For Your Information | October 15, 2020

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Dear Friends,

There is a lot of good news to share! This month UC Davis will be supporting more than 100 students, faculty, and staff as they participate in the Fall 2020 virtual conferences for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU): Championing Hispanic Higher Education: "Fostering Excellence and Social Justice." Aggies from several schools and colleges across campus will be participating. DEI and the HSI Task Force are leading the delegation for HACU, and the Undergraduate Research Center is leading the delegation for SACNAS.

The UC Davis MIND Institute collaborated with DEI to submit and win a grant from the US Department of Education to develop California’s first 4-year residential program for students with intellectual disabilities! The MIND Institute has a deep commitment to families and their children affected by autism, fragile X syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Down syndrome.  Our program at UC Davis will be part of the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, or TPSID. I’m pleased to be a Co-PI along with the project’s leaders, Dr. Len Abbeduto and Beth Foraker from the School of Education. 

We’re also pleased to announce that on Weds. Oct. 28 at 3 PM, UC Davis Forums on the Public University and the Social Good (previously known as the Provost’s Forum) and our Native American Studies Department, in celebration of the anniversary of the Ethnic Studies programs, will be hosting Walter Echo-Hawk, President of the Pawnee Nation, as a special speaker to discuss “The U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and NAGPRA.” NAGPRA is the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

A pre-panel will be held on Oct. 28 from 12 Noon – 1 PM, with legal and human rights scholars Professor Liza Grandia, Chadwick Smith (new director of the Tribal Justice Project, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, and former attorney general for the Tohono O’odham Nation), Law professor Raquel Aldana, and Native American Studies PhD Candidate Brittani Orona.  The program is open to all (register here), and is co-hosted by the Indigenous Research Center of the Americas and Human Rights Studies.

Election season is now underway, and in addition to our 11 actions page, and the anti-racism syllabus,  DEI has developed a new website called “Election 2020: Caring for Ourselves and Our Community.”  The page launches today, and features resources from Student Affairs, ASUCD, the UC Davis Humanities Institute, the School of Law, UC Davis Health, the University Religious Council, Student Health and Counseling Services, and more. We invite students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the community at-large to utilize this resource. We hope that it will be helpful. 

Please see more great information below. We thank you for your steadfast resilience; we invite you to continue to share and engage.

Kind Regards,

Renetta G. Tull
Vice Chancellor

Manetti Shrem Museum Introduces interACT: A Space for Community and Conversation
In this time of intense change and heightened dialogue, the Manetti Shrem Museum is committed to being a "third space" where conversation and connection can happen. With the UC Davis campus in a state of reduced operations, the museum is offering its Zoom webinar platform, interACT. They invite campus community groups to utilize this new resource for amplifying voices through virtual gatherings with museum staff support. Learn more and sign up.

Global Diversity Awareness Month
October is Global Diversity Awareness Month, a perfect time to celebrate and foster an inclusive environment for all ethnicities and cultures. The U.S. Census Bureau includes statistics and infographics on race and ethnicity trends from 2010-2018, which demonstrate the continuous growth of ethnically diverse people in the U.S.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government’ programs and services. As it relates to employment, Title I of the ADA protects the rights of both employees and job seekers. 

National LGBT History Month
October is LGBT History Month, a month-long celebration of queer identities. The celebration began in October 1994 when Missouri high-school teacher Rodney Wilson decided to create a curriculum for educators to better instruct their classes on gay history. Wilson became inspired after coming out to his high school history class while teaching a lesson on the Holocaust. Since then, LGBT History Month has evolved to educate the public on the achievements and legacy of history’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer leaders. Read more about the significance of LGBT History Month on the Aggie One Network.

UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Office of Campus Community Relations | AEVC Rahim Reed

Campus Community Book Project Mental Health Resources Webpage

We are pleased to release our book project Mental Health Resources page, which includes campus, local, national, and international resources. Enormous thanks to Sara Blair-Medeiros, Assistant Director of Outreach, Women's Resources and Research Center; Emilia George, Mental Well-Being Health Promotion Specialist, Student Health and Counseling Services; and Jill Lopez-Rabin, Project Coordinator, Center for Reducing Health Disparities for curating this list. In its nineteenth year, the Campus Community Book Project focuses on the theme of mental health and features graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney. Visit the CCBP Events page and subscribe to our online calendar for up-to-date event information and registration links. We also invite you to follow the book project on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Is It Bullying? Awareness, Understanding and Strategies

The objectives of this course are to increase awareness and understanding about bullying and other forms of abrasive behaviors in the workplace, become familiar with the policies and resources related to bullying and other forms of abrasive behavior. Participants will learn skills for responding to abrasive behaviors in the workplace, examine one’s own behavior (self-reflection) that impacts interaction with colleagues and workplace climate, and explore strategies for empowering ourselves and others in cultivating inclusive work environments. Throughout the course, participants will have the opportunity to discuss hypothetical workplace case studies and apply various proactive and response strategies to these cases. This course is developed by the Office of Campus Community Relations (OCCR) as a part of its Diversity Education Program, and is offered in partnership with Staff Development and Professional Services (SDPS). Sessions offered on October 21 and November 5 Register here.

Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | AVC Hendry Ton

Office of Student and Resident Diversity at the UC Davis School of Medicine Crowdfund: Future Healthcare Workers Serving the Underserved Award

Will you help us support our students? If there is one thing that we are passionate about it's uplifting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain opportunities and become our future healthcare leaders. The idea to help fundraise for our students in their journey to medicine is based in the personal experiences with and admiration for our students.

Becoming a healthcare worker is no easy task and it comes with a heavy price tag. Our students take out large loans to become health professionals with the goals of serving those with limited resources. We want to be able to offer our students financial support so they can focus on their aspirations and education, and to create an opportunity for students to decide that they can afford to pursue their dream career.

This award supports postbaccalaureate, medical and nursing students interested in serving underserved populations. This includes but is not limited to students who have faced economic or social barriers, including being considered “undocumented,” DACA, AB-540, or California Dream Act students. Students eligible for this award are currently enrolled at the UC Davis School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, or the postbaccalaureate program. Donate! Our Fundraiser is LIVE!

The annual Improving OUTcomes LGBTQ+ Conference goes virtual! 

The annual Improving OUTcomes Conference is back, now in a virtual setting! Join us for Improving LGBTQ Health Today for a Better Tomorrow: A Virtual Series in October, November, and December as we explore how health professionals and community partners can improve quality and access to care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) patients and their families. For more details please visit the conference website.

Office of Academic Diversity | Interim AVC Lorena Oropeza

University of California-Hispanic Serving Institutions Doctoral Diversity Initiative (UC-HSI DDI)

The Office of the President is pleased to announce the release of the University of California-Hispanic Serving Institutions Doctoral Diversity Initiative (UC-HSI DDI). This systemwide effort is designed to support faculty diversity by enhancing pathways to the professoriate for underrepresented students from California Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). The UC-HSI DDI program includes two components:

1. Competitive grant awards to UC faculty/faculty administrators that will support short-term and long-term programs/projects to enhance and expand pathways to the professoriate for underrepresented minorities, with a goal to increase faculty diversity and inclusion at UC. Please see the Request for Proposals for detailed application information.
2. Funding to support graduate student preparation for the professoriate. Specifically, there are resources to help support a limited number of PhD students, who are California HSI alumni and have advanced to candidacy at UC, to foster their interest and preparation for the professoriate, and additional professional development outreach and support for underrepresented PhD students with a goal to encourage and help equip them to consider careers in the professoriate. UCOP will coordinate directly with campus graduate divisions for this component of the Initiative.

Please note that applicants at UC Davis must (1) partner with an HSI that is on the Department of Education’s list (click here for a list of California HSIs), and (2) UC Davis applicants must contact Vice Chancellor Tull with their intent to apply to sign off on proposals.

Proposals are due Friday, January 29, 2021. Learn more here.

EVENTS

October 16, Friday

2020 Puente California Community Colleges Motivational Conference | 10:00am
Join the Enrollment Management and Undergraduate Admissions team at the 2020 Puente Transfer conference where Dr. Cornell West, Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and will offer the keynote address. Welcome remarks by Chancellor Gary S. May. Watch livestream here.

October 17, Saturday

Book Project: Alternatives to Policing in Mental Health Care | 12:30pm
A workshop by MH (Mental Health) First Sacramento, presented by the UC Davis African American Faculty and Staff Association (AAFSA) in partnership with the Campus Community Book Project. MH First Sacramento, a project of Anti Police-Terror Project Sacramento, is a cutting-edge new model for non-police response to mental health crisis. The goal of MH First is to respond to mental health crises including, but not limited to, psychiatric emergencies, substance use support, and domestic violence situations that require victim extraction. This event is 2020-21 book project features a yearlong program around graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney, and the overall theme of mental health. Register here.

October 19, Monday

Cal Fresh 101 | 10:00am
Cal NERDS and CalFresh in the Basic Needs Center have come together to help you during these challenging times. CalFresh is California's food stamps (SNAP) program. Learn how to get money on an EBT card to help pay for food. Many students qualify for Cal Fresh, but never knew that they did! In our efforts to provide you with more resources, we want to invite you to a virtual CalFresh Info Session. Register here.

