Strategic Plan

Executive Summary

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plan is designed to address the current state of the profession in the area of diversity, but more specifically it will set the future course for the college by strengthening current diversity efforts with an emphasis on intentionality. A college that is committed to inclusiveness and diversity must deliberately put into place a series of guideposts that make success possible. The roadmap presented in this document provides a framework for strengthening our efforts and should be regarded as a living document - one that provides strategic direction, but remains responsive to the current needs and priorities as they arise.

The United States’ competitiveness in the global economy and growth in the veterinary profession depend on our ability to recruit, retain and educate both current and prospective veterinary professionals, as well as veterinary nursing and graduate students in intercultural competency. To that end, this form of training will prepare individuals and promote the development of critical thinking skills necessary to address complex societal problems which often cross cultural boundaries. More importantly, it will encourage this college to uphold its obligation to protect free expression while maintaining a diverse and inclusive community with shared values.

Diversity Action Committee (DAC)

The Diversity Action Committee (DAC) is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all faculty, staff and students at the College of Veterinary Medicine. This appointed committee develops, monitors and evaluates the progress of the College's strategic plan for diversity, which compliments the existing strategic plan for the College. Other responsibilities include advising on the coordination of activities that support and strenghten our College's climate of inclusiveness; and also advising faculty, staff and students regarding issues of diversity.

Meet the Committee

Overview of Strategic Goals

There are four (4) strategic goals in this plan:

Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into the academic principles of teaching, research and engagement
Recruit and advance a diverse community of faculty, staff and students
Elevate the PVM brand by expanding audience reach through more diverse channels
Cultivate a culture of excellence that supports a diverse and inclusive environment

If effectively implemented, the initiatives set for each goal area will achieve the anticipated outcomes:

Increased cultural competence and commitment modeled by all members of the PVM community
Increased access and opportunity for growth
Increased visibility of PVM brand among diverse populations
Improved supportive learning and work environment, which gives a stronger sense of belonging

Strategic Goal 1:

Integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into the academic principles of teaching, research and engagement

Anticipated Outcome: Increased cultural competence and commitment modeled by all members of the PVM community

Cultural competence refers to skills that facilitate positive effects on relationships that are respectful of and responsive to the beliefs, practices, cultural and linguistic needs, and preferences of all groups. The process of engaging in cultural immersion is a learning model that will embed intercultural competency into the curricula, policies, practices and processes. Advancing diversity, equity and inclusion will provide members of the PVM community with awareness of the social and cultural differences within the organization for which they work and enable them to gain a deeper understanding of the communities, organizations and families in which they serve and live.

Strategic Goal II:

Recruit and advance a diverse community of faculty, staff and students

Anticipated Outcome: Increased access and opportunities

There have been significant strides to recruit more underrepresented students for the DVM program and for faculty and staff positions. These efforts have included pipeline programming, targeted conference visits, community engagement and the development of external partnerships. Sustaining these efforts will require college-wide participation and a commitment to diversifying students, faculty and staff at each level. Recruitment is inevitably tied to the culture and climate surrounding the success of the current student, faculty and staff population and their buy-in to the mission of the College of Veterinary Medicine as it pertains to diversity and inclusion efforts. Extending recruitment efforts to the veterinary nursing and graduate programs are areas where access and opportunities can be expanded.

Strategic Goal III:

Elevate the PVM brand by expanding audience reach through more diverse channels

Anticipated Outcome: Increased visibility of PVM brand among diverse populations

Community engagement has always been part of PVM’s mission. Community engagement at PVM encompasses all work with external partners, locally, statewide and nationally. The digital footprint of the college will be strengthened by intentionally highlighting the diverse work (e.g., research, programming, service, and teaching) that features areas of interests that are meaningful to diverse populations.

Strategic Goal IV:

Cultivate a culture of excellence that supports a diverse and inclusive environment

Anticipated Outcome: Improved supportive learning and work environment, which gives a stronger sense of belonging

Creating a culture of excellence focused on building a diverse and inclusive climate within the college with the tenets of equity, fairness, recognition, dignity and respect. Purdue University pursues excellence and inclusiveness in its work to educate and serve its community through: 1) teaching diverse students in order to develop engaged citizens, 2) practicing and applying research, scholarship and creative activity, 3) providing engaged service and outreach that improve the quality of life for local and global communities, and, 4) strengthening support services for faculty, staff and students in an effort to help retain a diverse population. “The ultimate goal of excellence for PVM can only be realized when the core values pertaining to diversity and inclusion become intrinsic to its academic, business, co-curricular and cultural core” (PVM Diversity Strategic Plan, 2012).

