Faculty Success: Faculty Belonging and Inclusion
St. Edward’s University fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment that respects the dignity and worth of each person. Our university's mission, guided by Holy Cross values, calls us to actively pursue an inclusive, equitable, and justice-oriented environment for all.
The Office of Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success promotes social engagement, personal growth, and academic excellence for faculty across the university. It provides faculty with resources that can be incorporated into every aspect of their jobs and throughout their professional lives on the hilltop.
For more information, contact Faculty Success.
Faculty Belonging and Inclusion on the Hilltop
Increasing our Sense of Belonging
Faculty Community Building Events
These events are offered throughout the academic year and provide opportunities for faculty from all academic schools to meet each other and connect in an informal setting. They encourage social engagement among peers.
Center for Teaching Excellence
The CTE focuses on a variety of activities designed to support our faculty and our mission, which include:
- Advancing new initiatives in teaching and learning
- Supporting innovative, inclusive teaching that enables student learning
- Facilitating a culture of continuous teaching improvement
- Building communities of teaching and learning across campus
- Providing support for faculty at all stages of their St. Edward’s teaching career
- Recognizing excellence in teaching
- Helping faculty create inclusive, respectful learning environments that foster critical thinking, empathy, and open dialogue around complex issues
Professional Development Workshops
Workshops on the topics below are available throughout the academic year.
- Immigrant identities
- The impact of microaggressions
- Culturally responsive and asset-based pedagogies
- Understanding diverse social identities and their intersections
- Creating the optimal classroom environment during challenging times
Consultations
Consultations are available to individual faculty members, faculty committees, and colleagues within Academic Affairs on various topics, including bias, search committee processes, and faculty recruitment and retention initiatives, among others.
University-wide Faculty Mentorship Program: CLiMB
Supported by the Office of Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success, and the Center for Teaching Excellence. Mentorship promotes collegiality, community, and professional development for faculty across the university.
CLiMB is a university-wide mentorship program developed and led by faculty
CLiMB is a university-wide mentorship program developed and led by faculty.
Mentorship promotes collegiality, community, and professional development, significantly impacts faculty retention, and is central to our University’s mission. Mentorship at the university, school, and departmental levels can benefit incoming faculty by helping them learn the culture, current practices, resources, organizational flow, and networking, while improving teaching and learning excellence, research, and service.
The Program is designed for faculty (Adjunct, FT, PT) of all social identities to participate as mentors or mentees.
CLiMB Program Goals
- Promote and provide formal and informal mentoring to faculty across the university.
- Support faculty retention initiatives and promote a sense of belonging.
- Connect incoming and current faculty to the greater university community.
Provide consultation and collaboration opportunities for faculty to:
a) Engage in scholarly activities.
b) Plan career and professional development opportunities.
c) Identify support for research, technical, and grant writing, and publication.
d) Apply and implement innovative pedagogical approaches.
How much time is involved?
The amount of time is up to you and your mentor/mentee. You will determine how often you will meet and the length of each meeting. Some people just meet up for coffee once or twice per month. Others prefer to set up 1-hour sessions in a conference room or office. The expectation is that you meet at least once a month.
What are the benefits of participating?
For both mentor and mentee, the benefits include building a relationship with a new person, gaining insight into your professional journey, and learning to navigate university systems.
Do I need any specific level of experience to serve as a Mentor?
To be a mentor as a full-time faculty member, you need to either hold an Associate Professor rank or be post-probationary. Adjunct faculty can serve as mentors during contracted semesters only and must have at least 3 years of experience at St. Edward’s and/or in higher education. Mentors should have demonstrated competence in at least some area such as grant writing, scholarship engagement, teaching, publishing, leadership, etc.
If I have been at St. Edward's for a while, can I still participate as a Mentee?
Yes, you can still participate. We can always learn new ideas and approaches. Consider the areas where you want to develop your skills and understanding and note them when you complete the Mentee Survey.
How do I sign up?
To sign up as a Mentor, please fill out the Mentor Survey. Links to an external site. This will allow us to match you with someone who shares your interests.
What if I have questions before I sign up?
We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Simply fill out this brief Interest SurveyLinks to an external site. with your questions, and we will respond directly.
Collaborations Supported by the Office of Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success
The Office of Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success collaborates and supports the FCDI. Below is a description of the committee, contact information, and ways to get involved.
The Faculty Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (FCDI) is committed to providing educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, religious, academic, and economic backgrounds. The committee values the diversity on our campus and works to understand and promote it. The committee aligns its work with university-wide goals, focusing on having a diverse faculty that helps students broaden their national and international perspectives and enhance the possibilities for personal and institutional growth that such diversity provides.
The FCDI welcomes all faculty and staff who wish to volunteer to serve on the committee.
Committee Vision
Create and sustain a civil and robust dialogue about the value of diversity and inclusivity within the faculty and staff community.
Relevance to St. Edward’s University
In line with St. Edward’s University's mission, we are committed to providing educational opportunities for students from diverse cultural, religious, educational, and economic backgrounds. Further, as stated in our Operating Principles, we value the diversity on our campus and commit to understanding and promoting it. One particularly salient consideration in meeting these university-wide goals is having a diverse faculty that helps students broaden their national and international perspectives and enhance the possibilities for personal and institutional growth such diversity provides.
FCDI Leadership: Co-Chairpersons
- Andrea Holgado, Professor of Biology and Director of Undergraduate Research and McNair Scholars Program
- Emily Bernate, Associate Professor of Spanish
Ways to Get Involved
- Email FCDI Co-Chairs: Andrea Holgado or Emily Bernate
- Join the committee.
- Seek mentorship.
- Promote attention to diversity and inclusion in your coursework and at the departmental, school, and university levels.
- Suggest diversity and inclusion topics for professional development opportunities.
“Being a member of a group that holds diversity as a value has added to my complete faculty experience.”
– Anna Escamilla, Social Work
Definitions
- Diversity
A diverse faculty and staff community refers to colleagues of varied social identities, abilities, and experiences, with an explicit focus on representing identities that have been historically underrepresented in academia and oppressed by systems of power and privilege. - Inclusion
Inclusion is defined as active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with and empowerment of individuals of diverse identities and backgrounds within university processes, activities, and decision-making. Inclusion is a practice of valuing and seeking diversity.
“This committee holds the important role of ensuring that St. Edward’s continues to focus on ways to improve the diversity, inclusion, and equality of the faculty body.”
– Kelly E. Green, Psychology