Summit Theme: Becoming Undivided Honoring Differences

Tuesday, November 13

All session presenters and CU staff members are invited to stop in before and between sessions for refreshments, networking and great conversations with others from all four CU campuses/system. 

Welcome and opening remarks by Alphonse Keasley, President Bruce Benson, Boulder City Deputy Manager Tanya Ange, and Chancellor Phil DiStefano. 

Featured Speaker Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is widely known for both her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education. The author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race and Can We Talk About Race? and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, Tatum is a sought-after speaker on the topics of racial identity development, race and education, strategies for creating inclusive campus environments, and higher education leadership. 

Through a Social Justice lens, this presentation will expose attendees to the direct correlations between the misuse of white supremacy via a white normative and standard of living, ultimately causing a need for the Black Lives Matter movement. The goal is to resurrect/embrace the essence of HUMANITY at its deepest core.Sponsored by the Diversity Committe of the Program for Writing and Rhetoric. 

College campuses across the country are often at the forefront of America's rapidly polarizing political landscape. This panel will discuss CU’s efforts to promote conservative speakers on campus, intellectual diversity among faculty and students, and the role universities play in exposing students to different viewpoints.

This session will provide students with a chance to share their individuality with peers and members of the CU community. This fair will feature student organizations who are dedicated to celebrating the diversity of the University of Colorado.

Just what is universal design for learning (UDL)? UDL seeks to remedy the limitations of learning environments, rather than addressing the limitations of individuals, offering flexibility and options for how information is represented, how students demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and how students are engaged and motivated. What's in it for you? Following a brief introduction, participants will examine how traditional accommodations can unintentionally marginalize students. We'll then discuss ways in which UDL can promote inclusivity and provide support for diverse learners, including -- but not limited to -- those with documented disabilities. Appropriate for instructional faculty and staff.

When powerful institutions try to be "more inclusive," marginalized communities are often left feeling tokenized, manipulated, or otherwise misunderstood. What accounts for this misalignment of intent and impact? The CU Upward Bound (CUUB) program has been partnering with indigenous communities for over 30 years, making it the longest-running pre-college outreach program on campus. Drawing on CUUB's history of community engagement and using our Indigenous Mural Project as a salient example, this talk will address the complexity of inclusivity to help us avoid the pitfalls of tokenization and understand what it truly means to hold space for our most marginalized communities.

Learn about and discuss strategies for reducing bias in the hiring process and best practices for inclusive based hiring. Learn more about how Affirmative Action plays a role in the hiring process including:  • Diversifying search committees • Job announcement practice and guidance • Ways to attract diverse applicants • Guidance on evaluating applicants and conducting interviews • Affirmative action responsibilities and information about placement goal requirements. Get answers about your faculty search process!

Join the Chancellor’s Committee for Women and “Do You Even Lift, Bro?,” a podcast from men in the movement, in challenging preconceived notions of masculinity, supporting vulnerability and teaching skills to intervene and become involved with changing a culture that perpetuates sexual violence.

Join with staff and faculty from the CU System libraries as we move from good intentions to measurable impact. We will talk about diversity and inclusion efforts in our individual libraries and explore opportunities for working together at the system level. What's in it for you? Whether your library has a formal plan or not, we welcome your perspective on what our libraries can do to make the University of Colorado—across our four campuses—a more welcoming place. Open to all faculty, staff and library users.

This session will focus on the relationship between black college students’ perceived institutional commitments to diversity, and racial self-consciousness in U.S. higher education. Research suggests that students of color expect racial diversity to improve their social and academic performance and their overall well-being. Less common is research investigating how those students: perceive institutional intentions, experience social psychological factors, and the topic of racial identity. What’s in it for you? Learn strategic examples from psychological research and ethnic studies and use that knowledge to improve campus climate. For all audiences, especially faculty and students.

If knowledge is power, metacognition is superpower. Faculty want to help students do well in their courses, but sometimes the help we provide isn’t matched with success. Students have been taught that putting in time and effort yields high grades rather than mastery of the material and when hard work doesn’t pay off, students make their own assumptions and lose confidence. So, how can faculty give help that has a greater impact on students’ performance? This workshop will introduce metacognitive strategies based on the work of Dr. Sandra McGuire that help students become aware of their learning processes and how to alter them to their benefit. We will also discuss metacognitive practices designed to reconnect students with their motivation to do well. Appropriate for teaching faculty and students.

