Project plans

 

Strategic initiatives
focusing on UAF's organizational growth:

 

Description:
This initiative addresses the changes needed to ensure that the University of Alaska Fairbanks' curriculum represents the organization's values of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion improving student outcomes and the closure of equity gaps.

Multiyear goal:
UAF has accessibility to curriculum and openness to new ways of thinking and doing with an emphasis on indigenous ways and knowledge. UAF curricula includes strengths-based and meaningful inclusion of DEI; diversity of content, people, and inclusivity of processes.

Year 1 target:
Paused pending work from other teams

  • Project Lead(s):
    • LaVerne Xilegg Demientieff
    • Eileen Harney
  • Project Team Members:
    • Ben Barst
    • Leah Berman
    • Jennifer Carroll
    • Casey McMillan

Year 2 target:
By Sept. 30, 2022, the Curricular Responsiveness Committee will establish a presence at new faculty orientation, hold two faculty open forums on diversity, equity and inclusion, and draft a toolkit focused on awareness and strategies.

  • Project lead(s):
    • LaVerne Xilegg Demientieff
  • Project team members:
    • Retchenda George Bettisworth
    • Eileen Harney
    • Christina Ireton
    • Taniesha Moses
    • Jennifer Tilbury

Year 3 target:
Summarize information from the faculty forum, complete a student forum - based on forum outcomes design next steps.

  • Project lead(s):
    • LaVerne Xilegg Demientieff
  • Project team members:
    • Retchenda George Bettisworth
    • Eileen Harney
    • Christina Ireton
    • Amy May
    • Taniesha Moses

Publications:

Description:
UAF is an integral part of the Alaska community and is a leader in the state. Numerous international, national, state, and local movements exist and are building momentum to fight for human rights and create justice. By aligning with existing movements, UAF will support the continued fight for human rights and serve as a role model. Doing so will position UAF to act according to its mission to integrate public service and prepare its community members to be champions of equity and justice.

Multiyear goal:
UAF communicates what we stand for and whom we stand with, has a response process, and has established how we observe, celebrate and support these shared values regarding DEI issues.

Year 1 target:
Paused pending work from other teams

  • Project lead(s):
    • Barb (QasuGlana) Amarok
  • Project team members:
    • Keith Champagne
    • Anna Gagne-Hawes
    • Kel Gitter
    • Jody Marie Hassel
    • Liz La quen náay Kat Saas Medicine Crow
    • Emily Sousa

Year 2 target:
By Sept. 30, 2022, UAF has established an institutional belief and communications framework for DEI-related current events and official observances and celebrations.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Barb (QasuGlana) Amarok
    • Casey McMillan
  • Project team members:
    • Hudson Bolduc
    • Deloodeneenła (Laura Ekada)
    • Anna Gagne-Hawes
    • Michelle Renfrew
    • Emily Sousa
    • Tori Tragis
  • Project advisors:
    • Hannah Harp

Year 3 target:
Continue to establish community partnerships through NDAC, create informational handouts for identified DEIA observances and celebrations, and develop a program to highlight UAF students, staff, and faculty who are championing DEIA-related efforts.

  • Project lead(s): 
    • Barb (QasuGlana) Amarok
    • Casey McMillan
  • Project team members: 
    • Hudson Bolduc
    • Karen Tomasik

Description:
This initiative is intended to secure resources for new and ongoing initiatives and to create new partnerships to further the mission of and communicate about diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion at UAF.

Multiyear goal:
UAF will have a visual resource story map of what exists, what's strong, what's limited and what is needed. The map will evolve and stimulate change.

Year 1 target:
Design existing IDEA needs and resources assessments and story mechanisms

  • Project lead(s):
    • Rosemary Madnick
  • Project team members:
    • Theresa Bakker
    • Emily Ballard
    • Kara Carlson
    • Daisy Huang
    • Casey McMillan
    • Kate Ripley
    • Sarah Stanley
    • Matthew Wooller
Year 2 target:
Moved Year 1 groundwork under Resource Prioritization Initiative.

 

Description:
This is a student-centered initiative that focuses on changes needed to improve access to resources, which in turn will enhance students' experiences at UAF. The success of this initiative will depend on meaningful collaboration with students and authentic guidance during project implementation.

Multiyear goal:
UAF has created an environment that reflects UAF's inclusive culture and thriving community. UAF has a holistic, trauma-informed and culturally responsive student-centered success model that intentionally closes equity gaps.

Year 1 target:
By October 2021, UAF will have approved a plan to modify use of Indigenous terms to reflect accurate spelling and pronunciation, will have secured a graduate student position to lead the creation of student success centers, and will have developed and implemented a comprehensive climate survey.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Ronnie Houchin
  • Project team members:
    • Rich Collins
    • Kendrick Hautala
    • Debbie Mekiana
    • Jackie Morton
    • Kerri Nakamoto
    • Doug Toelle
    • Liam Toney

Year 2 target:
By October 2022, UAF will ensure place names and terms honor and reflect Alaska Native cultures and language, launch identity-centered student success centers, and create action-oriented recommendations from climate survey results.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Ronnie Houchin
  • Project team members:
    • Donald Crocker
    • Margo Griffith
    • Casey McMillan

