Summit on Belonging
SUU's first Summit on Belonging will be held October 25 and 26, 2022. This conference-style gathering will provide the SUU community spaces for conversations, training, and the sharing of best practices to help the University advance belonging through diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Welcome - What and Why of Belonging
Facilitators: SUU President Mindy Benson and Daneka Souberbielle
Audience: General
Level: Beginner
Room: Great Hall
Featured Speaker: Nubia Peña
Senior Advisor on Equity and Opportunity to Governor Cox and the Director for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs
Panelist: Derek Charles Livingston
USF Interim Artistic Director
Room: Great Hall
- Understanding Equity Part 1: Individual Responses for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB)
- Facilitator: Danielle Lydia Sheather
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Shooting Star
- While there is much work being done in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - often a piece that is missing is Belonging. This session hopes to give helpful tools to students, faculty, staff, and the community at large on ways to integrate belonging into our daily interactions. In an effort to continue to recognize the multiple intersections that exist in the world we must be mindful that discourse and critical dialogue are a part of the picture as is the need to recognize our own implicit and sometimes explicit bias. Difficult, uncomfortable, and often complicated situations can arise in communicating but in those moments there is also the possibility for meaningful growth to occur through listening, validating, and/or intervening.
- Language Matters: Say This Not That
- Facilitators: Landry Igiraneza & Andrea Donovan
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Charles Hunter
- This session will discuss the importance of words and of asking questions to the right people as part of anti-oppressive work, keeping in mind professionalism and emotional labor/microaggression. Participants will learn about the meaning of an inclusive and intersectional mindset that can be generalized across campus and various disciplines. Participants will understand and be able to identify resources to learn about inclusive language (APA term list; Pride Term List; OEI Shared Language resource, etc.) as well as strategies that create space for people to share hurt/harm and account for mistakes.
- Recognizing and Interrupting Microaggressions
- Facilitator: Kirsten Graham
- Audience: General
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Whiting
- Participants in this training will gain the tools to identify a microaggression and will learn how to intervene, challenge, and redirect a microaggression while being a thoughtful and proactive ally to those impacted. The session will include a pre- and post-self assessment of an individual’s knowledge and ability to recognize and respond to microaggressions as a means of creating inclusive environments.
- Students Speak
- Facilitator: Ashleigh Zimmerman
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- This session is a panel discussion with students from various identity-based communities, discussing their experiences both on and off campus. This session will focus on understanding the student experience, what administrators can do to continuously and improving support students, and barriers and bridges in the classroom. The session is complementary to Understanding Equity Part 1 and Part 2 or Interrupting Microaggressions.
Great Hall
- Accessibility
- Presenter: Carmen Alldredge
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Shooting Star
- Participants in this training will gain the tools to learn about ADA ( Americans with Disability Act), accessibility related to needs of the student and types of accommodations we offer to give access to students in the classroom.
- Developing an Inclusive and Caring Classroom
- Facilitator: Guizella Rocabado and Iliana Portaro
- Audience: Faculty
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Whiting
- Developing an inclusive and caring classroom is at the core of a student-centered pedagogical approach. This workshop will discuss inclusive classroom practices, taking into consideration topics such as: syllabi statements and teaching philosophies; equitable student participation in classroom discussions; modeling respectful communication; alternative approaches for participation and assessment; challenges and success; and how to mindfully connect with students. The session will include small group discussions and provide participants with individual time to reflect or work on ideas they would later like to explore or implement. Participants are encouraged to bring a note-taking device (pen/paper, laptop/tablet, etc) for session activities.
- Implementing an Equity Lens into your Everyday Work
- Facilitator: Daneka Souberbielle
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Charles Hunter
- An equity lens framework is a tool comprised of shared beliefs, common definitions, and critical questions through which an organization commits to continually evaluating any existing or new strategy, policy, or initiative, with a focus on closing opportunity gaps for marginalized populations. Participants in this session will explore the SUU Equity Lens, its role in intentional decision making, and how to implement it in the regular business of the unit, department or program. Participants should come with potential or current projects, initiatives and decisions to practice utilizing the lens.
- OPEN Session
- Facilitator: James Sage
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Rondthaler
- OPEN Sessions are unstructured Q&A sessions available for questions that participants may want to ask in a smaller, more private forum. Facilitators are focused on helping attendees find answers to difficult questions in a safe, supportive environment. This space is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal journeys with equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. These sessions will not be streamed online or recorded to preserve participants' privacy.
