Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan for Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (NTLC)
Mission and Vision Alignment
The Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (NTLC) at Kean University is committed to promoting a culture of inclusivity, ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic background, or ability—have equitable access to resources, support services, and learning technologies. We seek to enhance academic excellence through diverse perspectives and inclusive practices.
Goals and Objectives
1. Strengthen Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Staff
- Goal: Foster a diverse team of professionals that reflects the student population at Kean University.
- Actions:
- Work with Kean’s Human Resources and DEI Office to promote inclusive hiring practices.
- Partner with organizations and networks focused on increasing diversity in higher education for recruitment.
- Implement mentorship and professional development programs aimed at supporting career advancement for staff from underrepresented groups.
2. Enhance Library and Learning Support Services for Diverse Communities
- Goal: Ensure that NTLC’s services and resources meet the needs of a diverse and global student body.
- Actions:
- Regularly review and update the library’s resource collection to include materials representing diverse voices, cultures, and perspectives.
- Strengthen collaboration with faculty to curate culturally relevant and inclusive Open Educational Resources (OER).
- Continue expanding research coaching and learning support tailored to first-generation students, international students, and students with disabilities.
3. Advance Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Environments
- Goal: Ensure all NTLC facilities, technology, and resources are accessible to students with disabilities.
- Actions:
- Promote the newly implemented accessibility room with assistive technologies to ensure students with disabilities can engage with NTLC resources.
- Utilize accessibility software to enhance student access to digital resources (e.g., screen readers, text-to-speech software, etc.).
- Offer ongoing training for staff on best practices in accessibility and universal design for learning.
4. Foster a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging
- Goal: Cultivate an NTLC environment where everyone feels valued and respected, contributing to a sense of belonging.
- Actions:
- Host workshops, panels, and speaker series on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics relevant to the Kean community.
- Create a feedback loop (via surveys, focus groups) to ensure continuous improvement of NTLC’s inclusivity efforts.
- Celebrate cultural events, heritage months, and other opportunities to recognize diverse identities within NTLC.
5. Promote Awareness and Support of Equity-Based Learning Initiatives
- Goal: Educate the Kean community on the importance of equitable access to educational resources.
- Actions:
- Continue growing NTLC’s OER initiatives to reduce the cost of learning materials for students, especially those from low-income backgrounds.
- Partner with faculty to develop inclusive course materials and increase awareness of the impact of high textbook costs on educational equity.
- Highlight NTLC’s contributions to accessible learning through public campaigns, social media, and university-wide events.
Evaluation and Accountability
To ensure ongoing success, NTLC will implement the following evaluation methods:
- Collect data on library and learning support service usage across diverse student groups.
- Analyze recruitment and retention statistics for staff diversity.
- Regularly assess accessibility improvements and gather student feedback on usability.
- Measure the impact of OER and learning support programs in addressing equity gaps.
