Dear Carleton Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Over the spring term, the Tuesday Group and Community Equity and Diversity Initiative (CEDI) leadership convened a series of follow-up groups to address matters raised by the group CarlsTalkBack (CTB). In addition to senior college leaders and CEDI Leadership Board members, senior faculty, staff leaders, and students designated by CTB participated in these candid and productive dialogues. With these meetings and this phase of discussion concluded, we are pleased to report on the actions the college will be taking as a result of this spring’s dialogue.

Through the follow-up groups, the college has responded directly to each of the CTB demands that initiated this dialogue, ranging across the following seven general areas:

At Tuesday Group’s and CEDI’s initiative, an eighth follow-up group was empaneled to address issues of communication.

Every follow-up groups discussion revealed the importance of prioritizing information flow and exchange. We learned that college administrative leadership must seek ways to use existing channels of communication more effectively and supplement them as needed. We were also reminded of the key role of the Carleton Student Association (CSA) as the student body’s representative group in raising issues that require attention. Our follow-up dialogues highlighted how important it is for CSA representatives on college governance committees (e.g., Education and Curriculum Committee [ECC]; Budget Committee, College Council, etc.) to share timely, accurate information back with fellow students about the work and deliberations of these broad-based groups, all of which intentionally include student voices.

The students on the follow-up groups approached our meetings with a passion to make Carleton better and a sincere eagerness to learn. They provided valuable insights on a number of important issues, and they have been thoughtful and forthright in exploring concerns with us.  We hope this process has helped build mutual trust.  We look forward to working together through Carleton’s shared governance model in seeing proposals and action steps that emerged out of these good discussions come to swift fruition.

The Tuesday Group, with the concurrence of the CEDI co-chairs, has identified and approved the following action steps:

Infrastructure/Accessibility

These steps are being taken or will be taken to address facilities problems and to communicate about campus accessibility, with timelines as described below:

  • In order to address community needs and expectations about all-gender and accessible restrooms on campus, the college will proceed with the actions Tuesday Group previously approved in accordance with the recommendations of the CEDI Action Team on Inclusive and Accessible Bathrooms.  These steps include:
  • An comprehensive inventory of current restrooms, which was completed in May 2018.
  • Continue planning the addition of more all-gender and ADA-accessible restrooms.  
    • Where single-user restrooms can legally be converted to all-gender restrooms, we shall develop plans for these alterations, identifying costs of conversion, budget sources, and timelines for these changes.
    • We shall evaluate restrooms that are no longer fully ADA compliant to assess the possibility and costs of updating them to meet current code requirements. 
  • Install consistent signage for all-gender and ADA restrooms in public spaces. 
  • New all-gender bathrooms have been included in recent construction projects, including the Weitz Center addition and Scoville Hall, and will also be included in the new Science building.
  • Washers and dryers will be installed in Williams (Freedom) House and Hunt Cottage (Casa De La Sol) before the beginning of fall 2018 term. 
  • Community members aware of acute facilities needs should complete Facilities Work Requests.  Whole-building renovation projects are planned and scheduled through Facilities and Residential Life.
  • Disability Services is working with Information Technology Services to develop a Carleton Accessibility web page that will include links to appropriate campus maps to provide accurate and updated information about physical accessibility and other resources.  This site will be operative by October, 2018.  Disability Services will also serve in an advisory role in reviewing building renovation plans and major new construction projects. 
  • Disability Services and Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) will schedule open meetings during fall term 2018 to learn more about the needs of community members related to their services.  

Student Resources

These steps are being taken or will be taken to improve communications regarding disability services, to encourage diversity in support services, and to establish greater transparency and direct communication regarding both student health and the Convocation program, with timelines as described below:

  • Consistent with past practices, Carleton faculty, staff, and students will be sent annual notification about the disability accommodations policy.   Students should bring concerns and grievances to Disability Services.
  • A survey will be sent in fall term 2018 to students who utilize Disability Services to gain a better understanding of their experiences with the accommodations process.
  • The Academic Support Center will seek ways to enhance diversity among student workers as it goes about hiring in the coming academic year.
  • The Convocation website will publish general practices for compensating speakers and the ranges of honoraria provided to speakers.  This information will be put on the website beginning in summer 2018.
  • The chair of the Convocation Committee will work with CSA-appointed student representatives on the committee to redouble efforts so that student body interests are reflected in the selection of speakers.  The Committee will also work with CSA to encourage students to attend Convocation.

Diversity/Inclusion Training

These steps are being taken or will be taken to improve the consistency of messages and efforts to reach more of the community, with timelines as described below:

  • The college will continue to re-evaluate and emphasize key messages in New Student Week programming about health and safety resources related to drug and alcohol use, mental illness and neurotypicality, including discussions of such topics in the program for fall 2018 and beyond.  The Dean of Students Office will work to make sure these messages are strengthened and conveyed consistently.
  • CarlsTalk sessions of New Student Week will continue to be mandatory for all students.  For athletes with official competitions scheduled at those times, make-up sessions will continue to be required to address these important topics.
  • CEDI—which includes student members—will continue to monitor campus climate and make recommendations for diversity and inclusion training initiatives.  The community is encouraged to contact CEDI Leadership Board members to convey issues of concern.

