Southwest Tech’s Commitment to Progress

Goal 1. Sustained Conversations of Marginalized Groups Experiences and Policy

To move toward a culture of inclusivity at Southwest Tech, the college will explore its roots and identify areas of the college that have historically been inequitable. Southwest Tech will provide a space for those who have experienced inequities to share their experiences.  

  • Proactively seek students’ and employees’ voices and experiences in and out of the classroom and the workplace.  
  • Explore the intersection of racial/ethnic identity with other salient voices: LGBTQIA+, parents, adult learners, student-athletes, disabilities, veterans, foster youth, homeless, and transfer students.  
  • Listen to and validate what they say and take action. 
  • Make equity among our special populations a strategic initiative with measurable goals and resources. 

Goal 2.  Focus on Equity in Student Access & Success 

Southwest Tech will conduct comprehensive evaluations of policies and practices – through an equity lens in the areas of instruction, student services, and professional development to identify unconscious biases, make modifications to enhance empathetic understanding, and build emotional intelligence skills and capacity. These evaluations will be undertaken across all instructional and student support areas with an emphasis on the following:

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Student Services 
  • School Conduct/Discipline 
  • Develop clear policies on hate crimes and hate speech 
  • Celebrate culture, history, and life through programming/service open to the entire campus community 
  • Engage in intrusive outreach to students of color when racist incidents occur.

Goal 3. Use Data to Close Equity Gaps 

Southwest Tech is committed to collecting and using data to identify equity gaps. Identifying and analyzing this data will lead the college in creating action plans and initiatives that will address and close the identified gaps.  

  • Conduct an analysis of campus arrest data, citations, referrals, calls from faculty. 
  • Disaggregate data gathered on the retention and completion rates of students.  
  • Encourage campus efforts toward inclusivity. 

Goal 4. Reviewing Hiring & Retention Policies 

Southwest Tech will implement and maintain intrusive and ongoing professional development on antiracism and inclusivity of our diverse populations. This will be accomplished through being intentional in our hiring practices, listening to all our employees, and providing professional development that promotes inclusivity. Those involved in all aspects of hiring and retention will review the following for equitable and antiracist language and actions: 

  • Positions descriptions 
  • Hiring Committees 
  • Benefits documents highlight diversity 
  • Employee Grievances 
  • Performance Evaluations 
  • Professional development including FQAS (Faculty Quality Assurance System), College-wide opportunities, Leadership Council, and the Executive Team. 

Goal 5. Increase Transparency 

Southwest Tech will establish clearer, more transparent, and more frequent communication regarding Southwest Tech’s equity and inclusion initiatives and outcomes. This work will be led by the Inclusivity Work Group with college support.  

  • A public-facing central messaging hub will be created to share College assessment, research, and outcomes data. 
  • The college will engage in the development of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan with yearly updates. Updates on the DEI activities will be actively and intentionally shared with the college community. 
  • A DEI Webpage on the Southwest Tech website will be created to provide the district residents with important and upcoming events and resources. 
  • A Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Progress Report will be created to share goals and actions.