Come develop a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence and why it is central not only to how we prepare students to lead, but also to how we engage all members of our USC community. Learn about the ways in which the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seeks to operationalize inclusive excellence, as well as how we intend to use our equity and inclusion strategy to track the University’s effectiveness in four primary areas: compositional diversity, achievement, engagement and inclusion.  Register

Come develop a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence and why it is central not only to how we prepare students to lead, but also to how we engage all members of our USC community. Learn about the ways in which the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seeks to operationalize inclusive excellence, as well as how we intend to use our equity and inclusion strategy to track the University’s effectiveness in four primary areas: compositional diversity, achievement, engagement and inclusion.  Register

According to the CDC, “26 percent (one in 4) of adults in the United States have some type of disability.” However, according to the National Institute for Education Statistics, “A majority of college students with disabilities at both 2- and 4-year institutions do not inform their college of their disability.” This means that the number of disabled students in our classes far exceeds the number of accommodation reports we receive from the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), making accessibility a crucial need in every classroom. What can we do to increase accessibility in our classrooms beyond complying with official SDRC requests. Why do some students choose not to disclose? In this presentation we offer answers to these questions by centering the perspectives and experiences of our disabled students.

In addition to offering pragmatic advice for implementing accessibility measures grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning and exploring barriers to disclosure, we discuss how to incorporate disabled pedagogy into your course. To paraphrase the late Black feminist scholar bell hooks (1994), disability pedagogy is against all forms of oppression, domination, and repression and is for the development of educational spaces that are safe, inclusive, and liberatory. Furthermore, disability pedagogy takes an intersectional approach to recognizing how multiple identities influence student experience and learning. Drawing upon our own experiences as disabled educators, we examine how disabled pedagogy breaks down traditional student-teacher hierarchies and empowers students to serve as actors in the co-creation of knowledge. Finally, we discuss how to “crip the curriculum” in order to demonstrate to students that disability is an integral part of knowledge production. This session will allow instructors to gain a greater understanding of how to serve their disabled students and create a more accessible and equitable classroom experience.   Register

Just days after the start of the Greensboro sit-ins In February 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what would become a widely influential speech titled, “A Creative Protest.” Despite the historical and rhetorical significance of what is commonly known as the “Fill Up the Jails” speech, no recordings exist. Here, for the first time, using advanced digital and audio technology, this project provides an opportunity for scholars, students and citizens to experience and explore this important speech.

The Virtual Martin Luther King Project contributes to contemporary humanities scholarship through emphasizing an understanding of context, providing direct engagement with the importance of location, highlighting the content of this speech in relation to our contemporary moment, and illuminating the material consequences of this experience. Additionally, the vMLK project enables a deeper consideration and understanding of the very nature of public address as experience.   Register

During this webinar, you will apply practical strategies to redesign components of your course using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for course content, activities, and assessments. UDL is a research-based framework that instructors can use to promote inclusivity in course design to improve learning experiences for all students. We will discuss UDL and how you can apply the principle of Representation to course content, the principle of Engagement to course activities, and the principle of Action and Expression to course assessments. Please come to the webinar prepared to discuss your current course content, activities, and assessments.  Register

While persisting social inequalities have always presented challenges for educators, recent rising criticisms of research and the scientific process have made teaching these topics in accurate and meaningful ways difficult. This talk introduces the importance of gender, sex, and sexuality before discussing four barriers to using these identities in the classroom. How educators can transform these barriers into facilitators of critical thought, social constructions, sociopolitical critique, and methodological evaluation will be outlined. This presentation is designed to accommodate participants with limited knowledge of identities as well as those with advanced knowledge.   Register

The diversity in USC classrooms is rapidly increasing to include students from a range of countries and linguistic backgrounds. With all of the benefits that come from having a global classroom, there are challenges that are presented by this shift. As students try to succeed in a language that they do not natively speak and in a country where cultural differences can be confusing and overwhelming, these challenges often come to light in the classroom. This session will equip you with strategies for ensuring that your international students successfully learn the material and meet your expectations in the classroom.  Register

International students who pursue degrees at USC bring a wealth of cultural experience to campus, enriching the wider student body with access to broader perspectives and preparing them for a global workforce. They also experience challenges when relocating to the US, navigating cultural differences, acclimating to the unique features of US higher education, and managing linguistic challenges. This presentation will outline diversity, equity, and inclusion issues that are relevant to our international student population. Attendees will learn about the resources on campus that students have found critical for meeting their unique needs and assisting with their integration within our community.   Register

This presentation will discuss the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) , how students’ access and utilize services and accommodations, and how the SDRC works to support faculty, staff, and students. Examples of accommodations and services will be provided in regard to visible and invisible disabilities, permanent and temporary conditions, and the individualized impact of these conditions among students. Additionally, it will also review the transition of students with disabilities to higher education and the differences in student expectations and student responsibilities in college.  Register

Even in classes that discuss inequality and seek to center antiracism, the struggles outside our front door seem distant to some students, while others feel frustrated with pedagogy that feels disconnected from their lived experience. Grounded pedagogy seeks to provide local context to wider struggles and bridge the gap between students with disparate experiences. Grounded pedagogy involves three components: it is located in the university’s built environment, it is supported with data, and it links past and present.

You can use grounded pedagogy in the context of a law clinic that serves children charged in Family Court in Columbia, though it could be applied in any course that engages with issues of inequality and seeks to broaden students’ understanding of social justice. Grounded pedagogy guides students to understand the social context of the Columbia community without pathologizing it, which often occurs when students seek to understand clients and their cultures untethered from specificity and historical perspectives.

This context is particularly important for students who resist notions of systemic racism or oppression and in political environments that currently want to curtail discussion of those issues. In this presentation, the facilitator will draw on their experiences as a clinical law professor to demonstrate how a richer understanding of the local context of clients served can help students think beyond silos and better understand wider struggles from justice.  Register

Online courses are becoming increasingly popular at USC. As we move toward offering more online courses, students with disabilities may get left behind. Online course accessibility is important as we extend our reach and course offerings to a variety of students near and far. Join this presentation to discuss tips for creating accessible course content. After attending the presentation, you will be able to identify and utilize accessibility techniques and strategies in your online courses.  Register