Handbook of Diversity Resources

at Miami and Beyond

compiled by
Wend Nichols
Masters Degree Candidate
Student Affairs in Higher Education
and
Graduate College Teaching

January, 2011

Handbook Contents

Statement of Purpose

Miami University Diversity Statement

Miami University and Inclusion

Frequently Asked Questions About Inclusivity in the Classroom

Offices Supporting Diversity at Miami University

Resources on Multicultural Education and Diversity Issues
in Higher Education

Strategies for Teaching Diverse Students and Faculty

Web Resources for Developing an Inclusive Classroom

Statement of Purpose
As a graduate student in Student Affairs in Higher Education and Graduate College
Teaching, I am able to view the multiple dilemmas around diversity and inclusion in and
out of the classroom. Todays college students are different from past generations in
several ways, among them having distinct demographic characteristics, views of people
different from themselves, and attitudes about social justice issues. Additionally, conflict
around diversity issues is one of the dominant causes of tension between college
students. Many students need and want to learn how to engage in conversations across
difference. As well, this generation is not being exposed to multiple perspectives and
difference in the classroom. Most faculty and staff are not required or equipped with
resources or training on how to implement multiculturalism into curriculum or pedagogy.
In response to this challenge, during the fall 2010 semester, with the support of
CELTUA, I developed a Handbook of Diversity Resources at Miami University and
Beyond to be used primarily by faculty to help with resources and to start engaging with
students about and across difference. Multicultural education is necessary in higher
education in order for faculty, staff, and students to best prepare for and react to
differences to ensure that all students are welcomed and supported on our campus and
that all students learn to collaborate effectively with people unlike themselves. By
providing faculty, administrators, and staff with a Handbook, we can begin to deal with
issues of power, privilege, and oppression. These in- and out-of-class modifications will
help reinforce our desire for global citizens and improve the campus climate.
Wend Nichols, Masters Degree candidate, Student Affairs in Higher Education
and Graduate College Teaching, January 2011

Miami University Diversity Statement

Miami University is a community dedicated to intellectual engagement. Our campuses
consist of students, faculty, and staff from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. By
living, working, studying, and teaching, we bring our unique viewpoints and life
experiences together for the benefit of all. This inclusive learning environment, based
upon an atmosphere of mutual respect and positive engagement, invites all campus
citizens to explore how they think about knowledge, about themselves, and about how
they see themselves in relation to others. Our intellectual and social development and
daily educational interactions, whether co-curricular or classroom related, are greatly
enriched by our acceptance of one another as members of the Miami University
community. Through valuing our own diversity and the diversity of others, we seek to
learn from one another, foster a sense of shared experience, and commit to making the
University the intellectual home of us all.
We recognize that we must uphold and abide by University policies and procedures
protecting individual rights and guiding democratic engagement. Any actions
disregarding these policies and procedures, particularly those resulting in discrimination,
harassment, or bigoted acts, will be challenged swiftly and collectively.

http://www.miami.muohio.edu/about-miami/office-of-the-president/diversitystatement.html

Miami University and Inclusion

All who work, live, study, and teach in the Miami community must be committed to the
principles of mutual respect and positive engagement, which are integral parts of
Miami's focus, goals, and mission.
Miami University is committed to achieving excellence through inclusion and becoming
a truly diverse university. In fact, Miami aspires to become a national model in this
arena.
Miami's approach to inclusion involves every aspect of the campus and surrounding
communities. Our commitment to inclusive excellence is reflected in our mission and
values and our organizational structure, as well as in the formal and informal curriculum.
To develop ever greater levels of cultural competence, we work continuously to foster a
campus climate that supports learning and development. Although every unit on
campus strives toward excellence through inclusion, a number of offices have diversityspecific responsibilities.
Miami's commitment to inclusive excellence encourages us to attract and retain
significant numbers of students, faculty, and staff from historically underrepresented
groups as well as members of other groups that have faced significant barriers to higher
education. Miami offers a wide variety of opportunities for students and faculty to
explore diversity and inclusion in the context of courses, programs, and experiences
across the academic units and in the social dimensions of the campus environment.
Achieving inclusive excellence also requires the development of a psychological and
behavioral climate supportive of all students.

