April at Evergreen means the Equity Symposium, an event that I look forward to every year. This year, I am particularly grateful to be part of an institution that honors and celebrates values of diversity, equity and inclusion and grapples with the complex issues that arise as we strive to learn across significant differences. I attend many webinars and professional development groups with higher education professionals from across the country, and I am continually reminded that in many states, pre-emptive compliance with federal threats has resulted in gutted programs and services for vulnerable student populations, widespread job loss, and restricted academic freedom. I don’t want to ignore some of the recent victories in these areas, including the dropped “Dear Colleagues” directive, but significant damage has already been done on many campuses.

Even in the most ideal circumstances, creating equitable learning environments is challenging, and we want to ensure that our faculty have the resources, knowledge, and support to navigate the shifting landscape of higher ed and teaching at Evergreen. This newsletter is full of events and resources with an equity focus, and we hope you’ll mark your calendar, click the registration link, and join us as we collaborate in this work.

Jaime O'Connor, Assistant Director
Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education

We always welcome suggestions for programming and encourage content for inclusion in this newsletter. Send your ideas to learningandteaching@evergreen.edu.

The Learning and Teaching Commons newsletter is delivered to your inbox on the first Friday of the month during the quarter. Click here to read past newsletters

In this interactive talk Dr. Dan Melzer will share the results of an institutional ethnography of the alternative assessment practices of The Evergreen State College that will be reported in his forthcoming book, The Harms of Grading in Higher Education (Routledge, 2026). Dr. Melzer will discuss the ways that Evergreens’ alternative assessment practices impact students, faculty, and the institutional culture of learning and assessment. Dr. Melzer will present the voices of Evergreen students reflecting on the positive impacts that Academic Statements and narrative evaluations have had on their agency, growth, and learning, as well as assessment challenges for students and teachers.  

Come early to enjoy a catered lunch! Talk begins at noon.

📅 April 29 | 🕘 11:30-1:30 PM | 🍽️ Catered lunch provided

The Washington Center is pleased to sponsor 20 Evergreen faculty's registration for the SBCTC's Assessment, Teaching, and Learning Conference. To join us for this 2 ½ day virtual event, email washcenter@evergreen.edu by April 10 to claim your sponsorship.

This year’s theme, “Heart. Mind. Community” focuses on supporting one another, growing together, and building a stronger human-centered working and learning ecosystem. 

Keynotes:

Nurturing Academic Well-Being In a Liminal time | Sara Rose Cavanagh, Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence at Simmons University

How Anti-Oppressive UD Creates Educational Equity and Sustainable Teaching | Diana Ma, author of Anti-Oppressive Universal Design for Teachers: Building Equitable Classrooms

Teaching for Authentic Student Learning in an AI Age | Flower Darby, Associate Director of the Teaching for Learning Center at the University of Missouri

This summer, Evergreen will host Washington State educators (K-12 through college), local businesses, and community partners for a one-day summit focused on fostering career-connected learning in the context of generative AI. [Learn more →] 

As generative AI rapidly reshapes our teaching landscape, we're asking critical questions: Whose interests are served when these tools enter our classrooms, and how do we claim our agency as a community?

Join us on Friday, September 11 for the Third Annual Learning and Teaching Colloquium, featuring Elisha Lim, Assistant Professor of the Technological Humanities at York University. In their keynote, "Why AI is 400 Years Old," Elisha argues that AI is not an unprecedented crisis, but a predictable outcome of statistical modeling engineered by 17th-century technofeudal corporations like the British East India Company. This talk will zoom out to hundreds of years of corporate governance and resistance.

The afternoon is yours to shape: faculty-driven dialogue, emergent topics, and space to explore the questions that matter most to your teaching practice.

[Details and speaker bio on our blog] | [Register for the Colloquium here]

📅 Sept 11 | 🕘 9 AM–4 PM | 🍽️ Catered lunch | 💵 Summer pay ($125) for full day participation

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki 

As you prepare your course materials and Canvas sites for this quarter, please take advantage of some of the Digital Accessibility Tools below to ensure equitable access for all students in your course or program.

Digital Accessibility Resources

If you’re not familiar with digital accessibility/universal design for people with disabilities, please check out this self-paced course “Accessibility Micro-Courses” (Canvas site) and the following sections:

Also recommended: NWHeat's upcoming free workshop! Keep Calm and Make it Accessible: A Conversation about PDFs

Interview with Cholee Gladney, Part 2 by Jess Yusko, LTC Student Partner in Learning and Teaching

This month’s newsletter will reach you as we are busy preparing for the Equity Symposium 2026 on April 15th, where we will be gathering as a learning community to promote connection, resilience, and meaningful change. The theme of this year’s symposium is Fires Rising: Igniting Resilient Movements.

As we are planning for and excited about the activities to be held during the Equity Symposium, this month seemed like an opportune time to share some highlights from my conversation with Associate Dean of Equity and Belonging, Cholee Gladney.

[Read the interview →]

There are many opportunities for faculty to share their achievements, and we want to encourage you to contribute to the wealth of knowledge in our Evergreen community. Learn more about how to share your work with our community.

Place your orders for graduation regalia now. The store has transitioned to an online ordering site for Faculty Regalia for easier ordering, and all orders will be shipped directly to the Greener Store for pickup in late May as usual.

