Contact information for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is available by clicking Our Team.
Support Students
We provide services, resources, and college opportunities to enhance a student’s academic, cultural, social, and career development.
Student Accommodations
Purpose: Students who will be absent from course activities due to reasons of faith or conscience may seek reasonable accommodations so that grades are not impacted.
Requests are expected to be made:
- using the online form, Reasonable Accommodations for Reasons of Faith and Conscience,
- within the first two weeks of the course, and
- directed to the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, U307
Relevant Policies:
SB 5166: Providing religious accommodations for postsecondary students, Bellevue responding policy is Policy 2950.
In the event you feel you are being discriminated against based on faith or conscious, you may report your concern. If you would like more information or explanation, please refer to the procedures outlined in the college’s Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Policy (1440P).
The Disability Resource Center provides advocacy and classroom accommodations, including specialized materials, technology, and equipment for students with documented disabilities.
Student Services
Neurodiversity Navigators program provides advocacy, communication support, and cohort educational opportunities to all B.C. students who identify as autistic or neurodivergent.
The Early Learning Center provides affordable, quality childcare to children ages 3 months to 7 years, an on-site Head Start program with resources and classes for parents.
The RISE Learning Institute, a part of the Connected Learning Division, works across Bellevue College and with the surrounding community to provide opportunities for students to learn through experiences, with the goal of helping them identify, articulate, build, and apply strengths.
Multicultural Services provides culturally-sensitive academic and support services to B.C. students. MCS services include: outreach, advising, counseling, cultural events planning, and curriculum & policy development.
Title IX or Title 9, is an office that addresses gender-based discrimination and includes such behaviors as: sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, gender-identity and pregnancy. It also prohibits retaliation against anyone who makes or participates in a complaint.
TRiO provides academic and personal support for eligible students who are first-generation college students, students with low-income, or students with a documented disability. Services include tutoring, study skills, advocacy, laptop computer lending, activities and transfer assistance.
The Veterans Program is designed to assist military service members and their families with financial services, academic planning, college experiences, and career search.
Workforce Education is a program that helps eligible individuals to get skills needed to enter or re-enter the workforce. All training programs include: advising, career planning, connections to additional funding sources, assistance with Financial Aid, and related agencies. Workforce Education services include:
Student Resources
Brutus’ Food Pantry provides can and dry foods, hygiene products, and baked goods. It serves all students, faculty and staff on campus.
- Career Connections Center– provides information on interviewing, finding a job, resume writing and cover letter writing.
- Student Programs advertises opportunities on their website.
- Handshake – A job-site platform for you to access jobs, internships, & career events based on your interests & skills.
Bellevue College is committed to helping all students be successful. The Benefits Hub hosts a list of resources that are community-based or government organizations that students can reach out to for support and funding.
Stop by for information to help navigate around campus from student staff at the Student Business Center! They offer campus ID Cards, limited free printing, and can also add funds to your campus printing account. Come see them to purchase Postage stamps, Discounted movie tickets at local theaters, and Campus event tickets.
Bellevue College offers an exclusive Transit Subsidy for students to access the area’s transportation network. Enjoy rides on Metro and Sound Transit, and other Puget Sound modes of transportation.
ORCA Plus Cards can be bought from Student Financial Services Office in U107. The Office of Sustainability can assist you with general transportation and ORCA Card questions in C105 at the Transportation Desk. Click here for a Transportation Map of Bellevue College.
- Scholarships – A site that is continually expanding a list of scholarships and featuring approaching deadlines, please return to the page periodically for updates.
- WASFA – A potential financial aid resource for students that is from Washington state.
College Opportunities
The Associated Student Government (ASG) represents your interest and serves within governing committees. These committees influence the direction of college projects and impact the lives of students.
Student Organizations expand your campus experience. The learning outside of the classroom engages cultural activities, volunteering, and social activities. If an organization doesn’t exist, you can create one.
Employee Engagement and Resources
There are many ways to obtain professional development within equity, diversity, and inclusion. Bellevue College has partnered with other institutions to provide cross-collaboration and professional development opportunities within equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognize the spectrum of learning styles and provide various formats of learning opportunities that include: committees, communication networks, conferences, workshops/seminars, and mentoring.
