Archived Carolina Conversations
Spring 2019 Carolina Conversations covered the following topics:
April:
“Instilling Equity & Inclusion in Departmental Practices Guiding Faculty Recruitment and Retention” was facilitated by Dr. Nina Lyon Bennett, director, Member Education, Education Advisory Board (EAB) Strategic Research. The dialogue focused on helping to identify current recruitment processes and pinpointing areas to reduce bias, engage deans in the development of new strategic hiring initiatives to increase faculty diversity, improve research data collection relevant to diversity and inclusion, and improve professional development, mentoring, and promotion practices to increase the retention of faculty from underrepresented groups.
March:
Recently, the “Check Your Blind Spots” unconscious bias bus tour provided an opportunity for all members of the campus community to experience, through a multimedia platform, what “blind spots” are and how they have the potential to influence each of us personally and professionally.
“A Deeper Dive into Implicit Bias and Uncertainty,” facilitated by Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. G. Rumay Alexander and Senior Director, Education, Operations & Initiatives, Diversity & Inclusion Gretchen C. Bellamy,.invited participants to gain deeper insights about implicit bias and what Professor Jim Johnson described in last month’s session as the “certain uncertainty” of our world, the interplay between these two factors and the healthy exchange of various perspectives and insights. Participants will leave better prepared to navigate courageous conversations.
February:
“Leading and Managing in an Era of Certain Uncertainty,” facilitated by Dr. James Johnson, Jr., Distinguished Professor, Kenan-Flagler Business School, focused on the world we live in today: Increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Owing to a host of disruptive demographic, economic, technological and geopolitical forces, “certain uncertainty” is the new normal! Given this state of affairs, a portfolio of new skills and tools is required to weather the turbulence that undergirds this new normal. Come learn about what you will need in your toolkit to survive, thrive and prosper in the current era of “certain uncertainty.”
January:
“Weaving a Sense of Belonging into the Search Committee Process,” facilitated by Dr. G. Rumay Alexander, who serves as the University’s Associate Vice Chancellor/Chief Diversity Officer, Professor in the School of Nursing and Chairperson of the Faculty Governance’s Diversity and Community Committee.
This session addressed issues that affect those who serve on search committees. The discussion focused on the unwittingly cognitive errors that individuals serving on search committees sometimes make that can have an unintentional impact on this valuable recruitment committee as it does the work of vetting candidates for positions on behalf of the University.
Fall 2018 Carolina Conversations covered the following topics:
November:
“Cultivating Belonging Within Intergroup and Collaborative Partnerships,” facilitated by Dr. Gloria Thomas, director, Carolina Women’s Center, and Dr. June Merlino, associate director, Center for Faculty Excellence.
The goal of this session was to share strategies that incorporate belonging into everyday practice, policies and programs where partnerships are involved. The discussion and activities included identifying what is being done well and where there are opportunities for improvement.
Related Links:
October:
“Accessibility at Carolina: Nothing About Us Without Us,” facilitated by Tiffany Bailey, director, Accessibility Resources & Service
This Carolina Conversation, which took place on October 23, focused on how creating a sense of belonging includes providing accessibility resources on campus for those with disabilities and medical conditions. An overview of Universal Design principles and practices was provided in addition to hearing themes and stories from students identified in Accessibility Resources & Service (ARS).
Related Links:
- October 2018: “Accessibility at Carolina: Nothing About Us Without Us”
September:
“Cultivating Belonging Within Workspaces” co/facilitated by Becci Menghini, senior associate vice chancellor for Workforce Strategy, Equity & Engagement, and Gretchen C. Bellamy, senior director, education, operations & initiatives, for Diversity & Inclusion
The first Carolina Conversation of the semester, which took place on September 26, focused on cultivating belonging within workspaces. The interactive dialogue addressed the importance of how we treat one another, provide for each other’s well-being, and facilitate personal success. In this safe space, participants identified and shared strategies and practices that have been deployed at the department level to develop a sense of belonging had the opportunity to highlight areas that need improvement or resourcing and discussed possible collaborations or next steps towards their desired change process.
Related Links:
- September 2018: “Cultivating Belonging Within Workspaces”
Spring 2018 Carolina Conversations covered the following topics:
January:
“Am I My Brother’s Keeper” with Director, Ethics Education & Policy Management, Dr. Kim Strom-Gottfried
The session, which took place on Jan. 10, examined common ethical issues that emerge in the university environment, the barriers to action, and the steps all employees can take to create a safe and productive workplace. Universities are not immune to the problems revealed in the #MeToo movement. In fact, stark power differentials, professorial autonomy, and the pressure and rewards of scholarly success add complexities to the usual workplace challenges of upholding personal and organizational integrity. What can and should colleagues do to create a culture of respect, fairness and freedom from retaliation or harassment?
Related Links:
- January 2018: “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”
March:
“Navigating Unlawful Harassment and Uncomfortable Situations in the Workplace” with EOC Director of Title IX Compliance, Adrienne Allison, and EOC Director, Brandon Washington
This session, which took place on Mar. 21, provided an inclusive and interactive dialogue about sexual harassment in the workplace. Participants explored types of conduct that could be considered harassment and how to navigate and address potential harassment. In addition, we discussed the power dynamics that often allow harassing behavior to escalate and/or persist, as well as steps that can be taken to foster an environment in which harassment is not tolerated.
Related Links:
April:
“What does it mean to be a Public University?” with Michael Smith, Dean, School of Government and Frayda Bluestein, David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law & Government
This session, which took place on Apr. 17, addressed how we are directly affected, whether we are students, faculty members or staff members, by working at a Carolina, a public university. Participants were asked to consider whether its meaning changes in the face of declining public financial support, where there are advantages to being a public university? Disadvantages? This Carolina Conversation explored what it means to be a public university through an engaging, participatory dialogue from a range of perspectives.
Related Links:
- April 2018: “What does it mean to be a Public University?”