January – February 2024 Newsletter 

Dear Jayhawk Community, 

Our principal goal in the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is to inspire a university ethos shift that empowers students, staff, faculty, and administrators to reflect on how they can work individually and collectively to be change agents right where they are on a day-to-day basis.

In this issue, we share examples of the structural, programmatic, and community outreach work we do, in addition to the ways you can positively contribute and engage our campus community. From work with Human Resource Management (HRM) on exit surveys to increase faculty and staff satisfaction, to our Rapport programs that support student, staff and faculty retention through community engagement, we are working collaboratively across campus to bring us closer together.

As many of us watch international and national news cycles that impact our daily experiences and efforts to support inclusive community experiences, we ask each of you to engage in daily actions to transform challenging social and cultural events into actions that inspire change, new knowledge production, and innovation.

It is our collective responsibility to safeguard the principles of democracy and champion human rights within our university. Let us remain vigilant, recognizing that creating a culture of belonging is not just a choice but an imperative for every member of our community. Together, we can fortify the values that define us and inspire positive change.  

Stay resilient.

 

Nicole Hodges Persley 

Vice Provost of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging  

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast, hosted annually by the Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club and Lawrence Ecumenical Fellowship, took place on Monday, January 15th, in downtown Lawrence. The Office of DEIB, along with 30 Jayhawks from across campus, attended the celebration of Dr. King, Jr.’s legacy of civil rights and community service. Many campus equity partners were in attendance, including Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer, Vice Provosts, Deans, Equity Advisors, Campus Council members, and more. The annual event is one way that DEIB participates in RISE Priority 4: Community Engagement & Impact. This year, the keynote speakers were local Pastors Leo Barbee & William Dulin, who engaged in a dialogue about their long legacy as community leaders and civil rights activists in Lawrence. Their call for the greater Lawrence community to reflect on how our individual day-to-day actions cultivate our collective legacy had a tremendous impact on all in attendance.

DEIB would like to remind everyone about an important institutional process: Employee Departure Resources & Exit Interview Surveys. Departing employees (both those leaving KU and those transferring internally) are encouraged to complete an Exit Interview Survey. In this survey, individuals can provide feedback regarding their KU experience across multiple categories: Career Development, Compensation/Benefits, Supervisor/Chair, Position Responsibilities, and Training and Development. There are also a handful of open-response questions that provide an opportunity to share greater context regarding employee experience, unit climate, and any additional concerns that may have informed the decision to leave KU or their previous department.

This feedback is essential in helping KU identify opportunities to improve employee experience and work environment. The Exit Interview Survey can be completed anonymously, though we encourage individuals to share the name of their previous unit to help Human Resource Management (HRM) identify and track trends regarding employee concerns. The survey is also an outlet through which interested individuals can sign up for a dedicated, one-on-one Exit Interview with either a member of the Employee Relations team or Erin Duran, Assistant Vice Provost for DEIB.

At the end of the survey and the interview, participants are given the chance to consent to their feedback, positive and critical, being shared with leaders of their choice. Employee Relations staff then facilitate this feedback-sharing process by connecting with the designated leader.

Upon deciding to leave the University or transfer jobs within, we sincerely hope you will consider completing the Exit Survey. Please also encourage your colleagues to participate in this essential feedback process for the University. Additionally, while we know some Schools or Units may have their own internal exit survey or interview processes, it is essential that departing staff participate in the University-wide process to help HRM have the most informed understanding of employee experience and workplace climate and culture. We thank you for helping us get the word out!

If you have any questions about the Exit Interview Survey process, feel free to contact Erin Duran, AVP for DEIB, via eduran@ku.edu.

Have you heard about the READ Program?  

To honor Black History Month (BHM), the Office of DEIB has been highlighting the scholarship of faculty and staff who engage in African and African American Studies at KU with trivia questions related to their work on our Instagram (IG) Story. Trivia winners will win a personal copy of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, or Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey from our READ Program library. 