This active workshop will engage participants in movement and discussion regarding the lived impact of CU policies on campus diversity. This workshop is created and led by students in the Performance & Community Engagement class taught by Nii Armah Sowah and Beth Osnes, Theater and Dance Department.

Everyone is welcome to attend this open town hall session, which kicks off a series of open town halls to discuss the CU Boulder strategic diversity plan: the Inclusion, Diversity, and Excellence in Academics Plan. We will go over the intents of the plan and discuss the impacts the plan is poised to have as everyone engages with its content. To see the full text of the plan, visit the CU Boulder Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement's website after Nov. 7th: www.colorado.edu/odece  

Am I okay? Are you okay? A new generation of students (Generation Z) means a new set of changing needs. The latest research indicates that our students are experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns compared to previous generations. What's in it for you? In this session, we will learn more about Generation Z as well as how the university is changing to meet the needs related to emotional wellness and overall, health and well-being. Particularly useful for students and student-facing faculty and staff.

This participatory workshop seeks to open a conversation about mental health and, in doing so, de-stigmatize various aspects of mental health issues. It is an invitation to practice embodied community through different exercises that we hope will raise awareness and promote connection. This workshop is created and led by students in the Performance & Community Engagement class taught by Nii Armah Sowah and Beth Osnes, Theater and Dance Department.

Are you looking for tools to help you become more inclusive in your practices and interactions with the community? Join representatives from the city of Boulder to explore inclusive practices, relationship building and increasing community trust. The workshop will feature a case study of the City of Boulder’s recent Mayors Challenge project, which leveraged an innovative Community Connector program to ensure voices of underrepresented communities were heard and reflected throughout the process.

This workshop approaches gender safety issues on campus from a proactive perspective. Together we will work towards addressing and exposing current risks and build solutions to spark change. This workshop is created and led by students in the Performance & Community Engagement class taught by Nii Armah Sowah and Beth Osnes, Theater and Dance Department.

Join Dr. William B. Allen, Visiting Professor at the Center for Western Civilization, Thought and Policy, for a retrospective assessment on inclusive excellence, with special reference to the efforts to foster inclusion against the background of diversity requirements at institutions of higher education. Participants will have time at the end for discussion on the intents vs. impacts of inclusive excellence, and collectively speculate as to what the future may bring in this regard.

Graduate student TAs and early-career instructors are not given in-depth training to successfully engage in the work of inclusion. This interactive session details how a graduate seminar on inclusive excellence was developed at CU Boulder through the innovative collaboration of multiple stakeholders. Presenters will share tools and strategies that attendees may utilize to amplify and facilitate their own inclusivity building efforts. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the benefits this training model provides and how educators might implement this in their own departments/units.

Caucus-style gathering for our trans and queer communities of color at CU Boulder - staff, students, and faculty are welcome. This space is intended to build relationships, share a meal, make zines, and be together in light of recent harm against trans, intersex and non-binary people. Food provided!  Hosted by Chancellor’s Committee on Gender & Sexuality and QTPOC, Queer & Trans People of Color. 

This student-led live talk show will explore the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated community. Students will share how they have been able to become successful despite the obstacles they have faced. Listening to these talented, confident, strong women will inspire you to own it!

Students will let their talents shine through in live performances including a dance performance and a fashion show. Come celebrate the many talents of your fellow students and student organizations! Free food!

Wednesday, November 14

Come and meet the campus leaders, learn a bit about them outside of their official roles and join them in a conversation about improving inclusive interactions. This session will consist of facilitated round robin discussions with campus leaders such as the Chancellor, CFO, Provost, Athletic Director and Vice Chancellors. It is an opportunity for executives and campus community members to learn about each other as people outside of their official roles and speak together about each other's efforts to positively impact the campus community by improving inclusive interactions. Each roundtable discussion group will include equal numbers of students, staff and faculty.

From good intentions to action and impact. The City of Boulder values respect and, in particular, respect for diversity. Recognizing we can do better, we have entered into a partnership with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a program of Race Forward, the largest multi-racial racial justice non-profit organization in the United States. What's in it for you? Come listen to a facilitated conversation with City of Boulder leadership on how the city is working to move past good intentions for racial equity and into tangible impact. Appropriate for all audiences.

