Session 5 – Roundtable Discussions
Posted in 2022 Roundtables
Following the opening provocation, three panels explored three challenges (5.1) Advancing First-Generation Student Success through Relationship-Rich Undergraduate Experiences (5.2) Bias Reporting and Racial and Ethnic Justice Transitions at Penn State Brandywine, and (5.3) Forging a Path While Navigating Resistance: Rewarding and Recognizing Faculty DEI Work
5.1 Advancing First-Generation Student Success through Relationship-Rich Undergraduate Experiences
The key takeaway from this session is: Building relationships and forging connections
with students is crucial.
- Simple strategies are among the best:
- Reaching out to students via email individually
- Setting up one on ones to show you genuinely care
- Creating time in the class for vulnerability even if you don’t get the response you may be looking for.
- Look for new, open-access book on student relationships in January 2023 from Oscar Miranda Tapia, Isis Artze-Vega, Peter Felten and Leo Lambert, Your Relationship-Rich Education: A Student Guide to Meaningful Connections in College.
Panelists
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/MLopez.jpg)
Graduate Apprentice at Elon University Odyssey Program,
Elon University
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/OscanM.jpg)
Assistant Director for First-Generation Student Support Services,
Elon University
Slides and Resources
5.2 Bias Reporting and Racial and Ethnic Justice Transitions at Penn State Brandywine
In this session, the PSU Brandywine team shared a vision – and a plan! – for a Healing, Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Council that is student-led but faculty and staff inclusive. This team represents just one of several groups on campus contributing to this work.
- Their work is grounded in and informed by their campus’ designation as a “Truth, racial healing, and transformation center (TRHT )” through AAC&U.
- They noted that creating a framework for the institution is not the same as creating activities — need to institutionalize a framework and process because having passionate people alone won’t create lasting change.
- This was particularly important because the privacy issues that are inherent in bias reporting can erode trust (sometimes justifiably) in the system.
- The centrality of students in the process is a key and transformative goal. A quick poll showed that the audience agreed, using terms like “empowerment, knowledge, people, perspectives, suffering, perspective, best practice, relevant, …” to describe it.
Panelists
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/Vippy-Yee.jpg)
Rosenberg Director, Center for Ethics & Civic Engagement,
Penn State Brandywine Campus
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/Marinda-Harrell-Levy.jpg)
Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies; Chair, Chancellor’s Commission for Racial and Ethnic Justice,
Penn State University, Brandywine Campus
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/James-Berkey.jpg)
Assistant Professor, English Director, Writing Studio,
Penn State, Brandywine Campus
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/Christine-Brown.jpg)
Associate Teaching Professor,
Penn State, Brandywine Campus
5.3 Forging a Path While Navigating Resistance: Rewarding and Recognizing Faculty DEI Work
The key takeaway of this session is: narrow criteria for promotion and tenure only exacerbates inequities, in that they reward cumulative advantage, ignores well-documented biases and ignores a lot of work that some faculty do that is part of DEI institution building. We need a broader approach.
- When we take a narrow approach to tenure and promotion criteria we ask faculty of color (etc.) to do double work.
- We need a new language and processes for recognizing a wider range of DEI work.
- IUPUI instituted new guidelines at “lightning speed” (in less than one year).
- “This is the work of dismantling privilege.” (Dr. Adanna Johnson, moderator)
Panelists
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/RApplegate.jpg)
Asst Vice Chancellor Faculty,
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2022/07/MFergusun.jpg)
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs,
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
![](https://equitysummerinstitute.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/344/2021/07/Ajohnson.png)
Associate Vice President for Student Equity & Inclusion,
Georgetown University