Appendix D: Department of Campus Operations and Human Resources
Nov. 10, 2020
Brandeis University must be critical, thoughtful and deliberate in its efforts to promote a culture of diversity and equity, to respect and celebrate our differences and to uphold a relentless and unwavering pursuit of justice and fairness in our actions to end systemic racism.
Our identity as an institution of higher learning, and a university grounded by social justice, has an impact well beyond the borders of our campus — an impact that we can shape. We must recognize and acknowledge that we are not all the same, that recognizing, valuing and celebrating our differences is what makes our University and our world stronger. Our efforts to end systemic racism must be based on real action and serious dialogue about instituting wholesale change to dismantle chronic racism and injustice on our campus.
We recognize that these actions must include work to create meaningful and immediate change at Brandeis. For many years, we have supported diversity, equity, and inclusion in our declarations and documents; we must act more deeply and decisively in ways that lead to systemic change. We must commit to doing so in a sustained way and not only in response to a moment of national crisis.
It is with these principles in mind, that we offer the following action plan with a focus on the Brandeis culture, our people, our operations and the future state of our Public Safety department.
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Goal
Embed Brandeis’s commitment to mitigate systemic racism and bias into the mission and culture of the University. Strive to create a culture that is overtly welcoming and safe for everyone on campus. Make this part of our identity and “DNA.”
Actions
- In partnership with a culture committee [staff, or faculty and staff], identify specific and measurable actions to prevent systemic racism and make these actions a fundamental tenet of the University’s culture initiative. Cultivate an environment where it’s impossible for systemic racism and bias of any sort to sprout or thrive.
- Strengthen the University’s commitment and policies that systemic racism and bias, in any form, will never be overlooked, excused or tolerated. Create a zero-tolerance corrective action protocol for managing cases of systemic racism.
- Create a program that provides mentoring and sponsorships for minority talent. Teach managers and leaders how to build and manage networks to help underrepresented talent to perform, develop and advance.
- In partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, expand the diversity training, implemented in 2019 for Finance and Administration areas, to provide mandatory anti-bias training for all employees and students.
- Enhance communication methods to all University populations to remove language barriers for key University communications, informational emails, employment services and benefits information.
Goal
Significantly and measurably expand the diversity of our employees – faculty, staff and administrators - with particular focus on Black, Indigenous and people of color.
Actions
- Implement ‘bias interrupters’ into the recruiting process to identify and mitigate the potential for bias in any form:
- Use software to screen applicants instead of humans;
- Reduce referral hiring;
- Ask every applicant the same, pre-set interview questions, making sure they are free of nuances that only certain groups would understand;
- Implement “blind search” protocols: asking applicants to omit their names and the names of their schools from their resumes.
- Create a network of sources to recruit a diverse candidate pool and develop partnerships with external organizations and affinity groups that represent diverse candidates and/or college graduates. Focus recruiting efforts at career centers or technical schools or colleges.
- Create and implement training for managers and hiring committees for best practices in recruiting, developing competency-based interview questions and ensuring diversity in the process and candidate pool.
- Create an in-house talent development program by establishing entry-level and mid-level positions that can be groomed, with appropriate mentorship and further training, into positions of greater responsibility within the University.
- Provide flexibility in the application process by allowing paper job postings for candidates that have no access to technology.
- Implement competencies associated with diversity and inclusion into performance reviews as well as competencies based on soft skills, like fostering teamwork, getting along with others and managing bias.
- In partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, create metrics for retention and promotion of minorities, and ensure individual development plans are in place and being implemented.
Goal
Adjust and implement change in our operations to drive equity and fairness for all in our community.
Actions
- Given the importance of food to creating and sustaining an authentically welcoming environment, track the diversity in food offerings available throughout campus in the dining halls, retail venues, and in catered events based on data provided by the food service vendor and through satisfaction surveys conducted each semester.
- Create a process to ensure an equitable allocation of university resources to departments, research centers, and especially student groups – e.g., leadership, funding, space, administrative time, events etc. – in order to address and eliminate systemic racism across student groups.
- Develop and communicate diversity metrics and dashboard data to help the University manage diversity goals and commitments.
- Review University policies, both formal and informal, to identify and enhance existing procedures or protocols to support diversity, equity and inclusion and eliminate the potential for racism or bias in any form.
Goal
To build upon safety-related changes over the past year, we will undertake a process this upcoming year to re-imagine the role of public safety at Brandeis, including a search for the next director of public safety. Our goal will be to prioritize increased departmental transparency and accountability, greater communication, enhanced training, and updated response protocols. We must ensure that safety can be equally guaranteed and afforded to each member of our community as part of a university-wide approach to address racism within our campus.
Recent Actions
- In response to the requests by ‘Still Concerned Students’ in spring 2019.
- Student monitors are now assigned to oversee the safety of on-campus events rather than uniformed police officers.
- Weekday shuttle runs to Market Basket were added to the Transportation program and the campus shuttle schedule was extended to 2AM on weekdays.
- An unmarked car is available to the Department of Community Living to provide students with a comfortable arrangement for routine, non-emergency related transportation to urgent care and the hospital.
Upcoming Actions
- In preparation for new leadership in Public Safety, Brandeis will soon go through a process of reflection and action by assessing the department’s policies, approaches, functions. The process will include broad outreach for feedback on the perception of public safety, beginning with community input sessions facilitated by independent experts in campus policing who have a deep appreciation for the national dialogue underway regarding the role of race and policing. This will be an important opportunity for Brandeis to consider new structures such as a police oversight board and alternatives to existing policies such as police response to room lock outs.
- Based upon the findings of the assessment and community feedback from the re-imagining process, a blueprint will be developed from which a new director of public safety can draw upon in realizing their vision for the future of Brandeis public safety.
- A search committee will work with an executive search firm to recruit the next director of public safety and chief of police. Committee membership will include representatives from the board, faculty, students, and staff, including the Chief Diversity Officer, Black Action Plan, and others who represent the diversity of our campus community. The job description will be informed by the community input and assessment effort. Finalist candidates will have an opportunity to meet with the community before the selection process is completed.
- University leadership will continue to meet with student groups that represent student organizations who advocate for Black people and People of Color to collaborate on ideas for improvements in campus safety and security.