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OIDI November Newsletter

The Miami Pulse

Connecting, Assessing, and Moving Forward our Inclusive Community

November 2022 Edition

Land Acknowledgement

Miami University is located within the traditional homelands of the Myaamia and Shawnee people, who along with other indigenous groups ceded these lands to the United States in the first Treaty of Greenville in 1795. The Miami people, whose name our university carries, were forcibly removed from these homelands in 1846.

In 1972, a relationship between Miami University and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma began and evolved into a reciprocal partnership, including the creation of the Myaamia Center at Miami University in 2001. The work of the Myaamia Center serves the Miami Tribe community and is dedicated to the revitalization of Miami language and culture and to restoring that knowledge to the Myaamia people.

Miami University and the Miami Tribe are proud of this work and of the more than 140 Myaamia students who have attended Miami since 1991 through the Myaamia Heritage Award Program.

 

 

Letter from the Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

Greetings Miamians!

We are excited to share with you the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion’s (OIDI) inaugural newsletter, The Miami Pulse: Connecting, Assessing, Moving Forward our Inclusive Community. This quarterly newsletter will allow us to more fully communicate about OIDI’s mission, raise awareness, and reflect our goal to regularly provide evidence-based guidance, consultation, resources, and strategies to guide Miami’s inclusive excellence journey of cultural transformation. 

Upcoming DEI events, which were included in the Weekly Three, will now be included in our central DEI calendar, which we encourage the Miami community to regularly consult. This semester we have already had many exciting events, including the Freedom Summer of ‘64 Awards Ceremony and accompanying “Race in America: A Necessary Dialogue” panel at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; the DEI Awards Ceremony; Heritage Month socials, speakers and events recognizing rich, intersectional identities within Miami; our inaugural Thriving in a PWI Series panel (in collaboration with the Graduate School, Center for Teaching Excellence, and English Department); and many other events to engage, educate, and bring our community together. In October, the Miami and Oxford communities also came together at Hillel for the Shabbat of Love and Honor, to recognize the growing incidents of antisemitism nationally and reiterate our commitments to an inclusive community for all.

During 2022-2023, our main areas of focus include cultural transformation through capacity-building and data collection. Through the award-winning DEI Module Series, which features Miami faculty and staff expertise, hundreds of Miami community members have completed online sessions that center evidence-based information and strategies for inclusive working and learning environments. As we re-launch the DEI Module Series in early Spring, with additional modules, we encourage all to participate in this skill-building opportunity. We also encourage Miami community members to take advantage of OIDI’s anti-racism workshop, diversity statement workshops, and to explore additional workshops throughout Miami, as well as available DEI online resources.

As we continue to identify steps forward, data collection in the shape of a comprehensive, multi-method climate study is an important step. This Fall, we launched faculty and staff stay interviews and student climate interviews as part of this effort. These interviews focus on racially minoritized faculty, staff, and students to identify retention-related practices to prioritize and develop, as well as specific actions Miami can take to strengthen the overall climate for all. In the Spring, we will launch a university-wide climate survey to further examine the climate and identify areas in need of improvement across Miami. 

Findings from the interviews and survey will contribute essential information we can analyze and use to proactively design next steps, and a university-wide DEI Strategic Plan. We encourage Miamians to participate in these efforts as we work together to build a more inclusive Miami. For more detailed information on past, ongoing, and planned efforts in these and other strategic areas, we invite you to read the 2021-2022  OIDI Annual Report

As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions and invite you to reach out to OIDI staff, to learn about the university-wide DEI Councils and connect with DEI Officers in each College and Division, and to consider joining the OIDI DEI Student Advisory Council

Thank you for all you do to reflect and advance Miami’s commitment to an inclusive community.

 

M Cristina Alcalde

Love and Honor,

M. Cristina Alcalde, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

Professor, Global and Intercultural Studies

vpDiversity@MiamiOH.edu 

Heritage Month Updates

Working in close collaboration with faculty, staff, and student partners, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion provides opportunities for the Miami community to continue our learning and engage in meaningful programming that recognizes, examines, and values historical legacies of a diverse array of identities. Heritage Month programming supports Miami’s inclusive excellence and DEI mission and connects to, among other areas, DEI Task Force Recommendation, Pillar 2: Cultural Consciousness, which encourages the Miami University community to enhance our awareness, knowledge, and skills to enrich and renew our intercultural competence.

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion will organize programming, and collaborate, coordinate, and support events across campuses through a coordinated calendar for each month; promotion of events; and, when available, limited funding support for proposed events with appeal across campuses.

MU Libraries is partnering with OIDI to feature online resources, including films, books and articles, and class offerings, during each Heritage Month. We invite you to explore these and other educational resources and links on each webpage. We will be adding resources as they become available.

To discuss the possibility of limited funding support for an event with campus-wide appeal, please contact vpdiversity@MiamiOH.edu with details. Please note that there is limited funding available and that only programming with appeal across units can be considered. Collaboration among units is strongly encouraged.

To assist us with scheduling and planning, please use the suggested deadlines for submitting events for specific heritage months.

To include an event your area is organizing on the OIDI calendar and in communications about Heritage Months, please complete our proposal.


