Call to Action toolkit
Considering the Division of Extension’s responsibility to remain relevant and responsive as a 21st century public-serving institution, we recognize the need for strategic and coordinated actions that help us form a more equitable, anti-racist, non-biased, and inclusive organization.
The following set of nine strategic initiatives are structured to explicitly align our institutional commitment with institutional action. The initiatives are focused on these five institutional imperatives for improving equity, inclusion, and diversity at Extension. They include: 1) denouncing racism and bigotry across our organization, 2) investing in our staff’s understanding of historical, social, and political issues that shape the context of our work, 3) reducing barriers and expanding access to our programs and services, 4) improving our practices for attracting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce, and 5) tracking our progress with clear measures of accountability.
Executive Summary
In July 2020, Extension’s Dean’s Leadership Team approved the Call to Action along with the strategic initiatives outlined below. These initiatives supplement the specific efforts already being taken by Extension’s Institutes and Areas. Many of the Call to Action’s initiatives include the creation of an ad hoc support structure (e.g. work group, steering committee, task force). This presents Extension colleagues with opportunities to be engaged in the work and contribute meaningfully to shaping the goals, outcomes, action items, and accountability measures that are appropriate for each initiative and its objectives. Each initiative also lists an organizational lead who will determine an appropriate timeline needed to accomplish the objectives and tasks for each initiative. The Interim Director of the Office of Access, Inclusion, and Compliance (OAIC) will provide an initial charge for each support structure and provide additional guidance as needed. Efforts of support structures will be accountable to the Dean’s Leadership Team. Organizational leads, along with the input from the support structure members, will update members of the Dean’s Leadership Team on the progress and completion of each initiative. Questions related to Extension’s Call to Action can be directed to: oaic@extension.wisc.edu.
For details and updates on each of these initiatives, click and expand the tabs for more information.
Professional capacity building and organizational development
Initiative 1: Expanded understandings of the Land-Grant System history in the U.S. and in Wisconsin
| Name | Expanded understandings of the Land-Grant System history in the U.S. and in Wisconsin |
| Core purpose/objective | To provide new Extension colleagues, as well as current colleagues, with an expanded perspective of the Land-Grant System history in the U.S. and in Wisconsin. This will include greater attention to how part of the current U.S. Land-Grant system (1862s, 1890s, and 1994s) was founded upon ideas that perpetuate institutionalized forms of racism and settler colonialism. |
| Initiative launch date | August 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Kandi O’Neil (NCO), Aaron Bird Bear (NCO), Teresa Curtis (OAIC), and Ariana Thao (OAIC) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Steering committee |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 1 Local and Statewide Presence, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
12/01/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
12/11/2020 Organizational leads held an initial meeting with steering committee members
01/12/2021 Steering committee members have established monthly meetings for the initiative
03/15/2021 The steering committee has created three subcommittees for members (external learning, internal learning, and a resource library) that will meet on a regular basis.
08/10/2021 Organizational leads met with the Native American Task Force for review and evaluative feedback on initiative project ideas.
Initiative 2: Learning community for inclusive organizational citizenship
| Name | Learning community for inclusive organizational citizenship |
| Core purpose/objective | To establish an organization-wide, cohort-based, learning and training platform for Extension colleagues, with specific attention to deepening understandings of power and privilege, racialized Identity, intersectionality, Whiteness, anti-Blackness, inclusive leadership practices, and other issues. |
| Initiative launch date | August 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Shelly Vils-Havel (HR), Caitlin Yunis (OAIC) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Steering committee |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/01/2020 Extension has hired a lead for this initiative. She will help architect the platform and curriculum for this initiative.
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
10/20/2020 Organizational leads held an initial meeting with steering committee members
03/01/2020 Curriculum has been completed. The aim of the Learning Community is to develop a sustained and ongoing cohort-based learning experience in which Extension staff can build their self-awareness, specifically related to their experiences of race and racism, power and privilege, and socialization. In the long term, we hope that while our curriculum can be housed on Canvas, it can be primarily delivered in-person. It’s possible that our first cohort will need to experience most of the course virtually.
03/26/2021 The curriculum team will move forward with facilitating the curriculum.
07/19/2021 Application for cohort participants opens for colleagues across the organization.
08/20/2021 Application for cohort participants closes.
09/16/2021 Cohort 1 begins facilitation.
09/21/2021 Cohort 2 begins facilitation.
10/01/2021 A student was hired as a part of the facilitation team.
03/01/2022 The lead facilitator and Chief Diversity Officer updated the Dean’s Leadership Team on the pilot and shared assessment data.
04/01/2022 Pilot cohort wrapped up their experience
05/01/2022 Review of assessment data to start planning for Year 2 of implementation
Initiative 3: Inclusive Excellence Mini Grant Project
| Name | Inclusive Excellence Mini Grant Project |
| Core purpose/objective | In addition to existing opportunities available from within Institutes, this initiative would create a platform and process for allocating resources from the Dean’s Office to fund educational initiatives and research projects. This would include, but not be limited to, efforts that focus on countering the systemic effects of racism and bigotry. |
| Initiative launch date | January 2021 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Patrick Robinson (Associate Dean), JulieAnn Stawicki (Associate Dean) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Work group |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 1 Local and Statewide Presence, VP 3 National Leader, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
January 2021 Upon consulting OAIC Interim Director, Dean Martin made the decision to include addressing disparities as one of the priority issues for considering innovation grant proposals. This is the first time this particular priority has been included for consideration.
March 2021 OAIC Interim Director decided to indefinitely pause work on this initiative. This decision was made based on the inherent advantages of leveraging Extension’s Innovation Grant platform. The Innovation Grant initiative allows us to strategically align institutional funds, and to do so with the specific purpose of addressing issues of equity in Extension programming and research.
Explore the following link for an article about how the Extension Innovation Grants have worked to address issues of equity: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/news/2021/07/19/extension-innovation-projects-target-educational-outreach-racial-equity/
Initiative 4: Statewide anti-racism and anti-bigotry resource library
| Name | Statewide anti-racism and anti-bigotry resource library |
| Core purpose/objective | To develop a comprehensive set of educational resources that are available to Extension colleagues for self-directed learning opportunities |
| Initiative launch date | July 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | OAIC staff |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 2 Scholarship, VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
08/15/2020 The Office of Access, Inclusion, and Compliance started work on creating a resource library.
09/01/2020 The website was launched and is hosted here: https://blogs.extension.wisc.edu/oaic/anti-racism-resource-library/
10/01/2020 With the exception of ongoing maintenance to the library, this initiative is complete.
Initiative 5: Develop additional Extension staffing capacity that is focused on teaching, learning, and culturally responsive practices and pedagogies (CRP)
| Name | Develop additional Extension staffing capacity that is focused on teaching, learning, and culturally responsive practices and pedagogies (CRP) |
| Core purpose/objective | To leverage disciplinary expertise that supports the cohesive and consistent design and delivery of culturally responsive curricula and educational programming |
| Initiative launch date | January 2021 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Dominic Ledesma (OAIC), Teresa Curtis (OAIC), Patrick Robinson (Associate Dean), JulieAnn Stawicki (Associate Dean) |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
9/22/2021 This initiative will be paused until further notice.
Workplace safety, inclusion, and accountability
Initiative 6: Bias & hate reporting platform
| Name | Bias & hate reporting platform |
| Core purpose/objective | In alignment with the objectives of UW-Madison’s Bias & Hate Incident Form, the Bias & Hate Incident Reporting Platform has a two-fold purpose. First, it provides Extension employees with a formal mechanism to report issues that undermine our Division’s commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive environment for all employees, volunteers, and participants. Second, it is intended assure employees that all issues reported through the platform will be addressed in a timely manner that is appropriate for each situation or circumstances. |
| Initiative launch date | August 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Jamie O’Donnell (HR), Greg Johl (ETS), Dominic Ledesma |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Work Group |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
November 2020 Organizational leads held an initial meeting with steering committee members, exploring examples of bias & reporting platforms
January 2021 A prototype was created with testing occurring afterwards
February 2021 The committee met with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Office of Compliance for alignment with their reporting systems
March 2021 Language is being drafted to establish parameters around the reporting system
February 2022 The reporting form was created and finalized
March 2022 Conducted beta testing of reporting form
May 2022 Platform launched within Extension. Corresponding webpage and KB article also published.