Good intentions vs. ADA. We will provide an overview of common issues on campus when projects conflict with the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA). The session is meant to be non-technical and provide attendees with a new awareness of the do's and dont's of physical accessibility. What's in it for you? Gain an overview of ADA requirements on campus, the most common (and sometimes uncommon!) violations we come across, and ways to avoid these pitfalls in the future. Appropriate for all audiences.

La forma en que experimentamos el mundo y actuamos en él es moldeado por lo que aprendemos e interiorizamos de los grupos a los cuales pertenecemos. En este taller los participantes aprenderán a definir lo que es la competencia intercultural y tendrán la oportunidad de explorar sus propios valores y normas y las de su área de trabajo. También habrá una introducción al inventario de desarrollo intercultural (IDI).

In Living Libraries, Books are people. Living library events provide unique opportunities for people to engage with one another in a supportive environment which encourages questions and open mindedness, and recognizes that stories have value. This session will begin by sharing an overview of the CU Living Library event, followed by an interactive session where attendees will be invited to think about their own stories and identities through facilitated activities. Attendees will gain a greater understanding of the value of stories and develop skills to frame and practice sharing elements of their own stories in small groups.

Kubi is a remote attendance tool that removes barriers to classroom participation for students who are not physically able to attend face-to-face classes. This session will provide an overview of the technology and service, consider use cases, and address challenges to effective implementation. Session participants will learn about extending support to students in higher education through technology that encourages inclusion. All audiences.

In a time of crisis, hope lies in embracing America's religious diversity. In this session we'll engage in an intentionally interfaith conversation on shared values of hospitality. Everyone is welcome to participate in this conversation regardless of their religious identity (even if their religious tradition is no religious tradition). The desired outcome is to build healthy relationships across religious (and non-religious) borders.

Language matters—and it changes rapidly. The evolving realities of the English language highlight new ways to communicate that are not confined to a specific language, culture, or geography. As we live in the global village, it is important to pay attention to the hybrid, fluid and emergent nature of global Englishes, as represented by the “trans-” prefix of translingual, transnational, and transcultural activities in the 21st century. What's in it for you? This presentation/workshop will help you explore the issues and challenges facing our campuses and find ways to create more inclusive educational environments. Appropriate for all audiences.

Identity-based offices that offer campus programming often struggle with how to take on controversial, often divisive issues in ways that work in the best interests of the students they serve. This session offers examples of recent programming across the CU system that directly explored high-tension topics. Presenters discuss:

  • Hate speech vs. protected speech: How to protect students from harm while promoting free exploration of ideas 
  • The importance of intersectionality: Building interlocking communities and commitments 

Over the past year, the CU campuses have rolled out new personal identity values for students. In addition to preferred name, students now have the option to provide their gender identity, sexual orientation and/or personal pronouns. This session will provide an overview of this system-wide initiative, the values available to students, appropriate uses of these values, available training opportunities for campus stakeholders, and steps the university is taking to ensure student data privacy. Feedback, questions and suggestions are encouraged.

This session addresses the experiences of undocumented students in the CU System and across Colorado from two vantage points.  First, CU students and staff from the Anschutz, Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver campuses will reflect on the evolution of university resources for undocumented students. Panelists will discuss best practices for supporting students as well as future directions. Secondly, CU Denver professor Edelina Burciaga and CU Law professor Ming Chen will share preliminary findings from their collaborative research project that examines the economic, social and political impact experienced by DACA recipients across Colorado. Panel participants include Jesse Perez, Assistant Director of MOSAIC at UC Colorado Springs, Anthony Cordova, Director of MOSAIC at UC Colorado Springs, Lynda Duran, Associate Director of Student Life at UC Denver and Dave Aragon, Assistant Vice Chancellor at the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement at UC Boulder.

This session will provide students with a chance to share their individuality with peers and members of the CU community. This fair will feature student organizations who are dedicated to celebrating the diversity of the University of Colorado.