http://www.miami.muohio.edu/documents_and_policies/diversity_facts/

Frequently Asked Questions About Inclusivity in the Classroom

1. How do I manage student conflict and facilitate difficult dialogues in the
classroom?
The goals and outcomes of classroom dialogues are to draw forth genuine and
personal views that will be respectfully treated and openly considered. Because
ones social identity is informed by access to social, political, and economic
resources, it is vital that students and faculty be mindful of privilege, power, and
difference when engaging one another. Dialogue can provide faculty and staff
with tools necessary to navigate such challenging terrain.
http://cfe.unc.edu/pdfs/FYC22.pdf
2. What are the dos and donts of inclusive language?
Inclusive language is wording that aims to ensure that all members of society are
treated with equal respect and that no individual or group is overlooked or
denigrated. Inclusive language avoids terms that might be considered offensive
or which stereotype some people by needlessly concentrating on how they differ
from others. For example, language that makes assumptions about individuals
on the basis of their race, disability, sexuality or gender could not be considered
inclusive.
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/incl
usiv.htm
http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/Diversity/Reference/divdic.html
3. What is chill in the classroom?
Chill occurs in the classroom when a faculty members behavior unintentionally
makes a student, usually from an under-represented group, feel unwelcome and
excluded. Creating a welcoming and inclusive classroom involves being aware of
and avoiding chill in the classroom, incorporating inclusive examples, images,
history, and context into the course content, and employing varied teaching
methods that will foster the success of students with diverse learning styles.
www.ncsu.edu/diversity/promote/chill_in_classroom.ppt
4. What are strategies for faculty to examine the impacts of social identity on
teaching?
The incorporation of multicultural principles into teaching practice is a
prerequisite for meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Many
dimensions of diversity shape students' learning styles, approach to and
perception of problem-solving tasks, and manner of processing information
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(Morey & Kitano, 1997). Educators who recognize and respect the unique
identities and backgrounds of their students have the potential to facilitate greater
student learning and sense of personal efficacy (Gay, 2000).
http://ctl.iupui.edu/TSSS_modules/inclusive/introduction/1.html
5. How do I avoid stereotyping a student due to social group?
Instructors need to understand a phenomenon known as stereotype threat, or the
risk of confirming a stereotype about ones social group through ones own
performance (Steele & Aronson, 1995) as well as strategies to reduce stereotype
threat on college campuses.
http://www.arizona.edu/sites/arizona.edu/files/users/user14/Stereotype%20Threa
t%20in%20the%20Academy.pdf
http://www.arizona.edu/sites/arizona.edu/files/users/user14/Stereotype%20Threa
t%20Overview.pdf
6. What are key teaching strategies that can help engage students from
diverse social and cultural backgrounds?
In higher education, educators must take proactive measures to communicate to
students that they are welcome in the course and are seen as capable and
successful learners. Some first steps are addressing who your students are, who
you are as an instructor, how you teach, and what you teach.
http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/inclusive/strategies.html
7. How can I plan proactively for a student with a learning or physical
disability?
In higher education, educators must allow students to self-report their identities
and not allow socially imposed definitions to shape how we meet the needs of
this student population. Additionally, higher education community members need
to provide intentional opportunities for students to develop and share their stories
in a non-threatening environment.
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/lrn/RLC1LD%20Faculty%20Tip%20Sheet%20_2_.pdf
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/lrn/RLC1LDPrinciples%20of%20Universal%20Design%20for%20Classroom%20Instructio
n.pdf

8. Can faculty or staff choose not to provide disability accommodations?

Providing disability accommodations is not a choice. Because the University is a
recipient of federal funds, it must comply with section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, Title III, which sets regulatory
standards for access for students with disabilities.
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/CRLT_no17.pdf
9. How do I avoid gender- and heterosexually-biased language?
Problems in gender- or heterosexually-biased language occur when terminology
is unclear or when terminology has been associated with negative stereotypes.
There are forms of preferred terminology as well as ways to increase the visibility
of sexual orientation and gender in language.
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/language.aspx
http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/genderfairuseoflangems in
10. What does a multicultural curriculum look like?
Curriculum from any subject area can be altered to include multicultural content.
This can be accomplished by (a) inclusion of a variety of perspectives, (b)
discussions of social contexts, including issues of equity and justice, and (c)
activities that foster critical thinking and the development of self-awareness.
http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/diversity.html

Offices Supporting Diversity at Miami University

Most individual Miami University schools and colleges have offices or programs to
support multiculturalism and diversity. This list, while not exhaustive, provides
information about some major offices that serve the entire University community.
Office of Diversity Affairs (ODA)
336 Shriver Center, 3rd Floor
513-529-6504
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/DiversityAffairs/index.html
The Office of Diversity Affairs offers direct support to diverse populations, social justice
through diversity education, and multicultural programming and campus resources on
issues of diversity.
Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Services (GLBTQ
Services)
205 MacMillan Hall
513-529-0831
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/glbt/
The Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Services seeks to
make Miami University an open, safe, and inclusive environment for people of all
sexualities and gender identities. They provide programming, support, and resources
intended to raise awareness regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and
questioning issues.
Womens Center
205-211 MacMillan Hall
513-529-1510
http://www.units.muohio.edu/womenscenter/womens-center-home
The Womens Center helps facilitate the empowerment of women students, faculty, and
staff through support, education, and advocacy for the benefit of all members at the
Miami University community.
Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity
Hanna House
513-529-7157
http://www.units.muohio.edu/oeeo/
The Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity provides members of the university
community a place to request accommodations for disabilities, obtain guidance for
providing equal opportunity in personnel matters, and to resolve issues of harassment
and discrimination.
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Office of Disability Resources

