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College of Design

Programmatic DEI Activities

Activities for 2022:

Activities for 2021:

In 2021, the DEI Task Force has completed the following goals and activities. Work in some areas remains ongoing.

  • Approved ancestral lands affirmation statement, DEI mission statement and timeline.
  • Explored and drafted measurable goals for the college to be included in the next strategic plan.
  • Formed a Diversity Initiative Fund committee to address the use of Diversity Initiative gift account funds. Outcomes included:
    • Purchasing software supporting engagement between the Design Lab and the National Achievers Society.
    • Supporting a Privilege Walk led by Dr. Thomas Easley, Assistant Dean of Community and Inclusion at the Yale School of the Environment. Dr. Easley led the walk in the Yarborough Court yard and then led a combination in-person and remote discussion and reflection session, exploring our hidden and unhidden biases and privileges.
    • Developing a DEI student initiative grant supporting 3 grants up to $1,000 each. Students apply through student groups to support inclusive, welcoming projects to support all members of the student body with a focus on US/URM students.
  • Developed a survey to capture attitudes, perceptions and experiences of the college community addressing measurable goals for the college. The survey needs to be piloted.

College Diversity Review

  • The college reviewed faculty salaries for pay equity, tenure track positions filled by underrepresented minorities, and promotion of URM faculty through the ranks and into administration. This resulted in one equity-based salary adjustment.
  • 28% of our students identified as underrepresented minorities (URM) in 2021, compared to 18% URM students in 2011.
  • 32% of tenured and tenure track faculty identified as URM in 2021.
  • Of the 119 active faculty and staff in the college in 2021, 35 (29.4%) identified as URM.
  • 40% of tenured and tenure track and 37% of professional faculty are women in 2021, compared to 34% and 41% in 2011 respectively.

Activities for 2020:

We approached this renewed commitment to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment within our college from several fronts.

1. Design Our Community Task Force:

The Design Our Community task force, led by Associate Dean Sharon Joines, has been charged to address racism, diversity, equity, and inclusivity in the college and its impact on society through design. Dr. Joines created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee with representation from College of Design students, faculty, staff, alumni, and key stakeholders.

Overview of activities:

This task force was started in 2018 to address the challenges faculty and staff felt were being faced by the college. Members of the task force assessed the current situation (what was good and what needed to be changed). We engaged in idea generation and made recommendations for changes. After grouping into common themes, we voted to establish priorities. Then we worked our priorities. As a result of our work, many positive improvements and investments in the college and its community members have been made (a few examples include creating third spaces, addressing acoustics and lighting in several studios and critique spaces, and creating a few policies).

2. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee:

After addressing so many of our goals, Dean Hoversten asked the Design our Community taskforce to address racism, diversity, equity and inclusivity in our college and the impact on society through design. A draft report outlining the Dean’s request and our potential path forward is captured in a document College of Design’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Report.

The first few steps included:

  1. Creating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) sub-committee (within the Design our Community, DOC, task force) with broad representation from students, faculty, staff, and alumni groups. [Summer 2020]
  2. The DOC-DEI will work to review the culture and climate of the college in order to identify strengths and weaknesses; establish priorities to support longtime change; identify gaps in our policies and procedures, and delineate action items to address shortcomings in our culture. [Fall 2020]
  3. The committee will be engaged to create an actionable plan; identify metrics to track progress, and identify related resources that the college may utilize in the near future to effect meaningful change. [Fall 2020]
Membership in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee:

To form the membership of the DOC-DEI, the college asked for self-nominations from faculty, staff, and students. Students self-nominated to their department head, who then made a final selection based on 1) their understanding of the CoD community/their discipline/profession; 2) expression of their commitment to positive change regarding racism, inclusivity, and diversity; and 3) expressed ability to engage in remote collaborative work.

Members of the DOC-DEI were asked to complete NCSU’s Diversity training and contribute to monthly working meetings. Goals of the committee are:

  • Draft a Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which will be reviewed and approved by the college community.
  • The statement of commitment will be added to our strategic plan.
  • Set clear and measurable goals and timelines. The College of Design’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Draft Report also highlights work to be done within the departments, by college community members and by college leadership.
Offer Listening Sessions:

We offered a listening session for students and recent graduates to facilitate open and honest dialogue within our college on August 5, 2020. Questions that were raised as part of the listening session are addressed here.

Q&A from Listening Session 
Unit-Level Goals:

Each college unit will be asked to establish goals and diversity plans to help us move forward together. You can read more about our expected deliverables in a draft version of the College of Design’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Report.