Get Involved
The Diversity Caucus’ purpose is to support the college’s commitment to diversity and pluralism by providing advice and counsel to the college community through the Council on Inclusion & Diversity (CID), promoting internal community building, and providing a structure for networking, mentoring, and support for students, staff, faculty and administrators from diverse populations.
Contact: Beabe Akpojovwo, beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu or Glenn Jackson, glenn.jackson@bellevuecollege.edu.
Diversity Caucus Retreat Registration:
The Council for Inclusion and Diversity (CID) provides a forum to consider equitable opportunities and outcomes for all students and employees. It ensures the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and works to reduce disparate achievement outcomes. The CID also promotes the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce with equitable professional opportunities. The CID will make recommendations to the president, College Assembly or other councils, as appropriate, for further consideration and action. It will encourage cross-campus communication, coordination, and collaboration. The CID provides a framework to further the college’s commitment to diversity within BC Governance and is supported by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Human Resources.
Affinity Groups are voluntarily formed, not dictated by management, and any individual employee membership and participation are voluntary. They play a vital role in articulating, promoting, and supporting the college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Their primary focus is to develop and improve the campus climate by increasing the presence of diverse faculty and staff. The Affinity Groups help increase morale, provide insights into diverse areas, build bridges to the community, and empower members. Affinity Groups also serve to spotlight the achievements and accomplishments of the college’s students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community. The groups may assist the college with recruiting, retaining, and promoting top, diverse talent.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Vice President for Diversity, and the Diversity Director provide resources and support to Affinity Groups in articulating, promoting, and supporting the needs of the various groups.
Current Affinity Groups:
Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI)
- Mission:
The AAPI (Asian & Pacific Islander Employees) Affinity Group connects Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander educators at Bellevue College who celebrate the diverse cultures within our communities. Offer an open space for educators on campus to discuss issues relevant to our community’s personal, professional well-being and identity. Work to promote perseverance and affirmation of identity through collaboration, support, community and mentoring through professional development, networking and social activities to ensure perseverance and affirmation of identity. - Contact:
Pavy Thao – pavy.thao@bellevuecollege.edu, or
Donna Miguel – d.miguel@bellevuecollege.edu
Bellevue College Chaverim Jewish Affinity Group
- Mission:
The Bellevue College Chaverim, Jewish Affinity Group, is for Jews and Partners of Jews on campus. Our activities include a cultural celebration of Jewish holidays, discussions of current events that impact Jews, advocacy for Jewish issues on campus, and rapid response to provide support when the Jewish community is in need. - Contact:
Laura Nudelman – laura.nudelman@bellevuecollege.edu, or
Rebecca Cory – rebecca.cory@bellevuecollege.edu
Bellevue College Black and Indigenous People of Color (BC BIPOC) Coalition
- Mission:
The BIPOC steering committee comprises diverse BIPOC BC employees passionate about social justice work. Using a shared leadership model, we have been meeting regularly to form the beginnings of the BC BIPOC Coalition. While the support of and collaboration with allies are essential if we are to transform the College, the Coalition membership is comprised of BIPOC only. - The purpose of the Coalition is to provide a generative space for members of the Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities to:
- Collectively advocate for social justice and accountability measures in all BC spaces
- Foster a safe, supportive community for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employees
- Collaborate and communicate across campus to include and amplify the perspectives of the BIPOC community
- We will carry out our purpose by focusing on the following:
- Advocating for policies and initiatives that center social justice
- Facilitating intercultural and interracial reconciliatory educational opportunities
- Networking and building community among BIPOC employees at BC
- Contact BIPOC Steering Committee:
Jennifer Pang – (jennifer.pang@bellevuecollege.edu),
Amy McCrory – (amy.mccrory@bellevuecollege.edu),
Beabe Akpojovwo – (beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu),
Belle Nishioka – (b.nishioka@bellevuecollege.edu),
Ithzel Moreno – (ithzel.moreno@bellevuecollege.edu),
Nan Ma – (nan.ma@bellevuecollege.edu),
Sapan Parekh – (sapan.parekh@bellevuecollege.edu), or
Tony Akhlaghi – (tony.akhlaghi@bellevuecollege.edu).
