DIMP 2.0

Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2.0 2022-2027

Approved 23 March 2022

Table of Contents

Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2021..................................................................................................... 3 Key Goals and Recommendations: ........................................................................................................... 3 Committee Members................................................................................................................................ 4 Scope of the Project.................................................................................................................................. 5 Report Data........................................................................................................................................... 5 The Purpose of this Report ................................................................................................................... 5 Definition of Terms ................................................................................................................................... 6 Why is this Important?.............................................................................................................................. 7 DIMP 2.0 Mission Statement ............................................................................................................... 8 Part I: Education and Workforce................................................................................................................... 9 National Data ............................................................................................................................................ 9 SUNY Optometry Data ............................................................................................................................ 11 Part II. Progress to Date .............................................................................................................................. 16 Part III. Summary of Findings, Goals, and ................................................................................................... 19 Key Metrics ................................................................................................................................................. 19 DIMP 2.0 Goals and Strategies................................................................................................................ 21 Key metrics.............................................................................................................................................. 23

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Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2021

Key Goals and Recommendations:

1. TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY FROM

UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIZED COMMUNITIES IN OUR STUDENT

BODY AND ACADEMIC WORKFORCE BY MAKING THE COLLEGE A

DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS,

FACULTY, AND STAFF.

2. TO CREATE AND FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING

FOR ALL PEOPLE.

3. TO PRODUCE STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE EQUIPPED TO CARE

FOR A DIVERSE PATIENT BASE.

4. TO EDUCATE THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY ON CULTURAL HUMILITY AND

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND EMPOWER THEM TO APPLY THOSE

PRINCIPLES TO PATIENT CARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

5. TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO

BETTER SERVE OUR DIVERSE POPULATION.

6. TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE MODEL THAT INCORPORATES THE

PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING INTO

ALL ASPECTS OF THE COLLEGE

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Committee Members

Community engagement: Dapo Adurogbola, Dr. Rebekah Lin, Timothy Yuan, Marion Wise Student, faculty and staff diversity and inclusion: Jennifer Kelly Campbell, Dr. Rebecca Marinoff, Laura Medina, Sav Ramirez Professional and graduate programs: Dr. Tracy Nguyen, Dr. Mark Rosenfield, Stephanie Sayegh Patient care: Dr. Diane Calderon, Andrea Brunhoelzl, Stephen Murray III Chairs: Dr. Gui Albieri, Dr Joy Harewood

Jennifer Kelly Campbell Associate Vice President Alumni & Gov’t Relations

Dapo Adurogbola Assistant Chief of Police

Dr. Gui Albieri Vice President of Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer

Andrea Brunhoelzl Director Clinical Operations University Eye Center

Dr. Rebekah Lin Assistant Clinical Professor

Dr. Joy Harewood Director of Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging – Associate Clinical Professor

Dr. Rebecca Marinoff Associate Clinical Professor Low Vision Residency Supervisor

Dr Diane Calderon-Villanueva Chief of Primary Care - Assistant Clinical Professor

Sav Ramirez Admissions Counselor

Dr. Tracy Nguyen Associate Clinical Professor

Stephen Murray II Student – Class of 2022

Laura Medina Student – Class of 2022

Marion Wise Senior Counselor Social Work Department

Stephanie Sayegh Student – Class of 2022

Timothy Yuan Student – Class of 2022

Dr. Mark Rosenfield Professor

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Scope of the Project

Report Data This report was developed using the following national and institutional data: 1) National Census data and data from other health professions. 2) Demographic data of students at optometry schools in the US from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry data set. 3) Demographic data of students, faculty, and staff at State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. 4) Data from the second campus-wide climate survey of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The Purpose of this Report 1) To assess the progress that has been made since the implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2016. 2) To build upon the Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2016’s initiatives to increase diversity in its myriad forms in the SUNY Optometry student body and amongst faculty. 3) To assess the feelings of inclusion and belonging amongst the students, faculty and staff and propose tangible and measurable initiatives to increase it. 4) To set forth broad and bold goals and initiatives that weave principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the College.

