Clearly identify university-level priorities for diversity and inclusion and provide a mechanism for tracking progress.

Achieved Fall 2019 and Ongoing
A new diversity and inclusion framework has been rolled out. The Belonging at Cornell framework will continue the progress towards making Cornell a more diverse and inclusive environment. Features include a clear strategy for accountability and action and a plan for collaboration across colleges and units.

Updates on this and status changes to task force recommendations will be maintained on this web page.

Require each dean to develop and report on annual school/college diversity and inclusion priorities.

Achieved Spring 2019 and Ongoing
The Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) councils for each college/unit submitted D&I initiatives and results for the 2018-19 year, with the dean's approval. Going forward deans will be responsible for reporting the initiatives against targeted metrics. Currently, diversity recruiting and retention are reported annually.

Reconfigure the central diversity team; make it more strategic; ensure that it has sufficient staffing and funding; has appropriate communication with schools and colleges, including access to diversity analytics; and student input.

Achieved Fall 2019 and Ongoing in 2019-2020
The institutional leadership structure to support diversity was reconfigured and three leaders were tapped to represent faculty, staff, and students, respectively. Vice Provost Avery August chairs the group and represents faculty. He is joined by Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Workforce Diversity, Angela Winfield (representing staff) and Dean of Students, Vijay Pendakur (representing students). These Presidential Advisors on Diversity & Equity (PADE) meet regularly with the President’s Cabinet and other members of the institutional leadership. A structure of diversity leads and committees within the colleges and units has been established with the deans/VPs and will work closely with the PADE to rollout priorities and develop action plans.

Review and increase awareness of the bias reporting process and mechanisms for sharing information about bias incidents on campus. Ensure sufficient staffing.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing

Improvements have been made to the bias reporting protocol including updates in the processes, definitions, terminology, and categorizations for handling and tracking reports of bias for student, faculty and/or staff incidents. Options to report bias incidents have been made available on the Division of Student and Campus and, Division of Human Resources and Diversity websites as well as via contact with counselors and the Cornell University Police Department. Training and awareness campaigns for responding to and reporting bias and will take place this fall.

Reassess the pace and cadence of communications around diversity and inclusion, including communicating the public health impacts of racism. Update the website on diversity and inclusion to provide “one-stop” shopping for information about diversity resources.

Partly Achieved and Ongoing in 2019-2020
A thorough review of communications around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion has been performed this academic year by the office of the Vice President for University Relations, in consultation with the newly announced Presidential Advisors on Diversity & Equity (PADE). As one part of that review, the diversity website has been enhanced to provide a central source of diversity information. In addition, careful consideration has been given to ensuring how to most effectively reach populations and subpopulations after disturbing incidents, and how to support Resident Advisors and Teaching Assistants (TA) who often are directly involved in the early stages of communication to the community.

Conduct a detailed analysis of the information in the diversity scorecard and make changes to it as needed, including adding information from individual units.

Scheduled for 2020
Development of the new Diversity & Inclusion framework includes review of content, metrics and useability of the diversity scorecard. Changes will be made as appropriate.

Develop a new campus-wide alternative dispute resolution program.

Partly Achieved and Scheduled for 2019
A new Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process is in development through 2019 and has already been used successfully in various circumstances. It engages students in conflict coaching, mediation and restorative justice, specifically around issues of bias. Approximately 500 student leaders have participated in ADR training workshops.

Establish awards to recognize faculty, staff, and students who contribute in exemplary ways to improving campus climate.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
A number of awards are in place. Examples of awards for faculty, staff, and students include: 
Cook Awards: Honors Cornell students, faculty, and staff members for their commitment to women’s issues and for improving the climate for women at Cornell. Winners to be recognized at Spring event.
Employee Excellence Awards: Including a new “Culture of Belonging” award, recognizes staff who demonstrate inclusivity and diversity in their behavior. 
Perkins Prize: Recognizes the Cornell student, faculty, staff member, or program making the most significant contribution to furthering the ideal of university community while respecting the values of racial diversity. The dean of students is planning a revised student-awards recognition event on April 11, with the Perkins Prize as the top award.
Weiss Awards: Recognizing the importance of undergraduate education, awards faculty for excellence in teaching and mentoring.

A call for nominations for the new Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching and Service through Diversity has been announced. Two faculty members will receive the awards to be announced Dec. 16. 

Develop a statement of the university’s core values.

Achieved Fall 2019

After a community-wide collaborative process, the university adopted a set of core values that will serve as the foundation for a more equitable and inclusive atmosphere for all Cornell campuses.

Make significant changes to the Campus Code of Conduct.

