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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Seton Hill Civil Rights Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Related Retaliation

Value of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Seton Hill promotes an environment in which contributions and strengths are recognized, optimized and valued in a way that generates opportunities for growth, innovation and creativity within the Seton Hill University community.

We believe that diversity is invaluable because it:

    • Generates differing points of view.

    • Leads to innovation.

    • Fosters an understanding and acceptance of individuals from different backgrounds. 

    • Recognizes the contributions that a variety of individuals and groups can make.


Commitment to Diverse Ideas & Perspectives

Seton Hill University is fully committed to providing an inclusive learning environment for members of the campus community, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, genetic information, age, marital status, familial status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status. Here, we see diversity and diverse perspectives as strengths, opportunities for learning, and keys to a productive working environment and the future growth of the University.

Throughout the year, the University hosts cultural events and trainings to promote cross-culture learning and inclusion. Guest speakers frequent our campus to highlight the importance of embracing one another’s differences. Seton Hill is committed to a constant expansion of acceptance and learning for everyone who visits, attends and teaches here.

Presidential Task Force on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

In early 2020, Seton Hill President Dr. Mary Finger called for the creation of a Task Force on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This task force will review institutional practices as they relate to diversity and inclusion, enhance existing programs and policies, and create new concrete measures that confront racism and exclusion to advance the University as an anti-racist, inclusive community.

The Task Force will address:

  • Enrollment and retention of students of color
  • Faculty and staff hiring, education and mentoring
  • Curriculum development
  • Student programming and initiatives
  • Communications
  • Organizational structure

Task Force Membership 

Co-Chairs

  • Imogene Cathey, Vice President & General Counsel
  • David Droppa, Associate Professor & Director of Social Work Program
  • Mary Finger, University President
  • Keisha C. Jimmerson, Dean of Students & Diversity Officer

Members: 

  • Ashawn Berry, Graduate Assistant, Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services
  • Rosalie Carpenter, Vice President for Student Affairs
  • Amalene Cooper-Morgan, Associate Professor, Chemistry 
  • Christine Cusick, Associate Professor, English 
  • Daniel Day Sr., Head Football Coach 
  • Susan Eichenberger, Associate Professor, Sociology; Coordinator of Sociology Department 
  • Brett Freshour, Vice President for Enrollment Management 
  • Fran Leap, Professor, Religious Studies
  • Keila Lobos-Hernandez, Associate Director of Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services
  • Lyz Marshall, Assistant Professor, Business
  • Sarah Marsh, Associate Professor, English
  • Sr. Maureen O’Brien, Vice President for Mission & Identity
  • Jim Paharik, Professor, Sociology; Director, National Catholic Center of Holocaust Education
  • Labrea Lee Pringle ‘17, Alumna
  • Michele Proctor, Director of Public Safety & Chief of Police
  • Molly Robb Shimko, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
  • Lynda Sukolsky, Assistant Dean, Academic Enrichment & Retention
  • Kellee Van Aken, Associate Professor, Theatre; Dean of the School of Visual & Performing Arts
  • David VonSchlichten, Associate Professor, Religious Studies; Program Coordinator for Gender and Women's Studies; Dean of the School of Humanities

 

Seton Hill University Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Plan

Academic Year 2023-2024-to Academic Year 2028-2029

DEIB Goal

To create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment in which all members of the university community feel a strong sense of belonging, Seton Hill University will (1) recruit and retain qualified and diverse students, faculty, and staff; (2) actively provide curriculum and co-curricular activities that prepare multiculturally aware students to transform the world; and (3) create a robust infrastructure that supports institutional DEIB efforts. The University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is consistent with its mission as a Catholic, Setonian university and reflective of the charism of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill as well as the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching, and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition upon which the university was founded and continues to evolve and flourish.