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Definition of Terms

Diversity The report recognizes diversity in its myriad forms, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and language use among others Equity Ensures that all people have fair, just and equal opportunities Inclusion Invites people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to participate, engage, collaborate, and contribute Underrepresented minoritized (URM) Race and ethnicities that are traditionally proportionally underrepresented in optometry school and practice. For the purposes of this report, this includes those who identify as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx and American Indian/Alaska Native “SUNY Optometry” or “The College” These terms will be used in the report to identify State University of New York College of Optometry

Belonging The promotion of a culture of authenticity, non- judgement, trust, respect, safety, and comfort that allows all community members to feel connected and do their best work

Staff Defines employees at SUNY College of Optometry who do not have a faculty rank

Faculty Employees of SUNY College of Optometry that provide didactic or clinical teaching services

Ethnicity/ethnic Defined as t he fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. This is a social construct without biological or scientific meaning, but is used to describe groups of people Minority This is a broad term that when used on a population level is intended to refer to non-white individuals. It will be used sparingly in this report, as the demographics of the US are rapidly changing DEI This acronym denotes the words “diversity, equity and inclusion”

DIMP 2.0 This term will be used to refer to this Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan 2022-2027

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Why is this Important? The optometric profession has had challenges with racial and ethnic diversity of the student body since its inception; an issue shared by most health professions. There is a dearth of practicing optometrists who identify as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, or American Indian/Alaska Native, and this has remained stagnant for years. Schools and colleges of optometry train future generations of optometrists, therefore increased enrollment of members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups will lead to improved representation for the profession. It is often said that diversity is the key to excellence; increased diversity leads to a diversity of ideas, thoughts, and exponentially better solutions to problems that may arise. This is beneficial for all learners, educators, and employees, as it creates a more dynamic learning and working environment. Both didactic and clinical pedagogy, as well as the curriculum, will require updates to ensure graduating students are prepared to serve an increasingly diverse world. Professional development resources will also be vital to prepare our faculty to teach and support our students in new ways. Increasing representation within our student body has the potential to cultivate future faculty that are more representative of the patients treated at the University Eye Center (UEC) and the larger population. Given the challenges of increasing racial and ethnic diversity in our faculty and student body necessitates intentionality and a structured plan with short and long-term goals. To encourage a more diverse student, staff, and faculty the College needs to concurrently create a more supportive environment that fosters inclusion and retention. This extends far beyond racial and ethnic diversity into the myriad of other traditionally marginalized groups that exist in the College. Retaining individuals from these groups includes setting up supportive infrastructure including programs, training, and learning opportunities as well as intentional celebration of the diverse communities represented at the College. Everything from the way that the building is built, lit, structured, and arranged should be inclusive of the entirety of our community. In recent years there have been increased institutional resources allocated for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as increased interest in funding such initiatives from industry and philanthropic partners. Although there has been a reinvigorated effort to support diversity and inclusion, SUNY Optometry has been working to support these principles for years. The first SUNY Optometry Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan (DIMP 1.0) was released in 2016. The goals and strategies of that document laid the foundation for this report, with some sections utilized as a benchmark for progress.

The pursuit of these ideals also aligns directly with the SUNY Optometry Strategic Plan 2018-2023 in the following goals:

Goal 6: Cultivate an institutional culture that encourages a sense of community, inclusion, institutional pride, collective purpose, and shared responsibility Goal 7: To promote the growth and development of all members of the College community Goal 8: Enroll a highly qualified, diverse and engaged student body that will contribute to a vibrant community

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Although issues of race and equity are longstanding, increased recognition of these issues from 2020 to present as society comes to terms with the effect that structural racism has on the psychological and physical health of people in America. This is also in alignment with the goals of the more recent “Taskforce on Race and Equity (TFRE) Report” (released in 2020) which addressed race and ethnicity directly. This diversity and inclusion master plan will build on both documents to create a comprehensive framework for success. Finally, SUNY Optometry is part of the largest comprehensive public university system in America. A dedication to diversity has been baked into the fabric of these institutions from the SUNY original mission statement below: “The mission of the state university s ystem shall be to provide the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population in a complete range of academic, professional, and vocational postsecondary programs including such additional activities in pursuit of these objectives as are necessary or customary” The administration at the SUNY system level has reiterated its commitment to the pursuit of diverse and inclusive campuses, in the release of the “ SUNY Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Phase One Action Plan. ” Released in February of this year, the report detailed immediate steps to be taken to improve campus climate, increase diversity among other action items. The achievement of these goals will require equity-minded interventions that directly uplift and support marginalized communities. The ultimate continuing goal is to have those in our campus community have a sense of belonging and commitment to the college. DIMP 2.0 Mission Statement “To promote and enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of the College operations, and to foster a culture of shared responsibility and belonging”

This report is divided into 3 parts: PART I Education & workforce : Analysis of education and the workforce in the profession of optometry. This will include current demographics of the optometry students and residents, practicing optometrists and those in academic optometry with an emphasis on race and ethnicity.

