Year of ACTION on Diversity (2014-2015): Recap

The ASEE Board authorized 2014-2015 as the Year of ACTION on Diversity, wherein members discussed, engaged, and highlighted individual and collective activities that served to advance the Society's diversity efforts and inclusivity. Thus, along with regular Diversity Committee efforts, 2014-2015 featured additional coordination, sponsorship and activities.

The need for this YoA was very timely. Calls for diversifying the engineering and engineering technology workforce have led to ASEE divisions and specific subpopulation organizations, but the numbers have climbed only slightly. A different, broader, majority inclusive approach was needed. While there is still much work to do, the Year of Action provided a start to this majority approach.

Actions:

ASEE Diversity Committee Sessions at the 122nd ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Check out summaries of the many sessions sponsored by the ASEE Diversity Committee at the annual conference! Click here for the list of sessions.

Student's Submitted Entries for the Student Essay & Video Contest!

Students shared stories and their perspectives! We asked for a video or essay from current engineering and engineering technology students sharing a story related to any type of diversity (e.g., age, belief system, disability status, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and any other visible or non-visible differences).
Top three submissions won cash prizes.
The competition ended July 1, 2015! The contest has grown into a recurring activity. For more information, check out: http://diversity.asee.org/essay-contest

Thought-provoking snippets

As part of ASEE's Year of Action on Diversity, we featured thought-provoking diversity snippets in the hallways around the 2015 ASEE Annual Conference in Seattle, WA. This activity was so engaging that the Committee again featured snippets at the 2016 ASEE Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA. This activity may continue in future years. The following solicitation was sent out, requesting submissions: "Can you think of a short message that highlights diversity and gets people thinking about inclusivity? We want to hear from you! The Diversity Committee needs your help! Please submit your ideas for little snippets (~30 words or less) that highlight diversity. You can also find the list of diversity themed snippets on the past conferences page!"

HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS: The following items were considered essential to achieve the core, centralizing activities for the Year of Action on Diversity.

• Sponsor a high profile ASEE 2015 Annual Conference Distinguished Lecture and key sessions focused on diversity.
• Conduct four webinars throughout the year on Best Practices, Safe Zone, and advocacy efforts. The following assumes that presenters will volunteer their time. Coordinate with ASEE for reduced rates for set up, hosting, and advertising time.
• Print materials and mailings will include newsletters twice per year, stickers, ribbons, etc. to increase visibility, and additional marketing including the footstep idea; footsteps are placed throughout the conference halls with diversity lines or facts for people to read as they walk.
• Sponsor a Special Projects Fund for Best Diversity Activity by any Division/Group/Region/Zone (modeled after PIC Chairs Special Project Fund, which requires matching). Sponsor Two Best Paper Awards for Diversity to be acknowledged in a highly visible manner at the annual meeting.
• Sponsor Safe Zone Workshops again in 2015. Lead facilitators develop content and guide volunteer facilitators. Lead facilitators will also conduct a couple of the Safe Zone sessions at ASEE.
• Profile ASEE diversity activities in each issue of PRISM. Sponsor ads to add visibility to the Year of Action on Diversity.

DIVERSITY COMMITTEE COMMITMENTS: The Diversity Committee will concurrently be active in securing sponsorship and funding to assist with activities during the Year of Dialogue. This section contains a summary of those efforts.

• Support the Diversity Booth as the key and central entrance booth at the annual conference to help provide resources and information to members attending the conference. The Diversity Committee will coordinate with ASEE regarding sponsorship in addition to our own volunteer efforts to secure funds. Print materials listed above will also be displayed here.
• Extensively expand the website to be a central portal of information exchange. Create model policies and practices resources as well as a compilation of YoA activities. Continue to grow Diversity Resources.

MEDIUM PRIORITY ITEMS: This category of items enables more impact, streamlining efforts at multiple organizational levels to make the Year of Action on Diversity a greater success. Items listed expand the message to all ASEE meetings. The demographics of zone and regional meetings include far more community college and K-12 attendees.

• Sponsor key sessions and panels at annual conference focused on various diversity issues.
• Coordinate between Zone and Section meetings to increase communication of best practices and widespread dissemination. A member of the Diversity Committee could attend and talk at one or more of these events.

LOWEST (BUT STILL IMPORTANT) PRIORITY ITEMS: Items in this category were considered non-essential, yet still highly impactful to further develop volunteer efforts and ensure these activities are sustained year after year.

• Host a midterm face-to-face meeting in February 2015 coinciding with the spring Board Meeting and the new K-12 Committee. The goal is to get the key influencers together to brainstorm, strategize, and strategically re-energize efforts and move Diversity forward.

ASEE is in a position, as an engineering society leading by example, to strongly influence diversity attitudes and efforts across the nation and world. Thus, all efforts should impact education of individuals, disseminate best practices, and be designed to empower the individual to facilitate the success of others.