REACH for Excellence: WSU's ADVANCE Adaptation Initiative for Equity in STEM Faculty

Wichita State University’s ADVANCE Adaptation project, REACH, will make structural and cultural changes to create a more equitable, inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment for all faculty. The project aims to implement policies, practices, and programs that will improve recruitment and advancement of women faculty with multiple marginalized identities. Informed by an ADVANCE Catalyst institutional self-assessment and equity strategic plan, the REACH project has three main objectives: (1) Adopt and institutionalize policies for equitable recruitment and hiring, (2) Institutionalize support for faculty success and advancement across all ranks, and (3) Institutionalize new processes and procedures that will lead to a culture of equity expectations and accountability by deans and chairs. Toward the first objective of equitable recruitment and hiring, this project will implement a proactive, diversity-focused recruitment process, institute an equity advisors program, and develop dual career hiring opportunities. Support for faculty success will be accomplished through mutual mentoring networks. And a culture of equity expectations and accountability by deans and chairs will be achieved through a visiting speaker series, cultural and equity workshops for chairs and deans, mutual mentoring for department chairs, and accountability structure for chairs and deans. The project can serve as a model for other urban, R2 Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The NSF ADVANCE program is designed to foster gender equity through a focus on the identification and elimination of organizational barriers that impede the full participation and advancement of diverse faculty in academic institutions. Organizational barriers that inhibit equity may exist in policies, processes, practices, and the organizational culture and climate. ADVANCE “Adaptation” awards provide support for the adaptation and adoption of evidence-based strategies to academic, non-profit institutions of higher education as well as non-academic, non-profit organizations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.