Objectives Initiatives Activities Timeline Responsibility Resources Assessment
I. Create robust infrastructure to support university DEIB efforts. A. Continue to evolve the work of the President’s Task Force on DEIB. (1) Review committee structure (Curriculum, Mission, Student Experience Inside the Classroom, Student Experience Outside the Classroom) that has existed since inauguration of the Task Force in 2020 and determine efficacy for current and future work. Spring 2023 President, Task Force Steering Committee None Minutes of Task Force and Committees; Minutes of Planning Meetings with Steering Committee (co-chairs of all)
(2) Determine new Task Force Committee structure, leadership, short and long-term goals Fall 2024 President, Task Force Steering Committee None Minutes of Task Force; Minutes of Planning Meetings with Steering Committee
(3) Begin new Task Force Committee meetings with re-aligned goals, meeting schedule set by committees Spring 2025 Task Force Committees   Minutes of Committee Meetings
(4) Continue full President’s Task Force meetings each semester On-going President’s Task Force on DEIB   Minutes of Task Force Meetings
B. Enhance and Expand the Search Advocacy Program, Search Policy, and Faculty and Staff Recruiting Program (1) Continue to recruit and train Search Advocates to serve on search committees On-going Office of Human Resources; Office of the General Counsel Resources of HR and General Counsel Offices Annual report
(2) Enhance existing training for Search Advocates to include periodic discussions of challenges Advocates face on search committees. Fall 2024 Office of Human Resources; Office of the General Counsel Resources of HR and General Counsel Offices Minutes of Search Advocacy Program meetings
(3) Enhance existing training for Search Advocates to include presentations on areas of import to Search Advocates On-Going Office of Human Resources; Office of the General Counsel Resources of HR and General Counsel Offices; DEIB budget Recording of presentations
(4) Widely disseminate Search Policy through Policy Tech; to all search committees; and through all-university meetings On-going and Winter Workshop (January 2025) Office of Human Resources; Office of the General Counsel Resources of HR and General Counsel Offices; DEIB budget Record of dissemination
(5) Update faculty and staff recruitment processes with new talent acquisition program that utilizes expanded and targeted outreach opportunities (including networking and advertising) to ensure broad, diverse pools of candidates in searches. January 25 Office of Human Resources Resources of HR budget; DEIB budget Annual Review of Hiring Processes
C. Project Home (1) Identify second cohort student leaders to participate in Project Home and act as student advocates Spring 2024 Co-chairs of the President’s Task Force on DEIB; Members of the Mission Committee of the President’s Task Force on DEIB DEIB budget Evaluations, focus group discussions
(2) Engage in student educational process and co-curricular activities including outreach to student organizations Summer 2024 – Spring 2025 Project Home Cohort; Dean of Students/Diversity Officer; Co-chair of President’s Task Force on DEIB; various facilitators DEIB budget; Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Affairs Office Budget Evaluations, focus group discussions
(3) Engage in summer seminar, capstone project and continued outreach as student advocates Summer 2025 – Spring 2026 Project Home Cohort; Dean of Students/Diversity Officer; Co-chairs of President’s Task Force on DEIB; various facilitators DEIB budget; Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Affairs Office Budget Evaluations, focus group discussions
D. Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and International Student Services; Narrative Four Facilitator; and Office of Mission and Identity (1) Enhance and expand DEIB programming to expose student body to high level educational programming On-going Dean of Students/Diversity Office Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and International Student Services Budget; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Budget Evaluations of programs, evaluations of student club activities
(2) Expand involvement in anchor programs including MLK celebration; Narrative Four conversations, Catholic Social Teaching presentations consistent with DEIB efforts Current and On-Going Dean of Students/Diversity Office; Narrative Four Facilitators; Office of Mission and Identity Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and International Student Services Budget; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Budget; Office of Mission and Identity Budget Evaluations of programs
(3) Communicate University resources to promote DEIB including to existing Affinity groups Current and On-Going Office of Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services; President’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office of Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services; University’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Budget Annual budget process