Black Employees of Bellevue College (BEOBC)
- Mission: BEOBC will provide leadership in facilitating racial awareness issues, pieces of training, and workshops at Bellevue College (BC) for students, faculty, and staff. BEOBC will support all black employees at BC by supporting creating and maintaining an inclusive, safe, and ethnically diverse campus environment. BEOBC will be an on-campus source of leadership and input on issues of racial discrimination concerning BC practices, i.e., hiring and promotions, diversity training, and alignment with BC’s mission and core values. BEOBC will support and mentor the BC Black Student Union (BSU) & African Association (AA).
- Contact:
Beabe Akpojovwo – beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu,
Glenn Jackson – glenn.jackson@bellevuecollege.edu, or
Darnita Boynton Howard – d.boyntonhoward@bellevuecollege.edu.
BC Black Faculty Group
- Mission:
To support and nurture, using a holistic approach, the success of Black Faculty at Bellevue College. This can be accomplished by:- Identifying and reaching out to all Black faculty on the Bellevue College campus
- Celebrating the accomplishments of Black faculty in Academia at Bellevue College
- Providing institutional knowledge and support on how to navigate the various Bellevue College system
- Providing professional development webinars centered on self-care, Black empowerment
- Taking steps to decolonize our curriculum and enhance an anti-Blackness focus
- Contact:
Ronald Holland – ron.holland@bellevuecollege.edu or
Corvilia Thykkuttathil – c.thykkuttathil@bellevuecollege.edu
Coming to America (Immigrants and Refugees)
- Mission:
- Coming to America is an affinity group for all members of the BC community who identify as supporters of immigrants and refugees and who also personally acknowledge an immigrant heritage—at any generation.
- Contact:
Fabienne Mouton – fabienne.mouton@bellevuecollege.edu
Kattie Dang – kattie.dang@bellevuecollege.edu,
Maria Paula McPherson – mariapaula.mcpherson@bellevuecollege.edu
Disabled Staff and Faculty
- Mission: The Disabled Staff and Faculty affinity group strives to provide support, resources and advocacy for Disabled folks and disability issues at Bellevue College. We welcome anyone with a disability (learning, physical, mental health, chronic health, neurological, etc.) who wants support, or to gain more understanding of Disabled identity. We also strive to hold compassion for each other and provide education to each other and the campus on the wide range of disability experiences.
- Contact:
Marisa Hackett – marisa.hackett@bellevuecollege.edu
Community Kindness
- Mission: The Community Kindness affinity group represents a group of employees who share community kindness as a common interest.
- What is our Focus? We come together with community kindness as the focus to:• support each other• support community building• bring employees together• promote progressive change• encourage creative expression• provide visibility• provide diversity• provide cultural sharing• share kindness perspectives• learn more about kindness• collaborate on community kindness projects.
- Contact:
Heather Rane – heather.rane@bellevuecollege.edu
Latinx Employees of Bellevue College (LEOBC), formerly Bellevue Latinxs Unidos (BLU)
- Mission: Bellevue Latino/as Unidos at Bellevue College is a group of faculty, administrators and staff committed to promoting the interests and advocating for the advancement of the Latino community at BC. We celebrate our heritage and actively contribute to the diversity and enrichment of the College.
- Contact:
LGBTQ+ Task Force
- Mission: The LGBTQ+ Task Force is a diverse group of multi-gendered, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, inter-generational LGBTQ+ community members and allies. We work to advocate, educate, and support gender equity at Bellevue College.
- Contact the Steering Committee:
Liz Hollerman – liz.hollerman@bellevuecollege.edu,
Molly Jae Vaughan – molly.jae.vaughan@bellevuecollege.edu,
Sapan Parekh – (sapan.parekh@bellevuecollege.edu),
Marlowe Zoller – leighmarlowe.zoller@bellevuecollege.edu,
justin Sanders – justin.sanders@bellevuecollege.edu, or
Consuelo Grier – consuelo.grier@bellevuecollege.edu
Neurodivergent Staff & Faculty
- Mission: To increase the presence of neurodivergent staff and faculty at Bellevue College, and by doing so, support our student body in embracing their own neurodiversity.
- Contact:
Sara Gardner – sara.gardner@bellevuecollege.edu
Womxn of Color Mentoring Circle
- Mission: The Womxn of Color Mentoring Circle brings together self-identified womxn of color staff, faculty and administrators on campus.
