DEI March Updates | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

DEI March Updates

March 1, 2019

UPCOMING EVENTS

Critical Race Theory Discussion Series
With Faculty Discussant Phyllis Meadows
Friday, March 15 | 11:45 AM - 12:50 PM | 1110 Weill Hall | Betty Classroom
Phyllis Meadows, Ford School Towsley Fellow; Senior Fellow at The Kresge Foundation; Former Associate Dean for Public Health Practice, who researches public health, will facilitate the sixth and final installation of the Critical Race Theory Discussion Series on “Measuring Racism and Neighborhood Effects.” Lunch will be served!

Resources for Supporting Nontraditional Student Success
Workshop with the Center for the Education of Women
Friday, March 15 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM | 1220 Weill Hall | Max and Marjorie Fisher Classroom
This workshop will be an interactive session for students, faculty, staff, and program administrators to discuss the emerging needs of nontraditional students at the U-M and the strategies that can be implemented to create a more welcoming, supportive, and inclusive campus climate. Lunch will be served!

Faculty Showcase
With Ford School Faculty
Thursday, March 21 | 11:45 AM - 12:50 PM | 1110 Weill Hall | Betty Classroom
Interested to know what Ford School faculty do when they are not teaching? Join faculty as they discuss their community-based, volunteer, and political activities outside of the classroom. Featured faculty include:

Yusuf Neggers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Policy; Former postdoctoral fellow in International and Public Affairs at Brown University's Watson Institute

Kaitlin Raimi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Policy; Former postdoctoral fellow: Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment and Climate Change Research Network

Robert Axelrod, Ph.D.
Mary Ann and Charles R. Walgreen, Jr. Professor for the Study of Human Understanding; Professor of Public Policy; Professor of Political Science; Member of the National Academy of Sciences; MacArthur Prize Fellow

4th Faculty TBD - Edie Goldenberg Ph.D.
Professor of Public Policy; Professor of Political Science

We hope you can join us for the fall semester event showcasing the public and community-based work of Ford School faculty. Lunch will be provided.

Career Talk
With Daniel Zigmond
Wednesday, March 27 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM | 1210 Weill Hall | Frey Classroom
Career Conversation/Information Session
Wednesday, March 27 | 1:30 - 2:30 PM | 2228 Weill Hall | Graduate Career Services Interview Room
Office Hours:
Dan Zigmond is Director of Analytics at Instagram and oversees all data science and data engineering for the company. Prior to that, Dan spent two years as Director of Analytics for the Facebook News Feed, leading much of the effort to improve the quality and integrity of that platform. Dan previously started and led the data teams for YouTube and Google Maps and has held a variety of senior leadership roles at other tech companies, including Microsoft, WebTV, and JUST.
 

UPDATES REGARDING FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENT DEI-RELATED ACTIVITY

Promoting an Equitable and Inclusive Climate:
Mental Health/Wellness Resources
During the February 19 Ford School faculty meeting, faculty were presented with information on mental health and wellness resources available to students. The presentation was facilitated by Corey Stork, Ford School Academic Advisor.

DEI Professional Development for Ford School Staff
On February 18, Ford School staff participated in a professional development session on Courageous Conversations. This session examined conflict management styles, relevant scenarios, and strategies that lead to courageous conversation. The session was facilitated by Heather Alemu, Business Intelligence Analysts, Becky Moyland, Communications & PR Strategist, and Stephanie Sanders, DEI Officer/Lecturer.
The remaining sessions are:
Session II: Gender & Equitable Communities | April 8 |11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
Session III: Microaggressions | May 13 |11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • March is Women's History Month. TThis is an annual celebration to recognize the great contributions that women have made to our nation. The public celebration of women's history in the United States began in 1978 as "Women's History Week" in Sonoma County, California. In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) co-sponsored a joint Congressional resolution proclaiming a national Women's History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women's History Month. This month also includes International Women’s Day on March 8. To see a showcase of videos that spotlight women who have impacted our history visit U-M’s Organizational Learning website
     
  • Support for Ford School Student Organizations. There is available support for Ford School student organizations whose programming align with and advance DEI goals. The Y3 DEI plan is located on our website. As student organizations plan and implement winter initiatives/programs, please submit all budget requests to Paula Lantz ([email protected]) and Stephanie Sanders ([email protected]). All submitted request should include an event description, budget and expected funds raised from other sources.
     
  • The Center for Research on Learning & Teaching has announced its Winter 2019 Seminar Series. Sessions offer an opportunity to reflect on teaching and learning practices, practice active learning techniques, and exchange supportive feedback. An upcoming session that may be of interest include:
    • What’s at Stake: Instructor Identities in the Race & Ethnicity Classroom
      March 15, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | CRLT Seminar Room (1013 Palmer Commons)

 

NEWS AND UPDATES

Members of our community were asked to share an influential experience that connects to their Public Policy major or minor, work experience or research. This month’s student spotlight is Daniel Greene.

Degree: BA '19: Legal & Political Empowerment
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Affiliations: President of Central Student Government, Group Leader for Wolverine Support Network (WSN), Brother of Lambda Chi Alpha, and Brother Kappa Alpha Pi

 

“We will all fail at some point: receive a bad grade on an exam or policy memo as a student, witness a personal policy proposal fail to pass as a policy analyst, watch our desired candidate lose as a campaigner, or receive unfavorable program evaluations as a policymaker. Although no one enjoys failing, as policy students our commitment to service and public good should obligate us to willfully and openly acknowledge our shortcomings in pursuit of better policy. When we don’t get a policy right, the outcomes are still integral to our and others’ future efforts. When we obscure our failures, then we do a disservice to the values, ethics, and well being of the communities we seek to serve. So, wherever your next chapter takes you, please don’t be afraid or embarrassed to openly fail. After all, public policy should be about getting it right.”

What do you wish to share with the broad Ford School Community?

“As we approach the midpoint of the winter semester, I encourage everyone to invest in their personal well-being—and the well-being of our Ford community. The University has begun integrating a holistic model of well-being that focuses on a multitude of factors: physical, spiritual, financial, mental, social and more. Adopting this model as a Ford community helps us—students, faculty, staff—better provide a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for current and future Fordies.”

RESOURCES

Ford School of Public Policy

  • Susan Guindi, Director, Student and Academic Services
    [email protected] | (734) 615-7408
     
  • Paula Lantz, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Professor of Public Policy
    [email protected] | (734) 764-8976
     
  • Stephanie Sanders, Ph.D., Diversity, Inclusion, Equity Officer/Lecturer III
    [email protected] | (734) 615-4402
     

Campus Resources

Got news?
Do you know of an upcoming DEI related event that may be of interest to others? Send your news updates to [email protected] or call (734) 615-4402.

Thank you for supporting our DEI mission.

Best wishes,


Stephanie Sanders
Diversity Officer/Lecturer III