The TCNJ School of Engineering DEI Ad Hoc Committee was formed in July 2021 with the charge of developing a list of recommended actions to take with respect to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and systemic-racism. The committee made the following list of recommended actions and is pending approval through the School Governance process.
The School of Engineering should form a permanent DEI committee with at least one member from each department, at least one staff member, and at least two student members. The actionable tasks of the committee should be guided by the three pillars outlined by ASEE during the 2021-2022 The Year of Impact on Racial Equity.
- a. Engineering Students
- i. Change student cultures
- ii. Support inclusive peer interactions
- iii. Empower students to be change leaders
- iv. Improve retention of minoritized students
- i. Increase equity in admissions processes
- ii. Improve infrastructure for student support
- iii. Revise promotion and tenure to be more equitable
- i. Increase participation of Black and Brown K-12 students
- ii. Increase comfort of Black and Brown K-12 students
- iii. Improve inclusiveness of engineering outreach activities
b. Faculty and Administrators
c. Pre-College Parents & Guardians
The School of Engineering will conduct an in-depth analysis of first generation college student retention data to identify the barriers to persistence that exist in the 1st year and 2nd year curriculum.
- a. What is the retention rate of first generation college students by department?
b. Are there trends in change of majors during the 1st and 2nd years of study?
c. How does it compare to all none first generation college students
The School of Engineering will conduct an in-depth analysis of female student retention data to identify the barriers to persistence that exist in the 1st year and 2nd year curriculum.
- a. What is the retention rate of female students by department?
b. Are there trends in change of majors during the 1st and 2nd years of study?
c. How does it compare to male students?
The School of Engineering will develop a formal process and programs to help incoming first year students bridge the gap between high school and College
- a. Summer bridge program
b. Support studios
The School of Engineering will continue to host cultural events that allow faculty, students, and staff to experience different cultural traditions related to food, music, and special events.
The School of Engineering will engage the student body with discourse in civility and professionalism.
- a. The Dean will host a conversation at the beginning of the year about the expectations of
civility and what is not tolerated within our professional community
b. The conversation will continue when bias incidents occur
c. The School of Engineering will be transparent about the bias incidents that occur
d. Students, faculty, and staff will have the ability to file complaints within the school of engineering (anonymous when preferred).