Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Plan 2023-2028

President’s Message

Big Bend Community College’s mission is “Serve as a Bridge, Stand as a Leader, and Support for Success.” This mission is the driving force behind the delivery of instruction, services, and supports for our students and employees. We can only live into our mission if we truly know and understand ourselves, each other and the students we serve. The DEI Strategic Plan is a reflection of our college community’s commitment to be welcoming, supportive, and culturally affirming to all persons.

We are building a community where all persons feel honored, respected, and valued for their unique identities, cultures, abilities, and expressions. The multiple expressions of diversity within the Big Bend community include race; ethnicity; culture and cultural perspective; physical, mental and emotional abilities; gender expression; veteran status; religion; and LGBTQ identification. Many of our students and/or their families are immigrants, refugees, DREAMers, or naturalized citizens including entire households where a language other than English is primarily spoken at home. A pride point for Big Bend is that many of our students and employees are first-generation—meaning they did not have a parent complete a baccalaureate degree. I want to emphasize that the diversity among us is our college’s primary asset—an asset that we want to respect, nurture, and meaningfully engage.

We must actively resist complacency that results in the perpetuation of a dominant culture that is monolithic and marginalizing. We strive to recognize, value, and celebrate the unique cultures and individuals represented in our college. Each of us deserves to be safe, free, and supported on our campus, in the classroom, and while participating in activities and programs.

This DEI Strategic plan is an ardent, sincere effort to ensure an environment that is welcoming, supporting and culturally validating. This DEI Strategic plan is built on reflective and on-going efforts to consider how we might conduct business, instruct classes, work together, and deliver programs, supports and services in welcoming, supportive, and validating ways. This DEI Strategic plan creates a process by which we can each do that work within ourselves, our departments, and our divisions for the good of the college. In so doing, employees and students can meaningfully contribute and enrich the diverse community in which we live.

Welcome to Big Bend! ¡Bienvenidos! Ми вітаємо вас

Sincerely,

Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy

President of Big Bend Community College

 

Vision

Be our community’s first choice to dream, learn and succeed.

Mission

Serve as a Bridge

Stand as a Leader

Support for Success

Guiding Principles

Honor our Role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Advocate for Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity

Embrace our Workplace Norms

Innovate Proactively

Model Integrity

Educate All

 

 

Introduction

Big Bend Community College, a federally recognized Hispanic-serving institution, has a tremendous opportunity to improve the lives of our service district members by breaking down barriers to equity in their community college. This means broadening our inherent connectedness and demonstrating the value of the rich culture and diversity of our service district, the Columbia Basin of Central Washington, as our greatest asset.

We play a crucial role in creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce by building a faculty and staff that look like the students and communities we serve and fully committing to placing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of our work. BBCC is taking giant leaps toward a system that truly works for our students. This is a work in progress and BBCC pledges to continue to build a better, more inclusive learning and working environment for our treasured students, faculty, and staff.

History

Big Bend Community College was authorized by the Washington State Board of Education in 1961. Beginning fall quarter 1962 BBCC held its first regular classes at night in Moses Lake High School. The college opened classes in a new facility located a short distance southeast of the city of Moses Lake fall quarter 1963.

In 1966, BBCC acquired a 159-acre tract of land on the former Larson Air Force Base, which became the permanent college campus for all programs in 1975. The Washington State Legislature’s Community College Act of 1967 designated Big Bend Community College as District 18 of the state community college system.

Today, BBCC is one of thirty-four community and technical colleges in Washington State. The college’s service district covers 4,600 square miles including all of Grant and Adams counties, the Odessa School District, and a portion of Lincoln County. Campus and distance learning sites serve 3,437 full-time and part-time students. The college also serves a large number of Adult Basic Education and Running Start students.

Big Bend is accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities. The purpose, as defined in statute, of Big Bend Community College is to provide college transfer, vocational and developmental education, community service/continuing education, business and industry partnerships, and student support services.

Our college community recognizes that we reside and learn on the lands of First Nations People. The first Regional Government to Government Tribal Relations Summit between Community College Presidents from Eastern Washington and Tribal Leaders was held in November of 2022 at Big Bend Community College. Big Bend leadership intends to continue the relationships formed at this summit and to develop a land acknowledgement with the intention of honoring First Nations’ stewardship and sacrifices.

