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Equity,  Diversity  and  Inclusion  in  the  Workplace  School  of  Human  Resource  Management  1AP/ADMS  or  AP/HRM  3450,  Winter  2016  

 

Professor:   Dr.  Christa  Wilkin,  CHRP  

Office  Hours:   By  appointment  

Office:   Atkinson  Building,  Room  #230  

E-­‐mail:   ChristaW@yorku.ca    

Phone:   (416)  736-­‐2100  x44664  

Skype:   christa.wilkin  

 COURSE  DESCRIPTION    Looking  around  the  classroom,  and  in  our  workplaces,  it  is  apparent  that  we  live,  learn  and  work  in  diverse  environments.  This  diversity  brings  with  it  great  opportunities  as  well  as  significant  challenges.  During  this  course  will  develop  basic  understanding  of  the  impact  of  diversity  on  workplace  experiences,  employment  equity  and  inclusion.  We  will  learn  about  the  basic  theoretical  perspectives  that  inform  our  understanding  of  these  concepts,  and  examine  diversity  and  inclusion  of  specific  identity  groups.    REQUIRED  TEXTBOOK  PLUS  CHAPTERS    Anzovino,  T.  &  Boutilier,  D.  (2014).  Walk  a  Mile:  Experiencing  and  Understanding  Diversity  in  Canada  (1st  Edition).  Nelson  Education.  One  chapter  from  Angelini,  P.  (2012).  Our  Society:  Human  Diversity  in  Canada  (4th  Edition).  Nelson  Education  (See  Moodle)  One  chapter  from  Bell,  M.  P.  (2012).  Diversity  in  Organizations  (2nd  Edition).  Nelson  Education  (See  Moodle)     1  Prerequisite:  AP/HRM  2600  3.00.  Course  credit  exclusion:  AP/HRM  3450  3.00  (prior  to  Fall  2013).  PRIOR  TO  FALL  2009:  Prerequisite:  AK/ADMS  2600  3.00  or  AK/ADMS  3480  3.00  (prior  to  Summer  2001).  Course  credit  exclusion:  AK/ADMS  3450  3.00.  

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COURSE  OBJECTIVES    A  primary  objective  of  this  course  is  to  acquaint  students  with  the  basic  principles  and  concepts  of  diversity,  inclusion,  and  employment  equity  in  the  workplace,  and  the  opportunities  and  challenges  that  a  diverse  workplace  presents.  In  so  doing,  students  will  gain  an  understanding  of  the  theoretical  perspectives,  which  inform  our  understanding  of  workplace  diversity  issues.  Students  will  also  increase  their  awareness  about  the  experiences  of  members  of  non-­‐dominant  identity  groups  in  the  workplace,  including  discrimination,  differential  access  and  treatment.  They  will  learn  about  ways  in  which  individuals  and  organizations  address  issues  of  equity,  diversity  and  inclusion  within  organizations.  These  objectives  will  be  accomplished  through  lectures,  relevant  projects,  discussion  of  current  events  and  group  interaction  online.    CLASS  SCHEDULE  Week   Date   Topic   Chapter  1   Jan  4   Diversity  and  Identity   1  2   Jan  11   Forms  of  Oppression   2  3   Jan  18   Theories  and  Thinking  about  Diversity   2  from  Bell     Jan  22   OAs  Chapters  1  and  2  Due    4   Jan  25   Social  Inequality   3  5   Feb  1   Race  as  a  Social  Construct   4  6   Feb  8   Aboriginal  Peoples   5     Feb  12   OAs  Chapters  3,  4,  and  5  Due    7   Feb  15   Reading  Week    8   Feb  22   Religion   6  9   Feb  29   Gender  and  Sexuality   7  10   March  7   Disability   8     March  11   OAs  Chapters  6,  7,  and  8  Due    11   March  14   Families   10  12   March  21   The  Medium  Diversifies  the  Message   11  from  Angelini     March  25   OAs  Chapters  10  and  11  Due    13   March  28   Study  Day  –  No  Lecture  

Accommodation  Brochure  Due  Peer  Evaluation  Due  Class  Participation  Due  

 

  April  6  to  20   Final  Exam    The  professor  reserves  the  right  to  change  or  alter  the  syllabus  schedule  with  ample  notice  to  the  students  I  may  add  an  additional  reading  for  a  specific  class,  if  I  deem  it  necessary  for  the  better  understanding  of  the  topic.      