November

Native American Heritage Month:  November is Native American Heritage Month. Miami University derives its namesake and land from the Miami Tribe that once inhabited the Miami Valley region. This month, we will spotlight events that showcase Native American cultures, identities, and experiences. This heritage month is a time to recognize and celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native peoples. We aim to educate the general public and raise awareness about these identities, experiences, and contributions.

Trans Flag

Trans Awareness Week (November 13-19): Miami University honors and celebrates the achievements and resiliency of transgender individuals and communities. President Joe Biden signed a historic proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility recognizing the struggle, activism, and courage of trans*, transgender, and gender non-binary people in the United States and around the world to live openly and authentically. We encourage all Miamians to engage in dialogue and allyship with our campus community organizations such as Spectrum, Miami University Pride, Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, Graduate Student Pride Association, Queer and Trans* Faculty Staff Association, Oxford Area PFLAG , and the 1809 LGBTQ+ Alumni Committee. We invite all to learn more about Transgender Day of Visibility.

Heroes Week (November 7-11)At Miami University we are proud to be in the top 15 percent of national colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans and dependents as students. Members of the military make tremendous sacrifices for our country. Miami Regionals will be celebrating Heroes Week with a number of events honoring all our veteran during the month of November. All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. We encourage all Miamians to engage in dialogue and allyship, including through campus and community organizations such as the Center for Veterans Services, Student Veterans Association and to visit the Alumni Veterans Memorial. We are proud of all of our community members who have completed Green Zone Training.


January

Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Celebration (January 16)Miami University honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As we begin the new year, this is a time to reflect on his message of peace, justice, and equality. As we celebrate Dr. King, we are called to engage with one another and with our communities to speak out in ways that improve lives and recognize that there is still much work ahead. At Miami, we stand in solidarity with all who advocate for transformative change and justice and we declare unequivocally that Black Lives Matter. We are committed to continuously advancing our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Oxford Campus

Monday, Jan. 16 | 10 am to 12 pm | Shriver Center, John Dolibois Room ABC

On Monday, January 16, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion will be partnering with the Oxford NAACP to host the MLK Day celebration. The event will begin with an art exhibition, starting at 10:00 am, and will be followed by a ceremony including President Crawford, local community members and students, and keynote speaker Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, “I Dare You to be the Dream!”


History Month Events Submissions 

Now Accepting Submissions for History Month events and programming for Spring semester. Working in close collaboration with faculty, staff, and student partners, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion provides opportunities for the Miami community to continue our learning and engage in meaningful programming that recognizes, examines, and values historical legacies of a diverse array of identities. Heritage Month programming supports Miami’s inclusive excellence and DEI mission and connects to, among other areas, DEI Task Force Pillar 2: Cultural Consciousness, which encourages the Miami University community to enhance our awareness, knowledge, and skills to enrich and renew our intercultural competence. Submit your proposal considering priority deadlines for each proposed history and heritage month celebrations.

 

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Affinity Groups Updates

Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association

President: April Robles, Director of Operations and Communications

The mission of the Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association is to bring together Asian and Asian American faculty and staff, and serve as a supportive community for Asian and Asian American employees and students. The Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association is currently building traction with the community and is seeking to provide opportunities for individuals to connect in a more casual atmosphere and then use that leverage to continue the growth and momentum of the group. The group is currently working on plans for a celebration of the Chinese New Year as a kickoff for the new year. If you are looking to make an impact and be a leader, this is the group for faculty and staff to join! If it is a personal passion and something they want to do to become more connected to the campus community, you are encouraged to reach out to April Robles to connect.


Association of Black Faculty and Staff

President: Seth Seward, Assistant Director, Alumni Relations

The Association of Black Faculty and Staff stands for diversity, equality, solidarity, and change for campus at large, students, and the Oxford community. As an organization, they will engage and participate in any efforts that are meant to educate and provide clarity of ideas of ending racism and discrimination. The Association of Black Faculty and Staff serves as a safe place for African American or black individuals to come together and meet. This is accomplished through general body meetings and social events. If something arises on campus that impacts the community, they gather together to discuss and hash out solutions in a safe space. The group also works to serve as a support system and network for students, staff, and faculty. While there are no current community events planned, anyone interested in becoming a member is encouraged to complete the membership formstack to connect.


 Association of Latinx Faculty and Staff

President: José Amador, Associate Professor, Global and Intercultural Studies (Latin American, Latino/a, and Caribbean Studies)

The primary goal of the Association of Latinx Faculty and Staff primary is to support and raise awareness about the Latinx faculty and staff. They aim to build networks between departments and units, faculty and students, and Miami university and the community at large. The group also strives to raise the visibility of the Latin American Studies Program and the nearby Latinx community. Additionally, to keep everyone informed about everything Latinx-related, which is done through a weekly “bulletin” with news and events. This organization has been formed by employees of Miami University (Hamilton, Middletown, and Oxford campuses) to foster Latinx, Latin American and Caribbean, and Ibero, Luso-American representation, improve work conditions, and enrich the social and cultural environment for all Miami faculty, staff, and students. Individuals interested in connecting can reach out to José Amador.


