Augsburg Day Student Government: Institutional Climate Resolution

submitted by bakere@augsburg.edu

Based off of the information/opinions gathered by Augsburg Day Student Government (ADSG) representatives from a panel discussion, anonymous surveys, communication with student leaders, and information/opinions gathered by ADSG representatives, ADSG voted on December 12th to pass a resolution with the following points.

ADSG on behalf of the Day Student Body call on Augsburg University to:

1. Establish a full-time Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) with substantial administrative power, encourage collaboration between the Multicultural Student Services office (MSS) and the CDO, and increase MSS staff.
2. Include the CDO and/or MSS in all future disciplinary meetings or meetings involving restorative justice methods.
3. Review and then require cultural competency training for all staff and faculty with some form of continued learning education.
4. Restructure the Augsburg Seminar course to include cultural competency as a pillar of the program.
5. Develop a definitive, clear, and concise definition of “Academic Freedom” within the faculty handbook that includes a statement about ensuring the safety of students and doing no intentional harm.
6. Review the tenure process; Bias and Discrimination Reports need to have an impact on the tenure and promotion processes.
7. Student diversity should be reflected within the hiring process of faculty and administration; the candidates should reflect the diversity of the student body for which the candidates would serve.
8. Review the course evaluations; questions on whether a student’s cultures and identities were respected by the professor within the course should be added.

Click the link to see the full resolution.

Approved 12/12/2018 by ADSG

Institutional Climate Resolution