Several campus offices presented information to faculty at this year's meeting including Chris Smith and Holly Baker of the Health and Counseling Center, Ted Mason with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Joe Murphy with the Center for Innovative Pedagogy. You may access below some of the resources, links and supplemental materials discussed in the meeting including additional information from Erin Salva, Director of SASS. There is a link to the Title IX Faculty Training presentation as well. To all who contributed, participated and attended the meeting on August 28th, thank you.
Participants and reference materials
Health and Mental Health Resources on Campus
Chris Smith, Director of the Cox Health and Counseling Center
Holly Baker, Associate Director of Counseling
This year, Kenyon College has partnered with EVERFI and their Back to Better Project to offer all currently enrolled students the opportunity to complete a course entitled Mental Well-being for Students. This course creates a comprehensive learning experience that:
- Reduces the stigma surrounding mental health and promotes conversations about well-being
- Introduces strategies for approaching challenges, including self-management, self-advocacy, and building a support system
- Empowers learners to support peers in crisis situations
- Connects learners with campus-based support and local resources
Students will have access to the course on September 6th and must complete the course by September 30th. Students will be taking surveys and assessments throughout the course, which will allow us to collect critical data on their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. This data will help us better understand and meet the needs of our students. We look forward to sharing our progress throughout the implementation as well as our final data report. If you have any questions about the Mental Well-being for Students course, please feel free to contact Holly Baker, Associate Director of Counseling.
Being Mindful of Trauma-Informed Advising and Teaching
Ted Mason, Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Senior Advisor to the President
Six Pieces of Advice on Affective Advising by Ted Mason
Video tool kit titled "Young, Gifted, @Risk, and Resilient: Supporting the Well-Being of Students of Color" created by the Steve Fund. Each of these six videos encapsulates research on campus climate, racial trauma, and supporting the well-being of students of color. Each is less than ten minutes long, so I'd urge you to review these videos for tools and strategies that will help you more effectively advise, teach and advocate for all your students and advisees.
Imad, Mays. "Seven Recommendations for Helping Students Thrive in Times of Trauma." Inside Higher Ed. 3 June 2020. This brief essay presents seven strategies that you can use in teaching or advising settings to empower and support students during this time of uncertainty.
Top 5 Things We Learned This Summer
Joe Murphy, Director of the Center for Innovative Pedagogy
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and
Classroom Strategies to Enhance Lecture and Classroom Acoustics
Erin Salva, Director of Student Accessibility & Support Services (SASS)
Havens, Greg. “Universal Design in the Age of COVID-19.” 9 July 2020. https://www.sasaki.com/voices/universal-design-in-the-age-of-covid-19/
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
- Learner variability can involve differences in learning preferences and capabilities, motivational characteristics, and environmental constraints.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles can serve as a compass to identify barriers and to maximize learning experiences for the multiple contexts of students during this pandemic.
The 3 core principles of UDL are the provision of multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression.
Classroom Strategies to enhance lecture and classroom acoustics
The following strategies are just a starting place for thinking about the way in which audio content is delivered and shared in your classroom. As always, the student is your best source of information so feel free to ask the student privately what works for them.
Communication Techniques
- Repeat or rephrase questions/comments from the class before responding.
- Face the class and speak naturally at a moderate pace.
- Avoid the temptation to pick up the pace when time is short.
- Do not speak while writing on the board.
- Lecture from the front of the room and try not to move around.
- Point out who is speaking in group discussions (large group).
- Do not stand or sit in front of a window where shadows will impede speechreading
Instructional Strategies and Classroom Services
- Captioned videos, overheads, diagrams, and other visual aids are useful instructional tools for students with hearing impairments.
- Using visual aids and materials during your instruction is beneficial for those with a hearing loss, as well as students who are second language speakers.
- If possible, provide transcripts of audio information. SASS can arrange CART services directly with the student.
- Allow several moments extra for oral responses in class discussions.
- Provide hand-outs (preferably electronically) in advance of lectures and seminars.
- Ensure key notices e.g. regarding cancellations or re-scheduled classes, are also announced in ways that are accessible to deaf or hearing impaired students.
- In lecture/discussion classes, consider seating arrangement options. Circular or horseshoe seating arrangements offer students the best line of sight for seeing all class participants.
- Work with the student on strategies to help them participate fully and find out if there are any specific adjustments which would be helpful for accessing course content.
Modifying the acoustic/physical environment
- Classrooms can be noisy environments that create listening difficulties for all students, especially those with hearing loss. Look for minor changes or additions to a classroom that can reduce ambient noise and improve acoustics (e.g. acoustic ceiling tiles, carpeting, curtains for windows, double-glazed windows, elimination of background music, rubber tips on chair, table and desk legs, and avoidance of open-plan classrooms).
- Open windows are going to be preferred this fall so it will be important to be aware of outside noise interference that may need to be eliminated or mitigated.
Title IX Faculty Training
Samantha Hughes, Civil Rights/Title IX Coordinator, Office for Civil Rights
Kevin Peterson, Civil Rights/TitleIX Deputy Coordinator, Office for Civil Rights
Civil Rights & Title IX Training, Fall 2020
Quiz Q&A 1-9, Civil Rights Training - Faculty Session
Quiz Q&A 10-14, Civil Rights Training - Faculty Session