Classified Personnel Advisory Committee

President: Angela Coffey Brown, Administrative Assistant, Enrollment Management and Student Success

The Classified Personnel Advisory Committee is established for the purpose of advising the President, Vice Presidents, and Human Resources on matters of interest and concern to classified staff members in the context of the whole university community. The group accomplishes this by bringing issues/concerns/proposals to administration for input and/or action, serving (individual members) on university committees, and providing feedback/input on matters brought to the committee for review. Additionally, the Classified Personnel Advisory Committee is established to provide an institutional venue or forum in which matters of interest or concern to classified staff members can be discussed, considered, and/or moved forward through appropriate channels. Anyone interested in connecting with or joining the committee can contact Angela Coffey Brown or reach out to the CPAC email.


International Faculty and Staff Association

President: Eun Chong Yang, Associate Director, American Culture and English (ACE) Program

The goal of the International Faculty and Staff Association is to support and connect international faculty and staff while helping each other thrive in their specific roles on campus. This is accomplished through connecting with colleagues from diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, and educational backgrounds, and broadening perspectives, welcoming diversity, and experiencing inclusion at Miami. The group also seeks to listen, understand, and identify the needs of international faculty/staff, address the concerns and needs to the university, provide relevant resources as needed, and help international faculty/staff. The main goal of the group is to support one another in professional development at the university. Interested individuals can reach out to Eun Chong Yang or to the IFSA email


Queer and Trans Faculty and Staff Association

President: Emily Cluen, Resident Director, Office of Resident Life

The goal of the Queer and Trans Faculty and Staff Association is to create space for the LGBTQIA community on campus and advocate for queer and trans individuals needs. The group is currently working on establishing and maintaining a larger group to allow for more capacity moving forward. During QT Con on Wednesday Nov. 16, the Queer and Trans Faculty and Staff Assocaition will be organizing lunch to get to know other individuals on campus and connect. Lunch will be provided. The group is looking to host more events moving forward to connect with more folks on campus and provide more networking opportunities. Interested individuals can email the group’s email address to connect.


Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee

President: Spencer Izor, Senior Director of Development, Annual Giving

The Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee was created in 1983 to advise the University Administration (specifically the president and vice presidents) on matters of interest and concern to unclassified personnel. Committee members are selected to reflect a balance of gender, race/ethnicity, campus, division, level in the organization, responsibilities, years of university service, and any other characteristics that help to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience, viewpoints, interests and talents. The group’s most recent endeavor was focussing on wellness and bringing back access and funding to wellness areas on campus. Individuals interested in joining are encouraged to attend the monthly virtual meetings, which take place on the second Tuesday of each month. Interested individuals can also connect with Spencer Izor for more information.


To learn more about affinity groups or to join a group, check out the main affinity groups web page for more information.

 

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campus Spotlight

Faculty Spotlight

Ricardo Averbach

Ricardo Averbach, Director of Orchestra Studies and Professor of Music

Ricardo Averbach, Director of Orchestral Studies and Professor of Music, sat down in a recent interview with our staff to discuss his new book Villa-Lobos and Modernism: The Apotheosis of Cannibal Music and the inspiration behind this insightful scholarship. Averbach’s book unpacks the groundbreaking notion of musical and arts cannibalism, depicting how colonialism influences art and musical consumption, particularly in Latin America and Brazil.

As Averbach explained in his interview, Brazil was a colony of Portugal that achieved political independence in 1822; however, in spite of gaining this political independence, Brazil was still considered to be culturally a colony of Europe. As part of this cultural colonialism, the art and literature created in Brazil was considered inferior to the cultural production of the European white artist. Averbach went on to explain that 100 years after the political independence of Brazil, intellectual artists of all different mediums came together to produce art that would be deemed truly Brazilian, by placing a high value in the national art produced in the country. They wanted to create art that would not be considered inferior to European art, and so they incorporated the folk art of the people of Brazil into their modern art.

This creation process is when the cultural cannibalism Averbach describes in his book takes place. In the effort of Brazilian artists to stand out from European works, one writer, Oswald de Andrade, came up with the idea that the Brazilian artist could be identified with the cannibal Amerindian: instead of rejecting the European culture, the artist would "eat it up," would combine it with the truly authentic Brazilian folklore and art and would regurgitate an entirely new creation, that was not derivative. Averbach continued to explain this notion by describing this philosophy as cultural cannibalism, noting: “The cannibal does not eat another human being due to hunger or gluttony; the cannibal eats his enemy to absorb his qualities in a sort of ritual. So, the Brazilian artists metaphorically acted like cannibals, absorbing the qualities of European culture, and regurgitating a new art that was new, original, and not derivative.”

When asked how composer Villa-Lobos embodies the concepts of his work, Averbach explained that he is one of the composers whose work embodies the concept of cultural cannibalism best. Averbach noted “as a musician I decided to explore the aesthetics of Brazil and the countries in Latin America. I discovered the existence of these very important modernist movements that are just as important as the ones in Europe (expressionism, futurism, surrealism, cubism, Dadaism, etc.). If we talk about cultural cannibalism in music, my field, Villa-Lobos emerges as the most important composer who truly embodies what musical cannibalism is.”

Ricardo Averbach’s book was recently nominated for the Villa-Lobos medal in Brazil by one of the members of the Brazilian Academy of Music, which was founded by Heitor Villa-Lobos. His book was launched at the International Conference “The Road Ahead” at Yale University on September 23, 2022. It can be found online with an offer of 30% discount with the use of the code LXFANDF30 when ordering.

