Finance & Business: Diversity

Diversity


Finance & Business supports the University in its commitment to providing a supportive and welcoming environment for all employees. As part of its 2002-2005 Strategic Plan, Finance & Business continued its comprehensive strategy, Strategy 5, to address issues of diversity within the organization. A Diversity Team headed by a senior staff member and including representatives from many Finance & Business administrative units will continue this work for 2005-2008.

Vision
The 2002-2005 Strategic Plan's Strategy 5 was designed to expand the diversity of Finance & Business employees. Specifically, its primary goal was to develop and implement a recruitment and retention plan that ensures a diverse workforce within Finance & Business. The current initiative maintains this focus. It recognizes that successful recruitment and retention programs must be implemented at all levels of the organization and will be assisted by strong training and development programs and community partnerships.

Goals
The Diversity Key Initiative has identified a number of goals that complement the challenges outlined in the University-wide diversity strategic plan, A Framework to Foster Diversity at Penn State. They are:

Goal 1. Develop a shared and inclusive understanding of diversity.
Goal 2. Create a welcoming campus climate.
Goal 3. Recruit and retain a diverse student body.
Goal 4. Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse workforce.
Goal 5. Develop a curriculum that fosters intercultural and international competencies.
Goal 6. Diversify University leadership and management.
Goal 7. Coordinate organizational change to support our diversity goals.

View Mid-Point Progress Report and Appendices.


To learn more about the Diversity initiative, contact Lydia Abdullah, Key Initiative Manager, at 814-865-7641, or visit the F&B Diversity Web site.

HEADLINES & UPDATES
Budget Office Announced its Biggest Loser
Steve Neeper shed almost 22 lbs. over eight weeks to become the University Budget Office’s “Biggest Loser.”
Amaechi, QS/QP Awards Headline Annual Spring Retreat
This year’s F&B Spring Retreat featured a talk from keynote speaker John Amaechi, four new Quality Service, Quality People Awards , and thorough discussions regarding F&B’s key initiatives.
Penn State Continues Commitment to Green Construction
Penn State is building one of the greenest law schools in the country. Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s two locations will feature modern green building methods that will aim to conserve resources and promote environmental awareness.
F&B Improvements Noted in Latest Diversity Climate Survey Results
As part of its Diversity Key Initiative, Finance and Business is continually developing new ways to improve the diversity climate in its units and maintain each office’s progress. A major step in that improvement is the 2007 Diversity Climate Survey.
New Videoconferencing Program Saves Time and Money
Thanks to a videoconferencing program, meetings at Penn State don’t have to be a long drive or walk away anymore. You can sign on to Adobe Connect and experience your meetings without leaving the office.
Ask and Learn…There are No Dumb Questions
One way to get answers is to ask questions. The short film “No Dumb Questions” sits in on three sisters and listens to their probing questions about their Uncle Bill’s transformation into a woman.
Employee Ethics and Compliance Hotline
Address your concerns about workplace issues anonymously with the Ethics and Compliance Hotline. This service will assist you with problems including financial matters such as fraud, theft, conflict of interest, and other violations of University policy, including research compliance matters, discrimination, athletics-compliance issues, and more. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-560-1637.
Finance & Business Senior Leadership Signs Commitment Statement on Diversity. (pdf)
F&B Newsletter
View current and past issues online.
Help F&B Save Money
Have you ever looked around at work and thought, "If I were the boss, I'd do things differently. We could save a lot of time and money if only we'd...." Well, the F&B Expenditures Team wants to hear your ideas for changes that will result in saved time, resources, or money. Send your suggestions to expenditures@psu.edu.
F&B Approves Statement on Acts of Intolerance
As part of its Key Initiative to Foster Diversity, Finance & Business has adopted a Statement on Acts of Intolerance, outlining behavior and actions that are deemed inappropriate and harmful in the workplace. To view the Statement, visit the following page: FBIntolerancePolic(final).htm.
PENN STATE NEWS