Definition of Terms

Communities of color

An umbrella term used to refer to people of color often when describing the impacts of systemic racism.

Community organizations

Coordination and organizing aimed at making improvements to a community, area, or groups social health, well-being, and overall functioning. This takes place in geographically, socially, culturally, spiritually, and digitally defined communities and spaces.

Culturally appropriate

The understanding of what is suitable given a particular context. Including awareness of norms, symbols, values, etc.

Culturally competent

The continued development to effectively communicate and knowledgeably engage with people across cultures concerning but not limited to social identities. This can include race, gender, veteran status, sexual orientation, nation of origin, age, ability, socio-economic status, and faith, among others.

Diversity

Individual, group, and social differences in cultures, expectations, backgrounds, opinions, and values, all of which enrich our shared community.

Equity

Full and fair access to resources, opportunities, and services.

Historically marginalized communities

“Groups who have been relegated to the lower or peripheral edge of society. Many groups were denied full participation in mainstream cultural, social, political, and economic activities” (Heritage Bulletin, 2018). E. g., People of Color, women, people with disabilities.

Inclusion

The creation and maintenance of an accepting environment where all have equitable opportunities and support.

Low-income communities

An area in which 20 percent of people live below the poverty line or families whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the median family income for the area.

DEI Strategic Planning Process

Numerous activities have contributed to the DEI Strategic Plan. Big Bend Community College’s planning process is detailed in this section.

2/5/21: SWOT Analysis conducted by campus community at Winter Inservice.

2/16/21: Strategic Planning Committee was formed and met officially for the first time. Representation from all areas of college life were included (students, faculty, administrative- exempt staff, classified staff).

2/23/21 to 3/16/21: Conducted PACE Climate Survey for Employees. The survey included a diversity subscale.

6/8/21 to 6/9/21: Open Forums with BBCC employees to share PACE Climate survey results.

6/1/21 to 9/1/21: Strategic plan developed based on input from students, faculty, and staff. Strategic initiatives and tasks focusing on Student Success, Enrollment Growth and Diversification, Employer of Choice, and Forward-Looking Infrastructure were included.

9/28/21: The new Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles were adopted by the Strategic Planning Committee and President’s Cabinet.

10/1/21: Shared Governance Council adopted the new Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles.

10/28/21: The Board of Trustees adopted the new Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles.

4/19/22: The Strategic Plan was adopted by the Strategic Planning Committee and President’s Cabinet.

5/13/22: The Strategic Plan was adopted by Shared Governance Council.

6/9/22: The Strategic Plan was reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

6/23/22: Work commenced on the development of goals, strategies, and success metrics for the DEI Strategic Plan building upon tasks and assignments from the 2021-26 Strategic Plan.

9/12/22: Dr. Gina Garcia presented to the campus community on her book, “How to Become an HSI in Practice”. Faculty and staff broke out into small groups to discuss and brainstorm ideas for how the college can be more welcoming, supportive, and culturally affirming for Hispanic students. Feedback and ideas generated during the discussions were captured electronically by Institutional Research & Planning.

10/13/22 to 10/31/22: student focus groups were conducted by Institutional Research & Planning. Students from Academic/Transfer, Workforce, and BEdA were included in the focus groups. The primary question posed to students during the focus group sessions was “How can the college be more welcoming, supportive, and culturally affirming?”

11/16/22: Student Focus Group data and comment summaries were released to the Executive Team.

11/21/22 to 12/2/22: Finalize an initial plan that incorporates input from employees and student focus groups into plan.

12/7/22: Provide initial plan to Committee on Equity, Inclusion & Diversity for feedback.

12/31/22: Send initial DEI Strategic Plan to SBCTC.

