Post-InclusiveVT Week
The Making the Chair Fit and Unfinished Conversation podcasts are available on the InclusiveVT YouTube channel. In the coming weeks these podcasts will be archived on the Diversity Education page of the Office for Inclusion and Diversity (OID) website as well.

Diversity and Inclusion Digital Pathways
OID offers two digital badge pathways for employees on Creating an Inclusive Climate and Creating an Inclusive Workplace. Each pathway is composed of four InclusiveVT Insights with discussion boards and quizzes. Completion of the pathway results in either the Inclusive Climate or Inclusive Workplace badge, viable for two years. These pathways are self-paced. Enrollment for each of these pathways will reopen in January, in order to prompt better discussion within cohorts. In the meantime, participants can continue to enroll in the pathways through the TLOS Professional Development Network.

Diversity: Inclusion in the Workplace
The Diversity: Inclusion in the Workplace module was assigned to all employees last week.  Some of the assignments went to spam folders. It was determined that this was an issue with the Google filtering system.  If you discover that someone from your unit did not receive an assignment, email diversity@vt.edu.   

Please note that this module is not required, but encouraged for all employees. Supervisors may choose to make it a requirement internally. OID is asking everyone who plans to serve on a search committee to complete the module as part of search training requirements.

Inclusive Pedagogy
The following courses are underway as online-zoom hybrids:

  • Inclusive Pedagogy: How Student Identities Matter (This semester-long course leads to an Inclusive Teaching badge)
  • Inclusive Pedagogy Pathway (Introduction + Inclusive Teaching rubric with electives for earning an Inclusive Teaching badge)
  • Anti-Racist Teaching
  • Fostering an Inclusive Environment in the Classroom

These courses are available for enrollment through September 25 at the TLOS Professional Development Network site. 

The following courses are still open for enrollment:

  • Fostering a Growth Mindset
  • Handling Difficult Conversations in the Classroom
  • Reducing Implicit Bias in the Classroom

InclusiveVT Insights
OID has three new InclusiveVT Insights:

  • How Do I Integrate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Into First Year Experience Courses?
  • How Do I Retain a Talented and Diverse Workforce?
  • What Is a Land Acknowledgement and Why Do We Say It?

    Discussion guides for each are forthcoming.  

As always, suggestions for future InclusiveVT Insight topics are welcomed.

VirTual SafeZone
VirTual SafeZone is well underway. The Safe Zone 101 class has been reimagined as a five-week hybrid that includes online content and weekly zoom discussions.  The enrollment cap for sessions is 10-15 people in order to maximize interaction among participants.  

Upcoming sessions include:

Fall 3: October 19 — November 20
Spring 1: January 11 — February 12
Spring 2: February 22 — March 26
Spring 3: April 5 — May 7
Summer 1: May 17 — June 18
Summer 2: June 28 — July 30

Fall sessions are now open for enrollment on the TLOS Professional Development Network Site.

Virginia Tech students can enroll in sessions through GobblerConnect.

Submitted by Shaila Mehra, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion