Faculty and staff in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship recognize the critical importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, in our fields and for the health of our world. Our differences are strengths and opportunities for learning and growth. We recognize that inclusivity in our department requires continuous learning and action to address inequities. 

This webpage aims to house our strategic plan information and updates, as well as other projects and progress made on department goals. The strategic plan will be added in June 2022 after its current revision is complete. 

Strategic Plan Information

Our Vision

The composition of FRS faculty, staff and students reflects that of our community and state. All members of the FRS community feel welcomed, valued and affirmed, and able to “show up” and participate as who they are. Members of all groups within FRS participate actively in creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community that welcomes, values and affirms different social identities and their contributions to FRS’s mission. FRS community members work to identify and counteract individual and institutional bias in ourselves and others.

Strategic Plan Goals:

• Goal 1: Improve retention and promotion of historically marginalized faculty, staff and students
• Goal 2: Develop cultural competency of all faculty, staff and students
• Goal 3: Embed diversity and inclusion in curriculum, educational programs, and research across all FRS activities

Rationale

This plan is developed in support of 1) the FRS Strategic Plan priority to create an inclusive culture for all groups within our department, 2) WCNR Strategic Plan Goal to increase diversity and inclusion within WCNR, and 3) the CSU Principles of Community and University Diversity BluePrint. Each of these institutional commitments recognizes the essential contributions that diversity, inclusion and equity make to excellence in research, education, outreach/engagement and a productive workplace.

Process

The process of developing the FRS Diversity and Inclusion Plan began in 2015 when faculty participated in the Faculty Institute for Inclusive Excellence (FIIE). As part of their projects for the FIIE, they conducted initial data collection and analysis of FRS student demographics and student, faculty and staff experiences using individual interviews and externally facilitated focus groups. In 2017, a new FRS Diversity and Inclusion Committee convened and using the University Diversity Blueprint as a starting point, propose short-term and medium-term goals, strategies and metrics. The plan has been in action continuously since then, current goals are bulleted under “Our Vision.”

Highlights of FRS Projects:

• Ongoing: The Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department has continued their DEIJ department book read series, established in the fall of 2020.
• Ongoing: The FRS department is partnering with the Warner College of Natural Resources Director of Diversity and Inclusion to build relationships with historically Black colleges. and universities, Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University. Together, we have finalized agreements and recruited undergraduate students from Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M to finish their senior year at CSU, with the hope that they complete their advanced degrees in our program.
• In the spring of 2022, Tiara Marshall, FRS Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Department DEIJ Committee Chair received the 2022 Warner College of Natural Resources Diversity and Inclusion Award.
• In the spring of 2022, the FRS department announced the installation of our DEIJ library. The collection of books focuses on natural resources and diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.
• In the fall of 2021, to create a more inclusive pedagogy, the department completed its first round of syllabus and course revisions to ensure we are creating a sense of belonging and support in our courses. Faculty completed the Equity-Focused Teaching Strategies Reflection created by the University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, as well as contributed to the DEIJ Best Practices Catalog for FRS courses.
• In the summer of 2021, the FRS department completed the Image Renovation project on the first floor of the Forestry Building. The FRS DEI committee created a participatory process for any member of the department to submit photos for consideration for some of the image spaces; we strategically selected other photos to enhance representation.
• In the spring of 2021, FRS hosted a virtual seminar series with the theme of “Long practiced ways of being on the land” featuring diverse voices and perspectives in natural resources
• In 2020, FRS Department Head Linda Nagel received the Warner College of Natural Resources Diversity and Inclusion Award