Our group is committed to:- fostering meaningful relationships on campus and creating a sense of belonging;
- centering an inclusive shared leadership model that draws on the collective strengths of our member;
- providing platforms to support the personal and professional growth of womxn of color through mutual mentoring and authentic sharing;
- identifying and creating opportunities for leadership development for womxn of color;
- collaborating with other affinity groups and governance entities in social justice and other campus-wide initiatives.
Thus, we contribute to the goal of retaining qualified faculty, staff and administrators of color at Bellevue College.
- Contact:
Nan Ma – nan.ma@bellevuecollege.edu
White on Whiteness
- Mission: What on Whiteness is a liberative action group that fights to dismantle academic colonialism. We approach systemic issues from an intersectional, gendered lens and work to create and support initiatives that are anti-racist. We leverage our privilege and power to hold leadership accountable and support BIWoC, BLM, and the LGBTQ community.
- Contact:
Christina Sciabarra – christina.sciabarra@bellevuecollege.edu or
Elizabeth Harazim – e.Harazim@bellevuecollege.edu
Affinity Groups are voluntarily formed, not dictated by management, and any individual employee membership and participation is voluntary. They play a vital role in articulating, promoting, and supporting the diversity, equity, and inclusion goals of the college. Their primary focus is to develop and improve the campus climate by increasing the presence of diverse faculty and staff. The Affinity Groups help increase morale, provide insights into diverse areas, build bridges to the community and empower members. Affinity Groups also serve to spotlight the achievements and accomplishments of the college’s students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community. The groups may assist the college with the recruitment, retention and promotion of top diverse talent.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Vice President for Diversity and the Diversity Director, provide resources and support to Affinity Groups in articulating, promoting, and supporting the needs of their various.
If you are interested in starting an Affinity Group, please complete the online form:
Affinity Group Application
This is the form to apply for an Affinity Group
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Stay Informed
A grassroots publishing and collaboration platform for Bellevue College employees.
Provides faculty guidance to enhance online content and instructional design consultations.
Click here for more details about the Interactive eLearning Department
Facilitate and support faculty-guided innovation
Read and send campus announcements, news, and events.
Professional Development Opportunities
Conferences
The Social Justice Leadership Institute (SJLI), is a partnership between Bellevue College and South Seattle College. It focuses on honing skills for becoming a culturally responsive social justice leader of the community and technical community colleges in Washington State. All sessions held remotely.
- Attend the retreat (Two days, four hours each).
- Attend five (half-day) workshops during the academic year, along with graduation. All workshops will be held remotely.
- Attend the Faculty & Staff of Color Conference
The Faculty & Staff of Color Conference (FSOCC) provides a safe and inclusive space for systemically non-dominant employees in higher education throughout Washington State. The conference focuses on providing subject matter expertise for faculty & staff of color success within hiring, promotion, and leadership development within the diverse community and technical colleges.
All workshops are designed for faculty and staff of color; however, any faculty or staff who would like to support the mission of the conference at their institution are welcome to attend.
FSOCC Mission:
• To create, model, and lead networks for ongoing dialogue on issues impacting professional and career opportunities for faculty, administrators and staff of color in all sectors of higher education.
• To develop greater awareness and visibility of policies and plans that enhance the institutional climate, access, and educational quality for faculty, administrators and staff of color in higher education in Washington.
• To increase our capacity and subject matter expertise to combat racism, promote ethnic and racial diversity, and achieve professional excellence in higher education.
“Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” – Vernā Myers
Contact: Beabe Akpojovwo, beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu, Conference Chair
Courses
Educational Equity (EEQ) is a partnership between the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office of Academic Affairs, and Faculty Commons. As part of the collective bargaining agreement between Administration and the Bellevue College Association of Higher Education (BCAHE), all candidates for tenure are required to attend and participate in the Educational Equity (EEQ) course (see faculty contract 18.7.4 & 24.2.2). In addition, all faculty members who have not previously taken it are encouraged to complete Educational Equity professional development.
This course is intended for all faculty to learn about implementing principals of educational equity and social justice in the classroom and broaden faculty’s understanding of their own social positions/identities as they affect behaviors in the classroom and relationships with all students.
Course Expectations
- A reading assignment prior to the start of the first class session
- Completion of all assignments within the course
- Attendance to each of the ten class sessions
- Topics include identity based adaptions to instruction/curriculum that includes but not limited to: race, culture, disability, gender, power, privilege, and social justice.
