MEETINGS of the FULL COMMISSION

September 29, 2016

May 9, 2017

MINUTES Sept. 29, 2016, 11am-12:30pm

1.     Welcome

  1. Introductions (membership attached), and Shout Outs - Around the table introductions were conducted.
  2. President Cruzado remarks - President Cruzado welcomed the group and introduced Dr. Rusty Barcelo, who will be working at Montana State University for the 2016-2017 Academic Year. Dr. Barcelo will be conducting meetings across campus throughout the year to assist MSU in creating a diversity plan.

In addition, President Cruzado introduced Dr. Eric Lopez, the American Council on Education (ACE) Presidential Fellow visiting from U San Antonio where he is the Dean of Education. He will be assisting Dr. Barcelo with diversity efforts on campus.

2.     Vote (ballots)

  1. By-Law changes: Anne Camper led a committee to create the Bylaws. The Commission would like to amend the Bylaws. Ballot and changes below – vote count results indicate unanimous approval to changes.
  2. Call for nominations - New Sub-Committee Chairs: Please think about serving on any subcommittee and notify Camie and Tracy.
    1. Communications Sub-Committee: Deb will still serve on the Committee, but is stepping down as Chair. Sylvia Sparkman volunteered and the group unanimously affirmed her appointment as Communications Sub-Committee Chair.
    2. Policy Review Sub-Committee – Jyl Shaffer was nominated and the group unanimously affirmed her appointment as the Policy Review Sub-Committee Chair.

3. Improving Communication Update

  1. Invitation to reps to present at Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets once a month.
  2. January xx lunch outreach event – save the date – Words Matter – Austin/Bratton/Raile Tracy talked about the Words Matter event that took place on campus. Tracy and Camie are meeting with them to see if they will present to the Commission in January. In addition, they will invite President Cruzado to discuss her participation on the statewide Equal Pay Task

4.     Diversity Inventory Update – Donohue & Shaffer

Ariel Donohue discussed the Diversity Inventory that was created by Katelyn Kalberer, a student who worked in the President’s Office during the 2015-2016 Academic Year. It is posted on the PCOSUW website. If there are any changes or edits needed, please feel free to share them with Ariel Donohue.

5.     Office of Institutional Equity Update – Shaffer

Jyl Shaffer introduced herself and provided an update about the Office of Institutional Equity. James Sletton resigned from his investigator position to be a “stay at home dad.”

6.     ADVANCE Update – Jessi Smith

Jessi circulated a handout regarding ADVANCE. This is Jessi’s first PCOSUW meeting in one year, as she recently returned from sabbatical. This is the last year of ADVANCE. The current coordinator for ADVANCE is Nika Stoop. Jessi talked about the Boot Camps that ADVANCE conducted this year. In addition, Jessi informed the group that Care.com will discontinue at the end of the year. She then talked about the Family Rooms that are campus.

President Cruzado thanked Jessi, Sara and Ian for their incredibly hard work on ADVANCE. 

7.     Highlights from Other MSU campuses

From Joy Honea – MSU Billings – Chair of Social Sciences Department - Joy updated the group that their handbook is being updated. MSU Billings started a women’s faculty caucus. One challenge for MSU Billings is that the campus childcare center was shut down last month. At the Back to School meetings for faculty and staff only two people knew who Office Institutional Equity

Darlene Sellers – MSU Northern – Launched a LGBQT group on campus; childcare on campus was shut down.

8.     Break-out groups for Sub-Committee Goal Setting relative to Strategic Plan

  1. Assessment Committee – Becca Belou provided an update on what the Assessment Committee does on campus.
  2. Communications Committee – Sylvia Sparkman is the new chair, as of 9/29/2016
  3. Nominations – Anne Camper is the one member of this Committee
  4. Policy Review – Jyl Shaffer is the new chair, as of 9/29/16
  5. Recognition Committee – Betsy Danforth - The Committee selects the PSOSUW staff award, as well as the two student awards. The criteria are listed on the website.

PCOSUW BALLOT

September 29, 2016      PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGES

INTENT: Adopt a change to the bylaws to allow Co-Chairs for the PCOSUW, add a Policy Committee, and allowindividuals who are not on the Commission to serve on committees.

Additions to the Bylaws are in RED. Deletions are crossed out.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 2.1 Appointment of Members

Individuals appointed shall be persons interested in and willing to contribute to improving opportunities for women in the University community. Appointed members are responsible for attending scheduled commission meetings and participating on the committee.

The President of the University appoints the chair (or co-chairs) and chair-elect (co-chairs) from the general Commission members.

The Office of the President liaison will maintain a listing of all members and affiliates with their current committee responsibilities, and will make the listing available to all members. The lists will remain current and reflect any changes in membership.

ARTICLE Ill: ELECTIONS

Section 3.1 Election Schedule

The Commission shall elect the at-large Executive Committee members in odd numbered years and replace or change, if needed, the Standing Committee members and chairs in even numbered years. Elections will be held in the Fall semester of each year and the elected members shall take office at the beginning of fall semester.

ARTICLE IV: COMMITTEES

Subsection 4.3.1 Assessment Committee

Purpose:

To review current information/data or collect new data to assist in identifying issues; report general findings. Issues can be raised through the Assessment Committee or by constituent approaches to the commission or liaison contacts, etc.

Members: Committee ChairsFive Representatives are elected from the Commission; members are selected from the campus community.

Subsection 4.3.2 Communication Committee

Purpose:

To increase the visibility of the Commission, promote the purpose and accomplishments of the commission, recommend updates to the web site, and publicize its special programs and eve nts.

