Campus is a microcosm of the larger world and calls for interdisciplinary collective action to uncover, interrogate, nurture curiosity, and spark conversations about our knowledge, how we know what we know, practices, and potential for growth. Naming Educational Whiteness (NEW) is a growing group of faculty and staff looking to examine Champlain’s history as a predominantly white institution (PWI) with a professional focus.
Inspiration began when faculty Dr. Faith Yacubian and Dr. Van Dora Williams (the film’s Archival Researcher) shared the film Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities in COR 101. This film examines the history and legacy of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which prompted subsequent conversation about how PWIs do not examine their own history in the same way. Intentional, informal discussion about how Champlain might become more curious, aware, and reflective about its own history led to the creation of NEW. This semester, the group envisioned, planned, and participated in a series of events meant to examine whiteness at Champlain College and within the disciplines where we teach and work.
NEW organized Spring 2021 events open to staff, students, and faculty (and some to the larger community). Considerations about when and how to include land acknowledgements, the representation on our panels, the elevation of content and voices of those often undervalued or under-represented in mainstream depictions of “expert” or “leader” were a constant in our work. We made efforts not to replicate ingrained white supremist habits in the construction of the events. After each event NEW members reflected on the experience, considered feedback, and adjusted practices. We partnered with the Center for Learning and Teaching to highlight and help amplify these event opportunities and canvassed instructors in each division for participation and inclusion.
This collective effort was not created to check a box; it is quite simply a community coming together to get to know one another, teach and learn from one another and engage in meaningful DEI-focused conversations. Participation was most robust for the first two events and, as expected as the semester wore on, groups became smaller. However, each event had a minimum of 20 participants. Even so, the discussion among participants in each event was rich and multifaceted, so much so that we increased the amount of time scheduled for programs later in the semester to allow for more participation.
We intend on continuing this work in the upcoming academic year and invite collaborators to amplify our efforts. We also intend to incorporate ADA inclusive practices, such as closed captions on recordings and image descriptions in power-point slides, which were only moderately incorporated this year. An oversight to correct. We will invite the Accommodation’s Office to join the partnership.
NEW Co-Conspirators:
We are a relational and interdependent group. Our roles and responsibilities reflect non-centralized and non-hierarchical design. Please consider this while viewing our names/faces.
