The most outstanding pillar for Central Washington University (CWU) was Pillar IV, Institutional Representation/Composition. When Dr. Delores Cleary became the full-time vice president for inclusivity and diversity in 2018, she thought it was critical to begin embedding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into CWU’s structure.
Dr. Delores Cleary
The Employees of Color Equity Council (ECEC) was formed in 2019 to widen the knowledge about the experiences of CWU employees. The ECEC is focused on fostering a positive campus climate for employees of color to retain their employment and support their development and career advancement.
“We have worked intentionally to recognize the challenges faced by underrepresented professionals,” says Cleary. There has been a hiring freeze during the pandemic, but initiatives remain in place, including a welcome at the beginning of each academic year to provide networking opportunities for faculty and staff of color.
There is the ECEC mentoring program committee and a research committee to explore former employee experiences.
“The purpose is to gain an understanding of the shared experiences for intentional programming and policies to positively impact the experiences of current and new employees of color,” says Cleary.
Frontier Nursing University, a graduate institution at which registered nurses pursue advanced degrees in nursing, received an A grade for Pillar III, Institutional Climate. Since beginning her position as chief diversity and inclusion officer in January 2020, Dr. Geraldine Q. Young has focused on forging the most inclusive climate possible for students, faculty and staff.
