R.I.S.E. Up Newsletter for November 5, 2020

John Carroll University Division of

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Volume 2, Issue 10: November 5, 2020

R.I.S.E.* Up Newsletter

*Reinforcing Inclusion through Skill-building and Education

And We Wait.

Election Day has come and gone, and as of this writing, the nation (and world) continues to hold its breath to see whose vision of the nation will direct its next four years. Across higher education, "everybody is biting their nails," considering the significant impact of federal policy on colleges and universities, who are "anxiously bracing for what's next."

Across the nation, this election has again forced us to grapple with deep divisions in our society. Despite these differences, however, here at JCU we are still one community. Our mission commitments to free civil discourse, social justice, and respect for human dignity remain the same. Regardless of the outcome of this election, we must all continue our important work to repair inequities, right injustices, and grow in inclusiveness.

During this time, our division's staff is available to help your department, division or organization engage in constructive dialogue, or to assist with other needs that may come up. Our Election 2020 Resource Guide contains many resources for dialogue, teaching and self-care in the aftermath of a divisive election, with links to articles such as The Election is Over... Now What? ; How Faculty Can Prepare To Handle The Post-Election Classroom and What We Can Expect After Election Day. I encourage our community to utilize these resources and to stay in touch with us, reaching out to let us know how we can best support you.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Galvin Green, Ph.D.,

Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Take the November Native Voices Challenge!

photo of a modern woven blanket made by Native artist Ramona Sakiestewa

What is the last book you read by a Native author? How many Native writers, leaders, politicians, or artists can you name?

We are heartened to learn that in Tuesday's election, six Native American House candidates won their respective races, meaning the 117th Congress will have more Native Americans than any previous Congress. However, in other sectors of American society, there is an ongoing lack of representation and visibility of Native people and Native voices.

During this Native American Heritage Month we are calling on all members of the JCU community to notice where Native voices and perspectives are missing from our own awareness and disciplines.

Join the challenge!

From the list below, commit to taking at least three actions during the month of November. We will follow up periodically throughout the month to hear what you are learning!

Action Ideas for the Native Voices Challenge:

Read a book by a Native author.
Watch a film by a Native filmmaker.
Find and follow at least 5 Native social media influencers.
Read up on the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Native American communities.
Find and read an article by a Native scholar in your academic discipline.
If you are faculty, identify a Native author or scholar whose writing you can incorporate into a course syllabus for spring semester.
Join us for our November Community Book Read of Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.

Division Announcements

Featured Accessibility Resource of the Week:

20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course

Burgstahler, Sheryl, Ph.D.

DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology

As they choose content, document formats, and teaching methods, it is important for instructors to remember that potential students have a wide variety of characteristics that may relate to gender, race, ethnicity, culture, marital status, age, communication skills, learning abilities, interests, physical abilities, social skills, sensory abilities, values, learning preferences, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, etc.

... In this document I share twenty guidelines, along with URLs of resources that provide further explanations, that provide a good place to start when designing an accessible course.

View all 20 tips on the DO-IT website

Course Registration has begun!

Take a course focused on diversity, equity or inclusion this spring!

We asked our faculty to tell us which courses on the Spring 2021 schedule addressed topics such as cultural diversity, racial justice, equity, economic justice, accessibility and ableism, and other topics in the DEI sphere.

We heard back from dozens of our faculty offering information about courses in many disciplines that address these issues. We have compiled a preliminary list of Spring 2021 courses using the information they have shared with us.

Students: if you are looking for more courses in these areas for Spring, take a look at this list and see the many areas where you can learn more about these important issues as part of your JCU curriculum!

(If you are aware of any other courses for Spring 2021 that should be added to this list, please email them to us at [email protected] .)

See the course listings here

LGBT 101 for Allies

Registration is now open for our first RISE Safe Zone program of the 2020-21 academic year: LGBT 101 for Allies, facilitated by our partners from the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland.

Date: Monday, November 16

Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Where: Virtual via Zoom

Open to: JCU students, faculty and staff

CSDI Fall Hangouts

The Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion will host a series of fall community hangouts each week on Zoom. The next hangout will be Tuesday, November 11 at 11:30 am. Grab a snack and drink and come say hello!

Link: https://johncarrolluniversity.zoom.us/j/92213443019

Passcode: 992027

The same link and passcode will work for each weekly hangout. All are welcome and no RSVP is necessary. Come join the hangout and check in with your community! For more information, visit CSDI on Instagram.

Readers Needed for 3rd Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance at JCU

November 20, 5:00 pm

CSDI is seeking 10-15 readers to help read names of our fallen transgender siblings in 2019-2020. Instructions will be provided for this virtual event.

