Culturally Responsive Social Work Practice (CRSWP), which is responsive and supportive of the cultures of the students we serve both inside and outside of the state, now and in the future, as evidenced by equitable communication and service, a focus on individual and group needs, and the recognition of the right to self-determination within the contexts of an individual’s or group’s own historical and cultural norms, beliefs, and values. 

• Provide learning materials to faculty and staff on culturally responsive pedagogy 
• Disseminate culturally responsive reading list and invite input and additions 
• Provide assistance with creating inclusive syllabi and curricula 

A constant iterative process of reflexivity, growth, and learning as evidenced by our interactions with colleagues and students in the classroom, so that we may work together to address power differentials and social injustices within our communities and beyond. 

• Provide self-reflection tools for faculty and staff and encourage their frequent use 
• Provide frequent opportunities for feedback from students, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders 

Recognizing that the people with whom we interact may experience a multitude of identities that intersect and interconnect in diverse and complex ways within various systems of oppression, as evidenced by open support of identity expression, and our inclusion of texts and materials by authors and creators from diverse and intersecting identities in our curriculum, our syllabi, and our professional development. 

• Provide readings and course materials on intersectionality by leading topical experts 
• Create guest speaking opportunities for students, faculty, and staff of the department and university community 

Recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students from a wide variety of backgrounds, that is representative of the communities where social workers live and work.  This is evidenced by diverse marketing efforts that relay an intent to promote and support students, faculty, and staff from all walks of life.  

• Construct diverse recruitment and search committees for review and consideration of underrepresented faculty, staff, and student recruitment.  
• Craft inclusive and diverse marketing materials (e.g., brochures) that communicate WNMU SSW’s goals to recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, and students.  
• Implement targeted outreach efforts throughout diverse geographic regions to interface and market WNMU’s SSW to underrepresented prospective faculty, staff, and students. 

Professional development and advancement of all students, faculty, and staff.  This includes the research and marketing of existing workforce and leadership development programming aimed at diversifying the field of social work and higher education as evidenced by development and evaluation of initiatives that address barriers and gaps to career advancement for faculty, staff, and students.  

• Provide mentorship for career guidance  
• Provide financial and other resource supports for showcase of practice and research 

• Review and revise professional assessment (e.g., advisory network survey) and reporting efforts that provide space for faculty, staff, and students to bring forth any positive and/or negative professional development experience for swift review and response.  

Anti-Oppressive practices recognizes the inherent power imbalance that can occur in higher education settings and the importance of diminishing these imbalances to support an equal and just learning environment as demonstrated by promoting identity affirmation and inclusivity as well as empowering all stakeholders to actively contribute to teaching, learning, and decision making.  

• Invite students, staff, and faculty to provide information on their identity examples: pronouns, ethnicity and or identification names.  

• Provide open space for students, staff, and faculty to share feedback and suggestions to improve or contribute to teaching, learning and decision making. 

Cultural humility which embraces an unwavering process of self-reflection of one’s own cultural identity and the commitment to learn from others as evidenced by supporting, acknowledging, and respecting beliefs, customs, and values that are essential to ethical service delivery to individuals of intersecting social identities.  

• Provide open and accessible lines of communication from all students, staff and faculty. 

• Encourage attending cultural competence training.  

Rigorous monitoring and evaluation of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.  This will include the ongoing feedback and tracking of experiences, outcomes, and feedback for programmatic improvement efforts from students, faculty, and staff stakeholders as evidenced by qualitative and quantitative data being used to inform program adjustments and improvements.   

• Develop ongoing DEI assessment and reporting efforts that provide space for faculty, staff, and students to bring forth any positive and/or negative identity experiences for swift review and response.   

• Conduct anonymous annual surveys for School review and strategic planning to continue specific DEI efforts or resolve challenges 
• Conduct focus groups to solicit feedback for strategic planning  

Critical thinking which intertwines with self-reflection and awareness, as demonstrated by a focus on teaching and learning about implicit and explicit biases, disparity, inequity, and systems of oppression. 

• Maintain and enhance critical thinking through implicit (e.g., educational environment) and explicit curriculum (e.g., courses and curriculum design).  

Accountability to our colleagues, our students, and ourselves to exhibit professional behavior in order to promote the environment that embraces DEI, as demonstrated by creating a culture of collaborative monitoring within implicit and explicit curriculum.  

• Review policies and procedures (e.g., Handbooks and Manuals) for accountability measures and implementation.  
• Collect data from SSW members to better understand their experiences and identify how we can improve as a department.   

Collaborative action with our colleagues and students to increase our awareness, attentiveness, and responsiveness to DEI issues as demonstrated by open communication and partnership with WNMU SSW members in the classroom, departmental meetings, and work groups.  

• Invite faculty, staff, and students to serve on the DEI committee.  
• Participate in campus committees as well as other task force committees that address DEI. 
• Establish the process of getting feedback from WNMU SSW members and responding to that feedback