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COURSE  WEIGHTING                        

*10  OAs  each  worth  1.5%    COURSE  EVALUATION    OAs  -­‐  Online  Assignments  (15%)    The  purpose  of  the  OAs  is  to  get  you  thinking  critically  about  some  of  the  topics  we  discuss  in  the  course.  OAs  consist  of  individual  short  exercises  or  assessments  designed  to  give  you  more  exposure  to  the  topic.  These  will  be  graded  on  a  Credit/No  Credit  basis  (you  will  see  either  “1”  or  “0”  points  in  Moodle),  and  are  due  at  several  time  points  throughout  the  semester  (see  Class  Schedule).  It  is  highly  recommended  to  complete  the  OAs  as  you  progress  through  the  course,  rather  than  waiting  until  the  due  date.  Late  submissions  will  not  be  accepted.      Class  Participation  (10%)    At  the  end  of  the  course,  I’ll  ask  you  to  complete  a  mandatory  questionnaire  through  Moodle  that  summarizes  your  contributions.  Late  submission  will  not  be  accepted.  If  you  do  not  submit  a  class  participation  questionnaire,  your  class  participation  grade  will  be  reduced  by  one  letter  grade.      Be  specific  by  listing  the  dates  and  the  contributions  you  made.  I’ll  compare  your  record  with  mine  as  I  am  able  to  review  logs  that  indicate  when  you  accessed  the  course  and  what  you  contributed.  You  are  welcome  to  say  what  grade  (e.g.,  A  to  F)  you  think  these  contributions  merit.  I  would  recommend  writing  down  what  you  contributed  each  time  you  log  on  to  Moodle—the  question  you  asked,  the  answer  you  gave,  the  comment  you  made,  etc.  That  way,  it  will  make  it  easy  to  summarize  at  the  end  of  the  course.      Here  is  an  example  of  how  you  can  summarize  your  contributions:    26  May  2015:  Comment  on  topic  "Stereotype"  using  the  material  learned  from  Professor  Wilkin's  PowerPoint  slide.  Constructively  disagree  with  the  comment  made  by  other  students.  

Online  Assignments  (OAs)   15%*  

Class  Participation   10%  

Accommodation  Brochure   20%  

Peer  Evaluation   5%  

Final  Exam   50%  

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Your  participation  should  be  relatively  consistent  throughout  the  course.  If  you  only  participate  right  at  the  very  beginning  or  end,  you  will  not  obtain  a  good  class  participation  grade.      Here  are  the  behaviors  that  count:    

• Asking  questions  (ones  that  can’t  be  easily  answered  by  reading  the  course  outline)  • Answering  questions  • Making  comments  (extra  points  for  comments  that  relate  to  material  in  the  text,  and  for  

sharing  relevant  experiences)  • Constructively  disagreeing  with  something  in  the  textbook,  by  me,  or  another  student  

 Here’s  how  your  participation  is  graded:      Grade   Criteria  A   • Responses  address  questions  with  thought,  clarity  and  analysis,  showing  depth  of  

understanding  through  application  of  course  content:  i.e.  from  reading  material  and/or  lecture  content.  

• Promotes  further  discussion  and  thought  by  asking  questions  of  fellow  classmates.  • Responses  are  succinct  without  compromising  sufficient  detail  to  articulate  main  point.  • Participates  very  frequently  in  discussions.  

B   • Response  addresses  the  question  with  thought  and  clarity.    • Applies  some  content  and  material  from  the  course  readings  and/or  lecture  content  in  the  

response.  • Responses  are  succinct.  Good  articulation  of  main  point.  • Participates  frequently  in  discussions.  