View Full Strategic Plan (PDF)

Strategic Initiatives and Goals

2020-2025 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan

Strategic Goal I: To integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into the academic principles of teaching, research and engagement

PURPOSE: TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION THROUGH A COLLEGE-WIDE INITIATIVE TO INFUSE DIVERSITY INTO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF FACULTY, STAFF & STUDENTS

ANTICIPATED OUTCOME: INCREASED CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND COMMITMENT MODELED BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE PVM COMMUNITY

Initiative 1-A: Enhance internal networks and opportunities that explore understanding cultural differences, promote dialogue and engagement

Clarify the charge of the Diversity Action Committee (DAC) in relation to the college and their role in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts
Strengthen and expand the PVM Critical Conversation Lunch & Learn Series with topic selection voted on by faculty, staff and students
Develop a DEI repository of tools and best practices to be accessible by all PVM faculty, staff and students
Market PVM diversity events external to the college to engage alumni and on-campus members at Purdue to sustain interest and promote a dialogue reflective of a changing community
Establish a funding source for faculty and staff members to attend NCORE (National Conference on Race and Ethnicity)
Collaborate with DEI partners to identify additional resources that enhance competency building
Promote research focused on diversity issues specific to the veterinary healthcare field

Initiative 1-B: Launch a new certificate for diversity and inclusion (inclusive excellence) in veterinary medicine

Collaborate with AAVMC on relevant topics to include for the new diversity certificate
Develop a fully functioning course within the D2L Brightspace LMS to house the certificate program
Develop clear learning outcomes with an applied learning project that can be assessed
Design diversity certificate modules with a focus on skill-building and applied learning to the veterinary profession
Integrate intercultural training through the use of more clinic-specific intercultural teaching modules
Collaborate with PVM faculty on the curriculum content of the certificate modules to ensure students are being best prepared for the profession and the global community
Encourage enrollment of new employees (faculty and staff) within the first 30 days of hire date as a part of their onboarding process
Establish a timeline for periodically updating certificate holders with current information
Explore strategies to incentivize certificate holders at PVM events
Establish an elective course for students to complete the PVM diversity certificate by the end of the course
Create an accelerated week-long/weekend course offered three times (Fall, Spring, Summer) a year for PVM (this includes faculty, staff and hospital teaching staff) to complete the PVM diversity certificate

Strategic Goal II: Recruit and advance a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students

PURPOSE: TO DEVELOP A COLLEGE-WIDE DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT MODEL TO HELP POSITION THE PVM BRAND FOR MAXIMUM SUCCESS

ANTICIPATED OUTCOME: INCREASED ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

Initiative II-A: Expand the digital and physical footprint of PVM’s diversity efforts

Leverage existing technological and social platforms to make PVM go viral with intrusive recruitment efforts
Encourage a PVM “recruiting culture” that will engage prospective students, faculty, and staff
Design a webpage that centralizes travel of PVM faculty and staff to help with recruitment efforts
Explore networking opportunities for alumni to help with the recruiting efforts of faculty, staff and students
Increase visibility of PVM diversity efforts across Purdue University as the model for diversity leadership

Initiative II-B: Enlarge the pool of underrepresented faculty, staff and students

Expand diversity post-graduate training programs with emphasis on recruiting prospective faculty
Develop a PVM diversity search committee module to be distributed and discussed at the first meeting of every PVM search committee for review
Develop a list of vacancies within the college to be shared at national and international conferences and marketed on the diversity website at all times
Expand the audience reach of recruitment efforts by exploring new partnerships
Market post-DVM opportunities among sister institutions
Review all current recruitment programming to ensure the greatest number of participants can access
Continue a robust recruiting plan in collaboration with Academic and Student Affairs to ensure DEI principles are employed
Expand the creation of instructional materials in the K-12 setting
Identify funding sources to recruit underrepresented students to PVM graduate programs

