College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Description

Whatcom Community College has made a commitment to our core strategic theme, Advancing Equity. We strive to promote professional development for our faculty and staff, and target programming to create an equitable experience for students. We are learning to be vulnerable, create space and pause in our learning.
 
Our focus on closing equity gaps for students has influenced our work to reduce financial barriers, and create support networks through advising, coaching and mentoring for first generation and students of color. The College has created programs such as the Intercultural Center and TRIO services (Upward Bound and Student Support Services) to promote community building and engagement.  We invest in professional opportunities for faculty and staff to gain knowledge, understanding, and apply equity principles to every day practices.
 
The position of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer will assist in coordinating efforts, stay student focused, and move us towards creating a more equity minded institution. The DEI Officer will be essential to creating an Institutional Equity Plan, to identify and examine policies, procedures, and practices that are inherent to the systems at Whatcom and to coach staff in leading equity conversations, supporting identity development and challenging assumptions.
                                                                                                           
Position Description:
 
The College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) is a leader, advisor, advocate, catalyst for change, and institutional resource focused on infusing DEI into all programs and activities, tracking progress toward these goals, and communicating progress to an engaged community.   The CDEIO provides leadership to ensure the college is continuously working toward a campus environment that is focused on improving student outcomes, is inclusive, and equity minded.  
 
The CDEIO will lead the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic actions to center inclusion within the institution and to ensure all community members have the needed foundational knowledge and support to be inclusive in their daily work.   
The CDEIO will ensure a coordinated approach to DEI institutional excellence with other college partners by establishing strong working relationships with college and community stakeholders. Collaboration is essential to doing this work of identifying and developing strategies to close student achievement gaps, providing programming and creating new opportunities for inclusive engagement and experiences across campus.
 
This position will serve on the college’s executive cabinet and report directly to the President.

Job Responsibilities

Administrative:

• Serve as a resource to the campus and community; ensure coordination and implementation of high impact and promising practices and strategies throughout the College and for communities in which the College serves. 
• Provide leadership and oversight for the Campus Diversity Committee, including the development and review of an Institutional Equity Plan. 
• Review and recommend college policies and procedures that affirm the College’s commitment to an equitable and innovative educational environment.
• Develop metrics to track and monitor accountability of DEI efforts in closing student achievement gaps.
• Communicate to campus college DEI efforts, progress, and opportunities on a regular basis.
• Provide vision and strategic leadership to guide the work of the Intercultural Services staff to ensure the services and programs support students from marginalized and diverse populations.
• Administer the activities of the Bias Incident Response Team.
• Provide leadership in the review and development of college policy, procedure and practice that advances the college’s DEI institutional goals and outcomes.
• Review and evaluate content of college communications, webpages, and social media platforms to ensure content is current, culturally responsive, relevant, and informative while demonstrating its commitment to DEI goals and outcomes.
• Provide analysis of legislation and regulations related to equity and affirmative action.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of Intercultural Services, ensuring that it supports educational equity and academic achievement for all underserved and underrepresented students.   

Collaboration:

• Promote an inclusive campus culture that develops relationships that foster trust, respect, and collegiality.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and College divisions and departments to develop recruitment and retention practices for a diverse workforce.
• Support divisional efforts to develop action plans for promoting equity and inclusion as part of the overall student experience.
• Advocate for inclusive pedagogical practices with faculty and support the development of courses and curricula that include equity and inclusion that build intercultural knowledge, skills, and competencies.
• Promote the College’s commitment to a climate and state of DEI through interaction with individuals and organizations throughout the community and the college’s service district. 
• Seek and establish partnerships that support strategic College and community DEI initiatives.
• Serve as the College representative to the Washington State Equity Officers Council and other appropriate outside organizations.
• Work with community groups, tribes, K-12, and other colleges and universities.

 Professional Development and Training:

• In collaboration with the Professional Development Committee, plan and develop professional development opportunities for all faculty and staff to increase college understanding and awareness of discrimination, power, privilege, and racism.
• Work closely with local and national equity experts to advance institutional learning of equity strategies and practices. 
• Engage the campus community’s understanding, awareness, and practice of identity, bias, discrimination, power, and privilege.

 Qualifications, Salary and Appointment

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university; or receipt of degree within one year of employment.
• Two years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with historically underserved populations. 
• Demonstrated experience as a collaborator and relationship builder, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working with people from diverse backgrounds in an educational setting. 
• Experience providing strategic leadership to promote DEI strategies and practices.
• Experience developing and successfully delivering curriculum for training related to DEI and intercultural competence.
• Experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs.
• Demonstrated ability to influence college, community, and state constituents on key DEI issues.

Salary and Appointment: 

• This is a full-time Administrative/Exempt position. Exempt from Washington State civil service law with an annual salary based upon a range of $100,000 - $110,000.

Benefit Package:

• The position comes with a full benefit package, including health, dental, life, long-term disability insurance and a retirement plan. 

Additionally, as a Washington State, public higher education institution, WCC offers the following:

• Whatcom Community College is a qualified employer for the PSLF program. If you work for the College full time, have had Direct Loans and are on an eligible repayment plan, you are eligible to apply.
• Full-time employees are eligible to apply and participate in the Whatcom Community College Employee Tuition Program, which provides a tuition waiver for available and eligible WCC courses.

Start Date:

• As soon as can be arranged with successful candidate.

Application Due Date:

• For guaranteed consideration, application packets should be received by Monday, March 29th, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Position open until filled.

Special Instructions to Applicant

 A completed application consists of an online application and:

• Letter of application detailing relevant experience and how the applicant is prepared to meet the duties of the position.
• Whatcom Community College has a strategic plan core theme to advance equity. Please provide a diversity statement providing examples of (1) how you have integrated equity and inclusion in your work and (2) how you will promote equitable practices in education through this position.
• Current resume.
• Unofficial Transcripts for all earned degrees; official transcripts required prior to official start date.
• List of five recent professional references with contact information.