Students and Faculty Collaborating to Advance Inclusion

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Moderator: Paula Rees, UMass Amherst

Laying the Groundwork for Inclusion: Development of a Biology Department DEI Committee

Kimberly Berman, Westfield State University

Robin White, Westfield State University

Jessica Stephens, Westfield State University

Kathryn Weglarz, Westfield State University

Mao-Lun Weng, Westfield State University

It is well-established that the pandemic has exacerbated existing barriers affecting traditionally underserved populations. This has prompted universities and departments to implement much-needed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committees to better serve and support students in higher education. Last year, we took a bottom-up approach and formed a DEI Committee in the Biology Department at Westfield State University, a small public 4-year institution. With approximately 150 biology majors, our department consists of a diverse student body, with thirty-six percent of students identifying as underrepresented minority. In this presentation, we will describe the following action steps we have taken as a department: (1) Form an active DEI committee of Biology faculty and students that meets biweekly (2) Conduct a student survey to gauge the climate of the Biology Department and determine how best to support students, (3) Purchase pedagogical reading materials to share with the department and encourage all Biology faculty members to consider diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and (4) Invite speakers focused on DEI-related topics to present at our weekly department seminar series. The survey revealed several interesting trends, notably pertaining to student struggles with mental health wellness and their perceptions of faculty support and care. Based on these results, we produced a Mental Health Poster for high-traffic areas that describes on-campus resources, such as our departmental Mental Health Liaison and weekly mental health support activities provided by campus resources. The presentation will conclude with an open discussion about future plans, challenges we have encountered, and strategies for anticipated roadblocks.

Building Inclusive Academically-Engaged Communities

Kathi Crow, Salem State University

The BIAC program at Salem State University brings together students and faculty to learn from each other through discussions of shared readings about inclusive pedagogy. The foundation of the program is that a productive learning environment is one where everyone feels valued and that they have something to both learn and contribute. We apply this core principle by creating groups where students and faculty are equal partners who bring different viewpoints and cultural competencies to the discussions.

The sharing of these viewpoints was transformative as faculty got a better sense of how students view syllabi, coursework, and the classroom environment and students came to understand why faculty choose various policies and practices. This shared understanding lead to innovative ideas for how to center student voices, create a sense of community in the classroom, and improve course engagement. groups then develop a pedagogical project that they share with the wider campus community.

The program ran for the first time during the 2021-2022 academic year and resulted in four projects co-created by the students and faculty together. This talk will give a brief overview of the program as well as a discussion of some of the pedagogical tools developed for the projects.

Addressing Student Needs: Proactive and Personal Interventions to Promote Student Success in the Setting of Absenteeism

Lita Yu, Ursuline College

The pandemic posed many problems for higher education including contributing to the rise in mental health challenges amongst students. Upon the return to in person learning in Fall 2020, student attendance in the classroom varied not only due to quarantine restrictions, but self-choice. With the relaxation of restrictions, student absenteeism continues to be a problem. The question became why were students electing to not attend and was there something that could be done. Prior to the pandemic, my expectations for attendance and deadlines were strict and rigid. My teaching and expectations have since evolved to acknowledge the mental challenges that students are dealing with and to be flexible in my expectations. The first task is to immediately reach out to students when they are absent for unexplained reasons to acknowledge that they were noticed. In addition, extended deadlines and provide alternative opportunities helps students demonstrate their knowledge base. When absences prolonged, direct communication with the student is needed and immediate notification to the college’s student success team. My student advising also evolved into a more hands on approach with increased continuous contact with advisees to address concerns they may have. The personal outreach along with extended deadlines and opportunities was much appreciated which ideally led to student success. I will share different approaches, student feedback, success and failures, and share which methods were ideal under different circumstances.