In October 2020, the Webb Board of Trustees resolved that Webb’s commitment to excellence extends to a commitment to a diverse and inclusive campus community, and several Strategic Initiatives were begun to reinforce this vision.  Now, over four years later, it is time to reflect on progress made and challenges encountered.  We have traveled well down this road, but our journey is not complete.  

Progress on Strategic Initiatives:

Recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups at Webb

• The admissions process now takes input from a wider group – students, faculty, and administration – for a holistic view of prospective candidates, with awareness training for potential bias.
• Our generous donors have substantially grown endowments that help alleviate room & board costs for those with financial need.  Combined with foundation and government support and minimal student loans, over $300,000 has been made available annually, enabling students with need to attend Webb.  This program has benefited up to 25% of our students and is a powerful recruiting tool for prospective students.
• The applicant pool has grown 32% since 2020 and diversity metrics have increased even more, with the number of first-generation-college applicants doubling. Our newly hired Assistant Director of Admissions will build on outreach initiatives trialed under this program to further broaden our applicant pool.
• Webb now has two on-call staff providing 24/7 support to students, helping them cope with academic and life pressures, contributing to improved retention and graduation rates. 

A campus and community culture of equity and inclusion

• We have focused on initiatives that support dialog, collaboration, and trust on campus, starting with orientation week sessions, building through community participation events and activities, with support by student leadership who set annual goals on improving problem areas.  Outside speakers from industry and academia have shared their views on these topics.  
• Regular surveys measure a range of cultural issues, with interventions provided where appropriate.  Student clubs – WoW (Women of Webb), CoGas (Coalition of Gays and Such), MEOW (Minority Establishment of Webb) – provide the opportunity for open communication channels for underrepresented communities.  
• The ACT (Assistance and Care Team) now takes a more active, real-time role in engaging with community issues as they arise.
• The Webb Alumni Association initiated workshops at SNAME focusing on raising awareness of diversity challenges in the maritime industry.  Webb’s 25% female population remains ahead of the industry at large.  Change is taking place, but slowly.

The academic program, culture, and faculty/staff diversity

• The Humanities curriculum now includes a wider range of topics:  alternative sources, cultural comparisons, viewpoint bias, logical fallacies, and ethics as seen through current events.  A new course was introduced to enhance critical thinking and analysis skills.
• The faculty have kicked off a thorough curriculum review to ensure our curriculum provides the knowledge and skills necessary for our graduates to succeed in their careers and become valued members of a diverse society.  After further internal development it will be reviewed with industry partners and students before implementation begins.
• Faculty orientation, mentorship, and professional development are part and parcel of delivering the best educational product to our students and in making Webb an inviting workplace.  Initiatives in this area are ongoing and fully budgeted.  Annual training on Title IX topics reinforces the importance of respect for each person on campus.
• Marketing of faculty and staff positions now reaches a wider audience, but we have a challenge with faculty recruiting.  It has been difficult to attract a wide group of qualified candidates to teach in our predominant specialty-knowledge areas.  

Communications and the Board

• The Board continually seeks to develop Trustee candidates who represent a diversity of views and backgrounds to further its important work of supporting Webb’s mission.  The Board is significantly more diverse today; for example, women now constitute 25% of the Board.
• A designated committee, with student representation, reports on diversity and cultural awareness topics at every Board meeting.  The full Board participated in a workshop on these topics most recently in May 2024.

Looking Forward:  Webb Values

Our progress on these initiatives has laid the foundation for building on our achievements and addressing new challenges.  The Board now broadens its objectives to integrate all values of the Webb community, including those highlighted in earlier initiatives, in an updated resolution.

View Board Resolution

Webb provides more than an engineering education.  The Webb experience seeks to instill the all-important values of Excellence, Community, and Opportunity – values that will guide our students and graduates throughout their career and enable them to contribute to a better society.  Working together, the Board, administration, faculty, and students identified how these values translate to behaviors and actions in our community.  We invite the wider Webb community to comment on the results of our collaboration.

View Webb Values

With best regards,

Mark Martecchini ’79, P’09, President