Making Your Campus Climate More Intrusive

Glenn Ricketts

At least, that’s what I think will be the likely effect of following the advice proffered here in today’s IHE.  In this case, it’s for a new subgroup – LGBTIQQAP – joining the ever-lengthening and subdividing list of categories to which you have to give “welcoming” and “inclusive” treatment when they join your department. If you thought “welcoming” meant showing new colleagues where the copier, the supply cabinet, the faculty lounge, their classrooms, and the parking lot are, do read the article – it’s a tad more complicated than that.

Similar to existing policies promoting “inclusiveness,” you really have to keep at it and tell the new hires how much you appreciate them for what they are, where they can find each other and network, how you wish there were more of them in the department, make serious efforts to learn a new vocabulary and professional idiom that "includes" and doesn’t offend them, attend “diversity” training sessions (Mandatory? Well, not exactly but...) that will probably help those like yourself to master all of this, etc., etc. I suppose their professional interests and academic abilities or interest in baseball fit in at some point, but “inclusiveness” is what really matters. 

Not only that, but the friendly folks in your school’s “Diversity” office will be checking up to make sure that your new colleagues feel appreciated and know where they can turn if they have any complaints or hurt feelings. It typically doesn’t take much to initiate an “investigation” with subsequent recommendations that further mandatory “inclusiveness” instruction is necessary. How I wish this were a joke

And if your department still doesn’t pass muster, just wait until you try to convene a search committee and assemble a candidate pool for the next job opening. I don’t think I need to elaborate further.

  • Share

Most Commented

October 29, 2024

1.

The Looming Irrelevance of Middle East Study Centers

Today’s Middle Eastern Studies Centers are facing a crisis due to the winds of change in the Middle East and their own ideological echo chamber....

November 19, 2024

2.

Lee Zeldin Should Reform EPA Science Policy

NAS welcomes the nomination of Congressmen Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency....

November 20, 2024

3.

NAS Welcomes Administrator McMahon's Nomination to Serve as Education Secretary

With McMahon, the new administration has a chance to drastically slim down and depoliticize the Education Department....

Most Read

May 15, 2015

1.

Where Did We Get the Idea That Only White People Can Be Racist?

A look at the double standard that has arisen regarding racism, illustrated recently by the reaction to a black professor's biased comments on Twitter....

October 12, 2010

2.

Ask a Scholar: What is the True Definition of Latino?

What does it mean to be Latino? Are only Latin American people Latino, or does the term apply to anyone whose language derived from Latin?...

May 26, 2010

3.

10 Reasons Not to Go to College

A sampling of arguments for the idea that college may not be for everyone....