Summit on Belonging

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.

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.

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