+

Co-curricular Partnerships: Global and Multicultural Competency as an illustration

Angie HatteryTashia HarrisWomen and Gender Studies

+Educational Program Components

* Presentation and context of the articulated issue/trend

* Evidence to support the knowledge

* Identification of the national trends

* Implication for student learning and the student experience

* Innovative practices units have employed to meet student needs

* Impact on the future of the field

* Relevant knowledge for colleagues

+Transformational Learning: Student Success Model

For at least two decades higher education professionals have articulated the need to educate the “whole” student

With changing demographics (race, ethnicity, social class, 1st generation, immigrant status), higher education professionals have identified the increased need to support student learning outside the classroom

Mason is somewhat ahead of the curve with the goal of a co-curricular transcript

+Transformational Learning: Student Success Model

Working on the global and multicultural competency team

Working in WGST

We have identified unique ways that ULIFE can work to provide pathways for students seeking global and/or multicultural competency at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels

*We recommend all students achieve a beginner level!

+Global and Multicultural Competency: A definition

Global and multicultural competence is acquired through a developmental process. Building on self-awareness and attained cultural knowledge a person understands and employs multiple ways of perceiving, evaluating, believing, and solving problems. Global and multicultural competence enables a person to conscientiously negotiate diversity among individuals of various cultures and ethnicities, as well as, within individual cultures and subcultures by becoming aware of one’s own perspectives and other cultural perspectives.

Although not an exhaustive list of the elements of cultural diversity, those covered in the initial phase of the ULIFE student success curriculum are Race, Gender & Gender Identity, Sexual Identity and Religion.

+Learning Outcomes--MulticulturalLearning Outcome Beginner

(remembering, understanding,

discovering)

Intermediate(applying, analyzing, inquiring)

Advanced(synthesizing,

evaluating, creating)

1. to articulate a basic awareness/knowledge of (race/ethnicity, religion, sexual identity, gender) 

  XX

   

2. demonstrate a sensitivity toward others (race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender). 

   XX

   

3. articulate awareness/knowledge about the power and privilege associated with systems of (race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender)  

     XX

 

4. to identify an act as an ally for people of other identities (race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender).

    XX

 

5. have an awareness/knowledge of the systemic roots of (race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender). 

       XX

6. be able to advocate effectively for the needs of others in various identity groups (race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender).

     XX

+Introductory level initiatives

CAPS- Conversation Hour (E)

LGBTQ --Pride Week events (E/EM)

ODIME- Heritage Month Programs (E/EM)

Year-round Multicultural Programming (E/EM)

Housing- UNIV 300 Course (E/EM)

UL Arlington- Pizza & Perspectives (E)

WAVES- Large-Scale Events (E/EM)

Presentations (E/EM)

Weeklong Initiatives  (E/EM)

Women & Gender Studies-Sojourner Truth Lecture (E/EM)

Vagina Monologues (E)

Fall for the Book (E/EM)

Take Back the Night (E)

+Intermediate level initiatives

LGBTQ --Pride Week events (E/EM)

ODIME-Year-round Multicultural Programming (E/EM)

Housing- UNIV 300 Course (E/EM)

WAVES- Emerge (E)

+Advanced level initiatives

LBGT- Safe Zone Training (E)

ODIME-Cultural Competency Classroom Project (E)

LEAD- Leadershape (E)

SOEL (E)

WAVES-- Healthy Relationships Group (N)

Women and Gender Studies—Shifting the Script: Gender, Gender Identity and Sexuality LLC

+Goals of the Transformational Learning Model

Provide opportunities for students to achieve beginning level competencies in the 4 areas

Provide tracks for students to develop intermediate and advanced competency in one or more of the areas

Create a bridge in the University, uniting all units in the goal of the transformational learning model

+Achievement Goals

100% of students achieve beginning level

50% of students achieve intermediate level

25% of students achieve advanced level

Ambitious yes, but perfectly aligned with the University’s new strategic plan!

+Gaps

ULIFE is lacking sufficient opportunities for both intermediate and advanced competency given our achievement goals

+Campus Climate

Conducive Climate to Expect 100% Beginner Level of Multicultural and Global Competency based on diversity and inclusion efforts, initiatives, and commitment to progressive learning practices , workshops, and courses.

Holding Accountable all Mason persons to reach 100% Beginner Level, understanding that each of our contributions, attitudes, and efforts

contribute significantly to the overall campus climate: Faculty Staff

Students

+Classroom to Resource Center

Resource

WGST has a unique ability to reach its students and other students with various majors by way of students accessing our

classes first. Many times in classrooms, we make students aware that there is an inclusive place for them to be in between

classes.

Resource centers are a difficult place to get many students to come to, but that invitation in a classroom setting has proven

to and continues to be extremely beneficial

For Student Access

Campus Pulse

Ability to Direct Students

+Classroom to Resource Center

Resource cont’d

What Organically Occurs in Our Resource Center ( and why it’s important):

Academic Discussion

Relation to Academic Issues students see in different spaces

Conversations with other Students they may not have met without that space

Student Collaborations

*Listening*

Safe place to be right, wrong, confused, knowledgeable, new, etc.