 

 

If you're reading this on February 29, 2024, it's not too late to participate!

Go to our IG Story and answer trivia questions #7 and #8, pictured below. A correct answer sent by direct message (DM) to the @ku_diversity IG will enter you into the drawing. More details about 'How to Play' and all BHM trivia questions are archived on our "BHM" IG Highlight. 

 

 

Other books that can be borrowed from the READ Program library include Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, The Sum of Us by Heather C. McGhee, and So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. Facilitation and discussion guides are also available for each book. We are currently adding new titles to our READ Program and will continue to share new offerings via our social media and upcoming newsletters. We invite you, your department, and/or campus committee to take advantage of these amazing resources, which open opportunities to host book conversations with colleagues at your own pace. Groups or individuals can borrow books for up to 10-12 weeks. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you are interested in borrowing from the READ program or have book suggestions to add to our library, please email diversity@ku.edu.

 

On February 7th, all KU Employees received an email from the Office of the Provost regarding annual trainings. These online modules are designed to help the University fulfill our mission of being an exceptional learning community that educates leaders, builds healthy communities, and makes discoveries that change the world. Living up to the University’s mission relies on each Jayhawk doing their part. In 2023, the DEIB training had a 77% completion rate. Our goal is to reach a 90% completion rate this year, and we can’t do it without you! While you have the choice to complete the training, we hope you will participate and encourage your colleagues to do the same. For full details about the trainings, and instructions for accessing the materials via MyTalent, review the campus-wide memo. If you would like to continue your educational journey and gain greater cultural competencies, sign up for a training on our DEIB Education & Training Program webpage.

 

The Office of DEIB is excited to announce some recent appointments to our campus Equity Advisor group.  

Please join us in welcoming these leaders to our team of Equity Advisors! 

 

Thank you to those who joined us on Monday, February 26th, from 1:00-2:00 P.M. for Belonging @ KU: Black History Month (BHM) Panel Discussion featuring topics surrounding belonging, and Black experiences in academia, publishing, and womanhood. Panelists included KU Professors Dr. Giselle Anatol who discussed her recently published children’s book, “Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold,” and Dr. Dorthy Pennington, who discussed her research and publications on intercultural and interracial communication.

See the READ Program highlight above to learn more about the DEIB BHM Trivia Game on the @ku_diversity Instagram (IG) account. There is one more round of trivia questions this month, so make sure you answer correctly to enter to win a READ book. 

On February 13th, the KU Medical Center (KUMC) hosted; “Dividing Lines: A History of Segregation in Kansas City Tour.” This event included a 90-minute bus tour narrated by Kansas City historian, Nathaniel Bozarth, and included  interviews with local students and city figures Sid Willens, Bill Tammeus, Mamie Hughes, and Margaret May.

If you are interested in this but missed the event, you can take the self-guided tour using the following link: https://voicemap.me/tour/kansas-city/dividing-lines-a-history-of-segregation-in-kansas-city

KUMC also hosted; “Community Conversation: From Redlining to Repair” on February 21, 2024. This virtual panel explored how redlining began, the importance of urban development, and how we can eradicate the effects of redlining in our local communities. Panelists included Ajia Morris, Kim Weaver, Dr. Toya Like, Marvin Lyman, Dr. Jason Glenn, and Danyele Shelton.

Learn more about this Community Conversation with the following links:

Additionally, DEIB Offices across KU's campuses, including the Medical Center, Salina, Lawrence, and Wichita, hosted BHM displays created by the KUMC Office of DEI. Images below were hanging in Strong Hall, in the Lawrence Campus display. 

The Office of DEIB works with many of campus affiliates to ensure that all Jayhawks have opportunities to engage in community dialogues that shape our collective capacity to thrive. As co-sponsors and advisors of the exhibit “Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See,” the DEIB Team was invited to a sneak preview of this traveling exhibit, along with its companion standing exhibit, “One History, Two Versions” which features important works from the Spencer's exceptional collection of African American art. Both exhibits are on display from February 9th - May 19th. “Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See,” tells the story of Emmett’s short life, the impact of his untimely death, and how his mother’s pursuit of justice influenced the civil rights movement.