Working Conditions

These steps are being taken or will be taken to pay students for travel time to off-campus work-study jobs and to clarify policies about students who are unable to work due to illness, with timelines as described below:

  • Since community partners with whom Carleton students work pay a portion of their wages under Federal rules, they will need to agree to help support a portion of transportation costs. Several have already signed on to assist, and efforts are continuing this summer to expand the instances of pay for student travel to and from work.
  • Under current policy, students are not mandated to find a replacement when they are ill and thus unable to perform a student work job. Managers have been reminded of this policy and urged to develop processes to handle illnesses, if they are not already in place.

Admissions & Financial Aid

These steps are being taken or will be taken to increase transparency and effectiveness in the college’s recruitment and enrollment of low-income students and students of color, with timelines as described below:

  • Beginning with recruitment of the Class of 2023, the Admissions Office will publicize to the campus information about recruitment initiatives, including locations and activities planned. 
  • A proposal for making application to Carleton test-optional was reviewed and rejected by the campus Admissions and Financial Aid Committee (AFAC) in spring 2017; further consideration of this or other similar proposals will need to be taken up by that committee in future years.
  • The Admissions Office will continue to expand Carleton’s admissions outreach to areas of the country with high populations of low-income students and students of color and will report on these efforts to the AFAC and the College Council.

Curriculum & Planning

These steps are being taken or will be taken to clarify pathways to propose curricular changes and to re-emphasize policies that protect students who are absent from class because they choose to observe religious holidays, with timelines as described below:

  • Students are encouraged to bring curricular proposals to the ECC through CSA-appointed student members of that committee.
  • The Dean’s Task Force on Ethnic Studies, formed in fall term 2017, presented its findings to ECC on April 11.  This task force also presented recommendations to the Dean regarding areas of the curriculum to be enhanced and are continuing to discuss possible curricular programs, which would be brought to ECC for discussion in 2018-19.  Proposals about faculty hiring are brought by departments or programs to the Dean, and in the case of tenure-track hiring, considered by the Faculty Curricular Planning Committee.  Students are encouraged to talk to faculty in relevant departments or programs about course offerings they would like to see added.
  • Under current practice, students cannot be penalized for missing class or work in order to observe religious holidays.  Communications with faculty, staff, and students will be strengthened to reinforce this practice, starting with fall term 2018.

Accountability & Reporting

These steps are being taken or will be taken to affirm Carleton College (including the Board of Trustees) interest in diversity, and to promote student engagement with and transparency regarding College governance and operational decisions, with timelines as described below:             

  • In seeking a diverse set of Trustees, the Board will continue to consider a range of characteristics, including but not limited to: race, gender, ethnicity, geography, experience, professional expertise, and commitment to Carleton.  This also includes attention to representation from the fields of higher education, nonprofits, healthcare, government, and technology, among others. 
  • The Board will continue through spring term 2019 its current two-year pilot of the CSA President serving as student liaison to the Student Life Committee.  The Board will determine in October 2019 whether this pilot has been successful, and whether it should become ongoing.
  • A summary of Board actions and important discussions will be prepared and posted to the Board of Trustees web site in a timely manner following each Board meeting, starting with the May 2018 meeting.
  • A summary of the annual college budget will be available to students through a CSA-sponsored meeting with the Vice President & Treasurer and/or through posting on the Business Office web site, starting with the FY2019 Budget.

Communications

These steps are being taken or will be taken to improve communications across the Carleton community, with timelines as described below:

  • Tuesday Group, CEDI leadership, and senior administrators will continue to use campus-wide email to reach students with important messages. 
  • By fall term 2018 the college will create a website where community members can access departmental, office, and divisional newsletters. 
  • Students should contact administrators through office hours or scheduled appointments to express details about their concerns and to learn whether the college is already working to address these issues.
  • Senior college administrators and faculty will work with CSA, and other student groups, including CTB, to find productive fora for communications and further exchanges about initiatives and priorities at the college.  These might be modeled on existing faculty meeting and quarterly meeting reports.
  • Students should work with CSA, CEDI, the Budget Committee, ECC, College Council, AFAC, Carleton Responsible Investment Committee, and other groups within the college’s governance structure to convey information back to their peers about the topics these committees are discussing and the actions being taken to advance the work of the college.

Student protest can be a healthy means of expressing concerns, learning how to effect change, and moving forward.  While this academic year is coming to a close, the issues that have been the focus of our discussions have not all been resolved—nor are they all amenable to easy solutions.  Accordingly, as we take these positive steps that will bring us closer to being the kind of community we aspire to be, ongoing dialogue will also remain essential, as will tapping resources and channels for shared governance that have long characterized Carleton. We will be at our best as a community when we continue to act in good faith and trust. 

Sincerely,

The Tuesday Group
Steve Poskanzer, President
Bev Nagel, Dean of the College
Carolyn Livingston, Vice President and Dean of Students
Fred Rogers, Vice President and Treasurer
Tommy Bonner, Vice President for External Relations
Paul Thiboutot, Vice President and Dean of Admissions
Jeff Ondich, President of the Faculty
Elise Eslinger, Vice President and Chief of Staff

Community Equity and Diversity Initiative
Joe Chihade, Co-chair
Kathy Evertz, Co-chair