SJSU's Initiatives, Activities and Programs

In order to build organizational capacity on making progress on addressing systemic racism at SJSU, there will be initiatives that span across the institution. However, for organizational change to happen at a basic operational level, many initiatives need to be tailored specifically to the needs, daily responsibilities, daily activities, and arenas of work and education of everyone in our Spartan community. Below are the initiatives, activities, and programs designed for specific categories of employees and for students. 

We have also begun the process of addressing specific concerns related to:


Students

Broadening recruitment efforts

Work with the CSU Chancellor’s Office to expand our recruitment to areas where more underrepresented students, in particular Black students, may benefit from an SJSU education. Student applicants within formal recruitment boundaries receive bonus admissions value within CSU application system.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

Improve housing availability

Expand residential housing initiatives for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, such as the Black Scholars Floor and other learning communities and themed floors.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

Increase community-building

Designate funds in Student Affairs for large-scale student programming to build community and increase sense of belonging for the Black Spartan community.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

Grow pre-matriculation programming

Implement a summer bridge program which focuses on preparing incoming Black Spartans for their SJSU experience, and serves to increase student retention.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Ongoing."


Faculty

New strategies in faculty hiring

Increase tenure/tenure-track cluster hires and focused full-time lecturer positions in fields of expertise (e.g., underrepresented communities  business development)—to increase the number of BIPOC faculty on campus with a particular focus on underrepresented Black, Indigenous, and Latinx faculty.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

New strategies in faculty RTP processes

Develop and implement faculty search committee and RTP evaluation training using a racial justice lens which addresses implicit bias, race, gender, and cultural competence to eliminate inequity within these processes. (Completed; Status graphic goes underneath)

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Complete."

Increased faculty mentoring opportunities

Expand and improve current mentoring activities and leadership opportunities for BIPOC faculty.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

Address and streamline processes

Develop a task force to examine SOTEs and make recommendations that support BIPOC faculty as SOTEs are used in faculty evaluation processes.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."

SJSU Teach Online Summer Certificate Program

In partnership with the Center for Faculty Development, ODEI  developed a 10-hour required module on equity and inclusion in this certificate program. Approximately half of SJSU tenure track/tenured faculty and lecturer faculty have completed the training by Spring 2021. Another 1,000 faculty will be trained Summer 2021.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Ongoing."

Academic research on the intersections of health and racism

Develop a grant process to support this critical area of racial equity in health. This process will further support the research many of our talented and committed faculty members are doing, while infusing new areas of research in a topic that is crucial for our students and community.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."


Staff

Apply a racial equity lens to a review of personnel processes

Conduct a methodical and comprehensive review and restructuring of the key processes in the employee life cycle, including recruitment, orientation, and performance evaluations, to identify practices that promote systemic racism through unconscious bias. (Initiated; Status graphic goes underneath)

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."

Mentoring

Evaluate capacity and resources for expanding and improving our current mentoring activities and leadership opportunities particularly for our BIPOC staff.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Ongoing."

Staff and management training

Expand and enhance training requirements, offering modules identifying and addressing racist micro-aggressions and anti-bias training specific to campus roles and responsibilities, began summer 2020. Additional workshops on white privilege and systemic racial oppression, and dialogistic facilitation skills within an equity framework will be developed starting Summer 2021.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Ongoing."

Expanded staff recruitment

Expand recruitment efforts of underrepresented populations by employing targeted outreach through professional and community organizations.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

Implement equitable professional development strategy

Provide professional development opportunities to staff across the campus in an equitable manner.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."


Community

Establish campus committee on DEI

Create and launch the Campus Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which will serve to identify equity gaps and make recommendations to the president on addressing systemic historical inequities on an annual basis.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Completed."

Expanded targeted community partnerships

Expand community partnerships through development of intentional collaborations with BIPOC community based organizations.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."


Alumni and SJSU History

The legacy of Tommie Smith and John Carlos

Remedy SJSU’s incomplete representation of the legacy of two of the world’s most celebrated Black athletes and activists, Tommie Smith and John Carlos. They were, in fact, subjected to serious racist discrimination upon their return from the 1968 Olympic Games, a fact not well acknowledged.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "In Progress."

SJSU's history with race

Develop a physical display and interactive environment that explores SJSU’s complex history with race in an authentic and honest way.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."


Leadership

Develop comprehensive action plans

Task members of the President’s Leadership Council to develop and implement action plans which target systemic racism and address each division, department, and campus operation.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Ongoing."


Resources

Applying a racial equity lens

Evaluate and review processes of SJSU’s endowments, scholarships and other funding mechanisms.

Progress Status: 
Progress bar status indicating "Initiated."