Scheduled for 2019-2020
Updates to the campus code are in process. Recommended changes being reviewed include:

• Reworking it to have an educational and aspirational rather than punitive, quasi-criminal tone.
• Significantly simplifying it and having it use “plain English”;
• Narrowing its focus to students.
• Separating standards of behavior from administrative procedures for managing misconduct.
• Simplifying of administrative procedures.
• Expanding the treatment of harassment.
• Permitting enhanced penalties for harassment or assault that are motivated by bias.
• Considering moving less serious types of misconduct to the Office of the Dean of Students for resolution.

Unify adjudication and management of the Greek letter organizations with that of other student groups.

Scheduled for 2019-2020
The Division of Student and Campus Life has conducted an extensive review of Greek organization judicial processes. A report will be forthcoming.

Expand access to Intergroup Dialogue Project, including mandatory sessions at new student orientation.

Achieved Fall 2018

Beginning with the Class of 2022, all incoming first-year students will participate in a three-hour Intergroup Dialogue Project (IDP) session during New Student Orientation. In addition, in Fall 2019, a full semester, three-credit, peer-facilitated course is being offered and is open to all Cornell undergraduate students.

Provide visible support of diversity education by university leadership.

Achieved Summer 2018 and Ongoing
As examples:

• The president provided funding for the new Intergroup Dialogue Project (IDP) sessions at New Student Orientation, and met with the IDP leaders.
• The president and the provost have videotaped introductions to the new online course, Teaching and Learning in the Diverse Classroom. In addition, the president has completed the course and has encouraged all faculty to complete.

• The Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity has launched the new Inclusive Excellence Network of programs, including workshops, a podcast, and an inaugural, full-day summit to engage Cornell staff in action-oriented discussions, self-reflection, and productive discourse around topics that impact the workplace. 

• The College of Arts & Sciences faculty voted to expand the first-year advising seminars to all incoming freshmen starting in fall 2019. Topics will include navigating the academic landscape, best practices for learning strategies and academic integrity as well as access to research and scholarship opportunities.

Increase faculty awareness and provide education that leads to a more supportive learning environment and greater knowledge of available campus resources.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
A new, four-week, self-paced online course, “Teaching and Learning in the Diverse Classroom” was offered through the Center for Teaching Innovation during the fall 2018 semester for anyone with teaching responsibilities at Cornell, at any level of diversity expertise. The course was offered again in the Spring and incorporated input based on the assessment data, including offering more opportunities for participants to meet face to face, and adding CITE (Cornell Interactive Theater Ensemble) to the curriculum.

A two-day, Faculty Institute for Diversity, was held in June, offering opportunities for exploring and structuring an inclusive classroom environment.

Additionally, Cornell's Center for Teaching Innovation is now offering Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom as a massive open online course (MOOC).

Guarantee that all teaching assistants receive structured orientation prior to starting their teaching

Scheduled for Fall 2020

An online orientation, specifically for new teaching assistants (TAs), has been approved and is targeted for a completion date of fall 2020. This training, to be developed by the Center for Teaching Innovation, is planned to be approximately 2-3 hours in length and easily adaptable into training offered by individual colleges.

Provide mandatory Intergroup Dialogue training to students in key positions of influence.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing

Intergroup Dialogue (IDP) sessions continue to be part of freshman orientation, started in the fall 2018 semester, as well for incoming and transfer students at the start of the spring 2019 semester. The program has been provided to a number of student groups and their leadership, including Greek organizations. Enhancements have included spending more time in small group activities, shorter sessions, tweaking time slots to avoid evenings and Saturdays, mixing students from different schools and colleges in groups and embedding IDP into colleges’ first-year advising colloquia to extend beyond orientation. 

Provide proactive training for staff on climate issues.

Partly Achieved and Ongoing
The Division of Human Resources offers a range of training programs on relevant issues for staff. These include diversity and inclusion training programs, the Inclusive Excellence Academy, and podcasts aligned with the staff strategic plan. Human Resources is working with CITE (Cornell Interactive Theater Ensemble) to create training on behavioral change opportunities and skill-based training.

Establish a student leadership development program that features diversity and inclusion training and opportunity for certification.

Future Years
We will work to identify resources and determine the level of interest.

Ensure a culture in which retention efforts are continuous, starting at the time of a faculty member’s hire.

Ongoing
The Office of Faculty Development and Diversity sponsors multiple mentoring programs, including networking lunches and peer mentoring grants. In addition, the reorganized diversity and inclusion structure will work with departments and colleges to establish consistent and proactive retention processes.

