As we work to diversify our student body, we need to reflect and adapt commonplace practices to be inclusive of the needs of students from different backgrounds. Today’s Roundup features a study of stresses related to self-beliefs, ethnic identity, and cultural congruency experienced by Native American undergraduates and how we might adapt to better support . . .
As pandemic effects continue, fostering equitable climates to retain high quality faculty and staff is more important than ever. The UMass ADVANCE team outlines four foundational strategies: communication, resources, flexibility, and adapting equity-informed strategies. Meaningful communicative interactions and supportive resources are critical to faculty and staff job satisfaction. In addition, flexible policies and practices remain . . .
Beginning a new school year can be a moment for recognizing and challenging ingrained patterns and perspectives in order to create a more inclusive and welcoming campus community. One pernicious aspect of campus life is the pervasive ableism that often goes unacknowledged. Ableism refers to the beliefs, practices, and physical arrangements that disadvantage and stigmatize . . .
As we return to campus life, keeping everyone safe requires that we recognize how commonplace logistics and behavioral patterns can create difficulties and even barriers to full access and participation for those with disabilities. The University of Washington’s AccessADVANCE focuses on guidelines for making campus life more accessible for and inclusive of those with disabilities, . . .
Why do people who know better stay silent in the face of damaging behaviors? Through engaging stories, this article in the journal Studies in Symbolic Interaction discusses how the angry expression of power over others is enabled through the silencing of those with lower status who witness its expression. Status silencing uses the fear of . . .
1. In honor of our country’s newest national holiday, Juneteenth, ADVANCE at Michigan Tech will be sharing a new resource each hour (approximately) on Black culture and systemic racism in academia. The complete list will be posted on our blog ADVANCE Newsblog – MTU Blog site for the ADVANCE initiative 2. The BARC (Building an . . .
The pandemic has heightened awareness of the challenges of access to quality child care at campuses around the country, and the inequities that result when this child care is not available. This is not a new challenge, but it is one that universities are clearly going to need to help address to retain quality faculty, . . .
During Academic Forum on Wednesday, it was mentioned that the ombudsperson talks to ~2 faculty per week. This rate is consistent with results from Michigan Tech’s Work, Live, Learn Survey which found that 31.6% of women disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that they felt supported and mentored during the tenure-track years or the 22.4% who . . .
by Allison Mills, University Marketing and Communications Over the summer and fall, paper after paper revealed that mothers are one of the demographics hardest hit by the pandemic. From layoffs and leaving careers to do caretaking, to submission rate decreases and additional service projects, the data were clear, but the follow up less so. Many . . .
Incorrect assumptions on the part of one or both parties during discourse can often push “hot buttons” and devolve an otherwise civil conversation into a conflict. Learning and listening plummets as tensions rise. When conflict arises, the way in which we respond is far more telling than we may think. Today’s featured article for the . . .