Status
The tasks for this demand are in progress. For more information, please email communityequity [at] emerson.edu (communityequity[at]emerson[dot]edu).
Overview
These demands regard BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) faculty members at the College:
Demand 1
Aggressive and proactive steps taken to retain BIPOC faculty.
Point Person(s)
Michaele Whelan with deans and department chairs, in consultation with Paul Dworkis
Specific Actions
- Continue to use tools to retain BIPOC faculty.
- New focus on increasing diverse affiliated faculty.
- Survey BIPOC faculty about NEXUS mentoring and support.
Dates/Timeframe Updates
Continue to annually assess retention and hiring of BIPOC faculty.
Demand 2
BIPOC hires not restricted to teaching courses purely related to their identity.
Point Person(s)
Michaele Whelan with deans and department chairs, in consultation with Paul Dworkis
Specific Actions
Hires based on faculty expertise, delineated in appointment letters.
Dates/Timeframe Updates
Ongoing.
Demand 3
New BIPOC faculty members and current BIPOC faculty members are not tokenized.
Point Person(s)
Michaele Whelan with deans and department chairs, in consultation with Paul Dworkis
Specific Actions
Faculty Assembly to discuss proposals by the Educational Equity and Justice Committee and the Academic Cabinet to alter the teaching and service components of the Faculty Handbook. These proposals articulate new guidelines for teaching effectiveness that are aligned with inclusive classroom experiences. Students and faculty contributed to creating these important revisions that acknowledge inclusive pedagogy as foundational to academic excellence. Proposed changes to service for faculty recognize the wide range of contributions that faculty make beyond traditional committees and clarify that this work counts toward promotion. As the document that provides guidance and standards for faculty and administration, the Faculty Handbook is the traditional venue for recording important changes affecting all faculty.
Dates/Timeframe Updates
Proposals by the Educational Equity and Justice Committee of Faculty Assembly and the Academic Cabinet to alter service components of the Faculty Handbook were approved at the March 23 Faculty Assembly. This new language adds content related to the often invisibilized or unseen work that many BIPOC faculty members do related to their identities.