Orders need to be placed via https://facultydirect.herffjones.com and be submitted by April 17, 2026. Orders placed after that date may require expedited shipping fees.

Artificially Intelligent: Resisting AI in Modern Learning

Kyle Pittman | The Evergreen State College

April 20 | 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Advancing Equity Work with Generative AI 

Jeremy Winn | Gray's Harbor College

May 29 | 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Pause and Seek the Miracle

emareena danielles & ambar martinez

June 24 | 11 AM - 12:30 PM

Writing Center

In-person and Online:

Monday-Thursday, 12pm-7pm

Sunday, 12pm-5pm (online only)

Tuesdays, 2-4pm (in-person Tacoma campus)

Tutoría de escritura en español:

lunes 2-7pm y martes, miércoles, jueves 3-6pm con Esmeralda (zoom)

lunes, miércoles, jueves 3-5pm con Carla (in-person y Zoom)

Esmeralda.Zuniga_Lemus1@evergreen.edu

Writing Center Spring Events

Academic Statement Workshops:

Wednesday, April 29th, 3:30-4:45pm in Library 2302D and on Zoom

Wednesday, May 27th, 3:30-4:45pm in Library 2302D and on Zoom

Evaluations Workshop:

Wednesday, June 3rd, 3:30pm-4:45pm in Library 2302D and on Zoom

Writers’ Circle: 

Student creative writing group every Wednesday, 5-7pm in the Writing Center (Lib 2304)

Writer’s Open Mic Night:

Wednesday, May 20th, 5-7pm in the Library Underground

Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QuaSR) Center

Sunday 12-5 pm virtual only

Monday-Thursday 12-7 pm virtual and in person

April 15 all day | 2026 Equity Symposium

April 16 | 12-2 pm | Community Reflection Time (multiple locations)

April 27 | 3-5 pm | Community Power and Legal Rights with Jay Stansell (lawyer and former Evergreen Faculty | at the SJC

[Learn more →]

April 29 | 1-3 pm in the SJC | Whistle Kit Making Party

[Learn more →]

May 6 | 1-3 pm on Zoom | Lessons from Minneapolis: Building Neighborhood Groups with community organizers from South Minneapolis

[Learn more →]

National Learning Communities Conference 2026 Call for Proposals

Mapping the Learning Communities Landscape | Charlotte, NC | Nov 11-13, 2026

The NLCC 2026 planning committee invites you to submit a proposal for a presentation or a poster at the National Learning Communities Conference. Creating a map of the learning communities landscape means understanding the broad distribution of learning community structures, practices, and pedagogies. We encourage practitioners, researchers, administrators, and all educators working with learning communities of any size or scale to consider submitting their proposals.

Please note that we have sessions specifically designed for people to share challenges or troubleshoot concerns in their existing learning communities or for individuals or teams hoping to build new programs or support networks.

Deadline for submissions: Friday, April 24, 2026 [Proposal Submission Form]

NWHeat workshop Keep Calm and Make it Accessible: A Conversation about PDFs

April 21 | 10 am [Details and Registration]

These individuals and offices are eager to support students. Keep this list handy when advising students or reach out to schedule a visit to your program or course. 

The Greener Hub connects students in touch with the people, offices, and services they need. 

Academic Support

Access Services for Students with Disabilities works with admitted Evergreen students to ensure equal access to academic programs and services.

Academic and Career Advising helps students navigate their educational journey, from choosing programs to planning for graduation and career development.

The Daniel J. Evans Library provides access to information in multiple formats, instruction in the use of available resources, research support, and serves as a repository of unique titles and collections.

Media Services provides comprehensive media support for the Evergreen community, offering a range of technical resources and expertise.

TRIO Student Success provides holistic support services for students who are limited income, first-generation, and/or those with disabilities, empowering them to persist and graduate at higher rates..

The Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center (QuaSR) promotes retention and equitable outcomes for students across identities and abilities in science and mathematics through peer tutoring and support.

Student Rights & Responsibilities addresses behaviors that violate the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, including academic dishonesty, disruptive behavior, harassment, and discrimination.

The Writing Center supports writers of diverse abilities and identities through peer-to-peer collaboration at any stage of the writing process.

Community & Wellness Support

The Basic Needs Center helps students access resources for food, housing, transportation, childcare, and financial assistance.

BLISS (BIPOC & LGBTQ+ Intersectional Support Services) provides holistic support services to foster an environment where everyone can be their authentic self, centering BIPOC, trans, queer, undocumented and DACAmented students.

The CARE Team works with students who need additional support by providing resources, partnership, and navigation of systems to assist in student belonging and success.

The Social Justice Center (SJC) is a place to learn, connect, and grow, working toward the co-creation of a community where each person experiences a sense of belonging, purpose, and interconnectedness. The Social Justice center hosts an annual equity symposium in Spring and provides small grants through the equity fund.

Student Wellness Services (SWS) provides basic medical and mental health care services to currently enrolled students through in-person and telehealth visits. tudents can access services through Health eConnect, a secure online portal found under the "Students" section of MyEvergreen.

The Title IX Office addresses reports of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. All Evergreen employees are designated mandatory reporters. Report incidents of sexual misconduct using this form.