November Update on Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at Paideia

It is the mission of the Paideia Institute to increase access to and engagement with the classical humanities across all sectors of society. That core belief requires us to do everything we can to build an environment at the Paideia Institute that is supportive and inclusive for both students and staff. As part of that process and in my capacity as interim Chief Operating Officer (COO), I write to update the Classics community on the ongoing initiatives at Paideia.

• As a first step I have embarked on a Listening Tour and begun the process of speaking with full-time staff, program instructors, and logistical staff to gain insight and solicit feedback on the experience of working with the Institute. I will continue this outreach and use these conversations to develop specific recommendations for continuing the work of promoting diversity and inclusion at Paideia.
• The Paideia Institute’s Board of Directors has formed a Review Committee chaired by Kathleen de Riesthal and comprising Susan Hamilton and Jonathan Sabo to explore institute culture and specific allegations. The committee will conduct interviews, review documents, and present a report in April.
• The Board has also formed a Search Committee chaired by Mathew McGowan and including Gilles Bransbourg and Georgia Nugent to perform a wide and comprehensive search for a permanent COO. A job description will be forthcoming in December.
• A Code of Conduct has been created and approved by the HR Committee. All adult students will be required to read, sign, and abide by the standards set forth in the document. The Code of Conduct is also posted online.
• An updated Employee Handbook has been approved by the HR Committee and distributed to all employees. It will also be distributed to Program Staff going forward. The Handbook now includes language to clarify that the policy guards against third party harassment, i.e. harassment of employees by people outside of the organization. We do not tolerate this kind of behavior, even if it means having awkward conversations with partners or losing business. Ensuring our employees are safe in our workplace is our first priority.
• In addition to mandatory Sexual Harassment training, it is now required that all full-time, part-time, and program staff at Paideia complete Unconscious Bias training. The training is completed online and administered by Knowledge City. Additional training is under development for the spring.
• The Paideia Institute’s Directors, Jason Pedicone and Eric Hewett, have both completed additional leadership training. Eric Hewett is currently auditing the American University in Rome’s introductory management class, MGT 201 Principles of Management. The curriculum includes a segment on corporate responsibility and navigating diversity in the workplace. Jason Pedicone recently attended a Group Relations Conference (GRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University. The conference is designed to enable participants to become more effective leaders and to understand their own and their organisation’s resistance to change and work to overcome them. The Directors will also undertake further, specific Diversity and Inclusion training during the spring.
• The new annual report and annual brochure summarizing the Institute’s activities for the past year have just been completed and will be distributed shortly. The content more accurately reflects the diversity of Paideia’s students and staff.
• As part of work to improve hiring practices and increase the transparency of the hiring process, the Paideia Institute is currently advertising for open positions in our summer programs and full-time staff. Current instructors in summer programs will be involved in the hiring process.
• Two new policies are in place to formalize the process gathering staff feedback and communicating it to the Board of Directors. There is now an official Exit Interview Policy for Permanent Staff. The policy details the exit interview process and clarifies that the notes of those interviews are to be reported to the Board. There is also a new formalized Interview Policy for Program Staff which requires all program staff to have an interview with the COO after teaching in a program and the notes of those interviews to be reported to the Board.
• In addition to existing Curriculum and planning meetings held in advance of programs, we are introducing Programs Overview and Feedback Sessions via teleconference with program staff. These calls will be held quarterly, with the first set for December, and hosted by the COO. The purpose of these calls will be to gain feedback from program faculty on strategic decisions and programming.

This is an ongoing process. There will be another update on our continuing progress promoting diversity and inclusion at Paideia that will be released in February and further notifications will follow quarterly. I look forward to continuing this important work and helping to create a welcoming and professional work environment at the Paideia Institute.

Henrietta Hakes is the interim Chief Operating Officer at The Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study, Inc.