Members: Committee Chairs Five Representatives are elected from the Commission;members are selected from the campus community.

Subsection 4.3.3 Recognition Committee

Purpose:

To implement and select the winners of the Commission's recognition awards.

Members:Committee Chairs Five Representatives are elected from the Commissio; members are selected from the campus community.

Subsection 4.3.4 Nominations Committee

Purpose:

To solicit nominations for the executive and standing committee members and to replenish the appointed membership. The past-chair will oversee and handle the process for the Executive and Standing Committee member election processes, new appointed-member nomination and selection process, and changes and amendments to bylaws.

Members: Committee Chair is Past -chair/ co-chair of PCOSUW; members are selected by the Committee Chair from the Commission.

Subsection 4.3.5 Policy Review Committee

Purpose:

To engage in on-going reactive and proactive policy review to identify current policies that need revision as well as suggest new policies, consistent with the PCOSUW mission of ensuring an atmosphere of equity, support and balance.

Members: Committee Chairs are elected from the Commission; members are selected by the Committee Chair from the campus community. 

 

                        I vote to adopt the changes as noted above

                        I vote against the proposed changes above

 

MINUTES May 9, 2017, 2:00 - 3:30 pm

1.     Welcome

President Waded Cruzado called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.  She thanked Eric Lopez, ACE Fellow and Rusty Barcelo, visiting diversity advisor, for their work on creating a diversity statement this year.  They have done an amazing job!  Thank you to Tracy Sterling and Camie Bechtold for their incredible service as Co-Chairs for this year.  President Cruzado then offered her sincerest gratitude to Dean Brett Gunnink for agreeing to serve as the Co-Chair, with Becca Belou, of the PCOSUW for the 2017-2018 academic year.  He has transformed the College of Engineering in terms of representation of women in his College.  Thank you to Becca (and Brett), as well, for saying yes to this charge as Co-Chair.

Brett asked to make a few comments.  He feels grateful and humbled to be asked to participate in this organization.

The Commission then conducted around-the-table introductions.

2. Update on Diversity Summits & Charrette Activity

President Waded Cruzado introduced Eric Lopez as our ACE Fellow and instrumental player in the diversity efforts that have taken place this year, alongside Rusty Barcelo. 

Eric Lopez thanked President Cruzado for accepting him as a Fellow this year. 

The Diversity Awareness Committee has expanded from 10 members to 15 members this year. 

On April 12, 2017, there was a Diversity Charrette held on campus in order to get input from students, faculty and staff on campus on a diversity statement for MSU.  Helpful information for the diversity efforts can be found here:  http://www.montana.edu/diversitysummit/index.html

 

There will be a follow-up meeting for the Advisory Committee on May 22nd to discuss the results of the Charrette.  A recommendation will be shared with President Cruzado in early June in a Diversity and Inclusion Framework Report.

Camie thanked Eric for all the work and transparency he has shared about this process.

3. Annual Review of Commission              Camie Bechtold/Tracy Sterling

  1.  Overview: Tracy Sterling thanked everyone for the hard work that they did putting forth nominations for awards this year. 

Accomplishments include the following:

  • Strategic Planning Retreat for 2015-2020
  • Facilitated PCOSUW Awards
  • Created Policy Review Process
  • Assessed Department Head Diversity Self-studies
  • Posted Diversity Inventory
  • Met with Constituents, including WFC, HR, OIE, Faculty Senate, ASMSU, DHs, ACE Fellow, Professional Council, MSU Extension
  • Sponsored events:
  • Diversity & Inclusion Speaker, Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin for Self-Study Department Head Workshop
  • Co-sponosred with Women’s Center, Anita Sarkeesian; and with Leadership Institute, Irshad Manji; and with CFE, “The Implicit Bias Trap”
  • “Resources for Talking about Workplace and Pay Equity” presentation and panel
  • TBD Event with Ariel Donohue re: LGBQT

Tracy welcomed Kylar Clifton, as the newly elected ASMSU President, to the Commission.

b. Committee Reports

  • Assessment – Becca Belou shared an update about Assessment and the data that has been analaysized and compiled this year.  We are ahead of the game here!
  • Communications – Yvonne Rudman has a concusion, so Deb Redburn has been working on this committee keep the website up-to-date. She has done an amazing job!
  • Nominations – Camper
  • Policy – Shaffer: Common-hour exam policy has been worked on this year.  MSU does not have a policy for students who are pregnant.  She is recommending to the Committee that it work on a policy for this protected group on campus.
  • Recognition – Betsy Danforth handed out the bios of the faculty/staff and student who received the PCOSUW scholarships.   We received seven nominations this year.
  • ADVANCE Project TRACS – Smith

 c. Campus Reports

  • Billings – Honea: Joy provided updates from Billings.  They have established a Women’s Faculty Caucus on their campus.  It is going very well and they meet monthly.  In 2012, a Women and Gender Studies Center was approved by BOR, but without any funding.  The Center has a Foundation account, as well as an Index with a budget, so they are pleased with this news.
  • Great Falls – Bonilla: Great Falls College was not in attendance as this meeting.
  • Northern – Sellers: MSU Northern was not in attendance as this meeting, but Darlene Sellers sent an update via Camie Bechtold.  Get email from Camie.

d. Review of Membership: Tracy asked if the Commission could approve September’s minutes.  The minutes were approved unanimously.

e. Strategic Plan Progress /Accomplishments: Camie introduced the summary document of the strategic plan.

4. Break out for Sub-Committee goal setting

Each group met for 15 minutes.

  1. Assessment
  2. Communications
  3. Nominations
  4. Policy
  5. Recognition