Harper College rolls out diversity and inclusion plan

Oubria Tronshaw calls her new job a milestone.

Not for her résumé, but for her employer: Harper College.

Tronshaw will start teaching creative writing at the Palatine community college next week. Her position, a faculty fellowship, makes good on the recommendations of a landmark, 12-person task force commissioned by Harper President Ken Ender to take a hard look at diversity and inclusion among employees.

Their findings showed a workforce that failed to reflect the changing community Harper serves. In a 52-page report, the task force outlined a five-year plan, with Harper putting into action some of the elements this school year.

For the faculty fellowship, Harper turned to Chicago State University to find candidates with master's degrees. The two who applied - Tronshaw, 34, and Darnell Windmon, 40 - were hired.

Both will teach one year with a chance at renewing their contracts for a second. Harper will pay each $33,500 annually through funds set aside for initiatives in the college's strategic plan. After two years, fellows will be encouraged to apply for open positions.

Harper treats the two fellows like typical instructors who hold regular office hours and participate in peer reviews. But they also are paired with mentors from the college's DREAM Association (Diverse Relationships Engaged in Affirming Multiculturalism), a group of minority employees.

The goal is to guide them professionally, but also provide a "resource of understanding," administrators say.

"It's a structure that they designed to give the fellow the optimum chance of succeeding," said Windmon, who will teach math. "The support is great. The environment has been very welcoming, and I think they put a lot of thought and hard work into this fellowship."

The hirings - the school expects to add more fellows - will help close the gap between Harper's workforce and the racial and ethnic makeup of the community college district. Harper only opened the fellowship to Chicago State graduates, but in late fall the program will be added to job postings sent across the country.

A diverse faculty helps expose students to different views and attract desirable job candidates who want to work for a school that views diversity and inclusion "as vital to the success of the institution," the task force wrote in its 2013 report.

"Harper will benefit from wonderful employees, period," Tronshaw said. "It's not just the color issue. They'll get good people."

The more difficult challenge, officials say, is fostering an inclusive workplace.

"It's the climate. It's how we make people feel," Michelé Robinson said. "That's a heavier lift. That's a paradigm shift."

Robinson, a former dean, stepped into a new administrative position in January. Robinson reports directly to Ender as the special assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion until 2017. Then, a fresh face moves into the role.

She manages the rollout of new programs responding to the task force's findings. For instance, resignation rates for diverse employees eclipsed overall rates in all but two years from 2002 to 2012.

With that in mind, Harper will begin using an outside company this fall to hold exit interviews with employees who leave the college.

Employee resource groups also will debut on campus this fall. The groups will vary in size and focus; some, for instance, could be geared toward LGBT employees or those with disabilities.

The fellows, meanwhile, will give Robinson feedback on the work environment. Robinson doesn't have a clear-cut answer on what's driving the turnover rates.

"We do know that we want to do better," she said.

Employee diversity by the numbers

Asian/Pacific Islanders: 12.1 percent of the district; 6.4 percent of Harper workers in 2010

Hispanic/Latinos: 15.2 percent of the district; 9.2 percent of Harper workers in 2010

African Americans: 2.6 percent of the district; 4.4 percent of Harper workers in 2010

Total diversity hires: Increased 5.6 percent, from 108 to 169 full-time employees during 2002-2012

Administration: Total fell from 8 to 6 employees over that decade

• More recent figures aren't available yet because trustees last month decided to measure the school's track record using two benchmarks: the rate at which the college hires minorities and the rate at which historically underrepresented groups leave Harper versus overall separation rates.

Source: Harper College