So the Dean/Chair/Provost asks you to sit on the Diversity/Equity taskforce (a thread).

You: What can you take off my plate to make this possible? Repeat if nec.

Right answer: a course release.

Wrong answer: anything that has to do with “expertise,” and “appreciation.”

You: What resources can you provide so this doesn’t impede my scholarship? (Repeat if nec).

Dean/Chair: 1) a research assistant/team or 2) your @NCFDD tuition or 3) do you want to go to @TheOpEdProject or . . .

Wrong answer: b/c of Covid we don’t have such resources . . .

Questions to ask:

1. Does this support or advance my own and BlPOC faculty/students communities larger goals?
2. Who is on the committee and who is leading it?
3. Is it advisory or will it have the power to implement?
4. Will you get faculty lines, grad student stipend ?

5. What’s in place to ensure the task force’s recommendations are adopted?
6. Is there a baseline budget attached to the task force? Or are these budget neutral recommendations?
7. Ask yourself: is there another more effective way I can add to or influence this conversation?

These taskforces will eat into your time, your energy, your sleep. Please believe.

Some institutions will make imp changes as a result. Some will do nothing/nada.

You can say no.

There’s lots of ways to say that, here’s one: “My focus is really on my scholarship right now.”

If you think the institution will follow through, you can still decline. Be in conversation with others to see who can do the work. Share this with them so they can get the necessary resources so this isn’t extra labor that so many women of color especially carry.

If you are a Dean/Provost/Chair and you’re asking your faculty of color/grad students to sit on #DEI taskforces, please see this entire thread. Summary: 1) take something real off their plates 2) offer resources to make sure their work isn’t impeded 3) have answers . #highered

I’m finally going to create a real website this summer. I’ll post threads like this there so they have a permanent home.