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Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access
Professional Development & Training

Implicit/Unconscious Bias Professional Development & Training 

Beginner (Diversity)

Instructor:Danushi Fernando, CDO
Appointments Upon Request. Contact Ms. Lela Randall at lrandall@esf.edu 315-565-3016

Overcome Unconscious Bias
Break Down Barriers to Equity & Inclusion for Students, Faculty & Administrators
"Implicit bias" affects overall systems, daily interactions, and are barriers to equity and inclusion which impact overall retention efforts, student and staff satisfaction and graduation rates. Everyone harbors unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups. Such beliefs manifest by impeding productivity, shaping institutional culture, can skew performance reviews and affects who gets hired, promoted and developed.

Participation Outcomes
As a result of this module, you will be able to:

  1. Explore the various ways formal and informal identities supports your language, thoughts and behavior - review theories and trends that will serve as a framework for your relationships
  2. Increase your self-awareness by exploring your own social identities and your socialization - articulate your identities and the ways in which they subconsciously inform your ideas
  3. Develop essential skills necessary to engage in cross-identity relationships (racial-ethnic/gender/ability, etc.)- participate in dialogical practice around accountability and trust-building to foster a sense of diversity appreciation
  4. Foster an inclusive campus environment and decrease instances of marginalization - support the structure necessary to acknowledge and recognize differences.

Over 85 percent of 2020 participants have expressed that this is education is "Relevant". More information about the session.

Intermediate (Inclusion)

Instructor: Danushi Fernando, CDO
Appointments Upon Request. Contact Ms. Lela Randall at lrandall@esf.edu 315-565-3016

Addressing Intersectionality
How to Encourage Belonging on Campus for Individuals with Multiple Identities
Unpack the ways identity layers interact - be it gender, race, economic status or other demographic variable - so you can cultivate strategies and activities that can impact inclusion You must be able to address intersectionality in dialogue about diversity and inclusion so you can dismantle barriers to equity.
You'll be able to better encourage engagement and belonging, increase student satisfaction and help students persist toward graduation

Participation Outcomes
As a result of this module, you will be able to:

  1. Create a culturally competent and responsive self - ensure people feel valued, safe, supported and a sense of belonging.
  2. Enhance the academic and co-curricular experiences by thinking through how you include others in various spaces -expand your knowledge base of the impact of holidays, observances and celebrations so you can educate your community on being more inclusive and understanding.
  3. Develop strategies for inclusion -get ahead of incidents so you can avoid microaggressions and macroaggressions that commonly occur.
  4. Avoid common pitfalls of inclusion -review and develop campus policies and practices to help you address these sometimes tricky situations.
  5. Better identify and recognize the diverse perspectives and lived experiences-validate what is important to members of our community.

Advanced (Equity)

Instructor: Danushi Fernando, CDO
Appointments Upon Request. Contact Ms. Lela Randall at lrandall@esf.edu 315-565-3016

Sustaining an Inclusive Organization

Understand how equity impacts all our moving parts from products, services, and staffing. All crucial for success. Leaders from all stations within organizations need to know more.

Participation Outcomes
As a result of this module, you will take away:

  1. Tools to create an equitable space - develop skills and tools to navigate triggering or contentious moments and gain a deeper understanding of your identities and how they shape and guide your communication style.
  2. How to recognize when a discussion becomes "difficult"-successfully navigate triggering moments, so you can increase your capacity.
  3. How to create Brave Spaces-avoid mismanaged conversations that often result in unresolved issues, misunderstanding and simmering conflict that undermine learning and goals to create equitable campus environments.
  4. How to see beyond the immediate or visible issue to address deeper systemic institutional movement of power and influence