CHBS meeting focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Immediately before the start of the semester is a busy time for faculty and staff as they prepare for the return of our students.  On January 15, the faculty and staff of the College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS) took a break from spring semester planning to hold a virtual meeting focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).  The CHBS DEI Council planned the meeting to ignite discussions and professional development related to DEI.  After opening remarks by Dean Sharon Lovell, Associate Dean Linda Plitt Donaldson, and DEI Director BJ Bryson, faculty and staff went to the concurrent session that they preselected.

There were 17 concurrent sessions focused on different dimensions of DEI.  Faculty and staff selected a concurrent session to meet their own needs and interests.  For example, some of the sessions focused on universal design, gender pronouns, diverse student recruitment, diverse student mentorship, microaggressions, mental health, the various communities in our area, and other relevant topics.  [See the full line-up of sessions]

Overall, faculty and staff felt these ‘igniter sessions’ were worthwhile. Participants who responded to the evaluation survey reported that many of the sessions had great discussions, offered useful knowledge and skills, and they wished they could have gone to more than one session or that the session they attended had been longer.

After the concurrent session, individual departments within CHBS met to share what they learned.  By ending the meeting with a departmental debrief, the CHBS units were able to discuss how the presentations may impact their department.  In some cases, the CHBS units may alter aspects of their Diversity Strategic Plan based on the information presented.   Although there is a lot to be done, CHBS faculty and staff will continue to work together to improve our college and campus climate.