October 19-24

Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) Virtual Conference
Calling all SACNISTAS, and/or soon to be SACNISTAS this fall! Lolita Adkins is the program manager at the Undergraduate Research Center (URC) and the UC Davis Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) staff coordinator and would like to coordinate a list of participants (students, faculty, postdocs, and staff) who plan to attend the SACNAS Virtual Conference October 19-24.  Please let Ms. Adkins know if you will be going by completing the information in the link. Feel free to pass this email along to others so we can spread the net far and wide. Complete the LINK if you plan to attend.

October 20, Tuesday

Book Project: Understanding Your Stress and Ways to Manage It | 11:00am
This workshop by Alison Ward, Psychologist, Academic and Staff Assistance Program will share resources on the Academic Staff and Assistance Program (ASAP) and tips to managing your stress. The 2020-21 book project features a yearlong program around graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney, and the overall theme of mental health. Register here.

October 21, Wednesday

“The family in inequality debates” - UC Davis School of Law Racial Justice Speaker Series | 12:15pm
Robin A. Lenhardt, Professor, Georgetown Law, (formerly a Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Center on Race, Law and Justice at Fordham Law School), specializes in matters pertaining to race, family, and citizenship. Before entering legal academia, Professor Lenhardt held a number of positions in the private and non-profit sectors. Register here for the lecture.

Police Accountability Board Public Meeting | 4:00pm
Held each quarter during the regular academic year, the PAB Public meetings provide opportunities for Davis and Sacramento campus community members and others, including people from the surrounding communities, to learn more about the board’s work and how to file complaints, and to raise concerns. The meeting is informal and follows an "office hour" format. To attend, please click here to register.

October 22, Thursday

Diversity and Inclusion Dialogue Series – Prepare to Care and Caregiving: Levels of Care and Community Resources | 12:00pm
No matter where you are in the journey of family caregiving - just beginning to anticipate a need, helping to coordinate a big move, or taking care of a family member full-time - having a god framework to guide both you and your loved one will make the process easier. Learn more and register.

October 23, Friday

The University of California Land Grab - Part 2: From Land-grab to Land Acknowledgement and Beyond | 9:00am - 12:30pm
This two-part forum examines the 150,000 acres of Indigenous land that funded the University of California is intricately tied to California’s unique history of Native dispossession and genocide, and how UC continues to benefit from this wealth accumulation today. The forum will explore current university initiatives with tribes and engage in a community dialogue on actions the University of California can take to address their responsibility to California Indigenous communities. Learn more and register here.

Book Project: The Mental Health Comedy Show | 8:00pm
Stand-up comedy presented by the Stand-Up Comedy Club. The 2020-21 book project features a yearlong program around graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me by Ellen Forney, and the overall theme of mental health. Register here.

October 26-28

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 34th Annual Virtual Conference
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has announced more than 50 workshops will be offered virtually under the theme, “Championing Hispanic Higher Education: Fostering Excellence and Social Justice,” as part of its 34th Annual Conference. General conference workshops will include topics of interest to Hispanic-Serving Institutions, offered under six tracks. A separate student track will be offered for undergraduates under HACU’s ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute. Learn more here.

October 27, Tuesday

“The trauma of injustice” - UC Davis School of Law Racial Justice Speaker Series | 12:00pm
Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean, Boston University School of Law, is a graduate of Grinnell College (B.A.), University of Michigan Law School (J.D.), and Yale University (Ph.D.). Angela Onwuachi-Willig has served as Chancellor’s Professor of Law at the UC Berkeley and is the author of According to Our Hearts: Rhinelander v. Rhinelander and the Law of the Multiracial Family and numerous articles in leading law journals. Register here for the event.

Book Project: Coping with COVID: Short- and Long-term Approaches | 4:00pm
A talk by Peter Yellowlees, Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Chief Wellness Officer at UC Davis Health presented in partnership with School of Medicine Alumni Week. Register here.

October 28, Wednesday

2020 Improving OUTcomes Conference Improving LGBTQ+ Health Today for a Better Tomorrow:A Virtual Series
Join us as we explore how health professionals and community partners can improve quality of and access to care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) patients and their families. Join us to Learn about clinical best practices and new LGBTQ+ research; Meet with regional and national experts in LGBTQ+ related fields; Brainstorm new ways to improve care in your field and beyond; Strengthen the link between UC Davis Health and the LGTBQ+ Community. Keynote Address by Dr. Jann Murray-García, Associate Professor, UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing,“Cultural Humility: Overcoming Our Stereotype Threat to Serve and Stand With LGBTQ+ Patients, Students, Community Members, and Colleagues.” Register.

October 29, Thursday

Conversation and Book Launch for Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists, The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art | 4:30pm
This event celebrates the recent publication of the survey of the work of a new generation of Black artists that accompanies the Young, Gifted and Black exhibition. Associate Curator Susie Kantor will be in conversation with collector Bernard Lumpkin, writer Antwaun Sargent and curator Matt Wycoff. Register here. The event will travel to the Manetti Shrem Museum in 2022. 

