Students gatering around supplies

STATEMENT: To enhance the health of the people of Montana, our nation, and the global community, Montana State University, College of Nursing is committed to developing and sustaining a culture of inclusion, social justice, and diversity.

VISION: We believe that excellence at Montana State University, College of Nursing is best achieved through a culture of intellectual and personal growth that is diverse and inclusive thereby transforming lives and communities in the people’s interest.

 

Abbreviation List:

ACD

Assistant Campus Director

AD-AA

Associate Dean-Academic Affair

AD-R

Associate Dean-Research

ADP

Academic Diversity Partner

ANEW

Advanced Nursing Education Workforce

BWHET

Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training

DAF

Director of Administration & Finance

DAPE

Director of Academic Planning & Evaluation

MANS

Montana Advantage Nursing Scholarships

NEPQR

Nurse Education, Practice, Quality & Retention

RPCN

Rural Primary Care Nursing Track

SDIO

 Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer 

 

MSU Goal: Create a civil, supportive, and respectful environment where difference is a source of strength.

Goal 1: Faculty will explicitly communicate a committment to honor diversity of opinions and thought.

1. Ensure that all syllabi include a diversity and inclusivity statement (language available on CFE website).

  1. ADP provided information about inclusive syllabus language at August 2023 faculty meeting.
  2. No formal assessment of syllabi was completed.
  3. Plan to consider formal assessment in 2024-25 school year.

2. Provide training to faculty on creating safe classroom spaces.

  1. ADP provided education on creating safe classroom spaces.
  2. Dean's office provided funding to host Dr. Karen DeVries for a presentation to all faculty about inclusive classrooms in January 2024.

MSU Goal: Equip students, faculty, and staff with the knowledge, experience and competencies necessary to eradicate biases and discrimination and to be successful in a multicultural, international, and pluralistic society.

Goal 1: Faculty and staff will participate in at least one professional development activity on DEI annually.

1. Offer faculty/staff DEI development opportunity annually.

  1. Dean's Office provided funding to support educational session by Dr. Amy Stiffarm regarding culturally sensitive care to American Indian patients in August 2023.
  2. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provided training and technical support to improve holistic admissions processes at the undergraduate level.

2. Complete Indian Education for All required for faculty annual evaluation.

  1. We continue to work on this goal to ensure all faculty are in compliance.
  2. No formal evaluation was completed.

3. Faculty on Search Committee and who review applicant essays will complete a training on unconscious bias.

  1.  We did not make progress on this activity.

 

Goal 2: Faculty will incorporate DEI concepts (e.g., biases & discrimination) into curriculum, pedagogy, and/or research.

1. Review simulation scenarios for DEI concepts and incorporate student views on diversity in situations.

  1. This is currently in progress. ADP will continue to evaluate simulation scenarios and present to the simulation team.

2. Review graduate MRO's for DEI content.

  1. This was completed and ADP provided language to increase inclusive content in graduate courses.
  2. These were voted on by faculty in December 2023.

3. Offer simulation to teach students how to communicate through an interpreter.

  1. The MRJCON secured a simulation grant to provide simulation education about to communicate through an interpreter.
  2. This simulation will be implemented in fall 2024.

MSU Goal: Recruit, promote the success of, and foster a sense of security and belonging for a diverse student body, faculty, and staff.

Goal 1: Students will demonstrate involvement in college-wide diversity efforts.

1. ADP will intentionally interface with students on all 5 campuses in the Professional Development I course and teach Diversity 100: Cultural Identity. 

  1. This was not completed. The ADP proposes to include this as a goal for 2024-25.
  2. The ADP did address multiple student concerns about diversity issues, including removing a textbook from the curriculum that did not appropriately address culture.

 

Goal 2: Campus buildings will display artwork and photos that celebrate diversity in nursing and health.

1. Continue to highlight diversity in photos.

  1. This was completed.

 

MSU Goal: Provide strong, active and visible leadership for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Goal 1: MRJCON leadership will be champions for diversity efforts.

1. ADP will attend all Executive Council meetings to stimulate discussion around DEI.

  1. This was accomplished. The Executive Council was named the MRJCON's diversity committee.

 

Goal 2: Faculty will continually engage in efforts to increase DEI.

1. ADP will provide diversity tidbits at every GFM

  1. This was completed.
  2. This will continue in 2024-25.

MSU Goal: Increase the campus community’s and general public’s appreciation for the value of diversity at Montana State University through active communication to highlight underrepresented people.

Goal 1: Externally communicate values or contributions of diverse faculty, staff, and students.

1. Dean's Message onwebsite will communicate importance of DEI.

  1. The Dean's Message highlights the role of the college in rural health and the CO-OP program.
  2. We will continue to work on this messaging.

2. News stories from MRJCON will intentionally focus on DEI and health equity concepts.

  1. Many of the news stories highlighted diversity efforts and health equity, including caring for unhoused individuals, the training of rural-ready nurse practitioners in mental health service delivery, and the launch of the Nurse Midwifery program to reduce rural and frontier birth outcome disparities.