PART II Progress to date: Using DIMP 1.0 as a

PART III Summary of Findings, Goals and Key Metrics

reference, this section will assess progress on goals and outline strengths and

Using national and institutional data, this section will include findings of the plan, goals, and strategies to address them and the key metrics we will use to assess progress. The analysis and recommendations from the following four subcommittees will be included in this section: i. Community Engagement ii. Student, faculty and staff diversity and inclusion iii. Professional and Graduate programs iv. Patient Care

weaknesses of the College’s current

strategies for advancing principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Part I: Education and Workforce

National Data To determine a realistic framework from which to make goals about the student body, faculty and the profession, we must first do a brief analysis of race and ethnicity within the nation and as we get further down the educational pathway. For the purposes of reporting the racial and ethnic categories referenced will be those delineated by the US Office of Management and Budget Standard for Race and Ethnicity, which are utilized by the US Census Bureau. 1 The population of the United States is 76.3% White alone, 18.5% Hispanic or Latino. 13.4% Black or African American, 5.8% Asian alone, 1.3% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone and 2.8% two or more races present 2 . The percentage of total undergraduate student enrollment in degree-granting institutions by race/ethnicity in fall of 2016 is 56% White, 19% Hispanic, 14% Black, 6% Asian, 1% American Indian/Alaska Native and 4% two or more races. 3 Admission to optometry school requires a strong science background, thus many applicants major in science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM). Of the bachelor's degrees achieved in 2015-2016, 18% were in STEM fields. Of the total STEM degrees awarded, 33% were awarded to Asian students, 18% to White students, 15% to each Hispanic and Pacific Islander, 14% to American Indian/Alaska Native, 12% to Black students and 20% to those who identified as being of two or more race. 4 The Association of Schools and College of Optometry (ASCO) is the main source for this demographic data in optometry schools. For the 2020-2021 school year the total full-time optometry students by race is 52.3% White, 29.4% Asian, 6.4% Hispanic or Latinx, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander with 3.6% identifying as being from two or more races, and 4.6% unknown. 5 If we look at races that are traditionally underrepresented in optometry school, the percentage of Black or African American students has increased from 2.8% in 2016-2017 to 3.4%, while the percentage of Hispanic or Latino students has increased from 6.2% to 6.4% within the same timeframe. Overall, these percentages have remained stagnant. (Figure 1) Other healthcare professions have had similar challenges with URM enrollment, although gains have been made. Data from the American Association of Medical Colleges reveals that enrolment of Black/African American students has increased form 6.7% in 2017-2018 to 8.1% in the 2021-2022 cycle. 6 The enrollment of Hispanic/Latinx students has increased from 6.0% to 6.8% within the same time 2 US Census Bureau Quickfacts, retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219 3 Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic groups: Indicator 20: undergraduate enrollment, retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/raceindicators/indicator_REB.asp 4 Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic groups: Indicator 26: STEM degrees, retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/raceindicators/indicator_REG.asp 5 ASCO Classification of total full-time students in the professional OD programs.., retrieved from https://optometriceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Race-Ethnicity-Students-Percent.pdf 6 Association of American Medical College. (2021). Total U.S. MD-Granting Medical School Enrollment . https://www.aamc.org/media/6116/download 1 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Standards, retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219

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frame. When American Indian/Alaska Native are included, overall URM enrollment in medical school has increased from 12.9% to 15% from 2017-2018 to 2021-2022.

Figure 1. Race/Ethnicity of Full-Time Doctor of Optometry Students, 2006-2021- US Schools and College of Optometry. Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (www.optometriceducation.org)

Residency training is optional for optometric practice, but it is often a requirement or strong recommendation for entry into academic optometry. It is often a requirement for practicing in hospital- based practice and other acute-care modes of practice. In the 2021-2022 cycle, 41.7% of residents across the country identified as White, 30.3% identified as Asian, 6.6% identified as Hispanic or Latino, 4.4% identified as Black of African American and 0.2% identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. 7 No residents identified as being American Indian or Alaska Native, while 2.4% responded as being two or more races and 14.4% did not specify their race. Nationally, the percentage of underrepresented minoritized residents has increased since the last diversity and inclusion master plan, from 2.6% Black or African American in 2016-2017 cycle. The percentage of those who identify as Hispanic/Latino has decreased from 8.55% in the same cycle. 8 The reasons for this fluctuation will be explored as we analyze strategies later in this report. As we look at faculty across the nation we see the results of a low percentage of underrepresented minoritized optometry students and residents. In 2021 65.55% of faculty identified as White, while 19.65% identified as Asian, 5.72% Hispanic or Latinx and 3.61% identified as Black or African American. 9 The percentage of those who identify as Black or African American has increased from 2.9% in 2015- 2016, and as Hispanic or Latinx from 5.31% in the same cycle. It is estimated that 74.8% of practicing optometrists identify as White, 15.7% identify as Asian, 5.9% identify as Hispanic or Latino, 1.9% identify as Black of African American, while 0.2% identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. 10 As of January of 2020, it was estimated that 49% of optometrists

