Tag: antiracism

The Legacy of the Research in Equity, Antiracism, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) Hub

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FDEV Faculty Fellow Dr. Jamie Gunderson sat down with Dr. Alisa Wade and former director Dr. Chiara Ferrari to discuss the history and impact of READI at Chico State in our most recent episode of the Rise, Teach, Learn podcast. Listening to it compelled me to reflect on the impact this hub has had and will continue to have on Chico State. READI was the vision of my dear friend and predecessor Chiara Ferrari who worked with a group of diverse faculty fellows to make the values of the institution a reality within Faculty Development. The funding for the hub ends this Spring, but I want to highlight a few enduring products of the READI hub that will impact our campus for years. 

First, Faculty Development offers 60+ unique Teaching Guides covering a wide range of topics from Black Lives Matter in the Classroom to Gamification. The fellows utilized a universal design for learning framework with an equity emphasis to produce what is now a library of resources. This collection is permanent and we will continue to maintain it moving forward. 

Second, later this semester we will launch a Canvas-based Teaching Certificate program designed to help faculty elevate their teaching practices and provide RTP-friendly verification of completion. 

Third, the READI hub supported an incredible range of faculty programs. This semester we were thrilled to pilot the BIPoC faculty writing group, co-produce programming related to the Book In Common,  and continue supporting the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching workshops. 

I hope you will join me in an enthusiastic thank-you to Chiara, the FDEV staff, and the many READI partners who made this work happen. In doing so we can be thankful for what we have while working to expand the lessons we have learned through partnership and creativity.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

Faculty Development and Antiracism

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Dear faculty, 

I heard about some racist zoom bombing episodes and other racist incidents that have happened recently to Chico State faculty. 

I have been tempted, in writing this email, to use the phrase “ needless to say” to introduce a number of paragraphs. “Needless to say” we condemn these attacks, “needless to say” in Faculty Development we promote inclusion and diversity, “needless to say” our university does not tolerate these actions. 

But then it occurred to me that it DOES need to be said, clearly, that Faculty Development is a place where we actively promote antiracism.  

  • It is not enough for Faculty Development to be inclusive: FDEV must ensure that all faculty have a chance to belong. 
  • It is not enough for Faculty Development to promote diversity of opinions and perspectives: FDEV must provide a safe space for all voices to be heard. 
  • It is not enough for Faculty Development to condemn these acts: FDEV must dismantle systemic racism, including the one happening in academia at large.  

This is the main reason why I so strongly believed in creating the READI hub and centering EDI work in what we offer.  

In case you want to access programs that promote these values, I recommend visiting the READI workshops page. We offer series that in various ways and from different perspectives share resources on how to approach these conversations in your classes, but also among your colleagues.  

When we first began planning to launch READI, I had not fully envisioned how we could approach EDI work in Faculty Development. Working with equity fellows like Samara Anarbaeva, Lesa Johnson, and Pablo Ochoa Bailey helped me immensely in framing the kind of values the Office of Faculty Development should commit to when embarking in this work. And one thing was clear: there cannot be equity diversity and inclusion unless there is also a commitment to actively pursuing an antiracist agenda. 

The A in READI stands for antiracism, and in light of these events, I want to renew my and FDEV’s commitment to offering a space where we not only condemn racism, but we actively fight against it. 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D.
Faculty Development Director