- A stipend of $1000 for completion of the course requirements above
Please note that if you know ahead of time that you will miss more than two sessions, we ask you to wait for the next opportunity and/or give the seat to someone else. Your consistent participation in a classroom will contribute to all participants’ learning and the overall success of the Educational Equity learning goals. However, if you need a specific accommodation, please contact:
Beabe Akpojovwo, beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu
This resource provides professional development, community and collaboration space, mentoring and advocacy services, and innovative & creative pedagogy support.
Trainings
- LinkedIn Trainings
- Digital Books
- Videos
- Hiring Trainings
- Equity in the Screening
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advocate Trainings
Employee Resources
Employee Parking Permit
The form is online to apply for an employee parking permit. A temporary parking permit is available upon request. If you have any questions please call 425-564-2516 or email permitorders@bellevuecollege.edu.
Orca Card
Please contact Payroll (X4270) or the Office of Sustainability (X2720 or sustainability@bellevuecollege.edu) for info on how to get an Employee ORCA Card.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan is a commitment to the access, development/progress, and success of our students and employees. We will address the:
- equitable accessibility, responsiveness, and distribution of services, resources, and supports;
- representation of diversity within human identities and experiences within curricular content and social environment;
- engagement of meaningful dialogue that is respectful, treats people with dignity, and facilitates both understanding and transformation;
- incorporation of all ideas within the decision-making process;
Measures
- Organizational Change Survey
- Leadership assessment
- Communication and engagement tracking and metrics
- Employee/student satisfaction data
Strategy Details
1. Connect funding to demographic representation, participation, and performance outcomes.
- Identify resources or services that don’t have equitable performance outcomes and require a programmatic performance plan review that addresses the outcome gaps.
- Require a performance plan with expectations and changes expected to address the underrepresented and underperforming outcomes within outreach, services provided, and resources available.
- Use annual performance plans as indicators of eligibility of future or continued funding.
2. Publicly display progress on equity and social justice initiatives within the program, department, division, and college level.
- Supervisors use demographic data from BIPOC and other marginalized/stigmatized community demographic data within meetings to identify progress and alignment of initiates.
- Use Interest Based Problem Solving Techniques to document the participation, consideration, and inclusion of feedback within decision making at every level of the college.
3. Incorporate off campus community in decision making.
- Convene professional technical program advisory boards with BIPOC and other marginalized/stigmatized owned businesses and organizations.
- Require student government representation within administrative committees be filled within 30 days of vacancy.
Measures
- Use of attendance/participation data from service and resource providers
- Data gaps on (race, age, sexuality, gender, veteran, disability, religion, and international) on the use of campus service and resource providers
- Data gaps in the incidents of Report Concerns
- Service satisfaction data
- Exit interview survey data (employees)
- Non-registered survey data (students)
Strategy Details
1. Assess and create a physical environment that welcoming and safe.
- Remove campus ground representation (names, plaques, sculptures, etc.) from individuals who participated in the oppression of marginalized communities.
- Post signs in multiple languages.
- Use language that is inclusive as possible (remove gendered/marked words with gender neutral and unmarked words).
- Ensure bilingual staff and volunteers are visible throughout the building.
- Increase visibility of different racial/ethnic/religious/sexualities on campus and website.
- Identify a point of contact at the school on which people have someone they can connect with within a structured communication system (CRM).
- Create a parental/guardian/family experience and expectations pathway.
- Provide website space for affinity groups on campus.
2. Identify student use and (un)satisfaction of resources, services, and programming events.
- Identify student’s use of services/resources within a centralized system like a CRM.
- Identify student’s satisfaction of services/resources within a centralized system like a CRM.
- Develop communication responses for unsatisfied experiences and provide next steps to resolution options.
- Conduct graduation survey to get the company, income, and geographic information. Use the data to recruit and develop/strengthen pipeline to careers.
3. Create spaces that reflect the cultural/ethnic/religious diversity of the campus community.
- Create an accessible meditation/interfaith room for religions/beliefs on campus.
- Create a more visible presence on campus with the use of symbols, artwork, or languages that represent marginalized communities, voices, images, and ideologies.
- Improve campus signage with more color/tonal signs .
- Development and expansion of mentoring programs for specific populations throughout the College.