7 ASCO Classification of gender and race/ethnicity of optometry residents by affiliated school (AY 2021-2022), retrieved from https://optometriceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Res-Race-Eth-2021-22.pdf 8 Accepted OptomCAS applicants by race/ethnicity per cycle (2009-2020), retrieved from https://www.optomcas.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/05/OptomCAS-Applicant-Data-Report-2019-2020.pdf 9 ASCO Faculty demographics, retrieved from https://optometriceducation.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/03/ASCOAnnFacDataRepforWebsite2020-21updated3-9-21.pdf 10 Optometrists statistics by race, retrieved from https://www.zippia.com/optometrist-jobs/demographics/

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practicing in the US were female. 11 Given that about 650 more female than male optometry students graduate per year, it is estimated that 2021 is the first time that there have been more female practicing optometrists than male practicing optometrists. While there have been marginal increases, we see that percentage of URM optometry students, residents, optometrists in academic optometry and overall practicing optometrists continues to be far below the representation in the US population. SUNY Optometry Data For the purposes of this analysis, the focus is on race and ethnicity, with an emphasis on students from communities who are historically underrepresented in optometry: those of Black and Hispanic/Latinx background. Those from American Indian/Alaska Native communities are so underrepresented that their presence does not exist in SUNY Optometry data. Consequently, analysis of that community is limited in this report. At SUNY Optometry, there has been steady but significant growth in racial and ethnic diversity among the student body and the staff. When the DIMP 1.0 was released in 2016, there were 1.8% students who identified as Black and 4.2% who identified as Hispanic (Table 1) in the optometry program. These percentages have steadily increased to a high of 4.4% who identify as Black and 6.5% who identify as Hispanic/Latinx. This marginally leveled off in 2021 to 4.3% Black and 6.4% Hispanic/Latinx. Although the number of applicants to optometry schools nationwide has increased, the applicant pool at SUNY Optometry has remained relatively stable. This suggests the interventions and initiatives put forth by DIMP 1.0 in 2016 have led to improvements in these numbers. Further analysis is detailed in the subcommittee reports (Appendix 1).

Table 1. Race of entire SUNY Optometry student body 2016-2021

NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER

TWO OR MORE RACES

Semester Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021

WHITE

BLACK

HISPANIC

ASIAN

FOREIGN

45.00% 44.60% 42.80% 42.10% 36.70% 38.90%

1.80% 2.30% 2.10% 2.80% 4.40% 4.30%

4.20% 3.80% 5.40% 5.90% 6.50% 6.40%

38.20% 39.50% 43.00% 45.00% 45.80% 44.00%

0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.00% 0.00% 0.30%

6.00% 5.90% 4.90% 3.10% 4.90% 4.90%

4.50% 3.60% 1.50% 1.00% 1.60% 1.30%

SUNY has made significant progress, and currently sits slightly above the national average of URM enrollment in optometry schools nationwide (Figure 2). This does not negate the fact that this area requires more work.

Figure 2. Four-year Black and Hispanic/Latinx enrollment in optometry schools; SUNY vs the national average

11 11 Heath, D. A., Spangler, J. S., Wingert, T. A., Chan, M., Smith, E. L., Grover, L. L., & Flanagan, J. G. (2021). 2017 National Optometry Workforce Survey. Optometry and Vision Science, 98 (5), 500-511.

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The graduate programs have not seen a commensurate increase in the number of underrepresented students, although progress has been made. Much of that progress is driven by enrollment in the OD/MS program, which has seen the number of URM students increase significantly.

Table 2. OD/MS Enrollment (2020-2021)

2016 Enrollment

2016 % of Total

2021 Enrollment

2021 % of Total

Race/Ethnicity

Asian Black

10

45%

8 2 2 2 1 3

44% 11% 11% 11%

0 2 1 1 8

0% 9% 5% 5%

Foreign

Hispanic/Latino

Two or more races

6%

White

36%

17%

Total

22

18

Increased racial representation amongst the faculty has seen less movement. For purposes of comparison, the data for faculty members is listed both with and without the inclusion of residents since they are only on campus for one year (duration of the program) and classified as clinical assistant instructors. In 2016, 1.7% of faculty members identified as Black and 4.3% identified as Hispanic/Latinx. In 2022, 4.8% of faculty members identified and Black and 3.8% identified as Hispanic/Latinx. If residents are included, the numbers changes to 5.8% and 3.3 % respectively (See Table 3).