- Students Speak (Student Panel)
- Facilitator: Ashleigh Zimmerman
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- This session is a panel discussion with students from various identity-based communities, discussing their experiences both on and off campus. This session will focus on understanding the student experience, what administrators can do to continuously and improvingly support students, and barriers and bridges in the classroom. The session is complementary to Understanding Equity Part 1 and Part 2 or Interrupting Microaggressions.
- What's the Data Say? Inequity at SUU
- Facilitator: Ashleigh Zimmerman and Mahala Sutherland
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Shooting Star
- Two of the steps in utilizing an equity lens are engaging stakeholders and examining the data. So what do we know about inequity at SUU? This session will explore the data we have (and don’t have) for underserved populations and hear from the lived experiences of those students at SUU. Participants will walk away with a new understanding of the realities of inequity at SUU.
- Understanding the Legalities of EDIB & Civil Rights Law
- Facilitator: Jake Johnson
- Audience: General
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Charles Hunter
- This session is an introduction to the minimum requirements of federal civil rights laws for employees and supervisors that work in higher education. This presentation-style program will (1) introduce Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and Section 504, (2) review the basic obligations these laws establish for workplaces (prevent and address discrimination), and (3) describe practical steps that people can take to follow the law and meet these legal obligations with respect to employment searches, employee discipline, requests for accommodations, and unit decision-making. Attendees will encounter hypothetical scenarios that describe situations where discrimination or harassment may be present and that test their understanding of their obligation to respond appropriately.
- Rigor Without Fear
- Facilitator: Dr. Laura Davis, Dr. Carrie Bucklin, & Dr. Emily Dean
- Audience: General
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Whiting
- Humanities, General Education, and the Sciences often tackle difficult, uncomfortable, and/or controversial topics in their readings, discussions, and assignments. “Rigor Without Fear" will explore how instructors can tackle divisive topics in our classrooms without fear, especially in an external climate that is often distrustful and hostile to higher education. This session will be a roundtable format that will encourage audience participation and attendees will leave with some practical advice on how to maintain rigor in their classrooms.
- OPEN Session
- Facilitator: Kelly Goonan
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Rondthaler
- OPEN Sessions are unstructured Q&A sessions available for questions that participants may want to ask in a smaller, more private forum. Facilitators are focused on helping attendees find answers to difficult questions in a safe, supportive environment. This space is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal journeys with equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. These sessions will not be streamed virtually or recorded to preserve participant’s privacy.
- Engaging and Including the Online Learner
- Presenter: Presenter: Matt McKenzie, SUU Online, CTI, and Student Panel
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- Creating a culture of inclusion is a challenge, and this is especially true in the virtual world. With nearly a quarter of our student body taking 100% online courses, how can we as an institution better see, understand, and serve our "invisible" students? Come join a short presentation followed by a panel discussion with online students, faculty, and staff.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Facilitator: Alexana Stavros
Audience: General
Level: Beginner
Room: Great Hall
An interactive opportunity to reflect and process participants’ thoughts, feelings, and takeaways from the Summit thus far. Participants will also be able to express their intentions and goals for the day.
- Language Matters: Say This Not That
- Facilitator: Landry Igiraneza and Andrea Donovan
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Shooting Star
- This session will discuss the importance of words and of asking questions to the right people as part of anti-oppressive work, keeping in mind professionalism and emotional labor/microaggression. Participants will learn about the meaning of an inclusive and intersectional mindset that can be generalized across campus and various disciplines. Participants will understand and be able to identify resources to learn about inclusive language (APA term list; Pride Term List; OEI Shared Language resource, etc.) as well as strategies that create space for people to share hurt/harm and account for mistakes.
- Understanding Equity Part 1 - How to Respond to EDIB Issues as an Individual: Listening, Validating, and Intervening
- Facilitator: Eric Kirby
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Charles Hunter
- While there is much work being done in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - often a piece that is missing is Belonging. This session hopes to give helpful tools to students, faculty, staff, and the community at large on ways to integrate belonging into our daily interactions. In an effort to continue to recognize the multiple intersections that exist in the world we must be mindful that discourse and critical dialogue are a part of the picture as is the need to recognize our own implicit and sometimes explicit bias. Difficult, uncomfortable, and often complicated situations can arise in communicating but in those moments there is also the possibility for meaningful growth to occur through listening, validating, and/or intervening.
- Indigenous Perspectives
- Facilitator: Xavier Garcia
- Audience: Faculty
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Whiting
- This session will introduce the importance of creating a culturally responsive classroom and the skills needed to do so.
- OPEN Session
- Facilitator: Jayci Hacker
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Rondthaler
- OPEN Sessions are unstructured Q&A sessions available for questions that participants may want to ask in a smaller, more private forum. Facilitators are focused on helping attendees find answers to difficult questions in a safe, supportive environment. This space is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal journeys with equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. These sessions will not be streamed online or recorded to preserve participants' privacy.