Everyone is welcome to attend this open town hall session, which kicks off a series of open town halls to discuss the CU Boulder strategic diversity plan: the Inclusion, Diversity, and Excellence in Academics Plan. We will go over the intents of the plan and discuss the impacts the plan is poised to have as everyone engages with its content. To see the full text of the plan, visit the CU Boulder Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement's website after Nov. 7th: www.colorado.edu/odece  

Want to conduct more inclusive hiring processes? Learn strategies for reducing unconscious bias and discuss best practices for inclusive hiring. Topics included in this session are: • Making the case for an inclusive search process • Diversifying search committees • Ways to attract diverse applicants • Guidance on evaluating applicants and conducting interviews • Best practices for reducing bias in the hiring process. Appropriate for all audiences, particularly those who have hiring responsibilities.

1,300 cases. That's how many the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance at CU Boulder handled last year. We will share how—through our informal, non-punitive resolution process—we resolved many of these by helping individuals self reflect on language choice and other behaviors that may create unintended hurtful impacts on others. What's in it for you? We will share case studies and offer the opportunity for audience participation and discussion, helping you to better understand the process we follow for addressing protected-class discrimination and harassment at the micro-aggression level and create a sense of shared understanding and mutual respect between individuals. Appropriate for all audiences.

Graduate Students of Color: we want to hear from you! This session is an opportunity to share your experience and ideas with the Diversity and Inclusion Chair so that UGGS can better serve and support graduate students of color on the CU campus. Appropriate for graduate students.

This session focuses on two or more aspects of identity (such as race and gender) as tools of analysis and engages participants in exploring how people can simultaneously navigate social spaces with both dominant and oppressed identities. It seeks to support the building of solidarity with others through understanding the complexity of multiple and intersecting social identities held by self and others.

Originally intended as an employee development program and to assist the department’s HR efforts in staff retention and succession planning, we have found that tapping into the skills, experience and knowledge of our staff members has had a profound community-building impact.The Infrastructure & Sustainability Mentor Program (ISMP) offers personal and professional growth opportunities for campus staff, and in doing so, encourages cross-departmental collaboration. The program helps develop a more inclusive community within the department and within the larger campus community, enhancing the on-campus experience for all.

Did you love Beverly Tatum’s talk and her book?  Would you like more time to talk about the ideas she discusses? Join this discussion group and delve into some topics. Bring your lunch if you like.

Social justice work is some of the most important and rewarding work we can do. Yet it can feel unending, stress-inducing, and emotionally exhausting. Through group discussion, we’ll engage in an honest conversation about the toll that social justice work can take. Learn ways we can incorporate self-care strategies into our daily lives to sustain ourselves and our work. What’s in it for you? Break out of the paradigm that self-care requires immense amounts of time or money. Examine the ways self-care is often linked to privilege, and learn how to increase inclusivity in self-care promotion and education.

What does it mean to be authentic? We will explore the ideas of cultural humility and intersectionality in our workplace identities. We'll also create spaces for genuine community, foster curiosity and provide tools to help each other in our work. What's in it for you? You will gain a better understanding of how you can truly be yourself while making the most effective impact on others. Especially useful for student-facing employees.

As a CU faculty member, are you interested incorporating the theories and best practices of inclusive excellence into your learning environment? If so, please join us for an interactive session specifically designed for CU faculty. This workshop will include discussions of identity and positionality and their impact on educational practice, while also introducing practical tips, tricks and strategies participants can directly apply in their own classrooms. The goal is to support the creation of educational spaces that foster inclusion and support student learning. Covering topics from course design to pedagogy, the content is applicable to our work as educators across disciplines and specialties.

Just what is and isn't discrimination? The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Colorado's own Masterpiece Cakeshop case raises important questions about the future of anti-discrimination law. Our Colorado Law professors will analyze the implications for LGBTQIA rights and religious freedom. What's in it for you? Gain insights into the balance between these two important freedoms as they apply in the marketplace—and how they may not be as simple as they seem. For all audiences.

Why does it matter to retain a diverse range of talent? We will explore how proactive outreach to communities with disabled individuals—including affirmative action efforts—ensures underutilized populations apply for our job opportunities. What's in it for you? Learn about the benefits of providing accommodations in the application and hiring process in order to recruit qualified, diverse talent among disabled populations—and help us generate ideas to provide the support needed to retain these valued team members. Particularly useful for faculty/staff with hiring authority.