Offer implicit bias training to faculty search committees and for search committees for senior leadership appointments.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
As of November, bias training is mandatory for all faculty search committees to obtain access to the funding. In addition, the Office of Faculty Development & Diversity (OFDD) has provided resources to assist with diverse faculty recruitment.

Increase support from the provost for faculty hires that advance diversity.

Achieved Summer 2018
Provost Michael Kotlikoff announced increases in spending to enhance the recruitment of diverse faculty and provide ongoing retention support. The additional funding will bring total spending toward recruiting and retaining diverse faculty to more than $60 million during the next five years. 

Require diversity and inclusion statements for candidates for tenure and tenure-track positions; candidates for senior leadership appointments; and as part of faculty annual reviews and tenure dossiers.

Achieved Summer 2019
The Guidelines on Contributions to Diversity was finalized in June 2019 as a resource for all faculty.

Establish a Presidential New Faculty Fellows Program.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
The Presidential New Faculty Fellows Program is in place and will be administered by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity.

Convene a panel of experts to assess the teaching evaluations currently used across our colleges and recommend revisions.

Future Years
The provost will work with the dean of the faculty and the Faculty Senate to further explore this recommendation.

Host a faculty diversity summit to expose potential faculty applicants to Cornell.

Future Years
The provost will work with the dean of the faculty and the Faculty Senate to explore this recommendation.

Engage students in a space study of their residence halls and in generating ideas for how best to use common spaces to facilitate a more welcoming and interactive community.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
New or renovated physical spaces include community areas. Planning for new North Campus residence halls has included close collaboration with the Residential Student Congress as well as open focus groups for students. Similar sessions will be held for future renovations as they take shape.

Establish a religious advisory committee to promote education about religious diversity and provide guidelines to faculty about religious accommodations for students.

Existing
Cornell United Religious Work (CURW) comprises over 25 affiliated communities, and offers both programs of worship and interfaith dialogue that supports understanding of religious diversity.

The dean of the faculty sends out periodic reminders to faculty about providing accommodations to students for religious observances. Similarly, leaders from CURW will attend an upcoming Faculty Senate meeting focused on providing student accommodations.

To create and maintain an inclusive and respectful workplace for all employees regardless of religious belief or non-belief, at the start of each academic year the Office of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity sends a message to all deans, directors and department supervisors outlining guidelines and best practices for staff and faculty.

Clarify expectations for advisors of student organizations.

Achieved Spring 2019
An updated Club Advisor website has been launched clarifying advisor expectations and adding a statement on harassment, discrimination and bias policies and procedures, with a link to reporting.

Create a mechanism to address student concerns about physical safety.

Achieved Fall 2018
The Rave Guardian App was made available for free to all university members. In addition, the Cornell University Police department issues regular newsletters highlighting areas of focus and resources to ensure safety.

Hire a full-time advisor for DACA and undocumented students.

Achieved Spring 2018
The Office of the Dean of Students created the Office of Undocumented/DACA Student Support. The unit works closely with various offices to strengthen campus connections for undocumented/DACA students, lead campus awareness workshops for faculty, staff and students and supports student needs, programming and initiatives for undocumented/DACA students and students from mixed-status families.

Create a First-Generation/Low Income Student Resource Center

Achieved Summer 2018 and Ongoing
The First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) unit serves to provide resources and eliminate barriers for first-generation students. As an example, The Kessler Scholars Program provides broad support to 20 incoming first-generation students each year who have demonstrated a record of academic excellence and are motivated to improve the world through community engaged service. This program is expected to grow over the next four years to support approximately 80 students/year, selected from all seven undergraduate colleges at Cornell.

Offer “pop-up” counseling services to support students at various locations across campus after difficult incidents. Ensure that there is sufficient staff for these and related Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) outreach efforts.

Achieved Summer 2018
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has hired additional staff to support expanded “Let’s Talk” hours and sites, which will be monitored and adjusted throughout the year. CAPS staff will also be available to support specific communities and locations that are impacted by campus incidents.

Provide exceptional care and counseling services that meet the needs and are reflective of Cornell’s diverse student population.

Achieved 2017-2018 and Ongoing
Last academic year, Cornell Health embarked on multiple national searches, increasing the number of therapists available to students. The searches were successful in recruiting talented therapists with experience supporting a diverse student community. As future searches occur, Cornell Health will continue to prioritize care that recognizes our diverse community. A comprehensive review of student mental health services will take place in 2019.

Created a new housing option for LGBTQ students.

