The Hard Work Continues
Hon. Joan N. Feeney( Ret.) Paul E. Harner Co-Chairs, Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion( the“ DEI Committee”) remains hard at work to advance the College’ s mission of instilling mindfulness of all aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion by actively promoting those values through the resources and endeavors of the College and its Foundation. In this issue of College Columns, we highlight various important actions recommended by the DEI Committee and implemented by our Board of Directors at its meeting on March 21, 2025.
All Fellows Demographics Survey. Over the course of several months in late 2023 and early 2024, the College Policy Subcommittee of the DEI Committee formulated a survey of all Fellows to gather demographic data, accomplished on a voluntary, anonymous“ self-identification” basis that the College did not previously maintain. The Chair and President of the College transmitted the survey to all Fellows in March 2024 with a response deadline of approximately 30 days. The survey generated a 50 percent return rate, which we were advised by
outside experts was sufficient to evaluate the responses on a statistically significant basis.
Based on its subsequent compilation, review and analysis of Fellows’ responses, the Subcommittee and, in turn, the full DEI Committee recommended the following:
• The College should maintain demographic statistics on its Fellowship in accordance with the categories of information set forth in the 2024 Self- Identification Survey;
• The College should send a similar Self- Identification Survey to each incoming class of new Fellows within 60 days of admission to the College;
• In order to capture subsequent changes in the demographics of the College, to maintain the accuracy and integrity of underlying data, and to obtain responses from Fellows who may not have previously responded, the College should readminister the Self-Identification Survey every five years;
• The College should conduct periodic focus group workshops with Fellows from underrepresented constituencies to ascertain their experience as Fellows and to monitor compliance with inclusion initiatives; and
• The DEI Committee Chair and Co-Chair should report available demographical data on an annual basis to College leadership prior to the commencement of the March induction weekend meeting. At its meeting on March 21, 2025, the Board adopted each of these recommendations, as
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