Inclusion Education and Training: Diversity Trainers

Challenge

The number of students of color increased on campus over the last 12 years (more than 30% as of September 2020) as did the awareness of issues related to D&I. The Diversity & Inclusion Task Force recommended that diversity trainings be required of all employees. The group of eight members of the CCC community, including faculty, staff and administration, has agreed to administer the trainings. The goal is to ensure that CCC community members who participate are empowered with the knowledge and understanding to provide support for marginalized students.

Actions

As part of the work established by the CDI to promote global citizenship for a more inclusive and equitable campus, members of the CCC staff/faculty/ administration organized a group that has introduced four diversity training modules for the CCC community. The modules currently offered are:

1. Our CCC Diversity Community
2. Exploring Conscious and Unconscious Bias
3. Cross-Cultural Communication
4. LGBT 101 and How to Support Transgender students

The CDI supports the mission of the Diversity Trainers and continues to provide resources for the persistence of the program. The Diversity Trainers continue to assess the program and suggest new modules for the trainings based on their own interests and trainings. To expand the offerings, there are an additional four modules in the pilot phase.
The Diversity Trainers have also established a book club that recommends two books per semester for the CCC community and hosts a forum to discuss the messages and takeaways of each book. The book is selected by the Diversity Trainers a semester ahead of time, and the books are purchased by the CDI for distribution to interested participants.

Outcomes

Since the inception of the diversity training modules, 268 members of the CCC community have participated with 176 members of the CCC community completing all four. The expansion of the modules' topics include:

1. Bias Deliberative Dialogue
2. Religious Diversity
3. Accessibility
4. LGBTQ+ and being an Ally

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