C   • Response  addresses  the  question    • Offers  straightforward  information  (e.g.  straight  from  the  case  or  reading),  without  

elaboration.  • Responses  are  relatively  succinct.  Main  point  is  articulated.    • Demonstrates  sporadic  involvement  in  discussion.  

D   • Response  is  not  specific  or  is  vague.  • Appears  somewhat  off-­‐topic  and/or  does  not  address  main  point.  • Responses  are  only  a  few  word  answers  (e.g.,  I  agree,  I  disagree).  • Demonstrates  very  infrequent  involvement  in  discussion.  

E  or  F   • No  or  few  responses  are  made.    Accommodation  Brochure  (20%)    This  assignment  is  intended  for  you  to  get  to  know  other  people  who  may  be  different  from  you.  You  will  need  to  spend  time  together  outside  of  class  and  complete  a  brochure  on  accommodation  in  the  workplace  on  a  particular  topic  (e.g.,  race,  gender,  class,  ability,  sexual  orientation,  religion,  etc.).  Your  topic  may  be  on  one  that  you  and  your  partner  differ  (e.g.,  you  belong  to  different  religions)  or  a  topic  of  mutual  interest  (e.g.,  you  are  both  straight  but  are  

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interested  in  researching  how  gay  people  are  treated  in  the  workplace).      Please  work  in  groups  of  two  or  three.  You  do  not  need  to  let  me  know  who  you  are  working  with.  If  you  are  having  trouble  finding  a  partner,  please  post  a  request  within  your  Online  Discussion  Forum  or  on  the  Class  Q&A.  Only  as  a  last  resort,  email  your  professor.  You  are  not  permitted  to  work  by  yourself  on  the  assignment.      In  the  brochure,  A)  provide  background  information  on  the  topic,  B)  barriers  the  diverse  individuals  face  related  to  your  topic,  and  C)  solutions  to  address  the  barriers  from  an  employer’s  perspective.  Focus  more  on  what  the  research  says  but  you  may  include  personal  experiences  if  you  have  space.      You  can  focus  on  the  topic  in  general  (e.g.,  religion)  or  be  more  specific  (e.g.,  Islam).  If  you  choose  a  topic  that  you  and  your  partner  differ  on,  you  aren’t  required  to  include  both  aspects  (e.g.,  one  person  is  a  female  and  you  focus  just  on  accommodating  females  in  the  workplace).      Requirements      

• Two-­‐page  brochure.    • Include  the  names  and  student  numbers  for  you  and  your  partner  in  the  header  • Only  one  person  should  submit  the  accommodation  brochure  on  Moodle.  Hard  copies  

are  not  required.  • There  are  no  specifications  regarding  font  type,  size,  or  spacing  • Use  credible  sources  (e.g.,  journal  articles).  Wikipedia  is  not  a  credible  source.  • There  is  no  minimum  number  of  sources  to  use  • Use  an  attractive  and  well-­‐designed  format;  be  creative!  

 References      Use  APA  style  but  instead  of  using  in-­‐text  citations,  in  order  to  save  space,  use  endnotes  instead  with  a  separate  page  with  the  references.        References  should  be  in  the  following  APA  style  if  you  are  paraphrasing  (putting  someone  else’s  ideas  into  your  own  words):    

An  increasing  number  of  students  fail  to  read  course  outlines.1    But  use  the  following  style  if  you  are  quoting  directly  (using  someone  else’s  exact  words):  

 “There  has  been  a  tremendous  growth  over  the  past  ten  years  in  the  number  of  students  failing  to  read  course  outlines.” 1  

 

