Faculty and Professional/Diversity Learning Communities

"Everyone Counts"—open to faculty, staff, graduate students and part-time instructors

About

Affirming diversity takes work, knowledge, and skills. Western Michigan University is committed to doing what it takes to become a truly diverse and inclusive university where all students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds, nationalities, and identities feel welcomed, included and have equal access to the resources they need. 

The Office of Faculty Development and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion have joined forces to offer Everyone Counts. These learning communities serve to equip faculty, graduate student instructors, and staff with the skills needed to implement course objectives and campus programming centered on diversity.

Each year participants will focus on a topic area of diversity. In this year-long experience, participants will engage in regular meetings within a diverse group of eight to 12 people who discuss literature on their diversity topic area, share best practices, listen to guest speakers, attend workshops and conferences, and dialogue around challenges and opportunities. The learning communities are designed for both personal and institutional transformation. Participants will be able to:

• Acquire tools to facilitate dialog between and within diverse groups.
• Learn and practice ways of responding to intercultural conflict.
• Work and lead more effectively to create a campus climate which is affirming and validating of diverse experiences and perspectives.

Each participant will select an individual "focus course" or program to work on, or a group may work together on a collective program. Participants will be supported in the development of learning outcomes by their facilitators and their community. Participants are also encouraged to engage in action research in their courses or programs, and present project results at local, regional and national conferences.

Participant expectations

• Be an integral and active participant in your learning community.
• Attend bi-weekly meetings.
• Attend larger group meetings.
• Consider new ways of thinking about what you do, who you are, your beliefs about others and your vision of diversity and race.
• Develop an "outcome"—a project or course that integrates your experience into your work on campus.

Example participant projects

• A Mental Health Perspective of the Race Exhibit
• Everyone Counts! Campus Project: Online Learning Modules
• Enhancing Diversity in FYE 2100 and Beyond
• WMU Campus Climate Survey Committee: Accomplishments and Goals

2014-15 Everyone Counts: Diversity Learning Communities 

• Disability, Access, and Holistic Inclusion in Higher Education: Participants will investigate disability through the lenses of ability and ableism, through current research and best practices in higher education. Participants will have opportunities to discuss how a cultural shift in access can shape the university’s community through focus on disability as a social, cultural and political phenomenon.

• Race, Privilege and Power: Deep and meaningful dialogue around race, privilege and power helps equip participants for both participation and leadership in the creation of an equitable and inclusive campus environment. This experience allows participants the space to develop personally and professionally within the context of a supportive community. 
• Women Faculty, Staff and Students in Higher Education: Women faculty, staff, and students will come together to examine the situation for women at WMU and higher education in general. Our three goals are to review current best practices and research related to gender equity; explore transformative strategies to advance women in higher education; and create new leadership and service opportunities to better support women on campus.
• Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Inclusion in Higher Education: Faculty, staff and graduate student participants will engage in the exploration of privilege and oppression as they impact the LBGT community, specifically in higher education. Topics will include LBGT student recruitment, engagement and persistence in higher education; LBGT faculty/staff talent recruitment and retention; and, LBGT academic research. 

For additional information feel free to contact the program directors: Andrea Beach, Diana Hernandez (269) 387-4429, or Tiffany White (269) 387-6327.