Interview Conducted by: Anna Reiner (she/her), Public Health major with a concentration in Human Disease/Epidemiology, class of 2024 


Staff Spotlight

Tekeia Howard, Director of Career Equity and Access

Tekeia Howard

Tekeia Howard, Director of Career Equity and Access, recently sat down with a member of our staff to discuss her unit’s recent acquisition of the 2022 Distinguished DEI Service Award for the University Diversity and Inclusion Awards. This award recognizes the creative/academic contributions of a unit steeped in a consistent record of service that has highlighted or supported diversity and inclusion or directly shaped and positively affected the meaning and understanding of diversity and inclusion on campus.

When asked how she approaches diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in her day-to-day work, Howard explained that the most important thing to remember is being mindful of how she and her unit approach programming in underrepresented and minority populations. The key two ingredients are to be deliberate and focused! Howard noted that she “enters spaces curiously” in reference to the people, the context of the situation, and the conversations at hand, actively working to put people at the center of things and limit her preconceived notions about who individuals are or what they may be trying to accomplish. This mindful approach centered around authentically entering spaces and viewing individuals holistically has allowed her the opportunity to gather more perspective on where exclusion and barriers may exist and strategize to remove barriers and enforce inclusion in the spaces she is in.

Howard and her team in the Center for Career Exploration and Success have seen firsthand the possibilities that can be opened when striving towards inclusive excellence in a division. By incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion dialogues monthly in their office, Howard’s team has been able to deep dive into infusing best practices of inclusion in presentations and outreach services, including using case studies to advance education to increase competencies surrounding inclusion and equity measures. This practice has led to creating resources like accessibility sheets for programming and events and actively being mindful of the language used in communications  and programming to be more inclusive. This is important because when we solve an issue for some, we solve and advance the mission for all. Additionally, Howard’s team has adapted a method to evaluate and vet employers interested in recruiting diverse talent. This approach to engaging employers has allowed the Career Center to identify committed employers to connect with students and faculty.  

One of the main strategies Howard’s division uses is collaboration and partnerships. In opening their office up to work with others and build relationships to benefit employer and student relationships, Howard acknowledges that to support DEI efforts in this manner one must understand that DEI work is never done, and cannot be done, in silos. By intentionally collaborating with others strategically, Howard and her team have seen an increase in understanding surrounding the work done in their office and the role they play for students on campus. Additionally, this has led to changes in how her team interacts with employers through a deliberate 6 month initiative with employers who are looking to partner with the campus to attract more diverse students for career opportunities.

When asked to share her vision of the Center for Career Exploration and Success’ future, Howard described goals of continued growth and collaboration, with student success and global access at the forefront. "We want to be the leader in Career Services. Not because of the DEI work the DEI team facilitates, but because our Career Center has measurable results in finding/ creating opportunities for all Miami Students with organizations that support inclusion and belonging." Howard envisions a future where conversations surrounding equity and inclusion are part of the natural flow of conversations on-campus, “from the front desk to the conference rooms.” Additionally, Howard sees her team leaning more towards global access and expanding in this area as they look to build and increase global internship alignments. To learn more about the great work taking place in the Center for Career Exploration and Success, and to keep up to date with future innovations, visit their webpage for further information. 

Interview Conducted by: Abbie Proeschel (she/her), Communications and Events Coordinator, Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion 


Student Spotlight

Evan Gates

Evan Gates, Economics, Diplomacy and Global Politics, and Poverty Studies

Evan Gates is a third year triple major in economics, diplomacy and global politics, and poverty studies. He recently sat down with our staff to discuss his new role as a member at large on the board of directors of Cincinnati Pride, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide the greater Cincinnati LGBTQI community and its allies with a forum that promotes inclusion and acceptance while affirming individuality.

As a member at large, Gates’ role is designed to bring in alternative perspectives on current issues and events facing the community, and to give room to pursue new initiatives that are outside of the typical scope of what Cincinnati Pride does. His role as member at large provides him full membership with voting privileges, and the terms of his appointment lasts for a year. While some members do come back and do their term again, there are term limits in place to encourage those involved in the organization to continue to grow as a board member and move up, or to expand their experience in other, similar organizations.

During his appointment as member at large, Gates’ main goal is to have Cincinnati Pride support regional pride events outside of just Cincinnati. While there are some areas that already do this, like in Hamilton for example, here in Oxford there is not currently a pride set up. Gates’ would like to see Oxford and more of the outskirt towns host pride events and more openly support queer issues and programming. Gates’ has been in his role as member at large for a little over a month now and as he adjusts to his role and learns more about the needs of the community, he hopes to build upon this initiative and create a plan for how his goal may move forward and develop.

Gates’ role with Cincinnati Pride is just one of the many roles he fills in diversity, equity, and inclusion work for the Miami community. Gates currently serves as the President of the Diversity Affairs Council, and previously served as the Director of Transgender Equity and Inclusion for the Associated Student Government. Gates feels that his work with Cincinnati Pride intersects with the immediate need present for more diversity, equity, and inclusion work and that his role as member at large is an extension of his extracurricular work in similar areas.

