The New Education & Training Program from the Office of DEIB

The Office of DEIB has recently updated their Education and Training Program for the KU community. We checked in with staff members from the office to learn about new resources and how staff can best utilize the programming.

You mentioned that the current Education & Training Program has been revised. What are some differences between the current and previous programs? What was the motivation for the revision?

We have made updates and additions to the “Reducing Bias, Preventing and Responding to Microaggressions” training, previously known as our “Intro to DEIB training”, so that it is less definition-based and involves more scenario-based opportunities for participants to apply learning and practice bystander intervention skills. The revisions were motivated by participant feedback asking for greater opportunities to practice skills and build confidence.

We have also added 2 new trainings, the first is "Supervision through an Inclusive Lens,” which is focused on sharing intentionally inclusive supervision practices for current and future supervisors. The second training “Leadership Framework for Action on Equity & Inclusion,” talks about different layers such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational and how to lead through this framework.

There seem to be a lot of great trainings offered in the current program. What would be a good place to begin for a staff member looking to get started? If people have already taken some of these trainings prior to the revision, are there significant enough changes that they should consider revisiting the material?

The first step we recommend taking is the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Foundations” online training which you can complete at your own pace through MyTalent. This is the training recommended as part of our annual employee trainings. Once you’ve completed that, we recommend our “Reducing Bias, Preventing and Responding to Microaggressions” training that covers similar topics, but also allows you to engage with facilitators and peers.

Prior to 2021, the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX offered a training called “Microaggressions and Unconscious Bias”. At the end of that year, we inherited this training and changed the name to “Intro to DEIB.” Throughout the past 2 years, we have slowly been making changes to respond to community needs and feedback. If you haven’t taken a training with us in the past year or so, we definitely recommend you sign up to participate again to see the changes and learn something new.

Are there any student and/or faculty-directed trainings that are available and relevant to staff members as well?

While we are connected to the online training that students and employees complete (“Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Foundations,”) the vast majority of our in-person and hybrid trainings are specifically designed for and delivered to Staff and Faculty audiences.  

KU’s Human Resource Management always offers “Compassionate Communcation Series” which is also a great resource for employees.

Another training open to all Jayhawks is the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity’s “Safe Zone.” They offer multiple levels of Safe Zone as well, so if folks have only taken Level 1, there are expanded educational opportunities available for them.

What can staff members expect from synchronous trainings? Can individuals access these or do they need to be in partnership with a department or unit?

We are creating a new training schedule for the Spring that will allow individuals to sign-up for pre-scheduled sessions. Previously, departments would request trainings for their staff and faculty members, but now we will offer set training dates where any employee can sign up to join. As with previously mentioned content revisions, this change in how we offer programs is directly informed by community feedback. We’ve heard from many that they would like to be able to participate in trainings with colleagues beyond their departments and we’re excited to see how this new approach goes.

We are hoping to offer in-person and virtual options to allow flexibility for those who may work off-campus. We will continue to consider department/unit trainings on a case-by-case basis.

Can you tell us about the training facilitators? Are they always from the Office of DEIB, or do you sometimes bring in external facilitators as well?

Most often, DEIB trainings are directly facilitated by DEIB staff. Our Director of Strategic Initiatives and Program Coordinators serve as the primary facilitators, but we’re working to get additional members of our staff in the facilitation rotation.

With regards to department or unit specific trainings, we are open to co-facilitators. This semester, for example, we had the opportunity to partner with Athletics to have some of their staff members co-facilitate alongside our facilitators.

Beyond that, we have helped bring in outside facilitators for training partnerships like our current Staff Senate/DEIB ‘DEI Facilitator Training” series led by V from Ampersand Workspace.

How will the Education & Training Program fit in with other Office of DEIB offerings, such as the RISE Toolbox and Concept Library?

Our Education & Training Program has been around for a few years now. During FY2022 we facilitated 19 sessions to 424 people. The RISE Toolbox and Concept Library are meant to be guiding resources for Staff, Faculty, Students, Equity Advisors, and Administrators across the University, sharing skills and resources that can help them participate in advancing inclusion on our campus. All these resources are meant to work alongside each other to provide many different learning opportunities on campus, and ultimately create a sense of belonging for all Jayhawks.

Where can staff find these trainings?

You can find links to The RISE Toolbox, the Concept Library, and all of our facilitated trainings at diversity.ku.edu. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out when new training dates are announced.