DEIB highlights the work of the Spencer Museum of Art curator Sydney Pursel and museum colleagues who spent over a year dreaming and planning to bring this exhibit to the University. We also highlight KU professor Dr. Dave Tell, who has long worked with the Emmett Till Memorial Commission.
 
More info: https://spencerart.ku.edu/exhibition/emmett-till-mamie-till-mobley-let-world-see

The Spencer Museum is also currently showing the "Jacob Lawrence and the Legend of John Brown" exhibit, until June 16, 2024. Jacob Lawrence was an acclaimed Black modernist who conducted research to gain inspiration for his iconic prints which document the city of Lawrence’s role in the abolitionist movement, specifically pulling from Franklin B. Sanborn’s “The Life and Letters of John Brown, Liberator of Kansas and Martyr of Virginia,” published in 1885.

More info: https://spencerart.ku.edu/exhibition/jacob-lawrence-and-legend-john-brown 

Upcoming events and exhibitions:  

March 3, 2024: Learn about observing Ramadan by attending the informational panel featuring insightful discussions with students and professors hosted by KU Religious Studies. Event from 4pm-5pm at Strong Hall 330. More information.

March 5, 2024: Educate & Act – NAGPRA, by The Commons. The Educate & Act series features panelists speaking on topics of current relevance to civic action and engagement. Programs in this series feature presenters from across campus, as well as specialists beyond the University. Online event, registration required.

March 19, 2024: Tom Torma NAGPRA and Tribal Consultations. The Repatriation Education Series will provide a deeper understanding of the many aspects of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) emphasizing the important role of tribes and the cultural significant aspects of the repatriation process. In this segment, Tom Torma, KU Repatriation Manager will take participants though the tribal consultation process. Online event, registration required.

March 20, 2024: DEIB is hosting "Interrupting Antisemitism and Building Inclusive Communities" Training with trainer Jonah Boyarin on Wednesday, March 20, 2:30-4:00p.m. Online event, registration required.

March 21, 2024: Rapport for Graduate Students. Rapport for graduate students focuses on building intentional networks of care and belonging for KU graduate students. See link for location and time details. RSVP requested.

March 25, 2024: The February Sisters Lecture in honor of Women’s History Month featuring Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly. Against Triple Oppression: Black Women, Radicalism, and Resistance. This talk elucidates the analysis, activism, and agitation of radical Black women in the United States at mid-century whose ideas and action deeply resonate in our current moment of diminishing life chances for the majority. 7 pm @ the Jayhawk Welcome Center, Bruckmiller Room. Refreshments provided.

March 28, 2024: Rapport for Graduate Students. Rapport for graduate students focuses on building intentional networks of care and belonging for KU graduate students. See the previous link for location and time details. RSVP requested.

March 29, 2024: Join KU Religious Studies for a traditional Ramadan Fast-Breaking Meal. Iftar is the meal Muslims eat at the end of fasting at sunset each day during the month of Ramadan. Event from 7:30pm-11:00pm at the ECM, 1204 Oread RD. More information.

April 4, 2024: Faculty and Staff Rapport is an Event Series that is meant to foster and build community amongst faculty and staff on KU's campus. The events are open to staff and faculty from all KU's campuses - appetizers and drinks will be served! RSVP requested.

April 13, 2024: You are invited to attend the 2024 KU FNSA Powwow & Indigenous Cultures Festival. Details and more information can be found here and on the DEIB social media accounts as the event gets closer. Links to our socials are below, please give us a follow!

The Office of DEIB is committed to regularly providing Jayhawks with DEIB updates from across our institution. By self-selecting to receive emails, you can expect DEIB newsletters in   

Fall Semester: July/August, September/October, November/December    

Spring Semester: January/February, March/April, May/June

Click here to view previous DEIB Newsletters

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