Examine the equity of student access, participation, and satisfaction for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) students throughout the work and offices within the Division of Student Affairs. (Division of Student Affairs)
Progress indicator: Use data collected through the Office of Institutional Research, Analytics, and Consulting’s (IRAC) surveys and College systems to assess student satisfaction, experiences, and services and to understand how this differs by diverse identities. (Begin summer 2021)
Progress indicator update as of June 2021: Student Affairs has begun to lay the foundation for this work to commence in earnest over the summer, starting with an initial inventory of available data from departments, offices, and the Office of Institutional, Research and Consulting (IRAC), as well as a wish list of data we would like to have moving forward. Next steps include finalizing our data inventory and wish list and identifying key indicators of student access, participation, and satisfaction. In tandem, IRAC is building a survey data model that will enable student affairs to much more easily observe longitudinal trends around BIPOC students and their experiences, both for this initiative and as part of our ongoing divisional assessment moving forward.
Develop and sustain DEI programming for all students throughout their time at Bowdoin with a focus on racial justice and on anti-Black racism. (Division of Student Affairs)
- Audit current DEI programming in the Division of Student Affairs.
- Continue to build out first-year DEI programming beyond Orientation.
Progress indicators:
- Understand the current state of DEI programming across student affairs and how students navigate their engagement with DEI work beyond the classroom. (Summer 2021)
- Build out further programming to address gaps. (Fall 2021)
Progress indicator update as of June 2021:
This past spring semester, student affairs developed a framework for evaluating the current state of DEI programming based on the premise that DEI programming is instrumental to achieving our vision for student belonging and cocurricular education. This framework includes a taxonomy of programming, definitions, and goals. Each department and office conducted an inventory of their programming using this framework, and the results are reported in a draft Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming Audit report. Over the summer, student affairs will finalize the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Audit report and our internal findings, as well as develop a communications and engagement roadmap for the 2021–2022 academic year.
To date, 93 percent of students have participated in the DiversityEdu foundational courses. The incoming class of 2025 will also take the DiversityEdu courses by the end of the fall semester. All students who have completed the DiversityEdu course will have access to the course materials and modules through January 2022 so that they may revisit the material any time.
The inclusion and diversity team in student affairs is continuing to expand first-year orientation programming using last year’s pilot pre-orientation session, Black Lives Matter: A Learning Opportunity. This program will be available to all incoming students one week before the move-in date. The team is also creating a Social Justice Leadership Institute (SJLI) in order to streamline workshops and education around social justice topics into a single format. SJLI will serve as the foundation for anti-racism education for all student leaders, including those in residential life, inclusion and diversity, the McKeen Center, and the Bowdoin Outing Club. There will be significant outreach to first-year students this year to participate in the program.
Review the student experience in navigating the process of applying for and receiving student aid and develop a plan to further support students in this process. (Office of Admissions and Student Aid)
Progress indicator: An analysis of the student aid experience will be developed. (June 2021)
Progress indicator update as of June 2021: Our work to review and understand the experience of applying for and receiving aid remains ongoing. To date, we have:
- identified opportunities to further support students who are selected by the government for the federal verification process; and
- we have gathered information and continue to seek opportunities to clarify student aid awards so that students and families can better understand both the grant aid from Bowdoin and any contributions that are due each year from students or families.
Begin a pilot program to accept community college transfer students. (Office of Admissions and Student Aid, Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs)
Progress indicator: Commit to an American Talent Initiative pilot to develop a pathway for the recruitment, selection, and enrollment of low-income transfer students from community colleges, and develop a coordinated plan for enrollment. (Spring 2021)
Progress indicator update as of June 2021: Bowdoin joined the Transfer Scholars Network (TSN), which is coordinated by ATI and was highlighted in the public program launch in the spring of 2021. Participating in TSN requires specialized communication and admissions support. As part of Bowdoin’s annual transfer admission process, admissions will recruit and review applicants who have been nominated by TSN.
Also, in spring 2021, the Bowdoin faculty voted to remove the blanket prohibition on the transfer of community college credit. Requests for community college transfer credit will now go through the regular transfer credit channels.
Increase the number of BIPOC students participating in the investments office intern program and create opportunities for investments office staff to speak to BIPOC students about the internship program, as well as about careers in the finance industry. (Investments)
Progress indicators:
- An increase in the number of BIPOC student applicants and hires for the program. (June 2021)
- Will have hosted at least one virtual open house, with the team available for one-on-one conversations with interested candidates. (June 2021)
Progress indicator update as of June 2021: The Investments Office held events to generate BIPOC student interest, applications, and hires for its internship programs. These included a break-out session about careers in finance for the Office of Career Exploration and Development’s (CXD) “Sophomore Bootcamp” and working with THRIVE students from all class years and student affinity groups (e.g., Bowdoin Women in Business, Smart Woman Securities, the Black Student Union, Latin American Student Organization) to promote its internship opening. The office also held an information session for THRIVE students to discuss some of the professional paths available to students interested in the field and held an open house/town hall for students interested in applying for the investment internship. Additionally, staff have mentored several BIPOC students in connection with their non-Bowdoin summer internship plans.