Hanna House
513-529-1541
http://www.units.muohio.edu/oeeo/odr
The Office of Disability Resources provides support services, accommodations and
resources to ensure equal access to education, employment, and University life.
Office of International Education (OIE)
216 MacMillan Hall
513-529-5628
http://www.units.muohio.edu/internationalprograms/
The Office of International Education provides international education services,
consulting assistance, programming activities, and advocacy leadership in support of
the Universitys international education goals.
Center for American and World Cultures (CAWC)
105 MacMillan Hall
513-529-8309
http://www.cawc.muohio.edu/
The Center for American and World Cultures seeks to provide spaces of investigation
and encounter about American and world cultures to build students multicultural
competencies and prepare them for informed global engagement.
The Myaamia Project
200 Bonham House
513-529-5648
http://www.myaamiaproject.org/
The Myaamia Project strives to expose undergraduate and graduate students at Miami
University to tribal efforts in language and cultural revitalization.
Office of Learning Disabilities Services
14 Campus Avenue Building
513-529-8741
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/lrn/RLC1LD.html
The Office of Learning Disabilities Services supports students with documented learning
disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and provides
services designed to ensure access to University programs and curriculum.

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The Counseling Center

195 Health Services Center
513-529-4634
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/scs/index.php
The counseling center provides primary prevention programming and consultation to
students, faculty and staff that aim to facilitate healthy development and psychological
functioning of students and systems.

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Resources on Multicultural Education and Diversity Issues

in Higher Education
Miami University has an extensive collection of articles on multicultural education and
diversity issues in higher education. This bibliography notes a few of the most practical
and stimulating readings, especially for newcomers to discussions about teaching and
learning in the diverse classroom.

Adams, M., Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (2007, 2nd ed.). Teaching for diversity
and social justice: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.
This collection uses an integrated approach to social justice and oppression. It
presents theoretical frameworks, strategies, and practical suggestions for
facilitating communication and understanding across race, gender, class,
religion, ability, and sexual orientation.

Anderson, J. A. (2008). Driving change through diversity and globalization.

Sterling, VA: Stylus.
This book explores shifting the organizational perspective on diversity through
institutional and academic change. Additionally, the author provides practical
teaching strategies that engage student difference and empower voices of
diverse students in the classroom.

Artiles, A., Harris-Murri, N., & Rostenberg, D. (2006). Inclusion as social justice:
Critical notes on discourses, assumptions, and the road ahead. Theory Into
Practice, 45(3), 260-268.
This article seeks to discuss and analyze critically the idea of inclusion of
inclusion as social justice. There are multiple discourses on inclusion and the
disparate meanings of social justice that permeate the inclusive education
literature. Also the authors show the intersection of inclusion and social justice in
educational systems that serve culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD)
students.

Bowser, B. P., Jones, T., & Young, G. A. (Eds.). (1995). Toward the multicultural
university. Westport, CT: Praeger.
In this book, the authors explore the multidimensional nature of multicultural
education and strategies of inclusive teaching and learning for faculty and
students. They primarily focus on three oppositional cultures: African
American, Puerto Rican and Latino(a), and American Indian. Some of the
overarching themes consist of the necessary influence social change has on
cultural transition, Eurocentric education, and the present need for multicultural
education.

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Howell, A., & Tuitt, F. (Eds.). (2003). Race and higher education: Rethinking
pedagogy in diverse college classrooms. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education
Press.
Howell and Tuitt present a range of approaches for teaching students from
diverse backgrounds in the 21st century. They argue that as colleges and
universities become more diverse, pedagogies must evolve so that they take into
account students from different races, genders, sexual orientations, religions,
cultures, and abilities.

Ouellett, M. L. (2005). Teaching inclusively: Resources for course, department, &

institutional change in higher education. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
This book advocates for more transparent connections between change
initiatives at the individual, departmental, and college-wide levels by highlighting
the ways in which such practices and goals can relate to and support each other.
Additionally, the author describes programs and practices useful in addressing
diversity issues across the disciplines as well as within discipline-specific
contexts.

Renn, K. (1998). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students in the college
classroom. In R. Sanlo (Ed.), Working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender college students: A handbook for faculty and administrators (pp.
231-244). New York: Greenwood.
This chapter discusses the types of prejudices sexual minority students face in
the classroom. It has an overview of student learning styles and analyzes how
they might apply to LGBT students. It also offers suggestions for faculty
members to help LGBT students enhance their college experience.