- Evaluate the performance/outcomes/impact of student services, to ensure they promote student success and continue successful programs.
4. Increase partnerships with institutions/agencies/organizations that are serving underrepresented and unsupported students.
- Increase percentage of contracts from minority and women owned business enterprise.
- Identify student’s use of services/resources within a centralized tool, like a CRM.
- Interconnect technology between campus resources and services.
Student
Measures
- Demographic data disparities based on (race, age, sexuality, gender, veteran, disability, religion, 1st generation, and international)
- Retention (year to year) demographics debt (gap)
- Transfer demographic debt (gap)
- Student satisfaction debt (gap)
- Student course completion debt (gap)
- Student completion of educational goal (transfer/degree completion/employment/personal enrichment/etc.)
- Completion of English/Math within first 45 credits, if pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree
Strategy Details
1. Use resources to support the entry of underrepresented and unsupported identities.
- Double outreach services by hiring another outreach specialist.
- Develop a communication plan to transition prospective, students identified interest, to admitted students.
- Implementation of programs to engage family support of marginalized/stigmatized students.
- Provide technical support for literacy, ESL, and immigrant students to facilitate online application and registration processes.
- Review demographics within intake processes in which students are recruited, oriented, and admitted.
- Unbiased marketing that contradicts stereotypes within representation of materials.
- Create a student brand so that prospective students can learn about our culture and decide to attend and learn careers and educational opportunities.
- Provide marketing materials within multiple languages.
2. Address barriers that impact the registration of underrepresented and unsupported identities from year to year.
- Develop communication for new applicants, returning applicants, and pause out students that provide messaging for deadlines and dates for registration, financial aid deadlines, and completion of next steps to become registered students.
- Review applicants and create targeted communication within CRM to nudge prospective students into registered students.
3. Identify student intent/goal.
- Create a first year seminar that will identify student’s goal/intent while assisting with supporting, welcoming, celebrating, and transitioning students into college.
- Improve communication functions through a Customer Relations Management (CRM) Tool. For example, the system lets students express interest in services/resources and receive timely communications for enrollment, financial aid application, holidays, and identify students that are eligible for support services and resources.
- High academic performers will be celebrated for their achievement through communication recognitions.
4. Measure Progress towards student intent/progress.
- Identify student’s interests in CRM, provide timely resources/services that relate to interest, indicators for program participation for proactive engagement.
- Develop an Early Alert system that will alert a communication of resources or services based on academic/social/behavioral performance.
- Develop an academic appreciation communication system for positive achievements.
- Develop a student portal with critical college information and timely warnings/services that show progress (like a progress meter).
- Conduct graduation survey to get the company, income, and geographic information. Use the data to recruit and develop/strengthen pipeline to careers.
5. Create articulations/partnerships between colleges and programs.
- Improve college articulations between colleges and universities to accept more credits or degrees within their programs/admissions.
- Develop onboarding strategies that favorably shape student experiences. Consider communicating what students should do and what assistance is available to them and allow for flexibility.
- Partner with community groups which are working to address poverty issues within the community, which ultimately have an impact on Bellevue College.
Employee
Measures
- Data compared between demographics: race, age, sexuality, gender, veteran, disability, religion, and international.
- life cycle of employees reviewed (Applicant, screening, hiring, exit interviews, etc.)
- Diversity numbers across employee group types (Administrative, faculty, staff, exempt, classified, etc.)
- Diversity numbers across employee life cycles (applicants, interviewed, finalists, and hired)
Strategic Details
1. Increase representation and participation of students within course content.
- Audit course catalog descriptions and images using a diversity, equity, and inclusion framework.
- Inventory existing diversity, equity, and inclusion faculty practices.
- Develop rubrics to review syllabus language and use rubric to review existing policies and processes.
- Revise templates for syllabi and forms used by employees.
2. Increase underrepresented and unsupported identities in applicant and finalist pools (Classified/Exempt/Faculty/Administrators/Etc.) over previous fiscal year.
- Have equivalent experience be the default when discussing degree attainment within job posting.
- Ensure the deans and vice presidents take the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advocate training by working with Human Resources and share the understanding of the issues, visions of the desired community, and the target goals for the college.
- Diversify the publication sources of job postings by utilizing predominantly diverse serving contact list serves, websites, and organizations.