How can we address the gap between the intentions to create a diverse campus community, and hardships still faced by staff who identify as a social minority? Join members of Denver-Anschutz campus’ Staff Inclusive Excellence Ad-Hoc Committee (SIEC) to hear what they are planning. They'll discuss significant evidence that shows the need for a drastic shift in campus climate to ensure marginalized communities have access to resources, opportunities, and support systems. SIEC believes that through education and the development of a Mentoring Opportunity Program the university will reap benefits and transform the landscape of leadership in higher education. What’s in it for you? Learn what you need to make connections and start coalitions on your campus, so we can build an inclusive environment together! For all audiences, especially staff.

Redefining community engagement. The City of Boulder—in partnership with the university's Center for Communication and Democratic Engagement—engaged more than 400 community members through design-thinking workshops and online forums. Since beginning this work in 2017, the effort has led to new ideas that can lead to more inclusive and productive civic communication. What's in it for you? We will share an update on the project, what we've heard from the community, and brainstorm how to shift our culture through the growth of our relationships and cultural competencies. Particularly useful for CU Boulder community members and City of Boulder staff.

How can you impact global inclusion on campus? Join us for an engaging discussion of how domestic and international students are engaged with intercultural, inclusive interactions in their academic experiences—and how recent changes in social climate globally have impacted CU's International English Center and the students we serve. What's in it for you? Learn about trends in international education mobility, our diverse international student population, different approaches to engaging international students, and how you can impact global inclusion on campus! Appropriate for all audiences.

We all want to be “high impact” with our teaching, but what exactly does that mean? The Association of American Colleges and Universities have identified High Impact Practices (HIPs) as linking with engaged student learning and persistence. However, defining and operationalizing high impact practices can be challenging. This session will give you an overview of HIPs, those research-based practices known to improve student success, especially for those students from historically underserved groups. What’s in it for you? In this interactive session, we’ll describe the 10 HIPs identified in longitudinal research, discover characteristics of well-implemented HIPs, and dig into how these practices directly relate to equity and inclusivity.

Chancellor’s Advisory Committees offer talented university members the opportunity to promote and cultivate a welcoming and equitable campus environment for all students, faculty and staff. There are four committees: Chancellor’s Accessibility Committee (CAC), Chancellor’s Committee for Women (CCW), Chancellor’s Committee on Race and Ethnicity (CCORE), and Chancellor’s Committee on Gender and Sexuality. This session aims to bring members of the campus community together to oversee initiatives, provide feedback and address campus climate issues related to gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, disability and accessibility, and women’s issues. Meet with us to connect with like-minded people, discuss campus and community issues, and learn more about our initiatives. Refreshments will be served.

What is DACA? During this session, we will provide an overview of what DACA is, an explanation and update about the ASSET legislation in Colorado, a brief overview of immigration history and its intentional or unintentional consequences on community. Additionally, members of the Inspired Dreamers will participate in the conversation and share from their experiences the impact of policy on their lives. What's in it for you? Given the uncertainty surrounding the DACA program, presenters will discuss with the audience how intentions of inclusivity by supporters are appreciated and how the UndocuAlly network positively impacts their campus life and beyond. Appropriate for all audiences.

Hear how Salesforce has integrated Diversity and Inclusion practices throughout the entire company's DNA. And how they've taken it even one step further inspiring their customer ecosystem to do the same. 

Start small. This session examines how small scale changes can have a broad impact on the success of students from marginalized backgrounds. Explore ways of thinking differently about supporting students Appropriate for all audiences, especially staff and graduate level instructors. Graduate students are encouraged to attend. 

What is the nature of public authority? How can we build a foundation of inclusive community? The presenters provide pragmatic approaches to redirecting potentially hostile classroom situations into productive developmental moments. They will give concrete, practical advice for managing difficult moments. This engaging, interactive workshop was developed in Fall 2018 at the request of the Faculty Teaching Excellence Program and has been highly-rated by members of the CU Boulder campus. What’s in it for you? Attendees will leave with skills and tools that can be used immediately. For educators from all disciplines and career stages.

Are you interested in helping develop a brand new advocacy program for students? The Disability Advocacy program, presenting for the first time at the Diversity Summit, aims to impact the campus culture directly in terms of supporting and advocating for students with disabilities. This session will be part presentation, part workshop in a hope to gain input from attendees on how to move forward in developing a new advocacy program to best suit students and promote a culture of inclusion and supporting awareness. 

Take a mid-week break for a FREE movie screening!  If you haven't seen this movie, you need to see it. If you've already seen it, you need to see it again!