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The  Reference  Section  should  be  on  a  separate  page,  and  include  all  relevant  information.  Make  sure  that  you  include  a  reference  for  every  citation  that  you  have  included,  but  do  not  include  works  that  you  have  read  but  not  cited.  Use  the  following  format:    1Wilkin,  C.L.  (2015).  Failing  to  read  course  outlines.  Journal  of  Course  Outlines,  23(1),  1-­‐17.      Normally  the  reference  section  is  in  alphabetical  order,  but  because  you  are  using  endnotes,  the  order  of  references  appears  in  the  order  that  the  information  is  presented  in  your  brochure.  If  you  need  more  information  about  how  to  reference  properly,  please  see  this  tutorial  on  Academic  Integrity:  http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/index.html    Grammar  and  Proofreading    Ensure  that  the  brochure  is  free  of  grammatical/spelling  errors  and  uses  consistent  subheadings,  fonts,  etc.  If  you  need  any  assistance  with  your  writing,  please  make  an  appointment  with  the  Writing  Centre  -­‐  http://www.yorku.ca/laps/writ/centre/    Late  Policy    A  penalty  of  20%  will  be  applied  to  an  accommodation  brochure  that  is  handed  in  late  on  that  day,  40%  if  it  is  two  days  late,  60%  if  it  is  three  days  late,  80%  if  it  is  four  days  late,  and  100%  after  four  days.      

Criteria   Weight   Professional     Adequate   Needs  Work   Unsatisfactory  Content  

   /6   • Demonstrates  in  

depth  understanding  of  topic  

• Accurately  uses  researched  information  in  the  brochure  

• Demonstrates  understanding  of  the  topic  

• Uses  researched  information  with  an  adequate  degree  of  accuracy  

• Demonstrates  little  understanding  of  topic  

• Uses  researched  information  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy  

• Lacks  understanding  of  topic  

• Reports  only  the  most  basic  parts  of  the  information  

Written  Presentation/  Visual  Appeal  

/2   • Well  organized  content  

• Attractive  and  well  designed  format  

• Clear  and  easily  understood  message  

• Imaginative;  original  

• Content  is  organized  • Format  is  adequate  • Message  is  sufficiently  

understood  • Creativity  is  

acceptable    

• Content  lacks  organization  

• Format  is  difficult  to  follow  and  poorly  organized  

• Message  not  understood  

• Little  creativity  

• Unorganized  content  

• Hard  to  follow  • Message  difficult  to  understand;  tendency  to  wander  or  ramble  

• No  originality  References     /1   • APA  style  used  

throughout  without  exception  using  credible  sources  

• Uses  APA  style,  but  some  errors    

• Uses  APA  style,  but  errors  are  distracting    

• Does  not  use  APA  style  

Grammar,  Proofreading  

/1   • Exemplary  with  few,  if  any,  errors;  consistent  use  of  headings,  fonts,  etc.    

• Generally  good,  but  with  some  errors,  however  they  are  not  distracting    

• Okay,  but  errors  in  grammar,  style,  etc,  are  distracting    

• The  errors  were  distracting  such  that  the  reader  becomes  irritated  

 

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Peer  Evaluation  (5%)    Each  student  must  submit  a  peer  evaluation  via  Moodle.  The  purpose  is  to  ensure  that  each  member  is  making  consistent  and  valuable  contributions  to  the  group  assignment.  You  should  evaluate  each  member  with  respect  to  participation  in  group  activities.  Carefully  evaluate  each  team  member’s  behaviour  during  activities  with  your  group.  These  are  CONFIDENTIAL  evaluations.  Please  do  not  collude  with  your  team  members  (i.e.,  agree  to  give  each  other  high  evaluations).    The  evaluations  are  due  on  the  day  that  you  hand  in  your  assignment.  I  will  not  be  able  to  accept  late  submissions.  

Shirking  responsibility  within  groups  is  a  form  of  academic  dishonesty.  Students  who  are  reported  by  other  group  members  as  shirking  will  be  required  to  meet  with  me  and  an  administrative  representative  in  the  School  of  Human  Resource  Management  to  formally  investigate  the  matter  and  determine,  if  necessary,  the  appropriate  academic  penalties.    