- Host an open house and invite organizations that are majority operated by and/or owned by minorities.
- Publish testimonials from minority and women employees from all levels of the college.
- Include diverse images of people in nontraditional roles for greater representation within career page, website, pamphlets, and social media.
- Certify all hiring committee members, hiring chairs, and hiring managers through updated bias and legal training.
- Incorporate a department open forum or meet and greet within the hiring process for stakeholder feedback about finalists.
3. Increase underrepresented and unsupported identities of hires (Classified/Exempt/Faculty/Administrators/Etc.) over previous fiscal year.
- Establish DEI Advocates checkpoints within job posting, screening, and onboarding processes. At these checkpoints, hiring officials must inform their supervisor and HR that the pool lacks sufficient diversity.
- Improve accessibility of recruiting and hiring functions through HR technology. For example, the system lets candidates apply for jobs online and takes new hires through a paperless onboarding process.
- Establish onboarding expectations for new employees (employee experience).
- Work with affinity groups to establish racial/ethnic/religious/sexuality based employee resource groups within onboarding.
4. Provide a comprehensive and continuous educational opportunities to assist employees in working effectively in a diverse community.
- Create an Equity Education Review Committee
- Develop a mandatory online training.
- Design a registration and tracking system for learning and professional development opportunities.
- Publish a calendar of educational opportunities throughout the year.
College Mission
Bellevue College is a student-centered, comprehensive and innovative college, committed to teaching excellence, that advances the life-long educational development of its students while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of its diverse community. The college promotes student success by providing high-quality, flexible, accessible educational programs and services; advancing pluralism, inclusion and global awareness; and acting as a catalyst and collaborator for a vibrant region.
Purpose of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan
The purpose of this Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan is to eliminate systemic disparities of all social identities. Fulfilling this purpose requires a review of the organizational structures, campus culture, and individual behavior.
Framework of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan
The framework used to address social inequities involves reflecting on our past, reviewing our current challenges, and developing a plan that compensates for the differences. This means we recognize social identities have had a negative or positive history that impacts current disparities in treatment, resources, and services. We call the positive impacts as privileges and the negative impacts as oppression.
Privilege is a higher value of worth is placed on a person or group and has a protective quality, while oppression is a decreased value of worth placed on a person or group and increases risk. A common social example of a privileged group is the receipt of more resources and services, while an oppressed group will have less resources, limited access and fewer opportunities.
This often leads to a disparity in performance and outcomes. It also becomes problematic when current disparities are used to enforces the idea that the privilege group is inherently better than members of an oppressed. It also creates a false sense of permission to treat members of the oppressed group as deserving of their oppression, also known as victim blaming.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Alignment with Community
The alignment of our internal structures is a priority in addressing systemic and institutional biases. BC is leading with racial equity under the support of our State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). We are also aligning with our community partners, Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) and King County.
Campus Climate Assessment
As part of Bellevue College’s Institutional Commitment to Inclusion and in compliance with RCW 28B.10.147, the college will conduct a college-wide campus climate assessment as well as listening and feedback sessions at regular intervals. These efforts to better understand and improve the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the college are part of a partnership between the college’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Effectiveness, Research & Analytics.
Campus Climate Assessment Results
Bellevue College has selected the HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey as its instrument for evaluation of student and employee attitudes and awareness of campus diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. We first administered this survey in Fall 2021, and will be running the survey every other year. The next planned administration of the survey is Winter 2024.
Results of Bellevue College campus climate surveys are provided here for campus community and public consumption. These reports provide a summary overview of the information collected from the surveys; requests for clarification or additional analyses can be submitted through the Effectiveness and Research Data Request Form.
“Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey Results for Fall 2021”
Listening and Feedback Sessions
Listening and feedback sessions will be scheduled each year between the survey-based campus climate assessments, and additional sessions are expected to coincide with the release of the climate survey results. Information about these sessions will be provided below, with registration information as applicable.
COVID-19 Resources/Services
During this difficult time of COVID-19, Bellevue College has a website dedicated to our response to COVID-19. This site is intended to provide a list of resources to assist students and employees with staying indoors and being able to maintain their physical, mental, and academic health during this pandemic.
This is a growing list of resources, if you have something you would like to add, please email: Beabe Akpojovwo, beabe.akpojovwo@bellevuecollege.edu
Last Updated October 30, 2024