Welcome to the Faculty Success page!
St. Edward’s University fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment respecting the dignity and worth of each person. Our Holy Cross Mission calls us to actively pursue an inclusive, equitable and justice-oriented environment for all.
The Office of Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success provides support to faculty throughout their professional life on the hilltop. We offer workshops, training, and one-on-one consultations in addition to other resources that promote social engagement, personal growth and academic excellence.
For more information you may contact us at FacultySuccess@stedwards.edu
Professional Development Workshops
Workshops are offered throughout the academic year. Below are the workshops available to faculty from all Schools and Departments.
- Developing a Framework for Understanding Social Identities
- Reflecting on our identities and their impact on those around us
- Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation: Increasing our Understanding
- Racial Microaggressions: Reflecting on Our Identities and Actions
- Exploring Immigrant Identities: Ways to Support Our Community Member
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogies: An Asset-Based Approach
Consultations
Consultations are available to individual faculty, faculty committees, and colleagues within Academic Affairs on a variety of topics including bias, search committee processes, and faculty recruitment and retention initiatives, among others.
Professional Development Training
An Implicit Bias Training is offered to Faculty Search Committees as part of the current hiring process. The training walks the search committee through the entire hiring process with an emphasis on decreasing implicit bias. The training guides them to utilize best practices in their outreach, recruitment and advertising strategies to attract underrepresented candidates and
expand the diversity of the pool. It also provides clarification and guidance on how to develop rubrics and matrices used to conduct an equitable search process.
Implicity Bias Training includes:
Creating Job Ad
Implicit Bias Search Committee Training
Posting the Position
Development and Use of Rubrics
Review and Selection of Applicants
Preparing and Conducting Semi-finalists and
Finalists Interviews
The Faculty Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (FCDI) is committed to providing educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, religious, educational, and economic backgrounds. It values the diversity on our campus and works toward understanding and promoting such diversity. They align their work with university-wide goals with a particular focus on having a diverse faculty who helps students broaden both their national and international perspectives and enhance the possibilities for personal and institutional growth such diversity provides.
The FCDI welcomes all faculty, including non-tenure-track full-time, contingent faculty and staff members who wish to volunteer to serve.
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
Per the St. Edward’s University mission, we are committed to providing educational opportunities for students of varied 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 such diversity. One particularly salient consideration in meeting these university-wide goals is to have a diverse faculty who helps students broaden both their national and international perspectives and enhance the possibilities for personal and institutional growth such diversity provides.
Ways to Get Involved
- Email FCDI Co-Chairs: nbeck2@stedwards.edu or
ebernate@stedwards.edu - 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.
2023-2024 FCDI Meeting Dates
The FCDI will meet on these dates during the 2023-2024 academic year on Friday from 2:00-3:00pm
September 15:-
October 27
November 17
no meeting in December
January 26
February 16
March 22
April 19:
Definitions
Definition of 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.
Definition of 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.
Sub-Committees
Proposal(s) for Faculty Senate- all members
Mentorship - Kerrie Taylor, Kisha Barrett, Jeannetta Williams, Jennifer Jefferson, Monique Jiménez-Herrera
Inclusive Memory Building Practices on Campus - Stephen King, Kisha Barrett, Jennifer Jefferson
Parental Leave Policy - Kate Lopez, Kim Garza, Natalie Beck Aguilera
FCDI Leadership
Co-chairpersons
Natalie Beck Aguilera (Social Work, School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education) nbeck2@stewdards.edu
Emily Bernate (Languages, Literatures and Cultures, School of Arts and Humanities) ebernate@stedwards.edu
Quotes from Members
“Being a member of a group which holds diversity as a value has added to my faculty experience complete.” -Anna Escamilla, Social Work
“This committee holds the important role of ensuring that SEU continues to focus on ways to improve the diversity, inclusion, and equality of the faculty body.” -Kelly E. Green, Psychology
Community Learning in Mentorship and Beyond- CLiMB
![CLiMB]()
Mentorship promotes collegiality, community, professional development, significantly impacts faculty retention, and is central to our University’s mission. Mentorship on the university, school, and departmental level can benefit incoming faculty in learning the culture, current practices, resources, organizational flow, and networking; while improving teaching and learning excellence, research, and service.
Mentorship promotes collegiality, community, professional development, significantly impacts faculty retention, and is central to our University’s mission. Mentorship on the university, school, and departmental level can benefit incoming faculty in learning the culture, current practices, resources, organizational flow, and networking; while improving teaching and learning excellence, research, and service. CLiMB Program Goals
- Promote and provide formal and informal mentoring to faculty across the university.
- Support faculty retention initiatives and promote belonging.
- Connect incoming and current faculty to the greater university community.
- Provide consultation and collaboration opportunities for faculty to:
- Engage in scholarly activities.
- Plan career and professional development opportunities.
- Identify support for research, technical and grant writing, and publication.
- Apply and implement innovative pedagogical approaches.