During the 2014-2015 academic year, there were 5,402 domestic minority students enrolled at the University of Oregon, forming 22.3 percent of the student population, according to research done by the UO Office of Institutional Research. Based on research conducted over the past five years, the UO has seen steady growth in minority enrollment, increasing from 16.3 percent in the 2010-2011 academic year. The university’s division of equity and inclusion is continuously looking to maintain this upward growth.
Dr. Sari Pascoe, assistant vice president for campus and community engagement for the division of equity and inclusion, has been an influential figure relating to UO’s diversity increase since she started serving as assistant vice president.
“Recognizing that there is a larger incoming student body that identifies as underrepresented populations is an important factor because we are working campus-wide on the infrastructure to support that larger incoming class,” Pascoe said.
Pascoe’s role in the division of equity and inclusion is critical to the vitality and success of the efforts in the division. She assists the leadership of the programs and services at the university to promote diversity, inclusion and equity; assists the liaison between the campus community and the surrounding community, including cities as far as Portland, to share campus knowledge about these ideals to outside communities; and assists with analyzing and reporting on statistical information about campus and local community changes and trends in order to have a better understanding of what potential incoming and future UO students need to succeed academically and socially.
One of the main projects to which Pascoe contributes much of her time is the IDEAL Framework, beginning in 2013 and lasting for five years until 2018.
“Under the leadership of vice president Alex-Assensoh, the division of equity and inclusion has led a wonderful effort on a framework,” Pascoe said. “It’s called the IDEAL Framework, which stands for inclusion, diversity, evaluation, achievement and leadership.”
Through the IDEAL framework, there’s a strategy and five tactics designed by members of the university’s Diversity Committee, administrators and community members; these strategies focus on the importance of promoting diversity, inclusion and equity at the university. The IDEAL framework includes 18 months’ worth of data, research, feedback and information from town hall meetings and conversations. With over 75 members, the Diversity Committee works to promote equity, diversity and inclusion as prevalent aspects of the university and surrounding community. They support these efforts by providing scholarships and academic and social assistance for underrepresented students, building pipelines for undergraduate minority students to be connected to UO graduate and professional programs, and supporting campus programs such as the Many Nations Longhouse and the Center on Diversity and Community, among many other initiatives.
Despite the increase in diversity at the UO over many recent years and the efforts that have been made to promote and increase knowledge in and acceptance for equity, inclusion and diversity to both students and faculty, Pascoe recognizes that her and her colleagues’ work isn’t finished. However, she says that with the added assistance of students and faculty, the university can continue to close gaps concerning issues with diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We focus on collaboration, so how and what can we collaborate in addressing diversity needs and diversity issues in our community?” Pascoe asked.
She continued, “I definitely find that students and faculty
have a central role, together with our administrators and staff within campus,
to figure out what diversity means, what equity means, [and] what inclusion
means, and to implement policies and opportunities that include everyone’s voice and promote access to everyone.”