Collective Action

Inclusive Excellence requires action!  The STEM-IEC advocates for changes in institutional policies and processes in support of inclusive excellence. Our goal is that our community applies an institutional change lens and explores how Whiteness and patriarchy influence the ways that we operate. Some of our successes to date include:

NHS DEI Professional Learning Day
March 6, 2023 

The STEM-IEC collaborated with the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the NHS Equity and Inclusion Committee to develop and facilitate the inaugural NHS DEI Professional Learning Day. Attended by over 100 faculty, staff, and graduate students, the day included opening remarks and an introduction to Emerging as an HSI delivered by Dr. Tobias Guzmán, Vice President of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a Keynote Address by Dr. Cedric Howard Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, and workshops providing opportunities to engage with topics ranging from supporting first-generation student, to inclusive classroom interactions, active learning for inclusion, and supporting students to believe in their own success.

Grant Submission: STEM Ed Equity Program (STEP) for Postdoctoral Scholars (NSF 23-545) 
The changing demographics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) demand a better understanding of how privilege and power lead to marginalization in STEM spaces. Within this context, we proposed the STEM Education Equity Program (STEP) for postdoctoral scholars, a development program for STEM education postdoctoral scholars that integrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work and values into the development of future STEM education scholars. STEP centralizes an equity-minded mental model and a multi-tiered mentorship model with a personalized professional development plan to support the scholars as they develop and implement an independent DEIB STEM research agenda and career.
April 2023, PI Susan Keenan, Co-PIs Jodie Novak, Chelsie Romulo, Harmony Newman. Budget, $1,250,000 (initially submitted March 2022).

NHS Leadership Team Engagement
Beginning in 2018, the PIs on the HHMI grant engaged the NHS Leadership team in a series on workshops exploring the role of equity and inclusion in their work. In 2021, this work became embedded in the culture of the Leadership Team through DEI readings and discussions at bimonthly leadership team meetings. The STEM-IEC initially facilitated these opportunities for engagement, and now we work closely with Associate Dean, Kim Murza to explore readings and discussion points. The group is currently engaged in From Equity Walk to Equity Talk by Estela Mara Bensimon, Lindsey Malcom-Piqueux and Tia Brown McNair.

Bias In Hiring: Workshop 
Understanding how implicit bias impacts the hiring process is an essential step towards equity in faculty hiring.  In 2021, the STEM-IEC worked with the College of Natural and Health Sciences to develop and implement Implicit Bias training for all members of faculty search committees.  The one-hour workshop which is now offered annually, addresses bias in the position announcement, language, applications process, and screening.

Inclusive Hiring Policies

We successfully advocated for the inclusion of equity and diversity questions in all vacancy announcements for faculty searches in the College of Natural and Health Sciences.  A small step, but an important alignment with our College's values and goals!  Academic departments can decide how to address this requirement. 

Faculty Hiring Toolkit

The Center for Urban education (CUE) shared their Faculty Hiring Toolkit with us as part of our train-the-trainer workshop series.  Having a more diverse faculty and staff is an important step towards an inclusive campus:

• Introduction: Includes background data and a list of five competencies of equity-minded practitioners
• Part 1: Equity-minded job announcements
• Part 2: Interrogating bias by conceptualizing merit, fit, and compliance
• Part 3: Strategies for disrupting inequitable hiring practices
• Part 4: Addressing faculty retention through equitable campus culture
• Additional Resources: Includes a discussion related to part time faculty hiring, answers to FAQs and list of next steps.

Reference:  Center for Urban Education. (2017).  Institute on Equity in Faculty hiring at Community College Toolkit.  Los Angeles, CA: rosier School of Education, University of Southern California

Preparing for Inclusive Teaching Workshop Series 

The STEM-IEC collaborated with CETL to engage faculty in a workshop series to encourage them to embrace inclusive teaching practices. Faculty are supported to begin the personal work of exploring how their identities impact their teaching practices and to (re)consider syllabus design and teaching through an inclusive lens. The goal of the series was to provide faculty with practical tools and a plan for continuing their personal work in equity and inclusion and sustaining an inclusive teaching practice. STEM-IEC folks facilitated workshops throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. Check out the CETL Webinar Library for recordings of the workshops.

(Re)considering the Syllabus Workshop and Toolkit

We know that the syllabus provides students with a first impression of us as educators and our courses.  In the IETSW program, we focused on engaging faculty in (re)considering their syllabi as an equity tool. We thought exploring the syllabus through an equity-minded lens was an important tool, and CETL agreed.  IETSW facilitators (including Cassie Bergstrom, Susan Keenan, Chelsie Romulo, and Cindy Shellito) have facilitated the one hour workshop throughout the year since 2019. Check out the CETL Webinar Library for recordings of the workshops.

CETL developed a toolkit and below are some additional resources that can help faculty rethink their syllabus as a way to support students and their success.

• Tips for Creating a More Inclusive Syllabus
  How to use your syllabus to support first-generation student success.  We are excited to highlight our recent article in the Teaching Professor.
• Dr. Ginger Fisher’s syllabi prior to participation in our IETS workshops
• Dr. Ginger Fisher’s syllabi following participation in our IETS workshops
• Six Steps to a more Inclusive Syllabus
  If you want to make changes to your syllabus, where should you start?  Here are six concrete suggestions to get faculty started.