BBCC Student Feedback on DEI Strategic Plan, Winter 2023

Students provided their feedback on BBCC’s DEI Strategic Plan in winter 2023. There were five groups of students who discussed each of the five DEI goals. Groups were designed to have a student from academic transfer, workforce, and BEdA (Basic Education for Adults). Group B was the only group where the academic transfer and workforce students were not able to attend. The following is a summary of students’ feedback.

Goal A: Culturally Appropriate Student Outreach Program - The goal is to create a culturally appropriate student outreach program that will increase enrollment and retention rates of underrepresented students. Questions for students focused on how to best reach out to these students and what strategies could be used to make them feel more included and supported.

• Promote why BBCC is different at high schools and at community events, have campus tours that show potential students it is possible for them to attend
• Provide financial resources information with a step by step guide to enrolling
• Deliver information through videos of real people and their stories not just information - use Tik Tok, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch
• Send text notifications about campus events
• Have places to hang out with ping pong tables and TVs - a place to relax between classes
• Help with educational planning and learning about campus events (Counseling and WES (Workforce Education Services) are good at this.)

Goal B: Supporting Academic Success for Students - The goal is to provide resources and support for students to ensure academic success. Questions for students focused on what types of resources would help students succeed academically; student participation in student government; how to make resources accessible to all students; and how to build students’ sense of community. (This group consisted of ESL Ukrainian students only.)

• Learn about a little about students’ cultures
• Participation in student government is difficult because their focus is to learn English and find work as soon as possible
• Better placement in ESL classes would help students progress faster
• Have student mentors or staff who speak the students’ languages; written information could be in Ukrainian or Russian (the younger generation speak both languages)
• Incorporate activities where families can come and bring community resources in
• Hold gatherings where all ESL students can meet each other

Goal C: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Diverse Faculty and Staff - The goal is to recruit, hire, and retain a diverse faculty and staff. Questions for students focused on recruitment strategies to attract and retain a diverse faculty and staff, and what competencies employees need.

• Recruit at job fairs in different regions, offer bonuses to move to Moses Lake, have a statement about diverse backgrounds on job postings
• Seeing people of the same culture makes students feel at ease
• Understand the neighborhoods, family cultures; basic understanding of cultural history
• Learn about resources: laptops, Viking Food Pantry, PTSD resources, if resources are explained in class, students don’t feel singled out
• Give students grace - there may be a lack of internet, and resources; life situations occur
• Retain staff by treating them well - this flows down to students, provide welcoming spaces, support employees obtaining higher degrees; give space for anonymous concerns

Goal D: People and Leader Development - The goal is to develop people and leaders who are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Questions for students focused on what competencies faculty and staff need; what learning opportunities faculty and staff need; and what students wished faculty and staff knew about their cultures.

• Develop a competencies framework for faculty and staff that includes patience, empathy, being non-judgmental, and includes knowledge of mental health and where to direct students
• Learn students’ cultural backgrounds, including tribal backgrounds, the LGBTQ community, generational differences
• Teach to different learning styles and take time to help students understand assignments
• Recognize that low-income students have more issues; if staff are accepting, students feel more comfortable
• Direct students to the library, STEM Center, and Writing Centers for academic support

Goal E: Inclusive Campus Community - The goal is to build and maintain a welcoming, supportive, and culturally affirming environment. Questions for students focused on ways to improve signage, celebrating students and employees’ cultures, services needed in multiple languages, and where students want gathering spaces.

• Post maps inside and outside of buildings with a “you are here”, art or sculptures would make the buildings more recognizable, the building numbers don’t make sense, and building hours should be posted
• Celebrate different cultures with events that include art, food, music, etc. where all generations of the family can attend
• Have information available in Ukrainian and Spanish at key points
• Add “fun stuff” and chairs (upstairs) to the WEC building
• Add things like a foosball or pool tables to the cafeteria - food would bring students in, find a way to sell cheap popsicles or just something fun