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Table 3. SUNY Optometry faculty by race SUNY

Optometry Faculty by Race Total (Without Residents & Adjunct)

American Indian

Black Hispanic Asian White

Other Total

% total

Total

5

4

24

71

0

1

105

Male

1

1

7

24

0

0

33

31%

Female

4

3

17

45

0

1

70

67%

% of Category

4.8%

3.8%

22.9% 67.6%

0.0%

1.0%

100%

Total (With Residents/ Excluding Adjunct)

Total

7

4

33

75

0

1

120

Male

1

1

10

24

0

0

36

30%

Female

6

3

23

49

0

1

82

68%

% of Category

5.8%

3.3%

27.5% 62.5%

0.0%

0.8%

100%

The gender balance in optometry has been another point of interest, particularly for faculty members who seek promotion and tenure. The proportion of female identifying faculty members has increased from 48% in 2016 to 67% in 2022. This increase is in line with previously mentioned increases in female identifying optometrists. The gender imbalance becomes more apparent at higher faculty ranks. In 2016, 50% of SUNY’s Associate Professors and Clinical Associate Professors identified as male and 50% identified as female, while 88% of Professors and Clinical Professors identified as male and 13% identified as female. In 2022, 34% of SUNY’s Associate Professors and Clinical Professors identified as male and 65% identified as female, while 81% of full Professors identified as male and 19% identified as female. This distribution may be reflective of shifts in the gender balance in optometry over the past 50 years. Although SUNY Optometry has made measurable movement towards gender parity since the DIMP 1.0, there is more work to be done. The racial and ethnic diversity within the staff at SUNY Optometry has consistently been higher than that which is reflected in the faculty (Figure 3). In the highest rank, Executive/Administrative/Managerial, the percentage that identified as Hispanic/Latinx has increased from 13.3% in 2016 to 15.2% in 2022. The proportion of Black employees at the highest rank has decreased from 16.7% Black in 2016 to 15.2% in 2022. The percentage that identifies as Asian has remained steady at 6.1% in 2022 (compared to 6.7% in 2016).

Table 4. SUNY Optometry workforce analysis by race and title

American Indian

% Total

Black

Hispanic

Asian

White

Other Total

total

5

5

2

19

0

2

33

Executive/ Administrative/ Managerial

men

1

3

2

11

17

52%

women

4

2

8

2

16

48%

% of Category

15.2%

15.2%

6.1%

57.6%

0.0%

6.1%

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total

20

36

20

18

94

men

4

10

8

7

29

31%

Professional/ Non faculty

women

16

26

12

11

65

69%

% of Category

21.3%

38.3%

21.3%

19.1%

0.0%

0.0%

total

16

8

1

8

0

0

33

men

4

3

1

4

12

36%

Secretarial/ Clerical

women

12

5

4

21

64%

% of Category

48.5%

24.2%

3.0%

24.2%

0.0%

0.0%

total

9

2

1

2

0

0

14

Technical/ Para Professional

men

2

0

1

1

4

29%

women

7

2

1

10

71%

% of Category

64.3%

14.3%

7.1%

14.3%

0.0%

0.0%

total

3

1

0

2

0

0

6

men

3

1

2

6

100%

Skilled Craft

women

0

0%

% of Category

50.0%

16.7%

0.0%

33.3%

0.0%

0.0%

total

16

8

3

0

1

0

28

men

12

7

3

1

23

82%

Service/ Maintenance

women

4

1

5

18%

% of Category

57.1%

28.6%

10.7%

0.0%

3.6%

0.0%

total

69

60

27

49

1

2

208

men

91

44%

Total (Exclud. Faculty)

women

117

56%

% of Workforce

33.2%

28.8%

13.0%

23.6%

0.5%

1.0%

Faculty (Including Residents/ Excluding Adjunct)

total

7

4

33

75

0

1

120

men

1

1

10

24

0

36

30%

women

6

3

23

51

1

84

70%

% of Category

5.8%

3.3%

27.5%

62.5%

0.0%

0.8%

total

76

64

60

124

1

3

328

Total Campus Workforce (Excluding Adjunct)

men

127

39%

women

201

61%

% of Workforce

23.2%

19.5%

18.3%

37.8%

0.3%

0.9%

total

5

4

24

71

0

1

105

Faculty (Exclud. Residents and Adjunct)

men

1

1

7

24

33

31%

women

4

3

17

47

1

72

69%

% of Category

4.8%

3.8%

22.9%

67.6%

0.0%

1.0%

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The information in this section is sourced from national and SUNY data sets and provide a quantitative analysis of how the profession, the student body and staff workforce has changed since the previous master plan.