 Final  Exam  (50%)    The  final  exam  will  be  held  in  person  during  the  final  exam  period  and  it  will  be  cumulative.  It  will  be  a  closed-­‐book  three-­‐hour  exam  consisting  of  150  multiple-­‐choice  questions.  Please  refrain  from  using  any  materials  except  for  your  brain  power  and  a  pencil.  Questions  will  be  based  on  lectures  and  the  text.  Therefore,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  watch  all  of  the  online  lectures  and  read  the  textbook.  The  final  exam  will  be  stored  at  the  School  of  Human  Resource  Management;  students  can  view  their  final  exam  during  regular  business  hours.  Please  take  all  reasonable  measures  to  arrive  on  time  for  the  exam.  If  you  show  up  late  to  an  exam,  you  may  not  be  allowed  to  write  the  exam.      

Please  record  grades  for  each  team  member  in  the  box  below.  Use  the  following  scale:  0  =  complete  social  loafer  (F)  1  =  hardly  did  anything  (E)  2  =  did  the  minimum,  was  not  prompt  in  communication  (D)  3  =  good  team  member  (C)  4  =  very  good  team  member  (B)  5  =  excellent  team  member  (A)    For  example,  Betty  White  =  5  Andy  Samburg  =  5  

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Note:    Not  all  of  the  material  covered  in  the  text  will  be  discussed  in  class.  Conversely,  some  of  the  material  presented  in  the  lectures  will  not  be  in  the  text.  However,  you  will  be  responsible  for  all  the  material  in  both  the  text  and  in  the  lectures.    Everyone  must  bring  a  pencil  to  the  exam,  which  will  be  used  to  complete  a  computerized  scoring  sheet.  As  well,  please  ensure  you  bring  a  sharpener  and  an  eraser.  Also,  do  not  forget  your  student  card  with  your  photo.  Because  of  the  size  of  the  class,  it  is  absolutely  essential  to  have  the  appropriate  picture  ID  or  you  will  not  be  permitted  to  write  the  exam.    For  students  who  require  special  accommodation  for  writing  exams,  please  make  the  necessary  arrangements  well  in  advance  of  the  exam  date  (at  least  2  weeks).    In  accordance  with  the  University  Policy,  medical  documentation  will  be  required  if  the  final  exam  is  missed  in  order  to  defer  the  final  exam.  A  Deferred  Standing  Agreement  must  be  submitted  to  the  School  of  Human  Resource  Management  within  one  week  of  the  missed  exam.  Deferred  exams  are  common  across  all  sections  and  are  cumulative.  The  dates  are  set  by  the  School.  No  make-­‐up  dates  will  be  offered  during  this  term.  If  a  student  does  not  write  the  final  exam,  and  is  not  able  to  provide  medical  documentation,  s/he  will  need  to  petition  for  a  deferral  to  the  faculty  council.    CLASS  POLICIES    You  are  required  to  watch  the  online  lectures,  read  the  assigned  materials,  be  prepared  to  answer  questions  on  this  material  in  online  discussions,  participate  in  online  discussions,  hand  in  assignments  on  time,  and  write  the  required  final  exam.      As  a  professor,  my  objective  is  to  provide  you  with  the  best  learning  environment  possible.  Throughout  the  years,  I  have  noted  that  certain  behaviours  in  the  classroom  can  deter  this  environment.  Please  take  note:    Class  Q&A  Forum.  A  class  Q&A  forum  is  provided  in  Moodle  for  students  to  post  any  question  related  to  the  class.  Using  the  Q&A  forum  is  highly  effective  because  typically  many  students  have  the  same  question.  The  forum  will  be  checked  regularly.  E-­‐mails  directly  to  the  professor  should  be  reserved  for  questions  of  a  personal  or  sensitive  nature.      Class  Schedule:  The  lectures  are  asynchronous,  meaning  that  they  are  already  recorded  and  you  can  watch  them  whenever  it  is  convenient  for  you.  That  being  said,  a  class  schedule  is  given  so  that  you  can  keep  up  with  the  material.  Feel  free  to  proceed  faster  with  the  material.  Please  check  into  the  course  at  least  once  or  twice  a  week  to  participate  in  discussion  forums  and  to  share  ideas  or  questions.  Sometimes  this  may  not  be  possible  because  of  your  schedule,  but  please  endeavor  to  check  into  the  course  as  much  as  you  can.    

