Membership

Inclusive Excellence Employee Resource Groups (IEERGs) are open to all active WPI employees on a voluntary basis who express an interest in joining.

IEERGs seek member who wish to:

  • Suggest a name and identify for a group
  • Understand the value of diverse perspectives
  • Collaborate with an inclusive and passionate spirit
  • Share their experiences to support the learning of others
  • Deepen their understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Leverage resources and their imagination in service and support of others
  • Be courageous in leadership

Establishing an IEERG

Groups seeking official recgonition as an IEERG should submit the following information to inclusion@wpi.edu:

  • Proposed Name of group
  • Mission Statement demonstrating how the group will support its members and WPI's commitment to diversity & inclusion
  • Names of at least five employees seeking to establish this group

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Chair

The chair is the overall lead for the IEERG who manages the group and is responsible for setting meetings and meeting frequency, communications, and activities. IEERGs will meet quarterly at a minimum. The chair will also be accountable for overseeing all funds and resources afforded to the group. Chairs will sit on one-year (fiscal) terms but may be voted to stay on thereafter by the affinity members. Voting will take place at the beginning of each fiscal year for each affinity area IEERG and will be determined by affinity membership majority vote.

Budget Manager

The budget manager is an IEERG member responsible for managing the annual budget, and responsible for providing accounting of expenses to the Division of Talent & Inclusion at the end of the fiscal year.

Organizational Resources

The IEERG may request funding support of up to $500 per fiscal year, funded by the Division of Talent & Inclusion, or receive pro rata funding based on when in the budget year the group is established. To receive funding support, the group must submit a proposed annual budget with its request and a written outline of activities and programs the funds will support to inclusion@wpi.edu.

The IEERG must adhere to WPI’s guidelines regarding use of institutional funds and demonstrate that the funds were used in support of the mission of WPI and the IEERG. The IEERG will provide an accounting of expenses to the Division of Talent and Inclusion no later than June 30 of each fiscal year. Unused funds cannot be rolled over to the following fiscal year.

WPI reserves the right to dissolve an IEERG should any member violate university policies and procedures.

Professional Development and IEERGs

There are many ways IEERGs support employees’ professional development.

Examples of potential professional development opportunities:

  • Inviting speakers to IEERG meetings based on member interest
  • Using its annual $500 budget to conduct educational seminars based on member interest
  • Assuming leadership roles in IEERG
  • Identifying colleagues who might serve as informal mentors

IEERG Key Performance Indicators

Specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be established for each IEERG to measure effectiveness of the group.

Examples of potential KPIs to measure:

  • Growth in number of members year over year (Y/Y)
  • Number of initiatives held annually
  • Number of participants in the programs, events, and other annual initiative hosted by the IEERG
  • Direct impact of annual programs, vents, and other initiatives hosted by the IEERG