Sorry, this session had to be CANCELED
- Managing Conversations on EDIB with Family
- Presenters: Bri Kramer, Jen McKenzie and Sarah Allen
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- EDIB topics can sometimes be tricky to navigate within families. Presenters will share ways that families can effectively communicate about equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice.
- OPEN Session
- Facilitator: James Sage
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Rondthaler
- OPEN Sessions are unstructured Q&A sessions available for questions that participants may want to ask in a smaller, more private forum. Facilitators are focused on helping attendees find answers to difficult questions in a safe, supportive environment. This space is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal journeys with equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. These sessions will not be streamed virtually or recorded to preserve participant’s privacy.
- Understanding Equity Part 2: Systemic Responses
- Facilitator: Ashleigh Zimmerman
- Audience: Leadership
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Charles Hunter
- This session will walk participants through the practice of distinguishing and responding to the systemic nature of inequity. In addition, participants will explore their capacity to create change by evaluating their potential impact on decision-making, policies, and procedures within their sphere of influence.
- Developing a Caring Classroom
- Facilitator: Emma Turner and Merrill Funk
- Audience: Faculty
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Shooting Star
- This interactive workshop will discuss the whys and hows of creating a caring classroom. Bring your success stories and challenges as we collect and share techniques for creating caring environments for ourselves and our students.
- Defining and Achieving a Sense of "Belonging" for SUU Graduate Students
- Facilitator: Donna Handley, SUU Online, CTI, Student Panel
- Audience: General
- Room: Whiting
- Participants in this panel will discuss how the essence of "Belonging" looks for our Graduate Programs, both online and in person; challenges to "belonging" in the graduate online community; and strengths and opportunities for continued growth in this area.
- Employees Speak - Creating community for Remote T-birds (Employee Panel)
- Facilitator: Adam Wilcock and David McGuire
- Audience: Leadership
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- This session is a panel discussion with current remote employees, discussing the overall experience of being a remote T-birds, including benefits and challenges of working remotely. This session will focus on understanding the employee experience and what leaders and colleagues can do to better support remote work and remote employees.
- Leading with Creativity, Kindness and Inclusion in the Workplace
- Facilitator: Janice Brooks and Melynda Thorpe
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Whiting
- Focusing on how women can make a difference through modeling a new way of leading in the workplace, one that is authentic, intuitive, and inclusive, and how to support women in their leadership development.
- Safe Zone Training
- Facilitator: Julie McCown and Scott Knowles
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Yankee Meadow
- Safe Zone trainings are opportunities to learn about LGBTQ+ identities, gender and sexuality, and examine prejudice, assumptions, and privilege.
*This session is capped at 25. Participants must register for this training in advance.
- Rigor Without Fear
- Facilitator: Dr. Laura Davis, Dr. Carrie Bucklin, Dr. Emily Dean
- Audience: Faculty
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Shooting Star
- Humanities, General Education, and the Sciences often tackle difficult, uncomfortable, and/or controversial topics in their readings, discussions, and assignments. “Rigor Without Fear" will explore how instructors can tackle divisive topics in our classrooms without fear, especially in an external climate that is often distrustful and hostile to higher education. This session will be a roundtable format that will encourage audience participation and attendees will leave with some practical advise on how to maintain rigor in their classrooms.
- OPEN Session
- Facilitator: Bill Heyborne
- Audience: General
- Level: Beginner
- Room: Rondthaler
- OPEN Sessions are unstructured Q&A sessions available for questions that participants may want to ask in a smaller, more private forum. Facilitators are focused on helping attendees find answers to difficult questions in a safe, supportive environment. This space is dedicated to supporting individuals in their personal journeys with equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. These sessions will not be streamed online or recorded to preserve participants' privacy.
- Action Planning
- Facilitator: Provost Anderson
- Audience: General
- Level: Intermediate
- Room: Charles Hunter
- So, what do we do now? After you have received significant training on creating a culture of belonging, this session should help attendees synthesize the information and awareness accumulated throughout the summit and give attendees some structure, tools, and confidence to create and implement concrete plans.
Featured Speaker: Justin Jones-Fosu
President and chief inspirational officer of Justin Inspires International
Great Hall
- In-person sessions will be held in the Hunter Alumni Center.
- Levels & Audience tags are simply for your information. They do not preclude you from joining a session.
- All sessions will be recorded except OPEN sessions and Student Panels.
- OPEN sessions will not be streamed online.
Register for the Summit on Belonging
Priority registration ends October 18. Meals may not be guaranteed for participants registering after this date.