Institutional Audit and Targeted Actions

The Institutional Audit and Targeted Actions workstream released its final report in February 2021, which is posted on this page. 

Workstream:
Institutional Audit and Targeted Actions

Leaders:
Kim Ryan, Vice President Human Resources
Joyce Sackey, Associate Provost and Chief Diversity Officer

Goal:
To identify and remove structural racism from all processes, procedures and practices within all schools, units and levels of the University.

Charge and Approach:

The Charge

• Identify where structural racism exists within processes, policies, programs and procedures across all schools and units of the University e.g. recruitment outreach programs, targeted communities for recruitment of faculty, staff, students and student-athletes.
• Utilize a consistent framework to audit all schools and units.
• Recommend prioritized targeted actions to remove structural racism including the accountability and transparency needed to deliver the agreed-upon actions.
• Identify and implement specific actions having an immediate positive effect on our community, and build momentum towards our long-term objectives and strategy
• Build upon and learn from the anti-racism work in which many departments are already engaging.
• Analyze the ways in which the history of racism is relevant to Tufts and inform the work of the other workstreams e.g. the role Tufts history has played in slavery and racism.

Our Approach

• Establish a Steering Committee with members across multiple levels and multiple schools/units (including student representation)
• Engage a consulting partner as a thought leader to provide expertise, framework and tools as well as provide the needed resources assist to complete this work

Key Questions to Address

• Where does structural racism exist and what is the impact to the University?
• What visible actions can be taken to eliminate racism within the scope of this workstream?
• How do we build alignment and accountability for making the recommended changes?
• How do we build in structures that ensures the work of antiracism is sustainable?

Committee Structure:

Responsible
Co-Chair- Kim Ryan, VP for Human Resources
Co-Chair- Joyce Sackey, Associate Provost and CDO, Health Sciences campuses

Steering Committee

• The Steering Committee will be comprised of faculty, staff and students
• Faculty and Staff members of the Steering Committee will also serve as the subcommittee Chair for their respective school/unit. They will establish a team for their school/unit and will have a consulting partner to provide support and guidance throughout the process.
• Members
  • Tom Malone, Executive Associate Dean, School of Medicine
  • Dan Volchok, Associate Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Science
  • Maribel Blanco, Executive Associate Dean, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
  • Diane Ryan, Associate Dean Programs & Administration, Tisch College
  • Jane McIntyre, Financial Administrator, HNRCA
  • Bárbara Brizuela, Dean of Academic Affairs, School of Arts & Sciences
  • Brandon Mennillo, Director of Administration, School of Engineering
  • Dr. Flo Tseng, Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Climate, Cummings School of Veterinary Science
  • Krissy Day, Director of Business Operations, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
  • Dr. Jeanette Sabir-Holloway, Assistant Dean, School of Dental Medicine
  • Ian Canning, Deputy Executive Associate Dean, University College
  • M.J. Kim, Senior Director of Marketing, University Communications & Marketing
  • Celia Campbell, Administrative Associate Provost, Provost’s Office
  • Kara Charmanski Squillacioti, Senior Director of Administration, Office of the Vice Provost
  • John Morris, Director, Athletics
  • Sara Judge, Vice President for Development, University Advancement
  • Lisa Halpert, Senior Director of Financial Planning, Office of Budget and Planning
  • Thom Cox, Director, Design Practice, Tufts Technology Services
  • Donna Golemme, Executive Director, Operations
  • Anne Spangler, Director of Planning & Projects, Human Resources
  • Elyse Nelson Winger, University Chaplain, University Chaplaincy
  • Maureen Sonnie, Director of HR Strategies, Human Resources
  • Lili Palacious-Baldwin, Deputy General Counsel for Labor, Employment & Litigation, University Counsel
  • Parker Killenberg, Student
  • Alexandra Fielding, Student
  • Charlotte Georgiou, Student
  • Accenture Consultant Partner (TBD)
• Additional Resources to Steering Committee Members include:
  • Office of Institutional Research–Jessica Sharkness
  • Communications/Staff support-Lacey Queen

Community Engagement:
The Steering Committee will be representative of the community. As noted above, we look to establish small working groups within schools and other units to participate in the audit process along with dedicated consultants.  Responsibilities include:

• Lead a team of representatives for their school/unit/department to identify and describe the processes, procedures and practices to audit. The team includes faculty, staff and students
• Gather and analyze the information/data
• Recommend targeted actions based on the analysis
• Provide focus group support Identify focus group participants
• Participate in weekly Steering Committee meetings
• Partner with external consultant

We will create a forum for continuous input and feedback from faculty, staff and students. (Website. Q&A. focus groups, etc.) 

Timeline and Deliverables:        

• Steering Team Identified: 10/7
• Consultant Decision: 9/17
• Consultant vetted through the Procurement Process: week of 10/19
• Kickoff: week of 10/19

Communication:
We plan to post updates on the Tufts website and invite the community to make comments and suggestions. The website will be updated on a biweekly basis. In addition, we plan to provide updates a Town Halls, Academic and Administrative Councils throughout the course of the audit and will communicate existing initiatives for schools and units to consider.  We will invite schools and central units to similarly share their targeted actions as a way of disseminating best practices across Tufts.

Reporting:
We plan to update the senior team on our progress every 4 weeks and as needed.