Ways to increase diversity, equity and inclusion

 Faculty

  • Incorporate diverse views and experiences in all classes. Consider the following:
    • What types of names are you using in problem sets?
    • Do the images and pictures used in your course materials represent diversity among multiple communities?
    • Are you representing the history and participation of diverse communities in every subject and discipline?
  • Review course syllabi and class expectations to ensure equitable practices and opportunities (this doesn’t mean lowering expectations it is about setting a classroom climate that is inclusive and takes into consideration the diverse needs of everyone.)
  • See Easy Teaching Hacks to Support Equitable Practices for both online and in-person instruction
  • See also Creating Inclusive Classrooms—Resources for Continued Learning compiled by UC Davis Office of Campus and Community Relations 

 

Departments and Majors

  • Review curriculum to identify areas that may be impacting time to degree (e.g., course sequencing, course availability, unit requirements, typical unit loads recommended each quarter, etc.)
  • Assess curriculum for opportunities to increase representation
  • Review prerequisite requirements (e.g., math)
  • Consider the subtle (or not so subtle) messages being sent about who belongs here including pictures and historical images hung in shared departmental spaces. (see also article by Archibeque-Engle here.)
  • Develop advising partnerships (e.g., connecting students with advising after midterms)
  • Assess and if needed, increase mentoring programs (with peers, graduate students)
  • Assign faculty advisors to students for additional support
  • Establish and support faculty and staff trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Think about ways to create community within your major/department
  • Assess recruitment efforts to increase diversity in programs and consider how you communicate information about program requirements
  • Offer symposia/seminars to highlight career opportunities for students and target diverse representation in disciplines
  • Provide student surveys to assess what is working well and what needs improvement
  • Establish student led initiatives to research, assess, and implement changes at department/major level 

 

College level programs and initiatives

  • Career Discovery Groups (information here)
  • Aggie Jumpstart (information here)
  • Reviewal of student-centered practices, holistic advising trainings for all college advisors
  • Research into factors impacting selection of and retention of students in CA&ES majors, led by Owens, Volder, Ebeler (recording of student presentation from spring 2020 here.) 
  • Incorporating inclusive hiring practices for Undergraduate Academic Programs staff
  • Creation of a growth mindset work environment with specific classes (information about growth mindset here.)
  • Implementation of campus-wide belonging project (based on work of Yeager et al.)
  • Developing ‘Roadmaps’ to degrees to support student planning curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities, in collaboration with departments/majors (including participation in research, internships, clubs/organizations, etc.)