Campus Feedback and Adoption

• February 2023:
  • Present plan at Winter In-Service for employee feedback
  • Present to Students for feedback
  • Revise based on feedback
• March 2023
  • Cabinet Review o Cabinet Adoption
• April 2023
  • Shared Governance Review
• May 2023
  • Shared Governance Adoption

 

BBCC Demographics

	Students	FT Faculty/Staff
Male	42%	41%
Female	57%	59%
Not Reported	1%	0%

 

Goal A: Culturally Appropriate Student Outreach Program

BBCC is committed to recruiting and enrolling a diverse student body that reflects the communities within the BBCC service district. The goal of developing and implementing a culturally appropriate student outreach program supports the BBCC Strategic Priority of Enrollment Growth & Diversification.

Objective A.1 – Establish partnerships with school districts that allow BBCC staff to make regular visits to high schools to directly serve high school students. Services to high school students will include

• applying for financial aid, admission to postsecondary institutions, and scholarships,
• educating students on dual enrollment options,
• helping students navigate the BBCC new student intake process and access BBCC resources, and
• developing personalized educational plans showing how students can leverage dual enrollment credits to complete a program of study at BBCC.

Objective A.2: Implement financial aid outreach with Othello high school students in accordance with financial aid outreach pilot project funded by HB 1835.

Objective A.3: Collaborate with OIC of Washington to provide financial aid outreach to residents of service district with focused attention to both high school students and adults out of high school.

Objective A.4: Employ bilingual English/Spanish staff to conduct outreach activities. Objective A.4: Host outreach activities that celebrate the cultural diversity of BBCC students and their families.

Objective A.5: Support outreach efforts with a comprehensive marketing campaign that includes promotion of BBCC’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

GOAL A Success Metrics

• BBCC enrollment by ethnicity and gender
• Percentage of high school graduates with dual enrollment credits that enroll at BBCC after graduating
• Percentage of BEdA students that enroll in college level programs
• Percentage of high school graduates that enroll at BBCC the year after graduating, by high school

Goal B: Supporting Academic Success for Students

BBCC is committed to reducing performance gaps between different groups of students, with particular focus on the academic success of Hispanic students. This goal supports the BBCC Strategic Priority of Improving Student Success.

Objective B.1 – Provide faculty and staff training on cultural topics relevant to specific student groups.

Objective B.2 – Expand student representation in ASB leadership to include representation from a variety of student groups.

Objective B.3 – Establish a peer mentoring program focused on helping new students successfully navigate the college and connect with support services. Objective B.4 – Continue to refine the new student intake process and supports for new students in order to help students understand college expectations, processes, resources, as well as students’ own assets that will help them succeed.

Objective B.5 – Strengthen communication and practices designed to support BEdA students enrolled at all instructional sites to smoothly transition into college level programs.

Objective B.6 – Create opportunities for students to develop a sense of community with other students.

Objective B.7: Design culturally relevant curriculum, delivered in a culturally sensitive manner, and connected with intentional academic supports.

Goal B Success Metrics

• Course success rates disaggregated by ethnicity
• 15 & 45 credits earned in 1st year disaggregated by ethnicity
• Fall to winter and fall to fall retention disaggregated by ethnicity

Goal C: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Diverse Faculty and Staff

BBCC is committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and practices into recruitment, hiring, screening committee policies, promotions, considerations of candidates, and succession planning to employ a workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body.

This goal calls for the College to update practices to attract more diverse pools of qualified candidates and improve screening and hiring processes to ensure equitable and fair outcomes of candidates employing similar values as BBCCs guiding principles.

Objective C.1: Ensure that BBCC’s employment brand reflects and embeds DEI in a way that attracts and retains a talented, qualified, diverse workforce.

• Use recruitment data to guide posting locations and recruitment strategies
• Employ the Search Advocate model through Oregon State University to promote equity, validity, and diversity in hiring.

Objective C.2: Work with Institutional Research & Planning to disaggregate search data by race and gender and provide a bi-annual review of the following data points with Executive Leadership Team and President’s Cabinet.

• Workforce Demographics
• New Hire, Promotion, Transfer, and Turnover data
• Pay Equity based on a review of race and gender for positions that are comparable in nature.

Objective C.3: Hire and retain diverse talent with competencies that align with the position and culture

• Develop DEI competencies for staff, faculty, supervisors, and executive leadership to be included in position descriptions, job postings, performance evaluations, and observation tools.
• DEI competencies will guide the creation of interview questions, hiring criteria, and evaluation of full-time and part-time applicants.
• Negotiate DEI competencies into the probationary tenure process and tenured faculty evaluation process.

