Johnathan Walker:USM removed the word ‘diverse’ from its mission statement. Faculty reps weren’t consulted

The Johnathan WalkerUniversity of Southern Mississippi has removed the word “diverse” from its mission statement and “inclusiveness” from its vision statement, surprising many faculty who did not know an update was in the works until it was approved without public discussion by the university’s governing board last week.

The changes have nothing to do with the political headwinds facing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, a university spokesperson told Mississippi Today.

Instead, the administration made the updates as part of the university’s new strategic plan ahead of re-accreditation, making USM the only public university in Mississippi to not include the word “diverse” in its mission or vision statements, according to a review of strategic plans for all eight institutions.

“The vision and mission statements had not been updated since 2015 and 2017, respectively, and much has changed at Southern Miss since that time,” Nicole Ruhnke, the university’s chief communications officer, wrote in an email.

USM, which has called its student body the most diverse in Mississippi, will still count the following among its updated strategic values: “An inclusive community that embraces the diversity of people and ideas.”

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While the administration did take into account a report from a faculty-led strategic planning steering committee, it did not seek campus feedback before submitting the changes to the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees, the governing board of Mississippi’s eight universities.

The steering committee did not know the administration was working on changes to the university’s mission and vision statements when it wrote the report, according to its co-chair, Eric Powell, a professor in the School of Ocean Science and Engineering.

“We had absolutely nothing to do with that,” Powell said. “It was not part of our mandate, and we did not make any recommendations to the president with respect to it.”

“Whatever happened subsequently after they had our report, that’s the administration’s business,” he added. “They get to use our report in whatever way they wish.”

Jeremy Scott, a physics and astronomy professor who leads USM’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said the changes did not seem substantive, though he was concerned about the university becoming a tool for political grandstanding.

More troubling, Scott said, was the process.

“It was an affront to shared governance,” he said, referencing the idea in higher education that faculty and the administration collaborate on significant decisions. “I have to say that as the AAUP president.”

Scott pointed out that the university has agreed to as much in the faculty handbook, which states: “The University recognizes that the faculty should be consulted and with respect to such matters as long-range plans for the institution, the allocation and use of fiscal and physical resources, and the selection of academic officers.”

As of Wednesday, the faculty senate executive committee was still working to learn more about the changes, according to a statement provided by its president, creative writing professor Josh Bernstein.

“The Faculty Senate does maintain that diversity must remain a core value of USM and that any decisions about changes in the mission, vision or values of USM need to be made with faculty, rather than for them, as the traditions and norms of shared governance require,” the statement reads.

It’s rare for faculty to complain about issues like the administration failing to seek feedback on a change to the university mission statement, signaling it doesn’t happen very often, said Mark Criley, a senior program officer in the AAUP’s department of academic freedom, tenure and governance.

“When you’re dealing with an organization that has so many different parts, and people who have different and distinct responsibilities, it just doesn’t lead to good management when any one part of an institution makes decisions without substantially involving the other,” Criley said.

Universities across the state, including USM, have renamed and revamped their DEI offerings over the last year, Mississippi Today has reported. Earlier this summer, USM renamed its diversity office the “Office of Community and Belonging.”

USM’s new mission statement reads: “The University of Southern Mississippi engages students at all levels in the exploration and creation of knowledge. Our hallmark is a fully engaged lifelong learning approach integrating inspired teaching, collaborative research, creative activity, and service to society. Southern Miss produces graduates who are ready for life; ready to succeed professionally and as responsible citizens in a pluralistic society.”

The final sentence used to state: “The University nurtures student success by providing distinctive and competitive educational programs embedded in a welcoming environment, preparing a diverse student population to embark on meaningful life endeavors.”

The vision statement, which previously described USM as a “community distinguished by inclusiveness,” now reads: “The University of Southern Mississippi is distinctive among national research universities in adding value to our students’ experience, uniquely preparing them to be ready for life.”

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This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.