Initiative 7: Institutional position statement
| Name | Institutional position statement |
| Core purpose/objective | To develop an institutional statement that clarifies and underscores Extension’s position and commitment to inclusivity and engaging in anti-racism work. |
| Initiative launch date | August 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Matthew Call (Communications and Stakeholder Engagement) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Work group |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 3 National Leader, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
10/12/2020 Organizational leads held an initial meeting with workgroup members.
08/1/2021 Initiative members have drafted an institutional position statement. This initiative has also drafted a toolkit on how to use the position statement.
12/15/2021 Divisional colleagues reviewed statement and provided input through workgroup members.
2/10/2022 Portions of this draft statement were used in position vacancy listings for hiring recruitment and inclusionary language for prospective hires. Additionally, Extension follows the UW–Madison Institutional Statement on Diversity.
Cultivating a workforce for 21st century needs
Initiative 8: Task force for inclusive recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies
| Name | Task force for inclusive recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies |
| Core purpose/objective | In alignment with a recommendation from a recent HR report on racial and ethnic disparities in Extension’s employee base, this task force will support efforts for improving and expanding strategies that attract, build, and sustain a more diverse workforce. |
| Initiative launch date | September 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Marc Serrett (HR), Nathaniel Shay (Dean’s Office) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Task force |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
10/16/2020 Organizational leads held an initial meeting with task force members.
10/30/2020 The committee identified subgroups each with a specific focus: Recruitment, Retention, and Communications.
11/20/2020 Subgroup leads were identified, meetings were rescheduled to incorporate subgroups, document structure was defined
12/4/2020 Breakout meetings were planned regularly, review of recommendations template, deliverables review for each subgroup, timeline reviewed
12/18/2020 High level timelines were submitted
01/08/2021 Chief Diversity Officer reviewed each subgroup’s recommendations
01/22/2021 Handoff to HR director
03/05/2021 Updates about drafted recommendations
03/19/2021 Subgroups will present their recommendations to the group, AAERG in attendance, LERG in attendance, Chief Diversity Officer in attendance
April 2021-August 2021 Each groups’ recommendations will be consolidated into an issue brief format and spreadsheet, Extension HR will review all recommendations to determine list to present to DLT, Extension HR will prepare recommendations to present to DLT, next steps to be determined
March 2022 Chief Diversity Officer met with HR to discuss development of Phase 2
Initiative 9: Steering committee for the Wisconsin Idea Internship Program (WIIP)
| Name | Steering committee for the Wisconsin Idea Internship Program (WIIP) |
| Core purpose/objective | The WIIP was canceled for summer 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This steering committee will help build upon the initial momentum and expand opportunities that cultivate a more diverse talent pool of summer interns for summer 2021 |
| Initiative launch date | November 2020 |
| Organizational lead(s) | Shelly Vils-Havel (HR), Dominic Ledesma (OAIC) |
| Recommended support structure for this initiative | Steering committee |
| Alignment with Dean’s Vision Points | VP 4 Workforce, VP 5 Diversity |
Updates:
09/28/2020 Organizational leads attended an orientation for their roles.
February 2021 The WIIP has been postponed till summer 2022. However, the committee will be meeting on a quarterly basis.
03/09/2021 The WIIP Steering Committee had its initial meeting.
September 2021 The WIIP Steering Committee has been meeting monthly and has updated the RFP which will be sent on October 30. A WIIP policy and procedure handbook is being created, and an evaluation/assessment framework is in development.
November 2021 Request for internship position proposals sent division-wide
January 2022 Of 26 position proposals received, steering committee recommended 21 positions for funding
March-April 2022 Positions posted to student jobs platform; recruitment period
Questions related to Extension’s Call to Action can be directed to: oaic@extension.wisc.edu.