SUNY Optometry has made significant gains in racial and ethnic diversity within its student body, while more work needs to be done to provide broader representation in the faculty.

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Part II. Progress to Date The SWOT analysis performed by the DIMP 2.0 subcommittees and climate survey data identified areas of growth, and opportunities for improvement when reviewing the goals of the last master plan, and the TFRE report. In the analysis below, “strengths” indicate areas where improvement s were made, while the “weaknesses” refer to areas that need more attention. The number of URM applicants to the professional program has increased significantly o Total enrollment of URM students has increased from 6.3% in 2016 to 11% in 2021 o Initiatives such as SUNY Eye- CARE camp, the “Become an eye doctor” campaign have been successful at raising awareness o The CSTEP program provides clinical and didactic opportunities for URM and socioeconomically disadvantaged students to learn about optometry ▪ The grant for this program has expanded from $540,000 to $940,000, allowing the ability to support students who matriculate into the SUNY Optometry program ▪ The number of CSTEP students matriculating into the SUNY Optometry program has increased significantly (Figure 4) Recruitment of URM students and faculty • Strengths o

Figure 4 – Number of CSTEP students matriculating into SUNY Optometry OD Program

o The PRODiG proposal secured funding for a URM faculty member. One “women in STEM” faculty position was successfully funded • Weaknesses o There has been less progress in the recruitment of URM faculty o There has been minimal progress on the recruitment of URM PhD students

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o There is increasing competition for URM applicants with significant scholarship opportunities at other schools and colleges of optometry o Expansion of the applicant pool has focused on college students when earlier interventions may be necessary to make meaningful change

Human and institutional resources • Strengths o

There has been a significant amount of capacity building with one faculty member and three staff members with DEI related job responsibilities ▪ This includes the creation of the “Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)” and the establishment of the Office of DEIB o There has been an increase in external partnerships established with industry, legislative organizations alumni and other individuals who are willing to support DEI initiatives Although there are meaningful partnerships through outreach at the UEC, College wide we could leverage more collaborations with educational and non-profit organizations who may have contacts in communities of interest o The College and UEC brand are not widely known despite notable successes Mandatory anti-racism and anti-discrimination training was implemented for all faculty students and staff with an overwhelmingly positive response o A diversity module is included in new employee orientation and in Annual Compliance Training o The Office of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) has offered complementary COPE- approved lectures to foster more inclusive practice patterns o Cultural competency training and education on the social determinants of health are integrated into numerous courses in the optometry curriculum o The diverse patient base at the University Eye Center (UEC) exposes students, faculty, and residents to individuals from a variety of communities and backgrounds • Weaknesses o The cultural competency and social determinants of health education could be better integrated and coordinated throughout the curriculum o Clinical faculty could use more training on cultural humility, cultural sensitivity, and culturally responsive care o Graduate students receive few lectures on cultural humility, social determinants of health and health equity • Weaknesses o Learning and training opportunities • Strengths o

Campus Climate & Inclusion Efforts • Strengths o

There are robust resources to support student mental wellness on campus. These services were highlighted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) in the accreditation visit in April of 2021 o Campus wide programs, such as the Community Book Project have allowed learning opportunities and encouraged interaction between faculty, students, and staff

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o All single unit bathroom units on campus have been formally designated as gender neutral bathrooms o The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) has continued to sponsor several events to celebrate the diverse communities on campus o There are an increasing number of student affinity groups on campus that coordinate events that celebrate cultural communities on campus o The 2021 SUNY Optometry campus climate survey showed that significantly more faculty and staff thought they could “develop their career within the organization” than in the previous climate survey in 2016 o The survey also revealed that significantly more people would “encourage some one else to work at the College” than the previous climate survey in 2016 • Weaknesses o The 2021 SUNY Optometry campus climate survey revealed that significantly more student respondents reported that they both experienced and observed more exclusionary behavior than student respondents to same climate survey in 2016 o The climate survey revealed that significantly more faculty and staff reported that they experienced more exclusionary behavior than respondents to the same climate survey in 2016 The UEC has one of the largest eye care clinics in the nation with a patient base that showcases diversity in its myriad forms o The clinical externship program can provide exposure to the NYC Health and Hospitals system; the largest urban public health system in the US o Efforts to foster a more inclusive patient experience have expanded: ▪ Patient intake forms now include the ability to specify pronouns ▪ Initiation of a pronoun awareness campaign with posters and digital displays o The UEC Outreach Coordinator has fostered relationships with community groups that can be leveraged to raise awareness and provide services to high need areas • Weaknesses o The UEC has incomplete patient self-reported demographic data (i.e. information on race, ethnicity, gender, etc) o The UEC could have patient information in more languages than currently offered o There are UEC staff, faculty and students who report that they are not aware of patient care anti-discrimination policies and protocol on how to manage these situations when they occur