Fostered Inclusion and Staff commitment to ensure the continuation of said climate

Constructively addressing cultural misconceptions

+Resource Center to Classroom

Efforts to Come to Classrooms and Make your presence known Taking/Auditing a Class Doing a Workshop in Classes where you feel interest would be

high based on representation and in classrooms where you feel there will be a lack of exposure in the realms of 100% beginner level attainment

Possibility of Working with more Faculty in the future for co-curricular goal achievements, to ensure inclusivity training/awareness etc. is extended for accountability measures Students Benefit Faculty Benefits Closes the Gap Contribute to a more positive Holistic College Experience

+Resource Center to Resource

Center

We all have access to different groups of students

Should make our reach greater and work collaboratively Increased Student Recognition of Possible “go to”

people/offices Accessibility Willingness of Students to Float between offices by Seeing

Staff in different offices Talk to Different Resource centers about overlaps, trends,

campus issues, possible courses based on student feedback, and collaborative workshop efforts based on gaps cited

+Resource Center Issues after Academic Exposure Terminology Crusaders ( classroom and in spaces; levels of learning)

Spill over of Student Disagreements

Student Complaints of Bias (in a variety of campus spaces)

Sensitive Culturally Relative Issues ( in an open space)

Offensive Wording

Understanding that we all are Students; learning, especially the actual students

All spaces we try to make as safe/free as possible run into a road bump here and there. Overall , if we as staff and faculty hold ourselves accountable to continuously learn ourselves and our students, continue workshops, and professional development these issues are able to be resolved in a productive and constructive way that get our students closer to a 100% goal of at least a beginner level. While we ourselves continuously strive for the ever evolving advanced level of multicultural and global competency.

+Partnerships with academic units—WGST as an illustration

Unlike traditional departments, interdisciplinary programs (majors and minors) have always relied on other academic units to contribute courses

+Partnerships with academic units—WGST as an illustration

WGST minor:

18 credits (6 courses)

2 required courses (intro 200/308 and feminist theory 330)

3 courses, including the required classes, must be taken in WGST

A total of half the minor may be taken outside of WGST (cross-listed and approved courses from other departments, e.g. American Women Writers (ENGH))

+Partnerships with academic units—WGST as an illustration

Relying on other units, even outside of the college, in which case we “lose” FTE, this approach is considered appropriate and indeed somewhat desirable because it meets the truly interdisciplinary nature of the field

+Why partner with academic units?

It is a goal of ULIFE to develop collaborations outside of the division

Faculty can be great collaborative partners!

Collaborations provide opportunities for faculty to see the great work being done in ULIFE

Transformational learning will require collaboration in order to meet the needs of the whole student

+What can academic units bring?

Opportunities to fill the gaps in the current proposal

Specifically, many courses would in fact provide opportunities for intermediate and advanced global and multicultural competency

+Advantages to this model

Tracks that combine curricular and co-curricular opportunities is the most expansive and diverse

Tracks that combine curricular and co-curricular opportunities model for students the integrated nature of their education; not everything is learned in the classroom!

+Illustration: Gender/ Gender Identity

Gender and Gender Identity

Put the chart here just gender/gender identity

Learning Outcome Beginner(remembering, understanding,

discovering)

Intermediate(applying, analyzing, inquiring)

Advanced(synthesizing,

evaluating, creating)

1. to articulate a basic awareness/knowledge of (gender/gender identity) 

  XX

   

2. demonstrate a sensitivity toward others (gender/gender identity) 

   XX

   

3. articulate awareness/knowledge about the power and privilege associated with systems of (gender/gender identity)  

     XX

 

4. to identify an act as an ally for people of other identities (gender/gender identity)

    XX

 

5. have an awareness/knowledge of the systemic roots of (gender/gender identity) 

       XX

6. be able to advocate effectively for the needs of others in various identity groups (gender/gender identity)

     XX

+Illustration

Beginning level: student attends a production of the Vagina Monologues, a Fall for the Book Lecture or the Sojourner Truth Lecture

Intermediate level: student attends SafeZone training

Advanced level: student takes a 200 or 300 level course in women and gender studies or student becomes a SafeZone trainer

+Adapting this model

This model is easily adaptable to any of the global and multicultural competency areas

+Global and Multicultural Competency

Beginning level: student attends an international week event or an international café

Intermediate level: student attends a campus impact forum or cultural fusion

Advanced level: student takes a 200 or 300 level course in Global Affairs or participates in the Global Crossings LLC

+Multiple Pathways for Maximum Participation

Advanced global and/or multicultural competency can be achieved exclusively by participating in ULIFE programs

By partnering with academic units we provide hundreds of more “spots” for students seeking intermediate and/or advanced competency

+Collaboration goes both ways! WGST as an illustration

Every semester we compile a list of our programs and provide it to all of our faculty affiliates

We encourage them to include the programs on their syllabi and if appropriate require attendance or offer extra credit for doing so.

This increases both the attendance at our events and the connections between programs and courses (e.g. students may discuss what they learned at a program during class or in a writing assignment)

+Adapting this model

Any unit that offers programming as part of any of the four transformational learning areas can identify relevant faculty and courses and provide a list of appropriate programs

Faculty may not always include recommended programs, but anything they don’t have to create they will appreciate!

+Discussion