Achieved Fall 2018
The LGBTQ+ Living Learning Unit, also known as Loving House, will be housed in Mews Hall on North Campus beginning in fall 2019. Loving House was created to help foster a safe and supportive environment for student of all identities. Applications for the 30 spots exceeded capacity but Loving House will include programming to address issues within the LGBTQ+ community for students both in house and from the broader university community.

Identify obstacles to participation in international learning opportunities and address them.

Partly Achieved and Ongoing
The vice provost for international affairs is focused on ensuring meaningful international learning activities for all students who seek them, including identifying financial support, e.g., through philanthropy, to broaden participation.

We will develop ways of ensuring that more students know about existing resources.

Expand the Active Learning Initiative (ALI) across campus.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
The Active Learning Initiative (ALI) will double in scope and impact for 2019 with $5M in new grants awarded university-wide. 70 faculty members will work on substantially changing the way they teach in more than 40 courses to over 4,500 students. In previous rounds, ALI has proven to promote inclusivity in the classroom, enhance student learning, and reduce performance gaps. 

The value of ALI was recently demonstrated in the new classics and art history course, Statues and Public Life.

Require each Greek chapter to provide full transparency about their organization’s dues prior to the start of recruitment.

Achieved Fall 2019

A comprehensive scorecard for all Greek organizations that includes key indicators for each chapter including membership and costs, service hours and full judicial history has been posted publicly online. This information is available on the Sorority and Fraternity Life website and will be updated annually at the start of each academic year.

Rewrite student activities funding commission. As part of such funding, provide grants to intellectual programming. for student organizations and social events.

Scheduled for 2019-2020

The Student Assembly has prioritized the review and revision of student organization funding process for the 2019-2020 year. Staff resources have been assigned to help progress this initiative.

Require student organizations that use an application process for admission to abide by best practices guidelines for managing their recruiting processes.

Scheduled for 2019-2020

The Student Assembly, with support from the Division of Student and Campus Life, will review and make recommendations for revisions to the guidelines during the 2019-2020 year.

Reinvigorate the executive disability steering committee.

(**also relevant to faculty and staff)

Achieved Fall 2019 and Ongoing

With the arrival of the new director of Student Disability Services in spring 2019, the ADA Coordinator team has drafted a 3-year (FY20 – FY22) disability access strategic plan that will be presented to the executive disability steering committee, made up of nine university leaders, for approval. A decision was made to continue the #DiversityIncludesDisability awareness campaign.

Raise awareness of health and wellness services offered to students, faculty, and staff.

(**also relevant to faculty and staff)

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing

A new campaign, produced with recommendations from students, was launched during the fall 2018 semester to highlight all mental health support using posters, a website and social media.

A revamped wellbeing site is in place to provide resources including workshops, event and tools for faculty and staff in support of health, wellness and general wellbeing for employees and those they care about.

Encourage departments to post research positions through the Student Experience platform, and identify obstacles to faculty doing so.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
The first part of the Student Experience Initiative platform is live and continues to grow. The platform includes information about research positions and opportunities. In December, the Student Experience Initiative was selected as one of 50 winners of the 2019 Digital Edge 50 Awards.

Institute a diversity course requirement for every undergraduate.

Future Years
Curricular requirements are the prerogative of the faculty. This recommendation has been conveyed to the Dean of the Faculty, for discussion within the Faculty Senate and each of the colleges and schools.

As of Fall 2019, a full semester, three-credit, peer-facilitated course is being offered and is open to all Cornell undergraduate students. In addition, outside of the formal curriculum, beginning with the Class of 2022, all incoming first-year students participate in a three-hour Intergroup Dialogue Project session during New Student Orientation.

Conduct a comprehensive review of student mental health.

Scheduled for Fall 2019
A comprehensive review of student mental health will be undertaken by both an external review team and an internal university committee. An external review team will come to campus in fall 2019 to evaluate Cornell’s clinical services as well as a wide range of campus-based services, systems, policies, programs and initiatives, through the lens of best practices in collegiate and community mental health. The external review will be enhanced by the work of an internal university committee comprising students, faculty and staff, which will gather information about Cornell’s environment and culture to help determine how they impact mental health on campus.

Seek donor support to establish a university-wide internship grant program to make volunteer and low-paying internships financially accessible to students from lower-income backgrounds.

Ongoing and Aspirational
Support of all kinds for low-income students is a priority and will continue to be in our fundraising efforts. This past year, for example, we received one substantial gift that has enabled the creation of our First-Generation and Low-Income student support unit in the dean of students' office, and a meaningful portion of those resources are being dedicated to unexpected expenses for these populations.

Provide space for the multicultural Greek chapters to live in and/or use for programming.

