Purpose from By-Laws: In an advisory capacity, the Commission evaluates and works to improve issues related to gender equity and diversity on Montana State University's four campuses.

It is the Commission's pledge to facilitate the creation and sustainability of an environment of accountability, integrity, and optimism through collaboration between and among the MSU campuses, ensuring an atmosphere of equity, support, and balance. Through its continued efforts, the Commission will work toward the discovery and elimination of institutional barriers to the success of women and inspire women to become leaders, problem solvers, and innovators making meaningful contributions to MSU, the state of Montana, and society at large.

Plan for 2015 - 2020

Strategic Plan: This strategic plan is intended to guide the activities and goals of the President’s Commission on the Status of University Women from 2015 – 2020. The plan reflects the transition that will take place from the current ADVANCE program to the three–year, post-ADVANCE period during which an initial set of commitments has been made by the University Administration. The PCOSUW was founded prior to the award of MSU’s NSF-ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant, providing one sign of “readiness” to implement a $3.5 million, 5 year culture change grant. The PCOSUW Executive Committee has served as the ADVANCE Internal Advisory Board for the life of the grant, and when the grant comes to an end in 2017 the PCOSUW is positioned to sustain the principles of ADVANCE, by maintaining certain key functions as noted in the Strategic Plan below.

Goal 1: Engage in ongoing monitoring and assessment of gender equity and inclusivity within the MSU System.

Strategy 1: Work with appropriate partners (e.g. Affirmative Action and/or HR offices on each campus), to assess gender equity for all employee categories.

  • Activity 1: Assemble existing gender data.
  • Activity 2: Identify appropriate internal benchmarks for success.
  • Activity 3: Create easily interpreted reports and disseminate findings.


Strategy 2: Conduct a systematic assessment of university policies for unintended bias or adverse effects on women and diverse communities.

  • Activity 1: Clarify and establish a structure and process for evaluating all university policies.
  • Activity 2: Advocate for and help guide appropriate policy changes and implementation.
  • Activity 3: Publicize policy review portal.

 

Strategy 3: Regularly conduct a MSU system-wide evaluation of gender inclusiveness through climate studies.

  • Activity 1: Collect and analyze annual department head and director self studies.
  • Activity 2: Collaborate with University OPA on other surveys which might contain relevant data on equity.

Goal 2: Lead a collaborative effort within and among key stakeholders and partners and actively participate in shared governance.

Strategy 1: Identify and collect resources and efforts regarding inclusion and diversity at MSU.

  • Activity 1: Conduct diversity mapping of MSU.
  • Activity 2: Identify proactive strategies to disseminate this information.
  • Activity 3: Identify point people on every MSU campus to facilitate information sharing as it relates to efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Strategy 2: Identify and build partnerships with key stakeholders through communication and collaboration.

  • Activity 1: Through the creation of a diversity task force, examine diversity on campus and the role of the commission in addressing these diversity issues.
  • Activity 2: Invite governance groups and commission representatives to Executive Committee Meetings to participate in conversations around challenges and opportunities specific to their governance groups.

Goal 3: Improve campus climate through education, visibility and the celebration of gender equity and inclusion in the MSU system.

Strategy 1: Promote and host workshops, focus groups, webinars and other educational opportunities to foster equity and inclusion across campuses.

  • Activity 1: Create a PCOSUW Speaker series and programming that will carry on the legacy of ADVANCE and endorse other events as appropriate.
  • Activity 2: Act in an advisory role to integrate content about diversity, equity and inclusion into HR and Professional Development trainings.
  • Activity 3: Broadly advertise and encourage all administrators, faculty, staff and students to attend inclusion trainings provided by appropriate campus units such as OIE, DAO and other such units.
  • Activity 4: Serve as an advisory board for the Equity Advocate Program.

Strategy 2: Communicate tools and systems, such as the Bias Incident Reporting System and Policy Review Portal, which are available to make campus more inclusive.

  • Activity 1: Disseminate award opportunities and solicit nominations via MSU Today, the PCOSUW Website, and listserv.
  • Activity 2: Work with communications committee and office to develop strategies for branding and outreach to publicize commission.

Strategy 3: Expand efforts to recognize students, staff and faculty at MSU who are promoting equity and inclusion.

  • Activity 1: Collaborate with Center for Faculty Excellence, HR, and individual Colleges to communicate the importance of diversity in the nomination process.

Plan for 2012 - 2015

Goal 1: Engage in ongoing monitoring and assessment of gender equity and inclusivity within the MSU System.

Strategy 1: Working with appropriate partners (e.g. Affirmative Action and/or HR offices on each campus), assess genderequity for all employee categories.

    • Activity: Assemble existing gender and diversity data.
    • Activity: Identify appropriate external benchmarks for success.
    • Activity: Create easily interpreted reports and disseminate findings.

Strategy 2: Conduct a systematic assessment of university policies for unintended bias or adverse effects on women and diverse communities.

    • Activity: Participate in the 3 year Legal Council policy reviews.
    • Activity: Flag specific policies that may need closer review.
    • Activity: Create a process for the university community, organizations, and groups to suggest to the commission policies they believe need review.

Strategy 3: Conduct an MSU system-wide evaluation of gender equity and inclusiveness through a climate study.

    • Activity: Develop or adapt an assessment instrument that will enable widespread participation and reliable results.

Goal 2: Lead a collaborative effort within and among key stakeholders and partners and actively participate in shared governance.

Strategy 1: Serve as a central clearinghouse for efforts on inclusion and diversity.

    • Activity: Create an online clearinghouse of activities, resources, and partner organizations.

Strategy 2: Identify and build partnerships with key stakeholders through communication and collaboration.

    • Activity: Ensure commission seeks and provides input to key University-wide committees.
    • Activity: Work with employee governance groups, offering expertise and resources on gender equity issues.

Strategy 3: Maintain a strong relationship with the University Vice Presidents, Deans, and other Leadership Positions.

    • Activity: Advise the President and campus on gender issues through a widely distributed annual report.

Goal 3: Improve campus climate through education, visibility and the celebration of gender equity and diversity in the MSU system.

Strategy 1: Promote and host workshops, focus groups, webinars and other educational opportunities to foster awareness of unconscious bias.

    • Activity: Work in collaboration with current MSU system offices that provide training to employees.

Strategy 2: Develop a centralized resource of information on gender equity and diversity.

Strategy 3: Investigate a mechanism for an award structure that recognizes success in increasing and supporting diversity and people who promote diversity within the MSU system.

    • Activity: Include a list of award winners in areas related to gender equity and inclusiveness in the annual report to the President.
    • Activity: Link to other gender equity programs’ highlights and award winners.
    • Activity: Increase gender equity in applications of current campus awards.

*Note: All data gathering and information requests should include web based and non-computer based approaches to ensure all employee voices are heard.