We Are Champions of Diversity
A Reward and Recognition Program for
UC Riverside
Capstone Project Requirement of the
Making Excellence Inclusive: A UC Riverside Diversity Certificate Program
2010
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Members of the Project Group
Christy Brown Anderson, University Libraries
Frances Fernandes, Office of the Chancellor
Brandy Quarles-Clark, Media and Cultural Studies
Lisa Warren, University Extension
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Reward and Recognition Program
Project Group
The mission of the Project Group:
Create a Reward and Recognition Program that
identifies those departments and individuals who facilitate
and promote the positive concepts of diversity and
inclusiveness.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
The UCR Problem
• One of the most diverse campuses in the nation
• Needs an institution-wide diversity program
• Needs a focused, campus-wide plan for inclusiveness
• Encourages others by public annual recognition
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
The Search for Solutions
• We studied other campus diversity programs
• Many awarded individual promotion of diversity
• A few had holistic programs that:
 included the entire campus
 looked beyond mere legal compliance
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
The Search for Solutions
We explored other resources:
•National higher education groups such as:
 The American Association of Colleges & Universities
• Individual researchers such as:
 Carlos Cortés, UCR emeritus professor of history
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Finding models
One UC campus stood out:
• UC San Francisco issues an annual review
 All units report on two aspects of diversity:
 Progress toward staff/faculty diversity.
 Measures to promote inclusion.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Finding models
One philosophical approach stood out:
 Carlos Cortés’s “Multicultural Vision“ which
promotes constant "envisioning" of diversity
Three core criteria:
Continuity – Keep recreating organization’s vision
Enrichment – Keep expanding inclusion goals
Action – Keep stimulating actions toward ever-evolving
vision
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Best Practices
• Support by the Chancellor and Senior Management
disseminated
• All levels of faculty and staff be represented in every
department’s goal setting committee
• Affirming that all persons and their contributions count
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Best Practices
• Assess current status
• Set goals and lay out overall plan
• Provide first year evaluation and feedback
• Celebration of department and individual successes
• Evaluate and modify the program
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Risks
• Time and staff commitment during goal setting phase
• Ensuring participation by all levels of staff
• Perceptions that departments or individuals will be
rewarded undeservedly
• Overlooking those who genuinely deserve recognition
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Benefits
• Contributes to the richness of the community in ways that
are tangible and measureable.
• Increased communication, dialogue about ideas and
ideals, expansion of research collaboration and respect for
others, especially underrepresented groups.
• Campus’s reputation continues to be an enticement to
potential students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Evaluation
Chancellor’s Diversity Advisory Committee:
• Evaluates the departments’ annual reports
• Selects departments meeting 80% of their goals
• Provides written feedback after first year
• Selects persons for the Individual awards
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Measuring Success
• Progress made meeting diversity goals
• Faculty and staff morale increases
• Employee retention rates improve
• Incidents of hate crimes, number of complaints to
Ombudsman’s Office, and lawsuits of discrimination and
hostile work environment should reduce over time
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Rewarding Process
• Every department determines their own criteria for
rewarding diversity. The Affirmative Action requirements
will be completed as well.
• Chancellor’s Diversity Advisory Committee selects the
award winners each year.
• Awards will be given out at a luncheon that coincides with
the MEI presentations.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
The Rewards
• A lapel pin will be given to individuals receiving
an award.
• A perpetual plaque displayed in the
Chancellor’s Office will list the departments
which have received awards and the year.
• A picture of the department personnel with the
Chancellor will be taken and displayed in a
public area within the department that earned
the reward.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
Ongoing Recognition
• A Website will be developed.
• Departments and individuals within the department will
be listed on the website.
• Individual award recipients will tell their personal story of
achievement.
At UC Riverside, We Are Champions of Diversity!
The Final Step
Alert the Media!