Clinical Experience and Patient Care • Strengths o

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Part III. Summary of Findings, Goals, and Key Metrics

SUNY College of Optometry has made significant strides to make the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion a reality on campus, in part due to careful planning and methodical execution. The Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan (DIMP) Committee was charged with reviewing the progress on the goals of the first Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan (DIMP 1.0), analyzing the state of diversity initiatives at the College, and making key recommendations to improve upon those goals. The report from the Task Force on Race and Equity (TFRE) was also instrumental in tracking the progress on these goals. For brevity, you will find this project referred to as the DIMP 2.0 and the first master plan will be called DIMP 1.0. A committee of 16 individuals made up of students, faculty and staff worked on this project from May to November of 2021. The committee was split into four subcommittees: Student, faculty and staff diversity equity and inclusion (DEI); patient care; community engagement; and professional and graduate programs. A timeline of the process can be found in Figure 5. The group met every two weeks to put the report together with additional meetings to interview college community members, write and digest climate survey data. Each subcommittee produced a detailed report that was used to create the SWOT analysis and the summary of findings. The subcommittee reports and the climate survey report are available as appendices in this document.

Figure 5. DIMP 2.0 Process

The committee found that progress had been made toward all goals of DIMP 1.0. The enrollment of underrepresented minoritized (URM) students in the professional program has increased significantly. The enrollment of URM students in the graduate program has remained stagnant, as has the number of URM faculty on campus. This progress has been augmented by increased institutional capacity to manage initiatives from the hiring of a Director of Diversity as well as the hiring of other individuals in the Student Affairs Office. Increased institutional funds have been directed towards these initiatives in the funding of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB), while industry and philanthropic partners have added additional financial resources. The current didactic and clinical curriculum was noted to have some gaps, as well as overlapping areas when teaching about health equity, social determinants of health and cultural humility. Gaps also exist in preparing our faculty to teach these concepts with confidence.

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The University Eye Center (UEC) patient demographics show that the clinic continues to have a racially and ethnically diverse patient base. However, the collection of demographic data was found to be incomplete, with better data collection occurring when self-report kiosks and electronic tablets were offered to patients. A variety of strategies were recommended to make sure UEC patients continue to be examined by the best trained and prepared student and faculty body. Key climate survey results indicated that respondents have experienced more exclusionary behavior, and bias on campus than the respondents to the same survey in 2016. Data also showed there are challenges in the faculty and staff feeling acknowledged by SUNY Optometry administration. Further study is needed to glean more specific information about these findings. The drop in feelings of inclusion on this survey mirror national trends in higher education as more emphasis has been put on providing spaces and ways that discrimination and bias can be reported. It also follows national trends of increased feelings of discrimination. [i] The committee views these findings as a demonstration that the campus community feels more empowered to speak up about discrimination and bias. The identification of these challenges makes it easier to address these issues in a timely manner. Recommendations of the committee affirm that funding sources for DEI initiatives must be maintained, and expanded to support URM recruitment and inclusive programming on campus. Current outreach efforts were found to be effective, but there is a need to bring awareness of the field of optometry earlier in the academic pathway (i.e., high school students) to meaningfully grow the applicant pool. An emphasis was placed on establishing new relationships with external partners to increase the reach of SUNY Optometry in communities that are traditionally underrepresented on campus. Workshops, interactive educational models, and trainings were recommended for continued education for faculty, student and staff on health equity, social determinants of health, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice and other topics related to inclusive excellence. Focus groups amongst a variety of campus subgroups were recommended to better understand how we can create a better sense of inclusion and further foster belonging on campus. The committee identified a need to create accountability structures to ensure that patients treat clinicians and UEC staff through the same anti-discriminatory lens. The committee also recommended we take a fresh look at physical structures in the SUNY Optometry building to make sure they are wholly inclusive. This comprehensive document details a plan to collectively move SUNY Optometry into a better position to matriculate students who are equipped to manage patients who represent diversity in its myriad forms. To do so it recommends that faculty and staff continue to have training and learning opportunities to make educators more adept at teaching and providing care to people of all backgrounds. A master plan document only sets the foundation for the work. The College will have to work together to make the goals of this plan a reality, as we try to move earnestly towards becoming a more inclusive community. .