November 4, Wednesday

Claudia Rankine Reading and Lecture, Just Us: An American Conversation
Award-winning writer Claudia Rankine's timely new book, Just Us: An American Conversation (Graywolf Press, 2020) questions what it means to interrogate white privilege, liberal politics and much more in a genre-defying work that is being hailed as her magnum opus.  Organized by Professor Allison Coudert, Paul A. and Marie Castelfranco Chair in the History of Religion; Professor Katie Peterson, director of the Creative Writing Program; and the Manetti Shrem Museum, and co-sponsored by 23 UC Davis departments, centers and organizations. Register here.

November 13, Friday

UC's First-Generation Virtual Symposium | 9:00am
Join your peers from UC and other higher education institutions across the nation for a virtual symposium on first-generation college students. This occasion celebrates the 55th anniversary of the Higher Education Opportunity Act and is inspired by this year's National First-Generation Celebration Day on November 8. We welcome participants from divisions with oversight of programs that address retention, graduation and time-to-degree of first-gen students. Register for sessions here. The symposium will explore four themes related to the first-gen experience, including:

• Asian American and Pacific Islander students
• The first-generation population in graduate schools
• Practices for supporting first-generation students' career readiness
• The evolution of higher education in times of unpredictable challenge and opportunity

RECOMMENDED READING

Jocelyn Anderson, “Communicating Science,” UC Davis Magazine, October 12, 2020.
At a time when society increasingly looks to science for answers, UC Davis experts weigh in on imparting knowledge that increases understanding, engages audiences and breaks down barriers. Read the article here.

Ackerman-Barger, K., London, M., White, D. (2020, Nov.). “When an omitted curriculum becomes a hidden curriculum: Let’s teach to promote health equity.” Journal of the Healthcare Poor and Underserved. 34(1) suppl.

Ackerman-Barger, K., Sandvold, I., Patterson, D., Brown, K.Y., Douglas-Kersellius, N.V. (2020, Nov). “Leveraging collective impact to promote health equity.” Journal of the Healthcare Poor and Underserved. 34(1) suppl.
Associate Dean for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Director of Faculty Development for Education and Teaching, and Associate Clinical Professor in the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing Ackerman-Barger published two more articles about equity in health education.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Counseling Services Mental Health Resources Webinar [requires Kerberos log-in] One of the things we hear frequently from instructors about teaching in Spring 2020 is the extent to which they encountered students in their courses experiencing significant stress or crisis, yet they felt unequipped to help or direct students to resources. To help, Counseling Services provided a Mental Health Resources Webinar. If supporting students in crisis is a concern for you, please watch this previously-recorded webinar. Webinar topics include an overview of mental health services on campus, how to make referrals, signs of distress and how to respond, and how faculty can support students in the classroom (remote or on-campus). Student Affairs has also provided this folder of faculty resources.

Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center We are a student community space where you can find fresh fruits and vegetables during Fruit & Veggie Up!, get CalFresh enrollment assistance and find resources to help you find stable housing and financial assistance. 

Food Resources for UC Davis Students and Community Members Food is one of the most basic and important human needs, yet an increasing number of college students are going hungry as food insecurity gets worse. Food insecurity can not only lead to poor health, but it can also have detrimental effects on a student's academic, professional, and social life. Food insecurity can be brought on by various factors, including limited food access and financial difficulties. Here in Davis, there is a variety of fresh and health foods in grocery stores, restaurants, and farmer’s markets.

Campus Ready With the anticipation that our on-campus community will increase gradually over the next several months, we are introducing a robust COVID-19 plan to ensure that UC Davis is “campus ready” for you. What does campus ready mean? It means phases of return to campus. New policies, guidelines and protocols to minimize exposure. And a campus wide approach that follows prevention best practices including wearing face coverings, physical distancing, frequent sanitization and symptom monitoring.

Keep Teaching Instructional Resilience at UC Davis. To support UC Davis faculty during a time of COVID-19-related illness, quarantine, or campus closure, this site provides concise, practical resources and strategies for moving part or all of a course online to help you keep teaching.  

UC Davis Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion COVID resources page In English and Spanish to reach our communities and we are actively updating with new resources.

Content Submission Form

Do you have a DEI-oriented event, announcement, or article that you would like us to help promote through our DEI communication channels? Did your unit/department or a member of your unit/department receive recognition that demonstrates your commitment to DEI? If so, please send us your information through this online form.

We invite you to share and submit your thoughts and items for our newsletter (either current or future news and events) at diversityinclusion@ucdavis.edu

Thank you for your dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion!

#ThinkBigDiversity
https://diversity.ucdavis.edu/