Promoting Inclusion inAcademic Environments
September6,2016 1
ContributingMSUOffices
OfficeofInclusionandInterculturalInitiativesOfficeoftheAssociateProvostforUndergraduateEducation
StudentAffairsandServicesResidenceEducationandHousingServices
Presentation Goals
1. Acknowledgecurrentlocal,regional,national,andglobalissuesandeventsaffectingourcampuscommunity;
2. Providean(non-exhaustive)updateaboutvariouscampusunits’responsesandactivitiesrelatedtotheseevents;
3. Suggesteffortsthatcollegesandunitscantaketomaketheirworkmoreinclusive;
4. Highlightareasforpotentialcollaborationbetweenacademicaffairs,studentsaffairs,andcampusdiversityresources;and
5. Provideonlineresourcestosupportunits’workrelatedtorace,diversity,andinclusion.
Global Context for our Work
On-GoingDiscussions• MSUCampusClimate• All-GenderBathrooms• BlackLivesMatter• ISISandglobalterror• Immigrationandmigration• AchievementGap• LiberateMSUdemands
AnticipatedConcerns• MSUWomen’sResourceCenterandWomen’sLounge• Reactiontolastyear’sachievementdata• ElectionRhetoric• PCandCivilDiscourse• Immigrationissues• TargetingMuslims• Sexism
On-Going• LiberateMSUdiscussions:
• ListeningGroups• Meetingswithcampusleaders• Trackedprogresstowarddemands• LettersfromthePresident
• CampusClimatestudy• CreationofOIE• InterculturalPillar• Dean’sAffinityGroup• workbySAS&i3
NewEfforts• SocialJusticeFacultygroup• StudentActivismguide(SAS)• eLearning(i3)• OIEandi3EPAP–ReflectandConnect(facultyandstaffonly)
• AOPandIAOP,extended• Inclusiveteachingwebpage• DiversityrequirementmodificationswithinIS
• Oi3–AAN–APUEcollaborations• Race,Diversity,andInclusiongroup
Response/Activities
RDI Group• RDISmall–SenioradministratorswhoreporttothePresident• RDILarge–academicaffairs,studentaffairs,andoperationsleadersfromaroundcampus;headedbyPauletteGranberryRussell,DeniseMaybank,andVennieGore
PurposeofLargeGroup• Defineinclusionanddiversity• Aligncommunicationandinterventionsaroundacommondefinition
• AnticipateandbemoreproactivearoundR,D,andIissues
• Coordinateresponsetoexistingstudentconcernsandprepareforfutureconcerns
• Fosterawareness,collaboration,andefficienciesacrossunits
• Identifyandrespondtocampusneeds
How can colleges and other campus units engage in this work…
(1) Syllabi & Program Documentation
• Respecting,interactingwith,andvaluingdiversitypermeatetheexistingUndergraduateLearningGoals;therefore,contentrelatedtodiversityisnotadditive,it’scoretotheMSUgoalsforitsstudents,aswellasitsvalues.PuttingtheseULGsonthesyllabusindicatearationaleandreasonsfordiscussingdiversityandinclusion.• Otheritemstoincludeonthesyllabus,meetingguidelines,etc.:
• MSU’sdiscriminationandmandatoryreportingpolicystatements• MSU’sgriefabsenceandreligiousobservancepolicystatements• Informationaboutclassaccessibilityandaccommodations• MSUSpartanCodeofHonor(ASMSU)• Relevantcontactinformationforchair,director,supervisor,ombudsperson,etc.• Yourexpectationsforclassroombehavior• Tipsonhowtoactivelylistenanddialogue
Resources
• OmbudspersonSyllabiRequirementsperMSUCodeofTeachingResponsibilities:https://msu.edu/unit/ombud/classroom-policies/syllabus-faq.html• ExistingCourseSyllabusChecklist:http://fod.msu.edu/sites/default/files/Syllabus-Checklist-MSU-2015.pdf• Accessiblesyllabustemplate:http://webaccess.msu.edu/_files/MSU_accessible_syllabus_template.doc
(1)Design• ConnectcourseoutcomestoinclusionandMSUundergraduatelearninggoals • Ensurethatyourcoursematerialsareaccessibleand/oruseuniversaldesign • Referencecontentrelatedtodiversityandculturewhenappropriate • Usediverseexamplesthatportrayarangeofperspectives,people,places,andcultures • Incorporateresourcesthatrepresentnon-majority,non-Westernperspectives
(2)Norms&Policies• Usestudents’preferrednames,pronunciation,andpronouns • Establishcriteriaforparticipation,dialogue,andengagement • Role-modeldesiredbehavior • Establishexpectationsforactivelisteningandcivildiscourse • ExplainandfollowMSUpoliciesregardingReligiousObservances,GriefAbsencePolicy,RCPDandotherresources
asappropriate(i.e.,tutoring,WritingCenter,Library,ELC,LRC,etc.) • Talkwithyourstudentsaboutresourcestoseekassistanceandreportissues(i.e.,OIE,Ombudsperson,
DepartmentChair,CounselingCenter,etc.)
