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, . . .
inclusion, seat at the table, involved in decisions
This last month, President Biden signed an Executive Order Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal Government. The premise is based upon public servants reflecting the communities they serve; this has parallels in academia as well. ADVANCE at Michigan Tech is very encouraged by these measures to assess DEIA in the workforce . . .
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 . . .
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 . . .
Disabilities, both visible and unseen, impact approximately 26% of the US population and research has shown that both graduation and retention rates for students with disabilities are lower than those of their peers. Faculty ranks are also impacted with only 3.6% of tenured faculty identifying themselves as individuals with disabilities. While efforts to include disability . . .
Invisibility. Both gender and sexual minorities in STEM experience invisibility on a regular basis at their universities, in their laboratories, and even in the classroom. To alleviate these inequities and foster an environment of inclusion within the STEM community, it is important to listen to the “invisible” voices. In today’s edition of the ADVANCE Weekly . . .
Paid time off, generous raises, bonuses, and even free coffee. Each of these are tools used by employers to improve retention. However, these mechanisms don’t address the concerns of the employee who doesn’t feel comfortable in their work environment. Without knowing and addressing the reasons an employee may feel excluded, other measures to increase retention . . .
A recent Presidential Executive Order and Office of Management and Budgets memorandum are critical of diversity training. In this week’s ADVANCE Weekly Roundup we are sharing an article which highlights research done on the effectiveness of diversity training. The article notes numerous studies that find that diversity training coupled with institutional action can result in . . .
Biases, or “the stories we make up about people before we know who they actually are” reinforce unequal treatment of groups of people. Institutions must take specific actions to progress to more welcoming and inclusive environments. This week’s ADVANCE Weekly Roundup features an article in Nature that highlights 5 tips to boost diversity and inclusion . . .
In recent weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement has demanded action to address systemic racism. This is an inclusive demand; it means that we need to bring the voices of all oppressed people to the table. This week, for our ADVANCE Weekly Roundup, we’re featuring an article that highlights the desire for indigenous voices to . . .