Ongoing and Aspirational
Upon the conclusion of the North Campus Residential Expansion, living options for multicultural Greek chapters will be explored directly with the leaders of Multicultural Greek Letter Council.

Create more gender-neutral bathrooms.

Ongoing and Aspirational
There are building codes and requirements that make restroom conversions more complicated than a simple change of signage, so it will take time and significant resources to fully address the request. However, as Cornell renovates existing buildings and constructs new ones, we consider the needs for single occupant restrooms and incorporate them, whenever feasible.

Provide an engaged learning opportunity to all students, including to cohorts from residential halls.

Ongoing
The Engaged Cornell program provides engaged learning opportunities to all students, and we will continue to offer its programs.

The Equity and Engagement Living Learning Community is an example of providing such opportunities in a residential hall. Opened in fall 2018, it offers a variety of programs, discussions, and training opportunities on topics such as race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability status and religion to engage it residents and the campus community in dialogue grounded in social justice principles.

Sponsor more events that are open to and celebrate the entire Cornell community and what is distinctive about it.

Future Years
We will consider meaningful—and fun—events that can engage the campus.

Create a multicultural student center.

Aspirational
We have identified a potential location and initiated a funding strategy for this proposal.

Create a disability cultural resource center.

Ensure that staff evaluation procedures serve as a mechanism to provide feedback about workplace climate.

Achieved and Ongoing
The Division of Human Resources has been advancing “pulse” surveys to assess climate in workplaces throughout campus, and the Office of Organizational Development and Talent Management assists units in understanding and addressing emerging issues. Tools to assess and address workplace climate including staff surveys, are also being used campus-wide and in many units. Human Resources will continue to review additional means for staff to provide anonymous feedback. 

Develop a network for student services staff that supports professional development activities and networking.

Achieved Summer 2018 and Ongoing 
An inaugural Student Professionals Network meeting with student-facing staff from across campus was held in August 2018. These meetings will occur once per semester moving forward.

Adopt a more purposeful and attentive approach to onboarding newly hired employees.

Achieved Summer 2018 and Ongoing

Improvements to the onboarding experience have been made that create a more employee-centered experience built around a set of core priorities (click on “Belonging” for details). Resources include a welcome center website for new employees and acclimation tools for supervisors to help orient employees in the first few months of their employment at Cornell.

Involve employees in efforts to enhance workforce diversity.

Partly Achieved and Ongoing
The Division of Human Resources is engaging with members of the Colleague Network Groups, a platform for senior leadership to connect with marginalized communities, in planning and executing diversity and inclusion strategies. The CNGs operate based upon four principles or pillars: Give, Engage, Achieve, Recruit (GEAR). Planning is underway to development a Recruitment Ambassador program through which CNG members are trained to be an ambassador for Cornell at industry events where they may identify and engage talented potential university employees. 

Further support staff professional development

Achieved Spring 2019 and Ongoing
New online supervisory training, Supervising@Cornell, is available. These courses will offer ongoing learning for supervisors and provide access to the latest developments in policy, technology, and programming at Cornell to best support staff and supervisory responsibilities. Another new offering, the Appreciation Portal allows supervisors and colleagues to send kudos to others in real time. Professional development and staff support opportunities are promoted via weekly newsletter.

Provide opportunities for members of the Colleague Network Groups to directly interact with university leadership.

Achieved Fall 2018 and Ongoing
The leaders of the Colleague Network Groups (CNGs) are meeting with the vice president and chief human resource officer, and the director of inclusion and workforce diversity to advance these conversations. University leaders have been identified and are meeting with CNGs.

Create a housing task force to develop a range of possible solutions for improving the availability of housing options for diverse staff.

(**also relevant to faculty)

Partly Achieved Spring 2019 and Ongoing
Staff from the Divisions of Human Resources and Facilities and Campus Services are assessing workforce housing needs, with plans to propose potential long-term solutions. A select number of openings in Maplewood housing has been advertised to faculty and staff.

Create incentives that will help to support and increase the number of minority-owned businesses in the Ithaca area.

Existing
The Alliance for Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement Services and the Johnson School Big Red Consulting have teamed up to provide consulting services annually to a select number of women or minority owned vendors to help them improve their businesses.

Launch a partnership with other large employers in Ithaca/Tompkins County to develop shared solutions for creating a vibrant living community that appeals to diverse populations.

Partly Achieved and Ongoing
In addition to the Local Leaders of Color group, which brings together leaders of Ithaca and Tompkins County to discuss relevant community issues and to share plans and ideas, we are partnering other local employers to host a website that will provide resources for prospective and new employees to the area.