Faculty Affairs: DEI Committee Update

Jul 18, 2021

Tom Romero, Associate Professor, Sturm College of Law; Assistant Provost of IE Research and Curriculum Initiatives for University of Denver, Committee Co-Chair

The Faculty Affairs and Development Working Group of the DEI Steering Committee met once in the Winter Quarter and again in the Spring Quarter. This standing DEI Steering Committee serves to unify campus-wide DEI efforts that support faculty in their teaching, research and service and it is represented by an associate dean and a faculty member from every academic unit. Our conversation in the Winter and Spring Quarter revolved around the impact of the various DEI trainings on faculty of all ranks. In particular, the group provided input and feedback into strengthening the Faculty Institute for Inclusive Teaching or FIIT—a homegrown and nationally renowned teaching module developed by the Office of Teaching and Learning to give all DU faculty needed skills and resources to be truly inclusive in their teaching practices. A video documenting FIIT’s development and roll-out during the academic year can be found clicking on this link. As a result of feedback from this group and faculty all over campus, FIIT is continuing to grow and strengthen with a rollout of a new 2.0 version this fall. In the 2021-22 academic year, the working group will continue to focus its efforts on evaluating, strengthening, and building upon FIIT and other DEI training modules. It will also grow to serve as an advisory body and communication resource as DEI incidents arise that impact the classroom or faculty more generally. The work and recommendations of this group will continue to support departments and units in adopting and adapting DEI best practices to support DEI professional development and related concerns for DU faculty.

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