II. To create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment A. Recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, and students (1) Utilize the Search Advocacy Program and “Rooney Rule” to ensure diverse candidate pools Current and On-going President; Provost; Search Advocacy Program Human Resources Budget Annual Assessment
(2) Enhance faculty mentorship program based on annual feedback (survey) from participants. Summer 2025 Director of Assessment and Institutional Research; Provost; Deans Institutional Assessment and Research Office Budget Develop survey instrument – Spring 2025; Conduct survey – Spring 2025; Analyze data – Summer 2025
(3) Utilize university bi-annual climate survey of faculty, staff, and students about experiences related to DEIB to address climate and curricular issues. Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Director of Assessment and Institutional Research; Institutional Effectiveness Data Analyst; President’s Task Force on DEIB Institutional Assessment and Research Office Budget Bi-Annual Survey, review and dissemination of data
(4) Initiate Staff Mentorship program Spring 2025 Dean of Students/Diversity Officer; Human Resource Office; Institutional Assessment and Research Budget Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Budget; Institutional Assessment and Research Office Budget Annual Survey of Staff Mentorship Program
(5) Utilize annual faculty development plans detailing goals and professional development needs to support diverse faculty On-going Provost; Deans Faculty Professional Development Budget; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Budget Annual Assessment based on meeting with faculty members and Deans and/or Program Directors
D. Recruit students from diverse backgrounds (1) Utilize University’s College in the High School Program and NSF grant that outreaches to under-resourced high school students to encourage STEM interest, and Kemper grant (THINK IT, SEE IT, BE IT) targeting under-resourced communities exposing students to STEM careers to encourage enrollment Current and On-going Office of Enrollment Management; NSF grant director, Kemper grant director; College in the High School Program Director NSF grant funds; Kemper grant funds; College in the High School budget Annual monitoring of student demographics – Institutional Research and Assessment; DEIB Committee, Office of Enrollment Management, Grant directors, College in the High School program director - annual assessment of enrollment cycle, marketing effectiveness, and outreach success.
(2) Increase outreach to high schools with diverse populations; develop appropriate marketing materials in Spanish; and utilize financial aid Spring 2025 Office of Enrollment Management Office of Enrollment Management Budget; Marketing Budget Annual monitoring of student demographics
E. Retain diverse students (1) Develop and implement exit survey that includes questions about experiences related to DEIB to graduates and students exiting the program. Analyze responses and recommend changes to environment dependent on identified trends. Spring 2025 through Summer and annually going forward Director of Assessment and Institutional Research; Associate Dean for Retention; Vice President for Student Affairs, Athletics, and Planning Office of Assessment and Institutional Research Budget Annual analysis of exit surveys
(2) Implement Sculco Fellows Program with faculty from each school to engage in in-depth DEIB training that includes managing difficult dialogues, conflict resolution, curriculum enhancement, and communication strategies; fellows provide education to other faculty in their schools and act as a DEIB advocate. Initiated in Fall 2024 and on-going. President’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; PA DEIB Committee University’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Budget Annual evaluation of the Sculco Fellow Program utilizing surveys of Fellows.
(3) Sculco Fellow shares training modules with faculty and staff in all five schools and areas such as athletics and student affairs Fall 2025 and On-going Sculco Fellows University’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Budget Surveys of faculty and staff participants
F. Provide curriculum that is culturally relevant (1) Working with the Director of Curriculum Development, Faculty, and Deans to enhance existing curriculum to include additional culturally relevant components and/or courses. Academic Year 2023-24 – Liberal Arts Curriculum and courses in Business and Technology School
AY 2024-25 and on-going – courses and components		 DEIB Curriculum Development Specialist, Deans, Faculty Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Fund Initial Audit in 2024; Bi-Annual Audits
(2) Increase rotations in underserved and multicultural environments for health science students; placements for art therapy, music, and dance students; and student teaching placements for student teachers Current and On-Going Deans and Program Directors, Outreach Coordinators Existing School Budgets Annual Review of Student Placements for Clinical Rotations; Placements; and Student Teaching.

Resources

Reports & Policies

Find Out More

For more information, please contact diversity@setonhill.edu.

Find Out More

For more information, please contact diversity@setonhill.edu.