Initiative II-C: Expand pipeline programming to include professional development for all faculty, staff and students

Expand research opportunities to prepare students for professional and/or graduate school entry at PVM
Develop a “grow your own” program that will focus on training and elevating PVM staff towards promotion within the college

Strategic Goal III: Elevate the PVM brand by expanding audience reach through more diverse channels

PURPOSE: TO REMAIN CURRENT, RELEVANT AND COMPETITIVE WITH THE TARGET MARKET

ANTICIPATED OUTCOME: INCREASED VISIBILITY OF PVM BRAND AMONG DIVERSE POPULATIONS

Initiative III-A: Strategically review college messaging and how diversity is reflected in the PVM brand

Create marketing materials that highlight PVM’s diversity efforts
Develop strategies to publicize diversity, equity, and inclusion events using new and existing communication channels
Design a college-wide diversity calendar that includes both internal and external events to be marketed on the PVM DEI website and linked to the PVM calendar
Critically analyze the existing marketing materials to ensure DEI is appropriately represented, reflecting true demographics of the college
Communicate more broadly the definitions of diversity, equity and inclusion across the college
Select at least one new trade magazine or other high value industry publication to expand the audience reach and attract more faculty, staff and students annually

Initiative III-B: Examine accommodations in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital that will address public-facing/client-facing groups

Identify the number of multilingual staff that can assist with communicating with clients of diverse backgrounds
Explore funding sources to help establish a scholarship-based pool of funds for staff members to enroll in training courses that will include some of the following topics: language competency, implicit bias, intercultural communication and other topic areas of diversity to help promote an inclusive climate for all
Conduct an analysis for ADA compliance for client-facing processes and forms

Strategic Goal IV: Cultivate a culture of excellence that supports a diverse and inclusive environment

PURPOSE: TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT SERVICES ALLOWING ALL FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE FEELS A SENSE OF BELONGING AND SUPPORT

ANTICIPATED OUTCOME: IMPROVED LEARNING AND WORK ENVIRONMENT, WHICH GIVES A STRONGER SENSE OF BELONGING

Initiative IV-A: Purdue Veterinary Medicine will have a climate where everyone feels a sense of belonging and support

Improve the workplace environment that supports PVM faculty and staff participation in diversity trainings and workshops
Establish joint faculty and staff programming that: focuses on strategies to foster support and respect, promote healthy lifestyles, and develop leadership skills while building internal relationships
Develop an official on-boarding program for new faculty and staff that includes: (1) PVM culture, (2) Networking support, (3) Community resources, (4) Institutional resources
Deliver an annual climate survey for faculty, staff and students; respond to and share results
Establish a college-wide entry and exit interview for all employees to assess needs upon hire date
Conduct “stay interviews” to identify stay factors and exit decisions
Establish a bi-annual networking event for faculty and staff
Promote opportunities for staff in the hospital to practice wellness
Create a toolkit of responsive practices to address personnel concerns

Initiative IV-B: Acclimate new faculty, staff and students to Purdue Veterinary Medicine (PVM) and the Greater Lafayette community

Survey and analyze current/recent new hires (faculty and staff) and newly admitted students regarding their experience of onboarding
Establish a Fall and Spring semester networking event for all new employees hired within the semester
Develop a list of community offerings focusing on activities outside of work hours

Initiative IV-C: Encourage diverse research teams of faculty, staff and graduate students, and support research that highlights health disparities

Communicate college-wide support for globalized research
Expand opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and engagement
Explore innovative ways to recognize and reward international and globalized research for promotion and tenure
Increase the number of underrepresented students participating in summer research programs within PVM
Increase opportunities for global engagement among faculty, staff and students

Initiative IV-D: Promote skill-building attributes for effective professional development relationships

Develop a professional development series on the mentor and mentee relationship expectations and responsibilities integrating faculty, staff, and students
Provide an active mentor for candidates targeted through early-hire programming efforts and market these efforts to help attract faculty looking for supportive work environments
Create a professional development repository of online tools
Organize an end of the year event highlighting significant influencers chosen by students upon graduation

View Full Strategic Plan (PDF)