____________________________________________ [i] Pew Research Center “Widening partisan gaps in perceptions of discrimination against many groups”. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/04/15/sharp-rise-in-the-share-of-americans-saying-jews-face- discrimination/pp_2019-04-15_discrimination_0-03/ASCO Classification of gender and race/ethnicity of optometry

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DIMP 2.0 Goals and Strategies

1. To increase the number of students and faculty from underrepresented minoritized communities in our student body and academic workforce by making the College a destination of choice for underrepresented students, faculty, and staff. • Strategy 1 – Increase the optometry applicant pool by establishing outreach initiatives and collaborations that reach students earlier in the educational pathway • Strategy 2 – Continue to support and enhance pathway programs to cultivate strong optometry applicants at the College level • Strategy 3 – Develop services and initiatives that help support and educate underrepresented minoritized students about residency, graduate degree programs and the benefits of academic optometry • Strategy 4 – Enhance recruitment and interview strategies to increase the likelihood of recruiting URM faculty • Strategy 5 – Focus efforts on removing barriers in access to education for qualified applicants to optometry school and residency candidates • Strategy 1 – Devote resources to initiatives that educate and celebrate the diverse cultural background of the SUNY Optometry Community and that improve climate • Strategy 2 – Showcase diversity in its myriad forms in College communications • Strategy 3 - Ensure that the physical structure of the College is as inclusive and accessible as possible • Strategy 4 – Identify challenges and create strategies that promote mental wellness of faculty, students, and staff • Strategy 5 – Provide regular feedback mechanisms to encourage the College community to participate in improving inclusion and belonging on campus 2. To create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging for all people.

3. To produce students and residents who are equipped to care for a diverse patient base.

• Strategy 1 - Examine and update the clinical and didactic curriculum to provide students with solid a foundation in health equity, social determinants of health, intergroup communication, and culturally responsive care • Strategy 2 – Ensure that graduate students matriculate with knowledge of the complexities associated with equitable research practice and equity in clinical and laboratory research • Strategy 2 - Utilize or adapt an established tool to assess an individual’s knowledge, patient - centered attitudes, and skills necessary to serve a diversity of communities

4. To educate the college community on cultural humility and cultural sensitivity and empower them to apply those principles to patient care and community service.

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• Strategy 1 - Improve training and learning opportunities for faculty and staff to be well versed in topics required to teach and serve an increasingly diverse population • Strategy 2 – Implement new educational methods to provide interactive education that models desired behavior to fellow students, faculty, staff, and patients at the College

5. To expand and strengthen community partnerships to better serve our diverse population.

• Strategy 1 - Tap into the SUNY alumni network and other affiliated groups to see how they can expand SUNY’s reach in diverse communities • Strategy 2 – Strengthen partnerships with in-house healthcare professional programs to promote interprofessional education and diverse learning styles • Strategy 3 – Increase optometric awareness in underserved communities through the provision of eye care and health educational programs

6. To create a sustainable model that incorporates the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into all aspects of the College

• Strategy 1 - Capitalize on local and national initiatives including grants and workshops that promote diversity and inclusion • Strategy 2 - Establish scholarly activity and educational processes that integrate the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into routine College practices • Strategy 3 – Commit to providing adequate resources to diversity related initiatives to demonstrate support for the continued advancement in diversity, equity, and inclusion

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Key metrics

1. Percentage of faculty and students from underrepresented minoritized (URM) backgrounds enrolled and employed at the College. • Specific data to monitor include first year enrollment and three-year average of total URM student enrollment and URM faculty employment 2. Results of the SUNY Optometry Climate survey. • Specific data to follow include “experiences of exclusionary behavior,” “observance of exclusionar y behavior” 3. Number of DEI specific training, learning opportunities and initiatives offered. 4. Campus engagement in DEI specific training, learning opportunities and initiatives. • Number of people in attendance • Results of post event/initiative surveys 5. Results from internal surveys and/or an established tool (i.e., Intercultural Development Index (IDI)) to measure the impact of programs to increase cross cultural awareness, cultural humility, and cultural responsiveness on campus. • Surveys to monitor include the SUNY exit survey, residency evaluations and other post training surveys 6. Number of new and continuing partnerships and collaborations between SUNY Optometry and external stakeholders interested in helping promote DEI initiatives. 7. Amount of financial and human resources devoted to supporting DEI initiatives on campus. • This measure will include internal as well as external resources

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