From Gates’ perspective, organizations like Cincinnati Pride are working to help Miami students by providing them with a more accessible opportunity “to go outside of the Oxford bubble.” Gates commented that supporting Miami students was a personal goal and how he would like to see more involvement from undergraduate and graduate students in Cincinnati Pride. Gates noted that his position has allowed a renewed perspective on approaching advocacy and who works in advocacy, to which he has advice for his fellow students: “My biggest advice out there is just apply. Apply for the things that you think you’re not going to get, because you might get it. And there’s been so many times where I applied and I got it for national opportunities for national recognition…things that I had no picture of in high school because I didn’t have access to that kind of opportunity in high school…Just try for it because you really might get it.”

Gates’ commentary on diversity, equity, and inclusion work is a refreshing and inspiring take on how to further youth and young adult involvement in advocacy and bring new ideas to the table to expand outreach. For more information on upcoming Cincinnati Pride events and to learn more about how you can become involved in the organization, visit their volunteer web page.

Interview Conducted by: Marcella-Alysia Argüello (she/her), Psychology and CRE, Class of 2024


Submission for DEI Spotlight

Do you know a student, faculty member, or staff member who is doing standout diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work? We are looking to highlight individuals at Miami who are doing DEI work and making an impact across our campuses or in the community at large. Our goal is to highlight DEI works around our campuses and showcase the incredible work our community is undertaking. Submit your suggestions for our next edition's spotlight!

 

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Research Insights

Articles

Dr. Sara M. Acevedo, Assistant Professor Disability Studies, Department of Educational Psychology

Acevedo, S.M. (2021). Lifelines: a neuroqueer politics of non-arrival in an undergraduate disability studies classroom, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, DOI: 10.1080/09518398.2021.2017505


Dr. Anne M. Farrell, Interim Chair and PricewaterhouseCoopers Professor of Accountancy, Farmer School of Business

Anne M. Farrell and Michele L. Frank (2022). It’s Complicated: How a Subordinate’s Gender Influences Supervisors’ Use of Past Performance Information When Appraising Potential. Journal of Management Accounting Research 34(2): 137-161. 


Dr. Kathleen Kollman, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Global and Intercultural Studies (Women and Gender Studies), Media, Journalism, and Film

Kollman, Kathleen W. Taylor. “Representation of Female Musicians in Alternative Music Charts: A Pilot Study.” Rock Music Studies. 9(2022): 54-69. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19401159.2021.1908209


Dr. Arnold Olszewski, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology

Soto-Boykin, X. T., Larson, A. L., Olszeqski, A., Velury, V., & Feldberg, A. (2021). Who Is Centered? A Systematic Review of Early Childhood Researchers’ Descriptions of Children and Caregivers from Linguistically Minoritized Communities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 41(1), 18-30.


Dr. Brady Nash, Assistant Professor - ELA, Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Educational Inquiry 

Nash, B., Wetzel, M. M., Dunham, H., & Murdter-Atkinson, J. A. (2021). Ways of Being in Community: Centering Preservice Teachers’ Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Field-Based Literacy Teacher Education. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 70(1), 408–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/23813377211026640


 

Books

Dr. M. Cristina Alcalde, Vice President of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Professor, Department of Global and Intercultural Studies 

Alcalde, M.C., & Villa, P. I. (2022). #MeToo and Beyond: Perspectives on a Global Movement. The University of Kentucky Press.


Dr. Ricardo Averbach, Professor, Department of Music, Director of Orchestra Studies

Averbach, R. (2022). Villa-Lobos and Modernism: The Apotheosis of Cannibal Music. Lexington Books.


Dr. Mary Kovach, Associate Professor, Department of Commerce 

Kovach, M. (2022). #Mindset: A Research-Based Approach to Understanding Motivation. Strategic Edge Innovations Publishing.

Book Chapters

Dr. Bernadette Bowen, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Media, Journalism and Film

Bowen, B., (2021). #WhatNext: Political Implications of the #MeToo Campaign Aftermath. In M. Marron (Ed.), Misogyny Across Global Media (pp. 1-22). Rowman & Littlefield.


Dr. Yu-Fang Cho, Professor, Department of English, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Asian/Asian American Studies Affiliate

Cho, Yung-Fang. "Rethinking Reproductive Freedom through Transpacific Narratives."  Gender in American Literature and Culture. Eds. Jean M. Lutes and Jennifer Travis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021. 96-109.


 

Have you recently published research or work surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion topics? Submit your abstract and information to us to be showcased in the next newsletter’s spotlight!

Looking for your submission? We received an incredible amount of submissions for this newsletter and are proud of all of the amazing work that is being done at Miami. In an effort to better showcase publications, we will be spacing content submissions throughout the year’s newsletters to allow everyone to receive the recognition they deserve and not be lost in the shuffle.

 

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Campus Announcements and Upcoming Events

Campus Climate Survey

Miami University is excited to announce that we will be launching a Campus Climate Survey for all faculty, staff, and enrolled students starting January 25 through March 1.  The survey will be distributed by a third-party to ensure anonymity and no identifiable information will be collected through the survey.  

The purpose of this survey is to ascertain the campus climate at Miami University  This campus climate survey will enable the various campus stakeholders to elevate and accelerate the University’s work to ensure we are an equitable, diverse, accessible, and inclusive community.

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary and will have no bearing on your grades, status or employment. There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this survey but the results from this study will be used to help inform future campus initiatives and policies. 

Once you complete the survey, you will be eligible to participate in a drawing for gift cards ($25, $50, $100) or Miam-branded gear and items.  At the end of the survey, you will be redirected to a new webpage to fill out information to participate in the drawing. 

