Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Access

The IDEA Division believes that all teaching and learning experiences should affirm the humanity of all people, where they are able to engage in self- and collective-reflective inquiry, develop a critical consciousness, and engage in dialogic conversations and ethical relationships with one another. The division offers various educational opportunities for staff and faculty in various areas of anti-racism and equity.

Foundations for Inclusive Excellence Curriculum

The Foundations for Inclusive Excellence (FIE) curriculum is designed to provide an educational track of foundational concepts, shared lexicon, and actionable skills for staff and faculty in co-creating an antiracist and inclusive environment. The FIE 101 is a four-module series. Although the scaffolded series is designed to be taken in succession, participants are encouraged to attend any of the series as their schedule allows.

FIE 101 Overviews

Module 1: Recognizing Identities and Cultivating Conversations:

Build a shared understanding of diversity and inclusion for all who live, learn, work, and teach at the College. Individuals will reflect on their identities and the ways that they shape perspectives and experiences with others. The session will support participants in recognizing points of discomfort and disconnection, and moving through difficult conversations.

Module 2: Building Integrative Awareness and Cultural Humility:

Learn about oppression as a system and a context for various forms of biases and prejudices. The session will support individuals to identify and disrupt instances of microaggression, engage in critical self- and collective- reflective inquiry, and acquire the tools of cultural responsiveness.

Module 3: Doing the Work in Solidarity:

Explore the various forms of solidarity work on a continuum from allyship to accompliceship and co-conspiratorship. Participants will interrogate what it means to do ally work in ways that are genuine and impactful, center voices of marginalized communities, sharing power and resources, and taking collective actions.

Module 4: Applying the Foundations:

Focus on applying foundational inclusive education skills and knowledge. Participants will explore common micro/macro aggressions experienced by marginalized communities, and learn about personal and structural interventions that they can access in creating an equitable and just environment. This session includes a heavy focus on scenarios and role play to develop skills and comfortability.

FIE Sign-Up Form

FIE 201 Overviews

Upon completion of FIE 101, staff and faculty will engage with a deeper understanding of major forms of systemic oppression and barriers to equity, interrogate individual and collective roles, and enhance tools and skills for intentional advocacy. Some of the FIE 201 topics include:

• Deconstructing the Gender Binary
• Healing the Wounds of Racial Trauma
• Understanding Religious Diversity
• Advancing Accessibility

FIE 301 Campus Action Project (CAP)

The culmination of the Foundations for Inclusive Excellence curriculum is the completion of a Campus Action Project (CAP), where staff and faculty synthesize their knowledge and skills to effectively enhance specific equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) related areas of interest.

Participants who successfully complete the four (4) modules of FIE 101 and two (2) modules of FIE 201 will be able to advance to developing the Campus Action Project. Prior to beginning the CAP, a description along with a projected timelines and budget proposal must be submitted to the IDEA Division for review.

Examples of CAP initiatives might include:

• Receiving professional development on becoming facilitators and trainers
• Development and implementation of divisional/departmental equity and access goals
• Enhanced curriculum to reflect a wide range of diverse and accessible content
• Roundtable discussion on specific topics related to current events, etc.
• Proposal of an initiative related to implementing equity and access goals
• Creation of new content, such as video, resource guides, etc.