We also welcome original poems, personal reflections, artwork, and short stories to be shared at this year's event.

Please email Salo Rodezno for more information.

Image for JCU commemoration of Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov 20

Transgender Day of Remembrance is recognized annually on November 20th to honor the memory of those murdered in acts of anti-transgender hate.

Poster with hand reading John Carroll University STOP BIAS - be informed - be involved - be empowered

CSDI Video Series:

Identifying and Reporting Bias in the Classroom

This four-part short video series is available now on Instagram (@jcucsdi) for undergraduate and graduate students navigating bias incidents. The series is also helpful to faculty and staff supporting students through these incidents or navigating or those navigating their own experience. Click the links below to view the videos:

Part 1: Defining Bias and Examples
Part 2: Documenting the Incident(s)
Part 3: Completing the Report
Part 4: Submitting the Report and Next Steps

The MELTing PODcast

The MELTing PODcast is available now on Instagram (@jcucsdi) and is the creation of our undergraduate intern Maya Williams (Class of 2021, @mayasamw). The series will cover topics ranging from BIPOC joy, climate change, true crime and whatever you all want to see. It truly will be a melting pot of topics.

Check out Episode 1 here!

CSDI Workshop: Next Generation Fashion in the Workplace

Friday, November 13, 5:00 pm

Between misgendering and overcharging, the variety of discrimination marginalized people experience buying and using fashion requires creative and inclusive solutions, especially for workplace business attire.

Speaker Gabi Mirelez's solution was Sweetlime Alterations, a shop and community space supporting and uplifting everyone that steps foot in her door. She will share tips for fits, body positivity, and her story of establishing her business as a seamstress in Queer Tailoring in Cleveland. Door prize drawing for attendees will include gift certificates for Sweetlime Alterations! For more information contact [email protected].

Zoom URL: https://johncarrolluniversity.zoom.us/j/96620223774

Meeting ID: 966 2022 3774

Passcode: 831418

Other JCU events of interest:

Center for Service & Social Action

Advocacy & Social Justice Summer Internship Showcase

promo image for the CSSA summer internship showcase

The Center for Service and Social Action will present a virtual showcase of the JCU Summer in the City Internship program on Wednesday, November 11 from 7:00-7:45 pm. These 10-week paid internships address advocacy, service, solidarity, and social change. Internships are open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

Click here for more information

R.I.S.E. Higher: Featured Article of the Week

How a Search Committee Can Be the Arbiter of Diversity

The old ways of running administrative searches haven’t exactly produced the diverse pool of leaders that higher education claims to want.

By Lucy Leske and Christine Pendleton

Chronicle of Higher Education, November 2, 2020

If higher education truly wants to recruit a more diverse pool of campus leaders, it’s going to need to pay a lot more attention to creating diverse search committees and rethinking how they operate.

Every institution talks about the importance of attracting a diverse, dynamic pool of candidates to its leadership search. But to actually achieve that requires a high-functioning search committee — with a membership that is flexible, candid, energetic, and, crucially, representative of the very diversity that people want to see reflected in a newly hired leader.

Yet search committees are used to operating in a certain way, and old rules of engagement die hard.

.... (click below to read more)

Announcements from our network:

Imagining Together:

A Guided Prayer

for Hope & Healing

Thurs, Nov. 5, 9 pm - via YouTube

In partnership with the five Jesuit provinces of the United States and Canada, the Office of Ignatian Spirituality will offer a live-streamed guided prayer for hope and healing after the 2020 Election.

Click here for live stream

Now What?

Racial Justice After

the 2020 Election

Fri., Nov 6, 5:30-7 pm - via Zoom

The Georgetown Law Center Office of Equity and Inclusion and Office of Mission and Ministry invite participants to a virtual conversation moderated by Dean William M. Treanor.

Click here to register online.

Important Conversations- Black Lives Matter and the Catholic Church:

A Conversation

with Olga Segura

headshots of Olga Segura and Tia Noelle Pratt

Sunday, November 8, 2-3:15 pm, American Catholic Historical Society

In honor of Black Catholic History Month, Dr. Tia Noelle Pratt leads a virtual conversation with journalist and author Olga Segura about the realities of being a Black Catholic woman media professional in the midst of everything that has happened in 2020 including the pandemic, a long-overdue reckoning on systemic racism, the state of Catholic Media, and the presidential election.

AACU Racial Justice Initiatives

Wondering what other Catholic institutions are doing to support racial justice on their campuses and in their communities? The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities has compiled a collection of links to member institutions' racial justice initiatives.