Implementing measurable goals for diversity, equity, and inclusion in Clinical and Translational Science Awards leadership

Abstract

Charting a benchmarking strategy is recommended to measure improvements in equal leadership opportunities for minorities and women in the Clinical Translational Science Awards Consortium (CTSAs). Academic institutions that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives should demonstrate a willingness to track their progress with established metrics. In the fall of 2020, the CTSAs convened a virtual conference, which started a dialogue on developing measurable objectives to ensure accountability for DEI goals. Using qualitative and quantitative data from breakout sessions, the authors analyze participant responses to the following recommendation, “ develop a common metric and dashboard with regular reporting on diversity in CTSA leadership, with an emphasis on increasing female and Black Indigenous, People Of Color (BIPOC) representation to 30% each,” to understand the impact and challenges associated with implementing metrics within CTSAs. Thematic analysis revealed that white supremacist culture and demographic composition are obstacles to establishing metrics. Participants expressed uncertainty about the perception of token roles. Additionally, participants believed that DEI targets can increase diversity in perspectives and approaches to translational science. Implications for CTSAs include establishing CTSA-wide benchmarks for DEI initiatives, which includes a baseline of the existing DEI climate to assess institutional norms and measurable objectives to track progress.

Improving the equity landscape at U.S. academic institutions: 10 strategies to lead change

“…Consistent with the strategies in this paper, the Department of the Air Force established Development Teams who were tasked to conduct a gap and barrier analysis to observe any adverse hiring and workplace conditions that could impede career advancement based on gender or race/ethnicity. While these teams were noted to fall short of their goals, similar to our companion paper (Taylor et al, 2023), benchmarking military career fields was added as a recommendation to minimize disparities in military personnel at higher occupational levels. Additionally, women and minorities were more likely to report adverse race and gender discrimination issues compared to other groups.…”

“…The steps listed above, coupled with using established methods to understand gaps in DEIB, validated instruments to evaluate progress, incentives, or rubrics to measure incremental success (Taylor et al, 2023), can largely be engaged in at the level of sub-unit, team leader, and even at the principal investigator level on a funded project, even despite the larger institution lagging behind the units that comprise it. Visionary leadership can help steer the course to create sub-units that embrace and nourish diverse representation at all levels and reimagine how community and diversity is represented and included in the work of teaching, research, and engagement.…”

“…Given that this grim landscape of lack of diversity in the US institutions of higher education (Chen and Crown, 2019; Edwards, 2018; Espinosa et al, 2020; June and O’Leary, 2021; Tao, 2018; Taylor et al, 2020; Vickers and Ruffin, 2020), it is unsurprising that the 2020 annual meeting of the US Centers for Translational Science Awards (Fernandez et al, 2022; Taylor et al, 2023) included an examination of recommendations to create tangible DEI culture change to increase racial diversity in leadership positions in their home institutions, which specialize in the health professions and research. Among the recommendations considered the highest priority areas towards structural changes in the DEI culture in CTSAs, transparency in organizational policies, benchmarking and clearly defined pathways to leadership positions were noted.…”