Inclusive Excellence Planning Overview

• Announce that your unit is embarking on an inclusive excellence planning process and why.
• Connect to the Shared Values, our Academic Plan, and our shared motto of Education for Citizenship.
• Identify unit leaders who will promote, support, and champion this work.
• Create shared ownership and shared responsibility across the enterprise. Everyone has something to contribute to inclusive excellence.

• Select the planning team using a transparent process, whether it’s by appointment, nomination, or application.
• Consider how members will be supported to engage in this additional service.
• Once selected, announce the planning team.

• Host a team building event that is separate from the orientation of the team and allow members to get to know one another.
• Host an orientation to establish group norms, expectations, and deliver the charge.
• Consider if the team needs to complete DEI education together.

Request a workshop or register to attend a scheduled DEI Education workshop

If you do not already have one, draft a commitment statement that defines diversity, equity and inclusion for your unit, explains its importance to your work, and connects back to the mission and vision of Ohio State.

Self-assessment can be conducted using already available data at Ohio State, as well as information-gathering conducted within your unit.  If you have a data analyst on staff, integrate this person into your planning team.

Based on the needs and gaps identified by your inquiry, begin to articulate, select, and set your goals.  You will most likely not be able to address every need or gap identified by your analysis. The following questions can help you narrow in on the appropriate concerns:

• Where are your biggest gaps, needs, or issues?
• Are any concerns high-risk or time-sensitive?
• Would a high-need group be positively impacted by immediate intervention?
• Are there any low hanging fruit? However, do not substitute low hanging fruit and quick wins for addressing critical issues.
• Do we have the resources to address the concerns? Lack of resources may prompt you to choose other goals. Consider setting a goal to advocate for and secure resources to address other concerns that cannot be met currently.

Once you have identified the issues you plan to tackle in your plan, draft goals that are:

• Actionable – the goal can be achieved by taking action
• Ambitious – aspirational and inspirational for others, but you can see a path to achieve the goal
• Assessable – outcomes can be measured or assessed in some way
• Agreed upon – consensus is established that the work needs to be done and the path forward is equitable

When writing a goal, it should be accompanied by action steps, outcomes, a timeline, metrics to assess progress, and accountability.

How will you know if you have made progress on your goals? Which data sources will you use to assess your progress?

• Identify and map onto institutional data indicators of progress, like enrollment data, hiring and recruitment data, and any local data sources.
• Determine how often you will report on your progress.
• We recommend a yearly progress report or plan update.

• Is this a 5-year plan? 3-year plan? Set a timeline for implementation of the entire plan.
• Set timelines for each individual goal.
• Identify points during implementation where progress will be evaluated.

• What resources are needed to accomplish these goals?
• Resources include but are not limited to staffing or labor, time, financial resources, supplies, education, or training.
• Will current resources be reprioritized, or will new resources be brought to the table?

Now that you have your commitment statement and goals, write your plan. Here is a basic outline:

Plan Outline

1. Introduction
   1. Commitment Statement
   2. Overview of your mission and vision for inclusive excellence in your unit
2. Self-Assessment Process and Results
3. Goals, Action Steps, Expected Outcomes, Monitoring Progress, Accountability
4. Plan of Action – Timeline for Implementation and Reporting

• Have a period for community comment.
• Engage stakeholders.
• Integrate substantive feedback into the plan.
• Finalize the plan and launch.