Objective C.4: Continue the development of a positive onboarding experience for new employees and for employees experiencing promotion and/or changes in duties/responsibilities.

• Develop new employee onboarding modules focusing on equity.
• Develop new employee onboarding modules focusing on leadership.
• Expand available resources for supervisors to provide a positive onboarding experience for new employees.

GOAL C Success Metrics

• Improvement in the 2021 PACE survey custom question mean scores.
• Employees recommend BBCC as a great place to work on exit surveys, PACE survey, and new employee feedback surveys.
• Develop baseline of 2022’s data for diversity in recruitment methods, candidates, pay equity, etc. and perform annual comparisons and determine appropriate interventions for improvement.

GOAL D: People and Leader Development

BBCC is committed to creating DEI infrastructure, awareness, training programs, and initiatives across the College.

This goal calls for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training to be consistent and widely available for all college community members. Creating space for discussing complicated issues to encourage participation in shaping our institutional climate. Additionally, this goal provides current employees with support for professional development and growth at the college by developing internal talent.

Objective D.1: Implement mandatory college-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion training for all faculty and staff.

Objective D.2: Implement ongoing compliance training in the areas of non-discrimination, sexual harassment, and reasonable accommodation.

Objective D.3: Provide ongoing opportunities for faculty and staff to engage in training focused on integrating equity, inclusion, and belonging principles into student and classroom success.

Objective D.4: Develop BBCC Equity Institute and monthly Equity Talk to Equity Walk series.

Objective D.5: Commit to support participation of faculty and staff of color in the Cross- Institutional Faculty of Color Mentorship Program, The Faculty and Staff of Color Conference, and The Social Justice Leadership Institute.

Objective D.6: Develop an equity-centered Leadership Development Program for current and aspiring leaders.

GOAL D Success Metrics

• 100% completion rate for required trainings by all faculty and staff.
• Increase participation rates in Objective D.5 opportunities by 5% each year.
• Improvement in the 2021 PACE survey mean scores for questions #38, #10, #22, #15.

GOAL E: Inclusive Campus Community

BBCC is committed to building and maintaining an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and culturally affirming for students, employees, and partners by maintaining a safe learning environment and promoting a culture of inclusiveness, and respect by embracing diversity, access, opportunity, and equity.

Objective E.1: Develop multi-lingual signage across campus, specifically English/Spanish and English/Ukrainian.

Objective E. 2 – Increase Spanish language services, materials, and resources.

• Increase the number of bilingual English/Spanish employees through designated bilingual positions with premium pay.
• Identify bilingual/multi-lingual staff and faculty.
• Provide Spanish and Ukrainian phone menu options.
• Support Spanish language acquisition for faculty and staff.

Objective E. 3 – Celebrate and honor the cultures of our students and employees.

• Convene a cross-representational work group to assess and recommend existing campus spaces suited for showcasing cultural and heritage objects, artwork, and information to provide access to learning opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and members of the service district.
• Artwork, décor, and building color schemes that reflect our community.
• Culturally affirming activities and celebrations for students, families, and employees.

Objective E.4: Expansion of Gender-Neutral restrooms to include policy, signage, location, and access.

Objective E. 5: Expand use of preferred name for students and employees.

Objective E.6: Assess campus environments for accessibility and welcoming atmosphere.

GOAL E Success Metrics

• Students indicate that they feel like they are a member of the college community, they feel safe at the college, and that people understand them.
• FT Employee Turnover Rate less than 12 %
• Employees recommend BBCC as a great place to work on exit surveys, employee engagement surveys, and new employee feedback surveys.

Conclusion

Our intention for Big Bend’s DEI Strategic Plan is to initiate and sustain strong forward momentum in our efforts to honor our diversity, create equity among human groups, and to foster a truly inclusive community. We recognize that the objectives in our plan may need to be modified as we learn and grow in this effort. We are not only committed to student success, but also to ensuring that every student and employee experiences a community that is safe, welcoming and affirming. Our DEI Strategic Plan is intended to create this environment ensuring that barriers and obstacles to success are minimized or removed. We dedicate ourselves to this plan.