the General Education Program through its
largest enrollment course, ERS 100 Introduction to Minority Cultures in the United States, with
average offerings of eight sections per semester. The recent addition of a faculty member with
expertise in Hmong culture and history has also contributed to the strength of its curricular
offerings.
NOTABLE STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM:

The productive, well-rounded faculty are a particular strength of the Institute, providing
curricular opportunities for students from a wide array of backgrounds and interests.
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

The Institute attracts a large number of students of color, making it one of the more
diverse programs on campus. This trend will likely be enhanced in the near future as
UW-L implements the Growth, Quality, and Access Program.
The self-study indicates the implementation of a portfolio/interview-based assessment
plan that should provide rich data for future goal-setting and evaluation.
NOTABLE WEAKNESSES OF THE PROGRAM:



While the self-study provides a description of its assessment program, it is difficult to
evaluate its success in the absence of either raw or summary data.
As an “Institute”, the program currently lacks visibility and is too dependent on its
General Education course offerings for students.
Any expansion in the size of the faculty or administrative staff for the Institute will
create an office space shortage.
APR COMMENTS ON PARTICULAR COMPONENTS OF THE SELF-STUDY:
Purposes of the Institute:
The Institute currently provides an important and, given current demographic trends,
increasingly necessary curricular option for UW-L students. In addition, the presence of the
Institute should serve as a fundamental resource for faculty across the University. At the same
time, the number of graduates electing ERS as a minor remains low, especially relative to
enrollments in ERS 100. The Institute’s self-study focuses on converting to departmental
status. While bringing the Institute into administrative conformity with the rest of the campus,
such a change in status should be preceded by a greater emphasis on communication regarding
departmental resources to both students and faculty.
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Assessment of Student Learning & Degree of Program Success:
The Institute currently reports an assessment program based on embedded course work,
surveys, and personal essays, with future plans for a survey of ERS graduates. The self-study
lacks reporting of any current assessment data, as well as a description of minor-level or
course-level learning goals and objectives.
Previous Academic Program Review
The Institute responded to its 1997 review’s key recommendations by eliminating a 14-credit
hour certificate and replacing it with a minor program. In addition, a problematic lack of upperlevel course offerings cited in the 2007 review has been addressed substantially through the
hiring of new faculty.
Personnel
The Institute has had a recent addition of a faculty member with expertise in Hmong culture
and history. The three faculty members are well-qualified and actively involved in their
disciplines. The Institute lacks a faculty member with expertise in Hispanic history and culture.
Comments on Dean’s letter:
The Dean’s letter highlights the important and valuable academic service the Institute provides
to the University. In particular, it cites the strength and productivity of ERS faculty and
acknowledges the need for more investment from the College and the University. There are
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areas, however, in which the Dean’s letter indicates that the Institute is not fully realizing its
potential, thus making the following recommendations:




Attract and enroll more students beyond ERS 100, thus increasing the overall number of
minors.
Provide a more comprehensive rationale for elevation to departmental status.
Improve communication regarding Institute resources to both University faculty and
students.
Consider hiring a Director who would hold both typical departmental responsibilities
with concurrent duties in the area of student recruitment.
APR’s RECOMMENDATIONS:
Some areas to address-department should submit a progress report to the Faculty
Senate/Provost’s Office in three years, focusing on APR recommendations
Summary of recommendations:
1. Provide more substantial data on program assessment, including a more specific listing of
learning goals and outcomes, the degree to which they are being met, and any changes
aimed at furthering these goals.
2. Change the status of the Institute to that of a “program,” thus bringing Ethnic and Racial
Studies in line with other minor-granting programs across the University.
3. Increase number of graduates with ERS minor, especially through recruitment.
4. Improve communication of resources and campus programming with faculty not
currently affiliated with the Institute, perhaps through the development of promotional
materials and/or an electronic mailing list.
5. Develop a more detailed plan for both student and program assessment.
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25 February 2012
To:
Academic Programs Committee
From: Ruthann Benson, Dean
College of Liberal Studies
Re:
Departmental status for the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies
I am writing in support of departmental status for the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies at the
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In the "Proposal for Elevating the Institute for Ethnic and Racial
Studies (ERS) to Departmental Status" of 20 February 2012, Director Carol Oyster has made a compelling
argument for this action. The College of Liberal Studies Dean's Office has consulted with ERS for several
years about the possibility of applying for departmental status, and we believe that now is the
appropriate time for this request to go forward.
The Institute has made significant progress in recent years with the revision of the ERS minor and the
rapid growth in the number of minors. With the hire of African-American Studies Specialist Dr. Richard
Breaux (beginning 11-12 academic year), the unit will be well posed to develop a track in AfricanAmerican Studies, as well as the Latina/o Studies and Native-American Studies tracks that are already in
the developmental stages. In addition to Dr. Breaux, Dr. Sarah Shillinger (Assistant Professor) and Dr.
Audrey Elegbede (Lecturer) have full-time appointments in the unit. Dr. Carol Oyster (Full Professor,
Department of Psychology) has a 25% ERS Director and 25% ERS Teaching appointment and Professor
Timothy Kullman is part-time IAS. As with the Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies,
the relatively small number of core faculty is enhanced by faculty from other departments whose
courses are cross-listed with ERS.
I concur with Dr. Oyster's assessment that the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies functions as a
department in all but name, and will be able to move forward in the future more effectively as a
department. I strongly urge you to recommend that Ethnic and Racial Studies be given departmental
status.
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27 February 2012
To:
Academic Programs Committee
From: Betsy Morgan, Interim Provost
Re:
Departmental status for the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies
I am writing in support of departmental status for the Institute for Ethnic and Racial Studies at the
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I concur with the director and the Dean that the Institute for Ethnic
and Racial Studies essentially functions as a department. I recommend that Ethnic and Racial Studies be
given departmental status.
29