# Presentation: 541017

## Development of an NSF Plan to Broaden Participation 

- Celeste Rohlfing, MPS/CHE
- Victor Santiago, EHR/HRD
- October 2007

## Why Broaden Participation?

- “Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in STEM professions while they are an increasing percentage of the overall U.S. workforce.”
- NSF Strategic Plan 2006-2011

- “Expand efforts to increase participation from underrepresented groups and diverse institutions throughout the United States in all NSF activities and programs.”
- 	- FY 2007 Stewardship Goal

## Charge – Develop a Plan to... 

- increase participation of underrepresented groups in NSF programs and activities, which includes defining existing baseline data
- increase the participation of under-represented groups in the pool of reviewers for NSF proposals

## Working Group Composition

- CO-CHAIRS: Celeste Rohlfing, MPS/CHE and Victor Santiago, EHR/HRD
- MEMBERS: Janice Cuny, CISE/CNS; Kelli Craig-Henderson, SBE/BCS; Joan Frye, OD/OIA; Roosevelt Johnson EHR/HRD; Mary Juhas ENG/OAD; Jill Karsten, GEO/OAD; Andy Lovinger, MPS/DMR; Donna McEnrue, IRM/HRM; Amy Northcutt, OD/OGC; Lucy Nowell, OD/OCI; Dianna Padilla, BIO/IOS; Julie Palais, OD/OPP; Larry Rudolph, OD/OGC; Joanne Tornow, OD/OIA; Pat Tsuchitani, BFA/BD; Lisa Williams, IRM/HRM; Robb Winter, OD/OISE
- EXPERT RESOURCES: Stephanie Bianchi, IRM/DAS; Beth Blue, BFA/BD; Joan Burrelli, SBE/SRS; Charisse A. Carney-Nunes, BFA/OAD; Jody Chase, EHR/HRD; Jessie DeAro, EHR/HRD; Eric Gold, OD/OGC; Tracy Gorman, OD; Nakeina Douglas, EHR; Emily Fort, BFA/BD; Susan Hill, SBE/SRS; Jolene Jesse, EHR/HRD; Mark Leddy, EHR/HRD; Marilyn Suiter, EHR/HRD
- EX-OFFICIO: Ron Branch, OD/OEOP; Consuelo Roberts, OD/OEOP; Doris Starks, OD/ OEOP

## Timeline

- April:   Establishment of Working Group
- April – August:   Working Group Meetings
- June 5:   CEOSE Update
- June 12:   SMaRT Update
- June 14:   AC/GPA Update
- August – Sept:   Report Preparation
- Oct. 16:  Submission to SMaRT
- Oct – Nov:   Presentations to AC’s

## Report Content

- Six major recommendations
- For each recommendation, specific implementation ideas
- Baseline programmatic inventory

## Recommendation 1: 			        Portfolio

- Maintain and update regularly the NSF portfolio of broadening participation programs to facilitate coordination.
- Inform the portfolio through the incorporation of strong scholarship that takes into account differences among populations, fields and levels of education.

## Recommendation 2:                Diversifying the Reviewer Pool

- Increase the diversity of scientists and other STEM experts who review NSF proposals by:
-   providing a searchable reviewer database 	with accurate demographic data,
-   encouraging reviewers to provide 	demographic data,
-   cultivating additional reviewer sources, and
-   encouraging NSF staff to use a more diverse   	reviewer pool.

## Recommendation 3:                                    Training 

- Provide training to staff on:
-   NSF priorities and mechanisms for broadening 	participation and workforce development,
-   effective community outreach, and
-   mitigation of implicit bias in the review 	process.

## Recommendation 4:                               Dissemination 

- Communicate clearly broadening participation 	and workforce development guidance and 	promising practices within NSF and 	throughout the STEM community.
- Establish two websites: one for the general 	public, and one internal to NSF, to facilitate 	broad dissemination and consultation.

## Recommendation 5:  		            Accountability

- Require PIs to report outcomes of broadening 	participation activities.
- Establish NSF-wide reference codes for all 	broadening participation funded activities.
- Incorporate broadening participation efforts as a 	performance indicator for program staff and
- 	management.

## Recommendation 6: 	                Effectiveness 

- 	Promote effectiveness and relevance of the NSF 	broadening participation portfolio via periodic 	evaluations.

## Next Steps

- Senior management feedback
- Internal posting for comments
- Public comment period
- Implementation with allocation of personnel and funding
- On-going assessment