We understand diversity to refer to the ways in which individuals may differ according to race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, class, and religion, among other factors.
We understand climate to refer to the way it feels to be at the Department of Psychology, as faculty, student, or staff. It’s the way people interact with each other. It’s the working and learning environment. It’s the extent to which each individual is valued and respected independent of the factors listed above.
We have a standing Committee on Climate and Diversity charged with seeking to improve the climate in the Department, to increase the diversity of our faculty, students, and staff, and to create opportunities designed to increase the diversity of the next generation of academic psychologists.
Initiatives currently underway:
• “Climate & Diversity Day” is an annual event that features a distinguished guest or one of our own faculty with expertise in diversity-related research. Events include a department-wide roundtable discussion focused on practical issues related to climate and diversity, and a scholarly talk by our featured guest.
• Fall 2007 Climate & Diversity Day will be held on September 6, and will feature Dr. David R. Williams, Florence Sprague Normal and Laura Smart Norman Professor of Public Health, Dept. of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard University.
• We will conduct a climate survey of the Department.
• The Fall 2006 Climate & Diversity Day featured Dr. Carol Padden, Prof. of Communication at UCSD and author of Inside Deaf Culture
• We are implementing a diversity audit (i.e., examining our profile on gender and race/ethnicity among our faculty, staff, and graduate students)
• We are partners in a NSF-AGEP grant to promote diversity in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences
• We are actively involved in summer research opportunity programs for undergraduates from underrepresented or otherwise disadvantaged groups, including our Department’s Psychology Research Experience Program (PREP) and the University’s Integrated Biological Sciences Summer Research Program.
• We host summer lab tours for visiting McNair scholars.
Of relevance to graduate students:
• We aggressively pursue funding opportunities for qualifying students for UW-based Advance Opportunity Fellowships and federal and private external sources.
• In the Spring of 2006 two of our students were awarded Ford Foundation fellowships
• During the summer of 2006 we supported three students from underrepresented groups with funds from the NSF-AGEP grant.
Related links and other resources:
• The UW Graduate School’s “Diversity Resources” page
• Department of Psychology’s sexual harassment contact person: Jill Cohen Kolb (608-262-3955; jcohenkolb@wisc.edu)
• Department of Psychology Committee on Climate & Diversity
Jeff Henriques
Brad Postle
Rich Prather
Carol Ryff
Rachel Sussman
Alec Widerski
|
