Equity Coaches
Equity coaches serve students of color through:
- 1-on-1 student success coaching
- Assistance navigating policies and processes
- Connecting students with resources on and off campus
- Networking (Identity, Peer, and Professional)
- Multicultural Programing
- Helping to identify and achieve students goals
- Break down the barriers to student success at Kirkwood
Location: Main Campus- Cedar Rapids, KCRUI?
Modalities: in-person, virtual call, phone
Rubric for Evaluation
Rating Scale:
-
- 3 – Excellent. This resource goes above and beyond in this area.
- 2 – Adequate. Efforts are being made but more could be done to make it more accessible.
- 1 – Insufficient. This resource is not accessible in this way.
- N/A – not applicable for this resource.
| Current Use/Reflection | Notes |
| Who is the target audience for this resource? | EISS Coaches work primarily with BIPOC students (Black, Indigenous, People of color) and assist them in navigating and transitioning into college. |
| What are the services being offered by the resource? | One-on-One Student Success Coaching: Personalized coaching sessions to help students navigate their academic journey and overcome challenges they face in their studies.
Assistance Navigating Policies and Processes: Guidance and support in understanding and navigating the college’s policies and administrative processes, ensuring students can make informed decisions about their education. Connecting Students to Resources: Facilitating connections with both on-campus and off-campus resources to support students’ academic and personal needs, enhancing their college experience and success. Networking Opportunities: Offering networking opportunities with peers and professionals, which can help students build valuable relationships and community ties, aiding in their academic and career development. Programming to Help Identify and Achieve Goals: Providing programs and initiatives designed to help students set and achieve their academic and personal goals, promoting success and fulfillment in their college journey. |
| Are there known barriers or stigma that may prevent students from accessing the resource? | The primary barrier preventing students from accessing our resources appears to be a lack of awareness. Many students, staff/faculty are not fully informed about the services we provide. |
| Is there any data available regarding student perceptions/use of this resource? | There has been one form used to collect student thoughts from previous years but only a couple of students filled it out and didn’t really give a holistic view of student perceptions of what we offer. To our knowledge there is not additional data available. |
| Rating | Notes | |
| Physical Accessibility | ||
| Is the physical location accessible to the student population it serves? | 2 | Our office is centrally located in Iowa hall directly across from the info desk. It is on the main floor and is right by the elevator. Additionally, in order to meet students where they are we offer both in person and online meetings.
However, the main entrance to our office does not have a handicap accessible button to open. The door would require someone to need additional assistance to gain entrance. |
| Are the resource’s visual images adequate in clearly communicating services, etc.? | 1 | The existing signage for the Equity in Student Success Coaches is an 8.5×11 handout detailing the services, located in the waiting area of the Iowa 2026 suite. Although the suite’s location is well-marked, the specific services offered are not prominently displayed. The handout’s font size is below 32pt and lacks Braille, which may limit accessibility for students with visual impairments. |
| Wayfinding signage leading to the resource is visible, high contrast, and easy to identify. | 1 | We have signage near the front and back entrances of our office which list all of the services provided in the office. The signs could be a bit larger and stand out a bit more for those who may be visually impaired. While all of the services offered by our office are listed it isn’t clear who covers which service as well as what those services offer |
| Scheduling/Time Accessibility | ||
| Do the resource hours and timing of programming meet student needs? | 3 | Our office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, offering students the flexibility to seek help at their convenience. Activities are scheduled during the activity hour, aligning with peak student availability and ensuring accessible support. This setup is well-received by students, indicating its effectiveness in meeting their needs. |
| Does the resource offer an on-demand option for face-to-face and online students? | 3 | Students can receive assistance on demand during our operating hours, ensuring immediate support is available whenever they need it. This includes both face-to-face and online meetings.
|
| Do students have the ability to easily self-schedule at a time convenient for them? | 3 | Our office utilizes Calendly to facilitate appointment scheduling, allowing students to self-schedule at their convenience. This system provides real-time visibility of available time slots, enabling students to choose times that fit their schedules directly through a user-friendly interface. |
| Digital Accessibility | ||
| Are available online resources easy to locate and user-friendly? | 1 | The online presence of the office is currently limited to the staff directory and the DEI link through the Kirkwood website, with only contact information available. This limited web presence may restrict students’ ability to explore services, book appointments, or access resources online |
| Are necessary print resources available in digital formats? | 1 | No. |
| Collaboration Support | ||
| Does the resource help students communicate, collaborate, work, or share information about academic content? | 3 | Yes. We have created a program called the Academic Support Network for the students we work with to be able to connect with one another and form study groups for their classes. It was originally for classes Intro to Psychology (PSY-111), Human Anatomy Physiology I (BIO-168), and Composition I (ENG-105), but we expanded it to all classes. |
| Multilingual Accessibility | ||
| Does the resource currently provide or have access to translation tools or reference materials in commonly spoken languages by Kirkwood ELLs? | 1 | We currently do not provide materials in other languages. We also do not have access to translation tools. |
| Does the resource use clear language and avoid jargon? | 3 | We work to be conscious of the verbiage used on all resources and communication to students. This can include having all of us overview a promotional item or email sent and talking through our intended message. |
| Feedback | ||
| Is there a system in place for students and staff to provide feedback on services? | 2 | Yes. There was one google form used in the past with limited responses. We had two luncheons earlier this semester where we gathered more feedback from students on what they wanted to see from us programming wise, what wasn’t working communication wise, etc. |
| Is there a process for periodic reviews of the resource and ongoing improvement? | 2 | We currently do not have a formal process to get feedback. However we often receive feedback directly from students and other professionals. |
| Inclusivity | ||
| Does the resource actively engage with traditionally underserved populations? | 3 | Our office is meant to serve the students here at Kirkwood. We primarily focus on working with BIPOC students but recognize that our BIPOC students may hold additional marginalized identities. |
| Does the resource take measures to ensure traditionally underserved populations feel welcome? | 3 | Yes, as EISS Coaches we specifically work with our BIPOC students to make sure they are feeling supported, welcomed, and are retained at this institution. |
| Are there events and activities that promote inclusivity? | 2 | We strive to ensure that all of our events are inclusive to a wide variety of students and that we have a multitude of opportunities and ways for students to participate. We host multiple multicultural events throughout the year highlighting marginalized populations. Our events seek to cultivate a sense of belonging for our bipoc students and an opportunity for others to learn about culture and significant experiences. |
| Are staff trained in cultural competence and inclusivity? | 3 | All of our team members have training from previous personal and professional experiences surrounding both cultural competency and inclusivity.
There have been opportunities for professional development related to cultural competency and inclusivity. |
| Communication/Marketing | ||
| Which channels of communication are used to share services/programs | 3 | Email, phone calls, GroupMe, flyers around campus |
| Is there a proactive strategy in place to ensure students and faculty are aware of resource materials/events/opportunities? | 2 | We don’t have a formal process but the way we typically market for our events is to post in have you heard, put up flyers, and embed our posters into emails to students. |
| Does the resource market itself to students appropriately? | 1 | As this semester was the first time our team was working together, we used this as a time to try to learn how to best serve the students that we are working with. We know that there are probably more efficient ways for us to communicate with students but are still working to figure out what works best for the population of students that we work with. |