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Keeping  Up.  You  will  need  planning,  discipline  and  persistence  in  order  to  succeed  in  this  course.  You  will  need  to  keep  aware  of  and  meet  required  deadlines,  all  of  which  are  listed  in  the  syllabus.  Please  stay  on  top  of  things!    Communication:  Please  take  note  the  following  important  communication  policies  for  the  course.    

• If  you  have  a  general  question,  please  use  the  Class  Q&A  forum  on  Moodle.      • Voicemail  is  rarely  checked.  • Students  must  have  a  York  email  address  for  all  broadcast  and  one-­‐on-­‐one  email  

communications.  York  email  addresses  can  be  obtained  here:  http://computing.yorku.ca/students/email/.    

• Due  to  the  number  of  courses  that  I  teach,  emails  must  include:  o The  course  number  and  section.  Answers  to  emailed  questions  often  depend  on  

the  course  that  you’re  in.  o Your  ‘real’  name,  as  registered  with  the  Registrar’s  Office  (i.e.,  on  your  

transcripts,  official  class  lists).    • Emails  that  do  not  provide  any  or  all  of  the  above  information  may  be  unanswered.  • Emails  with  questions  that  can  be  answered  by  reading  this  course  outline  may  be  

unanswered.  • Skype  is  an  alternative  option  to  meet.  Arrange  a  Skype  meeting  with  me  via  email.    

 Course  Website    The  course  website  is  accessible  by  students  via  Moodle  (https://moodle.yorku.ca/moodle/).  Students  will  require  an  active  Passport  York  Account  to  login.  The  site  will  be  used  to  house  the  course  outline,  instructor  information,  announcements,  broadcast  emails,  discussions,  exam  information,  slides,  multimedia  links,  additional  readings,  and  unofficial  grades.    Important  Information    All  students  are  expected  to  familiarize  themselves  with  the  following  information,  available  on  the  Senate  Committee  on  Academic  Standards,  Curriculum  &  Pedagogy  webpage  (see  Reports,  Initiatives,  Documents)    -­‐  http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate_cte_main_pages/ASCP.htm    http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate/committees/ascp/index-­‐ascp.html  

• Senate  Policy  on  Academic  Honesty  and  the  Academic  Integrity  Website  • Ethics  Review  Process  for  research  involving  human  participants      • Course  requirement  accommodation  for  students  with  disabilities,  including  physical,  

medical,  systemic,  learning  and  psychiatric  disabilities    • Student  Code  of  Conduct  • Religious  Observance  Accommodation    

 

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Religious  Accommodation    If  you  have  a  religious  conflict  with  the  date  for  exam,  a  religious  accommodation  form  must  be  submitted  no  later  than  2  weeks  before  the  exam  to  arrange  an  alternative  exam  date.      Disability  Services    Students  with  disabilities  that  may  interfere  with  the  successful  completion  of  the  course  requirements  are  encouraged  to  discuss  their  concerns  with  a  councilor  at  the  Office  for  Persons  with  Disabilities  (www.yorku.ca/cds/).  Accommodations  should  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  instructor  as  soon  as  possible  so  that  appropriate  arrangements  can  be  made.    Counseling  Services    Many  students  face  a  variety  of  personal  challenges  throughout  the  year,  which  may  have  a  negative  effect  on  their  academic  performance.  In  such  cases,  students  can  make  use  of  York’s  Personal  Counseling  Services  (www.yorku.ca/cds/pcs/).      A  Word  of  Warning    Academic  dishonesty  is  quite  easily  detected  and  is  a  very  serious  issue  with  potential  consequences  ranging  from  failure  in  the  course  to  dismissal  from  the  university.  Please  note  that  accessing  a  test  bank  is  cheating,  a  form  of  academic  dishonesty.