If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to reach out to Cristina Alcalde (she, her, hers), Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at vpDiversity@miamioh.edu who is the Principal Investigator for the study. 


First Generation College Student Week 

National First-Generation College Student day is observed at colleges and universities across the nation each year on November 8. First-generation college students are among the first in their family to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Miami University values the rich contributions, diversity, grit and resilience of the Miami Firsts community. The university will celebrate and honor the Miami Firsts community with a full week of programming during the week of November 7. The Miami Firsts community boasts more than 3,000 students and a large staff and faculty ally community. In previous years, programming included a reception hosted by the President’s Office, fun games, parent workshops, opportunities to connect with first-generation alumni, career networking events, and social activities hosted by the Miami Firsts student organization.  


Cultural Resource Guide

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion is excited to share a new resource with the Miami community - Cultural Resource Guide.  This guide was created to support the transition of new faculty, staff, and students to our various campuses.  There are restaurants, grocery stores, community spaces, educational spaces, and mental health/wellness locations included in this guide to support a holistic introduction to our Miami community.  This document is not an exhaustive list but a starting point for folks as they come into the area.

Frederick Douglass Global Fellows Program

Inspired by Frederick Douglass’ transformative experience visiting Ireland more than 175 years ago, the Council for International Education Exchange (CIEE) offers the Frederick Douglass Global Fellows Program – a fully-funded, three-continent program that will take participants to Washington D.C., South Africa, and Ireland. The 2023 program will run from July 7 through August 4, 2023, with the first week virtual and the final three weeks taught on-site. Freshman, sophomores, and juniors who are a U.S. citizen, have a 3.3+ GPA, and identify as American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander are eligible to apply. The online application opens December 1 and will be due February 14. Questions? Reach out to Karla at guinigkm@MiamiOH.edu.


Exhibition: A Lens for Freedom: Photographs by Steve Schapiro

Come see this important exhibition open through December 10 at the Miami University Art Museum, Tues-Sat and late on second Wednesdays.

During the turbulent 1960s, Steve Schapiro was there with his camera capturing some of the most iconic moments of the Civil Rights Movement. Schapiro was also one of the leading photographers to document the activities, training, meetings, and so much more that developed as part of the efforts to help register Black voters in the deep South during the historic 1964 Freedom Summer campaign. The exhibition includes photographs taken on the campus of the Western College for Women campus in Oxford (now part of Miami University) during Freedom Summer '64. This exhibition is supported by Cincinnati FotoFocus and Richard and Susan Momeyer. To learn more about the exhibit visit - A Lens for Freedom: Civil Rights Photography by Steve Schapiro web page.


QT - Con: A Queer/Trans Conference

Oxford Campus

Monday, Nov. 14 - Wednesday, Nov. 16 | 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Shriver Center, Dolibois Room

QT-Con is a grassroots conference and convention featuring queer and trans research, creative works, and passion projects. Join us November 14-16 in the John Dolibois Room (Shriver Center) to attend our conference style mini-sessions and late night events! All events are free, and registration is not required - drop in for one or stay for as many as you like. For the full schedule and event highlights, follow us @mu_qtcon !


International Education Week

Oxford Campus

Friday, Nov. 11 - Friday, Nov. 18 | Oxford Campus

You are invited to join Global Initiatives to observe International Education Week at Miami, November 11-18. This annual celebration includes a wide range of activities and events in order to celebrate the diverse array of cultures on our campus and provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity for global engagement. This year marks the return of the Global Friendship Thanksgiving Dinner, an opportunity for international students and scholars to experience a traditional American holiday and engage in meaningful interaction and friendship with community members and Miami faculty and staff. For a full schedule of events, visit the International Education Week webpage.


DEI Events Calendar Submissions

For more information and updates, please add the DEI events Calendar to your Google calendar. To have your event added to the calendar, please complete the newsletter submission form.

 

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Capacity-Building and Leadership Development

4th Annual Across the Divide Conference

Leading through Innovation and Creativity for Transformative Inclusion

Friday, Mar. 31 | 9 am - 4 pm | The Marcum

Call for Proposals

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit proposals for the 4th annual Across the Divide Conference at Miami University.  This conference is the university-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion conference for Miami University, with a goal to promote a deeper community understanding of the key issues and diversity initiatives across the institution. The theme for the 2023 conference will be “Leading Through Innovation and Creativity for Transformative Inclusion”. This theme allows us to explore our innovative spirit and creative outlets as forums for effective positive change in our community and celebrating diversity.  Join us as we learn from each other and create together, as we work to be an ever more inclusive campus community together.  Our keynote address will be made by Ron Crutcher, Miami's first African American Provost, University of Richmond President, and Miami alum, and his speech is titled - I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership’

Deadline: Friday, Feb. 17


Campus Climate Project - We want to hear from YOU

As part of Miami’s holistic climate study approach, OIDI is conducting stay interviews with racially minoritized faculty and staff this semester. We are still accepting sign ups from employees for the Employee Stay Interview.

We are now also launching the climate interviews with racially minoritized undergraduate and graduate students. Information from this interview initiative will be essential as we develop a DEI Strategic Plan. Complete the sign up form for the Student Climate Interview. Thank you in advance to those who participate.