Sarkisian, E. (2006). Teaching American students: A guide for international

faculty and teaching assistants in colleges and universities. Cambridge, MA:
Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.
This guide helps prepare international scholars to teach in classrooms in the
United States. It provides rich insights and practical wisdom that teachers who
were not born in the United States can apply immediately.

Tatum, B. D. (1992). Talking about race, learning about racism: The application
of racial identity development theory in the classroom. Harvard Educational
Review, 62(1), 1-24.
Tatum provides examples of teaching strategies for effectively incorporating
analyses of race and race relations into the curriculum, and for handling students
resistance to engaging in dialogues about race.

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Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Educating culturally responsive teachers: A

coherent approach. Albany, NY: University of New York Press.
Villegas and Lucas want to offer a coherent approach to preparing future
teachers to be culturally responsive. They argue that re-conceptualizing the
curriculum is not solely sufficient to prepare culturally responsive teachers
adequately. To provide a context, they review the current and future
demographic data for the student population and the teaching force. By better
understanding the changing demographic landscape, educators will have a
foundation for understanding equitable practices.

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Strategies for Teaching Diverse Students and Faculty

These web resources present several different types of students that one might
encounter within a diverse classroom as well as strategies and techniques to teach
students of diverse abilities and backgrounds.
Creating Inclusive College Classrooms
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/P3_1.php
This website presents a general overview, from course content to behaviors in teaching,
of how to teach in a manner that is inclusive of all student identities and backgrounds.
Perceptions of Faculty by Diverse Students
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/CRLT_no7.pdf
This website provides a study of several diverse groups of students and their responses
to a typical college classroom. The themes emphasized within the study show very
common racial perceptions of diversity and how these problems can be addressed
within the classroom.
Teaching International Students
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/facultyhandbook/teaching_nonnative_speakers.htm
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/briefing_papers/international_studen
ts.pdf
This website addresses issues to take into consideration when teaching students for
whom English is not their first language, or non-native speakers. These tips will help
assist teachers in better communicating with non-native students.
Teaching Non-Traditional Students
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/teaching/tips/tips_0900.html
Non-traditional students are students who are not predominantly young, white, middleclass, full time students. This website addresses the different learning perspectives of
non-traditional students and how teachers can best tailor their teaching to these
students.

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Teaching Students With Disabilities

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/disabilities.html
This website presents general strategies to accommodate students with disabilities
within the classroom and provides suggestions on ways to better assist them.
Teaching Adult Students
http://www.abacon.com/lefton/adult.html
This website provides common characteristics and needs of adult learners within the
classroom and offers techniques on how best to accommodate them.
Teaching Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students
http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/1796.html
http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/glbt/perspectives/gloss.htm
These websites provide useful strategies and tips for faculty members and departments
to create a climate respectful of all students. The recommendations will enhance
acceptance and security for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual students.
Teaching First-Generation College Students
http://www.tgslc.org/pdf/first_generation.pdf
This website provides a brief literature review of research related to characteristics of
first-generation college students, retention issues, and college intervention efforts for
first-generation students.
Teaching Experiences of Diverse Faculty
http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/faculty-diversity.asp
This website addresses the needs of diverse education professionals in higher
education.

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Religious (Spirituality and Faith) Diversity in the Classroom

http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/religious-diversity
http://aguon.org/Classroom_Applications.html
Some common questions about religious diversity are: How do we engage the reality of
diversity in the classroom? How do we encourage dialogue and empathy among
students? How do we create a community which supports religious pluralism? These
websites seek to promote thinking critically about new ways to teach and engage in
religious diversity.

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Web Resources for Developing an Inclusive Classroom

Chesler, M. A. (1996). Perceptions of faculty behavior by students of color (CRLT
Occasional Papers, No. 7). Ann Arbor, MI: The Center for Research on Learning and
Teaching, University of Michigan. http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/CRLT_no7.pdf
Slatta, R. W. (2006, November). Contribution from a colleague: Embedding diversity in
course content and assignments. FCTL Newsletter, 1, p. 1.
http://ncsu.edu/fctl/news/newsletter1.pdf
Tips for teachers: Teaching in racially diverse college classrooms. Cambridge, MA:
Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University.
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/TFTrace.html
Saunders, S., & Kardia, D. Creating inclusive college classrooms.
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/P3_1.php
Diversity in the college classroom. University of North Carolina Center for Teaching and
Learning. http://ctl.unc.edu/tfi2.html
Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/interactions/diversity.htm#st
rategies
Davis, B. G. (1993). Diversity and complexity in the classroom: Considerations of race,
ethnicity, and gender. http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/diversity.html

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