SR 20-09 - Resolution to Adopt Shared Definitions to Foster a Campus Culture to Advance Inclusive Excellence

WHEREAS in 2011, the Academic Senate Approved Resolution # SR 11-03 that stated its commitment to “Advance the Ethnic and Racial Diversity of Faculty, Staff and Administrators from Historically Underrepresented Groups;” and

WHEREAS in 2016, the Academic Senate approved Resolution # SR 16-01, “Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Civil Discourse within our Diverse Campus Community”, which resolved that the faculty of CSU Channel Islands reaffirmed their embrace of equity and inclusion; their commitment to diversity as a source of renewal, vitality, strength, and enhanced collective intellectual capacity; their commitment to facilitating learning in the classroom, on campus, and in the community; and their roles in securing a safe learning environment for all of our students; and

WHEREAS in May 12, 2020, the Academic Senate approved Resolution #SR 19-05 “Condemning the Increase in Hate Crimes Related to COVID-19”; and

WHEREAS the California Faculty Association since 2016 has organized Equity Conferences, produced Equity Reports, and organized unconscious bias workshops with working definitions; and

WHEREAS in 2020, the Academic Senate approved the formation of an Anti-Racist, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Standing Committee; Senate Black Lives Matter Resolution Task Force; Cluster Hiring and Equity Handbook Task Force; and

WHEREAS the 2018-2023 Strategic Initiative on Inclusive Excellence calls for building “a shared understanding of inclusive excellence that includes the development of operational definitions”; and

WHEREAS the campus shared definitions are a direct result of this commitment for utilization across our campus by students, staff, and faculty as a whole; and

WHEREAS we acknowledge that these definitions have been researched, discussed in campus wide brown bags, meetings with staff, faculty and student groups, and adopted by President Beck; and

WHEREAS we recognize these campus wide definitions are a living document that may be revised and added to according to the relevant literature in the field during the life of our campus; and

WHEREAS shared definitions are designed to protect those with less power by formalizing the campus commitment to sustaining a positive and productive environment; and

WHEREAS we acknowledge that having campus wide definitions is essential to the transformation of our campus to a culture and climate that is just, equitable, and inclusive to all students, staff, faculty, and the visiting community; and

WHEREAS we acknowledge that faculty evaluations are performed as dictated by the Program Personnel Standards for Tenure-Track faculty, and by Academic Senate Policy 12-10 for Lecturer faculty;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Academic Senate at CSUCI agrees to utilize these campus wide definitions in our classrooms, meetings, initiatives, and all areas of campus life; forthe purpose of supporting all members of the campus community in the development of more equity- producing practices; and further

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, having shared understandings of what key words mean will not change existing language, policies or procedures for evaluating, assessing, or judging individual faculty performance, but to be used as a model of common language that all members of the campus community will strive for in our shared quest for ensuring an equitable and inclusive campus culture; and further

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, we recognize that definitions and terminology revisions are expected as we gain new knowledge and research emerges. Therefore, any suggested changes to the current definitions or additional terminology proposed, that have been researched and supported by experts, will be sent to related Senate committees for review, consensus, and approval and then forwarded to the President and the President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence for campus-wide input. Any proposed changes will then be returned to the Faculty Senate for consensus voting; and further

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, the Academic Senate will amend its bylaws to add the aforementioned charge to relevant Senate committees; and further

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, the Academic Senate of California State University Channel Islands adopts the Shared Definitions as a living document and supports the intentions and processes described above for reevaluating and amending them.

Supporting documents:
1. President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence Shared Definitions (revised 11-23-2020)