Bias Incident Reporting

We invite you to visit the new Bias Reporting web page, which contains information on how to report bias incidents. The new Bias Incident reporting form includes an accessible, new format.


Focus Theme for 2022-2023: Tribal Sovereignty

Focus is a university-wide initiative to coordinate activities of many groups, centers, institutes, and departments to create a year-long exploration of an important, and timely topic from multiple disciplinary perspectives. For the 2022-2023 year, the theme will be focused on Tribal Sovereignty. To learn more about this, visit the Miami Focus Theme website.


Myaamia and BCRTA Partnership

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of partnership between the Myaamia Tribe of Oklahoma and the university, BCRTA and the Myaamia Center unveiled a bus design. The Oxford bus features artwork highlighting the Myaamia language.


Anti-Racism Workshop (Online Format Added) 

Anti-racism work requires sustained, proactive education and engagement as well as systemic, intentional efforts at micro-and macro-levels. The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion is excited to continue providing this workshop for the new school year. New dates and an online option have been added to the sign up form, so check it out. If you are interested in OIDI providing this workshop specifically for your department, complete the Department Sign-up Form and we will follow up with you.


Freedom Summer of ‘64 Award Ceremony and Panel Discussion

Miami University co-hosted with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center this year’s “Race: A Necessary Dialogue in America” Symposium & Award Presentation. Recently the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has posted a video of the panel discussion and individuals are encouraged to engage with the discussion as they are able. The recording can be found on the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center’s Video Library.

 

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Applications, Nominations, and Leadership Opportunities

University Diversity and Inclusion Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 University Diversity and Inclusion Awards! Recipients were recognized for their exemplary commitment and contributions to advancing diversity and inclusion at Miami at the University Awards Ceremony on October 13.

Thank you to the award recipients, and to every Miami community member whose efforts contribute to making Miami more inclusively excellent for all.

University DEI Award Recipients

Photo:  From left to right, front row: Fauzia Ahmed, Jacqueline Rioja Velarde, Elizabeth Kerr, Kim Hoffman, Andrew Sawyer, Barbara Maccombs. From left to right, second row: Tekeia Howard, Akanksha Das, Cristina Alcalde, Stella Beerman, Laura Driscoll, Shayna Smith, Jessica Rivinius, Jerome Conley, President Gregory Crawford, Hiram Ramirez.

  • Institutional Inclusive Excellence Award: Dr. Rose Marie Ward
  • Distinguished DEI Service Award: Libraries DEI Committee
  • Distinguished DEI Services Award: Center for Career Exploration and Success
  • Ray of Light Award: Akanksha Das
  • Ray of Light Award: Dr. Fauzia Ahmed
  • Diversity Event of the Year Award: Annual Latin American and Caribbean UniDiversity Festival
  • Diversity Event of the Year Award: A Day of Reflection: 175th Anniversary of the Miami Tribe's Removal from their Homelands event

Freedom Summer of '64 Award- Call for Nominations

The Freedom Summer of ’64 Award was created to honor champions of civil rights and social justice. It is given in remembrance and recognition of the site at the Western College for Women (now part of Miami University), where 800 young Americans trained to register Black voters in the south.

This award honors the legacy of the civil rights movement, but is also a new call for students, faculty, staff and citizens to reconnect with civic service and civil rights at a time when participation, and standing for one's belief in their fellow humans is more important than ever," said Gregory Crawford, president of Miami University.

We invite all faculty, staff, and students to nominate individuals or organizations with exceptional trajectories as champions of civil rights and social justice.

Deadline: Friday, Nov. 18 by 5 pm


2023 University Diversity and Inclusion Awards - Nominations Open

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion is excited to announce the opening of our University Diversity and Inclusion Awards nominations.  We have six categories this year to honor and uplift the great work being done across our campuses by individuals, groups and units across the institution.  Award Nominations are due by Friday, March 10th by 5 pm and a description of each award can be found below: 

Ray of Light AwardThis award recognizes faculty and staff of the Miami University community who have demonstrated, advanced, or promoted activities, programs, or actions that have supported campus efforts to help enrich the experiences of faculty, staff, and students.  

Diversity and Inclusion Student Advocate Award - UndergraduateThis award recognizes a current undergraduate student who has worked tirelessly on campus and/or the local community to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.  This could have been accomplished through programming, policy, community building, and/or other initiatives to support Miami University’s commitment to an inclusive campus community.  

Diversity and Inclusion Student Advocate Award - GraduateThis award recognizes a current graduate student who has worked tirelessly on campus and/or the local community to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.  This could have been accomplished through programming, policy, community building, and/or other initiatives to support Miami University’s commitment to an inclusive campus community.  

Distinguished DEI Service AwardThis award recognizes the creative/academic contributions of a unit (including departments or offices) steeped in a consistent record of service that has highlighted or supported diversity and inclusion, as well as directly shaped and positively impacted the meaning and understanding of diversity and inclusion on campus.  This award considers efforts by the unit over the past two years. 

Diversity Event of the Year AwardThis award recognizes an individual (faculty, staff, or student) or group who hosted an event or series that engaged the campus community in a meaningful diversity and inclusion experience.  The event should have been a collaborative effort with various campus stakeholders to extend the scope and impact of the event on campus.  Events that have taken place from Spring 2022 to the deadline of the nomination cycle are eligible for this award.  