Year 3 target:
Revise and refine the business case for identity-centered student success centers and seek funding to offer focused student support.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Ronnie Houchin
  • Project team members:
    • Donald Crocker
    • Casey McMillan

 

Internal improvement projects
focused on enhancing UAF's organizational practice and effectiveness and efficiency:

 

Description:
This is a leadership training program focused on the highest levels of leadership. UAF's leaders have larger spheres of influence for decision making compared to others in the organization. It is important that university leaders who hold the organizational authority for change have the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary for making the important decisions and promote institutional bravery to advance UAF's goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Multiyear goal:
All executive leaders are engaged in ongoing learning on key issues related to access, anti-racism, equity, gender identity, inclusion and wellness. Leaders demonstrate understanding of the unique political status of tribal governments and citizenship, and coproduction of knowledge, policies, and values with Indigenous knowledge holders. Leaders actively challenge both the historical roots and the existing frameworks of oppression and injustice in higher education. Leaders amplify the voices of and partner with the community and experienced UAF community members to catalyze institutional and systemic changes.

Year 1 target:
By October 2021, leaders will have engaged in learning and training opportunities, completing the first level of decolonization and anti-racist trainings. Leaders will have hosted internal and external meetings with communities and groups that represent BIPOC, LGBTQ2IA+, and individuals with disabilities to learn about their priorities, interests, opportunities and areas to work on as UAF. An accountability structure will be established for the leaders' learning, training, demonstration of ability (understanding), and application of knowledge and engagement as robust anti-racists, who are allied with with BIPOC, LGBTQ2IA+, and disabled individuals.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Audrey Coble
    • Kendall Newman-Sadiik
    • Sean Asiqłuq Topkok
  • Project team members:
    • Amber Cagwin
    • Kara Carlson
    • Margo Griffith
    • Kelley Lassey
    • Liz La quen náay Kat Saas Medicine Crow
    • Lucille Sands

Year 2 target:
By September 2022, leaders will have completed the second level of decolonization and anti-racist trainings. Leaders will have hosted internal and external meetings with communities and groups that represent BIPOC, LGBTQ2IA+, and individuals with disabilities to learn about their priorities, interests, opportunities and areas to work on at UAF.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Margo Griffith
  • Project team members:
    • Amber Cagwin
    • Casey McMillan
  • Project advisors:
    • Audrey Coble
    • Liz La quen náay Kat Saas Medicine Crow
    • Sean Asiqłuq Topkok

Year 3 target:
Moved Year 1 and 2 groundwork under DEIA Readiness and Capacity Building Initiative.

Description:
UAF must foster an environment that provides for ongoing, purposeful, and systemic dialogues on diversity, equity, and inclusion for direct action increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellness. Intentional efforts must be developed to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion dialogue and action are integrated across the university in a systematic and sustainable manner in order to lay the foundation for changes to these systems.

Multiyear goal:
UAF practice, policy, and culture will model diversity, equity, and inclusion and will embrace challenges through continual dialogue, assessment, and transformation.

Year 1 target:
By October 2021, UAF will have created brave spaces to have critical conversations around issues of racism and identity, power and privilege. UAF will be educating students, staff, faculty, and administrators on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and will have developed the framework for a Workforce Diversity Plan.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Jo Malbert Narváez
  • Project team members:
    • Andrew Aquino
    • Uma Bhatt
    • Kathy Catron
    • Lori Gildehaus
    • Nicole Misarti
    • Mario Muscarella
    • Patricia Sekaquaptewa
    • Tia Tidwell

Year 2 target:
By October 2022, the Readiness and Capacity-Building Team will have created brave spaces, scaffolding and a DEI training model for faculty, staff and students.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Jo Malbert Narváez
  • Project team members:
    • Logan Elliott
    • Lori Gildehaus
    • Hannah Harp
    • Maeve Spiegler

Year 3 target:
Brave Spaces facilitation training established and program piloted. Capacity building through training (framework established and initial trainings held).

  • Project lead(s):
    • Becca Whitman
  • Project team members:
    • Lori Gildehaus
    • Amanda Holmes
    • Erin Morotti
    • Alda Norris
    • Sean Asikłuk Topkok

Description:
Staffing and funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have not been traditionally prioritized to the extent necessary to meet meaningful institutional culture change and compliance requirements. The burden of DEI-related efforts is often placed on the same few individuals when it should be the work expected of everyone. This project will focus on aligning funding, resources and systems to support DEI-enhancement efforts.

Multiyear goal:
By Sept. 30, 2026, UAF will have aligned funding, resources and systems to support DEI-enhancement efforts.

Year 1 target:
Paused in year 1 to allow acquisition of additional resources to complete groundwork

  • Project lead(s):
    • Margo Griffith

Year 2 target:
By Sept. 30, 2022, the Resource Prioritization Committee will have established a DEI-specific funding source, established a philanthropic campaign for DEI-related efforts and proposed a unit-level DEI contact framework to leadership.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Margo Griffith
    • Charlene Stern
  • Project team member(s):
    • Casey McMillan
  • Project advisors:
    • Theresa Bakker
    • Pearl Brower
    • Nickole Conley

Year 3 target:
Coming soon.

  • Project lead(s):
    • Margo Griffith
  • Project team members:
    • Casey McMillan