Affirmative Action Implementation Plan: A Conversation
on Diversity
an interview by Janet Dengel
Ramapo
College has historically adopted multicultural education as one of
the main pillars of its mission, valuing the viewpoints and talents
of the diverse Ramapo community. In keeping with that spirit and in
order to actively pursue the goal of a richly diverse faculty and
staff, the College recently presented its Fall 2000 Affirmative Action
Implementation Plan. Join Dr. Alice Chandler, interim president, and
Lorraine Edwards, director of the Office of Affirmative Action, as
they share their views on this important plan:
Ramapo Magazine (RM): What is the main objective of the Affirmative Action Implementation Plan and how did it come about?
Dr. Alice Chandler (AC): The plan is the result of a year’s work by the faculty task force. The impetus is our concern that we have as diverse a faculty and staff as possible. We looked at recruitment, retention, and general supportive activities. The committee presented its recommendations in June of 2000, and it became my opportunity, together with the vice presidents, to take those recommendations and work them into a plan that will then be carried out by Lorraine and people in her area.
Lorraine Edwards (LE): The
main objective of the plan is to increase the number of faculty members,
particularly faculty members of color. While we have had significant
increases over the past ten years, there is still room for growth
and development in the area of African-American women, Hispanic women,
and Native Americans. We would like to ensure that persons of color
and minorities have access to the applicant pool.
RM: The Affirmative Action plan is two-fold: to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff. What are highlights of each area that you feel are most important?
AC: Developing a network of contacts is key to recruitment, so that you really become attractive to minority candidates. They know of Ramapo and they know of its commitment to diversity. We are in a very competitive market because we are not the only campus seeking to diversify its faculty and staff. Some solutions are practical. I found out, for example, that the College was starting its searches for faculty members rather late in the academic year. I said, “Let’s go back to September 1 and start there so that we have a good amount of time to do our searching and screening.”
LE: In order to recruit
successfully, we have broadened our advertising outreach to increase
our applicant pool. We advertise on Web sites, such as Affirmnet,
a site for affirmative action officers across the country and HighEd.com,
along with other sites to spread the word about our vacant positions.
The Office of Academic Affairs is developing a mentoring program to
assist new faculty with adjusting to the institution and to provide
an opportunity for them to discuss any barriers they may be facing
at Ramapo. This program will link them with senior faculty and aid
in our retention efforts. We have reviewed what it takes to retain
new faculty and some of the issues are housing, transportation, and
meeting their personal needs so they can develop a positive relationship
with the campus community. Many of these factors work in concert and
will greatly assist in the retention of a diverse faculty.
RM: What is the most vital factor in any Affirmative Action Plan in higher education?
AC: I believe the most vital factor is institutional commitment. Usually institutional commitment translates into presidential commitment. If the CEO of the organization says “This is important,” it achieves a kind of stage-center that it otherwise may not. That’s why I made sure that the affirmative action document was completed, that it came out with the president’s signature, and that it was posted on the president’s Web page. Even though it was the work of many, many hands, I wanted to put the stamp: “This is an institutional commitment” on the document.
LE: I wholeheartedly agree.
RM: How does Ramapo College compare to other institutions of higher learning in hiring faculty of diverse backgrounds?
AC: We are not outstanding in one direction or another. We are hampered by the fact that we are located in a high-cost housing area where there is no public transportation. That is one of the reasons why we are instituting the mentoring program—people can be assisted in finding communities where there is affordable housing and we may be able to arrange carpooling. In the long run, we are possibly looking into some faculty housing on campus. It’s not just a problem for people of color; it’s a problem for young faculty on limited incomes to live in this part of northern New Jersey.
LE: Ramapo is a microcosm of the rest of society. We have to take a look at how diverse society is and begin to have our students, faculty, and staff experience a similar society in their day-to-day activities at Ramapo. We’re in a suburban area, so our number of faculty of color is not as high as colleges in the urban centers of New Jersey. There is also a limited applicant pool in terms of persons of color with Ph.D.s. But if searches are conducted early enough and we cast a wider outreach, I am sure our applicant pool will be as diverse as possible.
RM: What is the benefit of diversity for ALL students?
AC: That’s an enormously important question. First of all, encountering people of backgrounds different from your own helps broaden your perspective on the world. That’s really what a college education is about—enabling you to see the world, not from your individual perspective, but through your reading and through your encounters with different people. The second reason is a very pragmatic one. Students are going to be living and working in the 21st century. By the year 2050, “minority” and “majority” populations are going to be just about in balance. A student who has had the experience of working, living, and sharing with people of color and people of different backgrounds is going to be much more successful in their career.
LE: We have many students who have not attended high school with persons of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Ramapo provides them with the most multicultural environment they’ve experienced in their lifetime. Ramapo has played a major role in changing the mindsets of students, faculty, and staff and how they feel about race, gender, ethnic and national origin, and sexual orientation issues. Diversity is going to play a role in every component of the job market. If the U.S. is going to remain one of the major forces in the world, we’re going to have to utilize the strengths and skills of every person to ensure that they are contributing to the citizenry of this country and also internationally.