Institutional Inclusive Excellence AwardThis signature award is the premier award at Miami University that recognizes trailblazers on campus who have led or impacted policy changes, innovative programming, and/or demonstrated scholarly contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  This individual's leadership has inspired transformative change which not only meets Miami’s commitment to inclusive excellence but amplifies this mission through their extensive commitment to this work.


Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Student Advisory Council Applications 

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) is excited to announce the opening of the DEI Student Advisory Council Applications for 2023.  This council is one of three councils which both advise and move forward various diversity and inclusion initiatives alongside OIDI.  Students who are a part of this council get to contribute to the larger institutional goals for DEI and provide student perspective as we continue to enhance and grow as an inclusive campus community. 

Below are some specifics about the council, and we welcome both undergraduate and graduate students to sit on the council:  

Purpose Statement: The goals of this Council are to help maintain regular lines of communication with students (both graduate and undergraduate); to ensure students are empowered to provide regular input and recommendations related to student experiences with campus climate, new DEI-related initiatives, and DEI more broadly; and to proactively and collaboratively examine university efforts to address these concerns.

Council Composition: 12-15 students 

Frequency of Meetings: 1-2 times per semester 

Term of Position: 1-year term (January to December)

Application Deadline: Friday, January 13th by 5 pm

 

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Religious Observances and Inclusive Scheduling

Below are many of the religious holidays and holy days observed by members of the Miami University community for this quarter.

This narrative calendar is meant to complement the Academic Affairs calendar by providing guidance to help avoid scheduling important events, activities, and deadlines on holidays observed by members of the Miami community. This is not an exhaustive list. If you would like to suggest additions or edits please send your suggestions to vpdiversity@MiamiOH.edu.

You can also find information on religious, non-religious, secular, and spiritual diversity on Miami University’s Student Life webpage for the META Collective.

“*” denotes holidays that start sundown the day before. Please note that individual practices may vary.


November 2022
  • November 1: All Saint’s Day (Christianity) – Honors all the saints known and unknown.
  • November 2: All Soul’s Day (Christianity) – Day of prayer for the dead, particularly but not exclusively one’s relatives.
  • November 8*: Gurpurab (Sikh) - Commemorating the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the tenth Sikh Guru, known as the Father of Khalsa.
  • November 9: Birth of Guru Nanak (Sikh)- Celebrates the birth of the founder of Sikhism and the first of the Sikh Gurus.
  • November 15: Shichi-go-san (Shinto) – Celebrates the growth and well-being of young children.
  • November 15: Lhabab Duchen (Buddhist) - A festival observing the descent of Buddha from heaven to Earth.
  • November 23: Niinamesai (Shinto) – Harvest festival that gives thanks for a good crop yield.
  • November 26*: Day of the Covenant (Bahá’í) – Celebrates the appointment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant.
  • November 28-29*: Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Bahá’í) – Commemorates the death of Abbas Effendi, known as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921.
  • November 28: First Sunday of Advent (Christian) – Season of expectant waiting and preparation of the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

December 2022
  • December 3: Srīmad Bhagavad Gītā Jayantī (Hindu) - Lord Krishna revealed the Bhagavad Gītā to Prince Arjuna while on the Kurukshetra battlefield.
  • December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhist) - Commemorates the day that the historical figure Siddhartha Gautama experienced enlightenment.
  • December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) – Celebrates the solemn belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  • December 18-26*: Hanukkah (Jewish)- Festival of Lights commemorating the rededication of the Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt.
  • December 21-January 1: Yule (Pagan/Wiccan) – Winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, time to meditate on cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
  • December 25: Christmas (Christian) – Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
  • December 26: Zarathosht Diso (Zoroastrian) – Commemorates the death of Zarathustra.
  • December 26-January 1: Kwanzaa – Celebration of African-American culture culminating in a communal feast called Karamu.

January 2023
  • January 1: Oshogatsu (Shinto) – Celebration of New Year, commemorated by going to the shrine, thanking the kami (spirits), asking for good fortune, and letting resolutions known in presence of kami.
  • January 2: Vaikunta Ekadashi (Hindu) - Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is believed that on this day, the gate of heaven opens (fasting).
  • January 5: Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji (Sikh) – Birthday of the tenth and last Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji.
  • January 6: Epiphany (Christian) – Feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ.
  • January 7: Christmas (Orthodox Christian/Rastafarian) – Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in Orthodox Churches.
  • January 15: Makara Sankranthi (Hindu) – Celebration of the Sun god.
  • January 22: Lunar New Year Chūnjié (Chinese New Year) Seolnal (Korean New Year) Têt Nguyên Ðán (Vietnamese New Year).
  • January 26: Vasant Panchami (Hindu) – Holy day dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, patron Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science, and technology.
  • January 28-29: Myaamia Winter Gathering — A Myaamia winter-time gathering designed to bring Myaamia people together from across the country, with a special focus on aalhsoohkaana 'winter stories' and kiiwahtekaataawi koteenki 'stomp dance'.

 

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Call for Submissions

If you have any Miami updates or relevant information that you would like to have included in the next edition, please complete the newsletter submission form.

 

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With Love and Honor,

Dr. Cristina Alcalde

Cristina Alcalde, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
Professor, Global and Intercultural Studies
vpDiversity@MiamiOH.edu