Microaggressions don’t necessarily reflect bad intent but can still be very damaging. Therefore, it is important to proactively identify and address microaggressions within your department and your institution before they become a problem. Properly spotting and removing these challenging statements and actions can improve your campus climate while reducing absenteeism, turnover, and employee complaints.

This online training focuses on how you can proactively identify and remove microaggressions from your institution. In our first session, we will work toward understanding different types of microaggressions that are common in higher education and understanding what fuels these behaviors. During our second session, you will be introduced to a framework for removing implicit bias and microaggressions from your environment.

Who Should Attend

If you are in a management position at your college or university, this training is for you. Anyone interested in the issue of diversity and inclusion is also encouraged to attend this webcast, including:

• Academic Leaders
• Human Resources Officers
• Chief Diversity Officers
• Equal Opportunity Officers

Learning outcome

After participating in this online training, you will be able to address microaggressions more effectively at your institution.  

Agenda

Session 1: Identifying Microaggressions

• The “what” of microaggressions: understanding different types of behaviors
  • Microaggressions based on everyday life
  • Microaggressions based on age/race/gender/sexuality
  • Microaggressions based on hierarchy/role
• The “why” of microaggressions:  understanding the fuel for these behaviors
  • Cultural identity
  • Implicit bias

Session 2: Removing implicit bias and microaggressions

• Implicit bias removal – framework
• Microaggressions removal – framework + practice
  • Interpersonal level
  • Organizational level

Instructor

Myron Anderson, Associate to the President for Diversity, Associate Professor for Teacher Education, Metropolitan State University of Denver

As a member of the president’s cabinet, Dr. Anderson is the college’s chief diversity officer responsible for articulating and resolving current and future issues related to diversity. He is responsible for investigating complaints and mediating fair settlements between aggrieved faculty, staff, and students throughout the institution. In addition, Myron identifies campus climate trends that may assist in developing strategies to proactively promote “inclusive excellence.” Since Myron assumed his position in 2007, Metro State has seen its enrollment of students of color increase by more than a third, making up 28 percent of the student body in the fall of 2010.

Working to improve the institution’s cultural competence, Myron has led the Office of Institutional Diversity to focus on six elements: campus climate, recruitment and retention, diversity development, diversity initiatives, equity scorecard, and civic engagement. He facilitated the development and implementation of the college’s diversity strategic plan and led a successful college-wide campus climate survey effort. He also develops symposia on diversity, facilitates the ongoing assessment of the campus climate, and, in cooperation with the provost’s office, leads efforts to integrate diversity throughout the curriculum.

Kathryn Young, Associate Professor of Secondary Education, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Kathryn Young is an Associate Professor in Secondary Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves as a Faculty Fellow with the Office of Institutional Diversity at the university. Dr. Young earned a Bachelor of Arts in French Education from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from North Carolina Central University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy from University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Young has worked as an educator for 18 years and in higher education for the past 7 years. Her research interests include Disability Studies in Education, Inclusive Education, Cultural Competence, Diversity in Higher Education, and Microaggressions in Education and in the Workplace. Dr. Young has 15 published papers and numerous presentations across her research interests.