Monday, Dec. 7, 2020
Subject: Racial Justice Updates
Dear Colleagues,
The Division of Academic Affairs continues to support the important work of the Special Presidential Task Force on Racial Justice at Bridgewater State University. We are pleased to share the following opportunities with you.
- BSU’s virtual Mid-Year Symposium (MYS) of course-based undergraduate research and creative scholarship begins today, December 7, with a Live Session 12:00-1:15 PM and over 250 students’ Asynchronous Presentations viewable now through December 17. Presentations on topics of racial and social justice are highlighted with an asterisk in the MYS abstract book.
- BSU’s Office of Teaching & Learning (OTL) virtual Teaching and Learning Conference, starting this Thursday, December 10 (Reading Day), focuses on Justice, Equity and Connectedness: Envisioning Teaching and Learning for a Post-Pandemic BSU. The conference offers two tracks: (a) Racial Justice in Teaching and Learning, which shares anti-racist and decolonial teaching practices and curricular design as a means of advancing equitable learning environments at BSU, and (b) Engaging and Empowering Students during Remote Learning, which advances examination of the impact of our current remote environment on teaching and learning, including changes in pedagogy and effective practices BSU faculty, librarians, and staff have learned.
The conference begins “live” this Thursday, Dec. 10 at 10:00 AM with welcoming remarks from OTL Fellows Dr. Andrea Cayson and Dr. Castagna Lacet, President Fred Clark, and Provost Dr. Karim Ismaili.
The keynote address follows at 10:30 AM, by Dr. Renée T. White, Provost and Professor of Sociology, Wheaton College: Anchoring Ourselves in Shifting Sands: Reflecting on Lessons Learned this Year.
Live Sessions this Thursday include several concurrent presentations between 11:45 AM and 3:00 PM. They include an update on the work of the Racial Justice Task Force’s Curricula and Co-Curricula subcommittee at 2:15 PM.
Asynchronous Presentations can be viewed and commented on December 8-22.
Racial justice work in the division and across the university will continue during the winter intersession. We look forward to sharing with you a Spring 2021 calendar of workshops, presentations, and discussions on anti-racist and decolonial teaching and learning in late January.
With gratitude,
Karim Ismaili
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Pam Russell
Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs
Jenny Shanahan
Assistant Provost for High-Impact Practices