(2) Building Inclusive Learning Environments
(3)Action• Don’tbeafraidofsilence–pauseandallowtimeforreflection;don’tbetooquicktomoveon • Interruptandaddressovertdiscriminationorovertviolationsofnorms(silenceisinterpretedasacceptance) • Usingstudentworkteamshelpslearningandbuildscommunity
1. Whenusinggroups,monitorinterpersonalinteractionsandavoidisolatingmarginalizedindividuals • Managediscussion,allowingdiverseideastoemergewithoutonedominating(includingyourown) • Avoidover-orunder-callingonspecificstudentsorgroupsofstudents • Donotaskastudenttospeakonbehalfofagroup • Usemultiple,activepedagogiesandmethodstoengageandassessstudents • Learntorecognizeyourbias,howitaffectsinteractionswithothers,andencouragestudentstodothesame • Seektrainingopportunitiesthroughi3,HR,AAN,etc. • Collectandrespondtofeedbackfromstudents
Inclusive Learning Environments cont.
Creating Inclusive Learning EnvironmentsMSUwebsites
• i3EducationandTraining–http://inclusion.msu.edu/education/index.html• IdeasforDisciplinaryContent–https://www.lib.msu.edu/inclusiveteaching/• AcademicAdvancementNetworkresources(AAN):
• InclusiveTeachingMethods• IncorporatingMulticulturalContentintoYourTeaching• TeachingforDiversePopulations
• OfficeofInstitutionalEquitypolicies(OIE)–http://oie.msu.edu/
Non-MSUwebsites• ToolkitforInclusiveLearningEnvironments-http://guides.library.jhu.edu/c.php?g=213732&p=1410321
• TeachingDuringandIntenseElection-http://www.crlt.umich.edu/category/tags/inclusive-teaching
• ProjectImplicit(Implicitbias)-https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
(3) Communicate
Reactiontips ACE(AmericanCouncilonEducation):1. Establishtrustthroughhonestyand
transparency2. Workwithyourcommunity;partnerwith
studentsandfaculty3. Beempatheticandsympathetic–
acknowledgepain,grief,andotheremotionswithinyourcommunity
4. Communicateregularlythroughdefinedchannels
5. Establishadesire,andifpossibleaplan,tomoveforwardorrespond
6. Partnerwithcommunicatorsandlegalcounseltoavoidfaux-pas
Proactivetips
A. Talkwithyourteamsabouthowworldeventsmayinfluencestudents
B. Thinklikealay-personC. Besincereandstraight-forward:namethe
concernD. TapintoinstitutionalmessagingaboutSpartan
values,SpartansWill,community,learning,etc.E. Collaborateacrosscampus,especiallywithSAS,
i3,andREHSF. ProvideresourcesforeducationorsupportG. Stayingsilentisamessage
Additional Advice
• ACENetThePresidency-http://www.acenet.edu/the-presidency/Pages/fall-2012.aspx• CanadianUniversitygroup-http://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/feature-article/crisis-communications-20/• UniversityofRochester-https://www.rochester.edu/ucc/help/info/tragedy.html• VanderbiltUniversityTeachinginaTimeofCrisis-https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/crisis/• GeorgeLucasEducationalFoundation(diverseresourcesbutmostlyfocusedonchildren)-http://www.edutopia.org/blog/tragedy-grief-resources-education• ResourcesfortheElection(UofMCRTL):http://www.crlt.umich.edu/node/92763
Examples of Campus CommunicationCampus• FromthePresident’sDesk-http://president.msu.edu/communications/presidents-desk.html• OfficeforInclusion&InterculturalInitiatives–http://inclusion.msu.edu• MSUStudentAffairsandServices-http://studentaffairs.msu.edu/vp/diversity-inclusion-section.html
• REHSDiversityandInclusion-https://liveon.msu.edu/content/diversity-and-inclusion• JamesMadisonCollegeDiversitypage-http://jmc.msu.edu/diversity/• DeanChrisLong’sBlog-http://www.cal.msu.edu/about/longview/feb16
Other• UniversityofWashington-https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/chancellor/message-race-diversity• AssociationofPublicandLand-GrantUniversities-http://www.aplu.org/members/councils/strategic-communications/Inclusiveness-and-free-speech-responses/index.html
LBC messageDearLBCStudents,Staff,andFaculty,
Wehavewitnessedmanytragediesunfoldthissemester,bothintheU.S.andelsewhere,withthemostrecentbeingthemassshootinginCalifornialastweek.Thesocialandpoliticalreactionstothesetragedieshavebeenemotional,attimeshelpingushealfromtraumaoftheevents.However,atothertimes,thereactionshavebeenlessconstructiveandgroundedinfearandhate.
ItisintimeslikethesethatitismostvitaltoaffirmthatLymanBriggsCollegeisacommunitymadevibrantbyindividualswithdiversereligiousbeliefs,backgrounds,ethnicities,sexualidentities,ages,andotherdifferences.TheattackersinSanBernardinodonotrepresentIslam,justastheattackerinColoradoSpringsdidnotrepresentChristianity.Toblameorpenalizeoneperson(oranentiregroup)forthecrimesofanotherwhosharesareligion,race,orbackground,isirrationalandmorallyrepugnant.LBC-Inc.loudlydenouncesandrejectsdiscriminationaimedatentiregroupsofpeople.
ThankyouforcomingtoBriggs.Thankyouformakingourcommunitywelcomingandinclusive.YOUbelonghere.