LEVERAGING DATA USING A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) LENS TO INFORM PROGRAMMING AND POLICY AT COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES (Invited Presentation)

To accelerate progress toward a more representative, equitable, accessible, and inclusive geoscience discipline, it is critical to leverage data using a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens and apply evidence-based practices in our initiatives and policies. Investigating data with a DEI lens and subsequent data management strategies come with their own histories, nuances, and challenges.

As a STEM institution focused on Earth, Energy and the Environment, Colorado School of Mines values rooting decisions in data while applying evidence-based practices to drive cultural change, which may have an impact on the geoscience discipline. Two examples will be provided of how the Mines Diversity, Inclusion & Access (DI&A) team uses data to drive change: (1) by using surveys to investigate Mines’ culture and (2) using institutional and interview data to investigate student retention.

Culture surveys at Mines tailored for different groups and with specific scopes have all identified some common strengths and opportunities in the DEI space. However, working with these data requires different techniques to tease out important trends accurately, such as aggregating demographic groups' data in certain ways, or determining when and how to collect qualitative data. Furthermore, monitoring institutional data using a DEI approach can lead to unearthing trends that require attention, such as the identification of rising withdraw rates by students of color. In 2021, institutional data were used to secure funding to investigate retention for a 1-year study. The project will formulate recommendations for how to address attrition during major interruptions, like a pandemic, as well as improve retention overall across demographic groups.

Results from DEI-related data queries and their projects inform the Mines DI&A Annual Report that tracks progress on our institution’s Strategic Plan, which outlines our DEI priority focus areas like recruitment, retention and inclusion, for example. In addition, results are brought to Mines’ leadership for decision-making regarding future insights for the institution and any mission-oriented initiatives. We will also share some data management strategies on how to organize, aggregate, apply, and secure DEI-related data to be modeled by other institutions or departments.