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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: August 19, 2022
Tammy Parrett (she/her)
Communications Manager
Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
tammy.parrett@gatech.edu
Summary Sentence:
Georgia Tech is supporting its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by expanding the curricula of implicit bias education for faculty and staff.
Full Summary:
Georgia Tech is supporting its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by expanding the curricula of implicit bias education for faculty and staff.
Implicit bias workshops will return to Georgia Tech, beginning this fallAs Georgia Tech continues to support its commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable campus community, Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will expand its offerings of implicit bias education to include more comprehensive curricula that will provide guidance on mitigating bias in the workplace and search committees and addressing microaggressions.
Additionally, IDEI will continue its collaboration with the Georgia Tech ADVANCE program to offer workshops designed to improve our understanding of how bias can impact hiring, reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes at Georgia Tech.
Participants will learn about the concept of implicit bias and how these unconscious mental processes may impact behaviors such as evaluating candidates during faculty search. They will also learn effective practices and strategies for conducting committee actions, and review empirical research on vitae, letters of recommendation, and teaching evaluations to illustrate the impact of implicit bias on decisions.
“I’m often so inspired by the commitment of our staff, faculty, and students to become better every day, make a positive impact on the world, and live up to our common values,” said Diley Hernández, associate vice president of Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “However, we understand that there is still work to be done in creating an environment where everyone feels included and able to contribute to our common aspirations in a way that is authentic, fair, and meaningful. This effort cannot exist in a silo – it must happen across the Institute so we can nurture and pursue our most ambitious goals together.”
IDEI introduced an expanded curriculum last spring through a partnership with Inequity Agents of Change founder William Cox, Ph.D., who conducted two virtual Breaking the Bias Habit workshops with faculty and staff promoting evidence-based approaches to reducing bias and creating inclusion.
“We were fortunate to have Dr. Cox join us and offer guidance on how to reduce bias in situations we see every day in higher education,” said Hernández. “We offered a limited number of seats to gauge interest among faculty, and we received strong support from our faculty attendees who found the curriculum incredibly valuable and created opportunities for great discussions among their peers.”
Additionally, IDEI will also launch a series of workshops focused on implicit bias in search committees, workplace dynamics, and microaggressions.
“Georgia Tech strives to be a national leader in modeling a culture of inclusive leadership and fostering an environment that reflects our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Kay Martinez, director of diversity and inclusion education and training. “Part of this effort includes expanding DEI programming within and beyond the Georgia Tech community to facilitate cross-cultural learning and increase cultural competency.”
Martinez hopes that participants leave workshops more knowledgeable about implicit bias and the ways it can impact and disenfranchise others.
“In addition to expanding participants’ knowledge, we hope people leave inspired to change their behaviors and work with others across campus to reexamine processes and innovate solutions,” said Martinez.
For more information or to register for an upcoming workshop, visit education.diversity.gatech.edu/trainings
