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Unit Contributions to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion 6558

Tue, 10/17/2017 - 13:23 — hata
Academic Years: 
2017-2018
Department: 
American English Institute
Division: 
Humanities
Academics
1. Faculty: 

1) Daily interaction with international students.
2) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for 100,000 educators in over 200 countries.
3) Online teacher training for differentiated instruction and universal design.
4) Present to audiences around the globe - taking AEI and UO to places far away in person and virtually.
5) Voice of America "Let's Teach English" series intended for those abroad (https://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/5203/about)

4) E-learning programs for self-identified students with various needs.

2. Staff: 

1) Daily interaction with international students.
2) Developing policies, processes and services to support international students.
3) Providing extensive student services to aid in the linguistic, cultural, and academic adaptation of international students to the US American environment.

3. Graduate Programs: 

1) Four new graduate level courses were developed and approved by the UO Curriculum Committee to focus on specific graduate-level skills such as writing, pronunciation, and international GE teacher training. These courses are cross listed as Academic English for International Students (AEIS) and Graduate Studies (GRST).
2) New Intensive English Program (IEP) track for graduate students was developed.
3) Testing and training of international Graduate Employees (GEs) on campus.
4) Oral proficiency testing for pre-admitted students.

4. Undergraduate Programs: 

1) The Global Bridge (or iFIG) program was launched in Fall 2017 with 146 students participating (https://fyp.uoregon.edu/figs-international-students).
2) The AEIS programs: AEIS offers undergraduate for-credit courses for international students.
4) FISSC (First Year International Student Success Collaborative).
In response to a request for proposals from the Lisa Freinkl, Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies, and in partnership with the Office of Academic Advising, AEI submitted a proposal to develop what we call the "First Year International Student Success Collaborative." This proposal outlined a number of steps designed to help international students more successfully integrate into the UO community, take advantage of services available to them, and thus increase retention and six-year graduation rates. The steps proposed include:
a) Support student transition to US/UO academic culture and systems through redesigning the content delivered in the AEIS 101: Introductory Academic Oral Communication curriculum.
b) Infused academic advising and student success content specific to the needs of the international student populations.
c) Increased cross campus coordination and improve delivery of student services among units that focus on and/or serve international students.
d) Created learning communities through the development of a cohort model in which students are enrolled in linked courses that focus on building stronger connection to campus and related resources.
e) Developed enrollment structures that will guarantee matriculation of incoming students into appropriate AIES course sequences, enabling them to complete all courses during their first year.
In response to this proposal, funds were allocated to support course development work, and a pilot version of the revamped AEIS 101 which incorporates steps a) through c) outlined above ran in Fall 2015.
5) EAPiC (English for Academic Purposes in Context): In another attempt to increase the engagement and success of international students at the UO, AEI worked with faculty in the Physics Department to develop English support discussion sections for their popular PHYS 101 course. This work was supported by the College of Arts and Sciences GenEd Renaissance initiative.
6) AEIS co-coordiantes an Upper Level cross cultural communication Business certificate for native/non-native speakers for. Offered each term, always full. Great way for international and domestic students to interact.
7) Pursuing a Minor in English as an International Language to expose students (native and non-native English speakers) to Englishes of the world and how to engage in a global environment.

5. Outreach and Partnerships: 

1) Work closely with the UO Accessible Education Center and Testing Center to provide accommodations to students in AEI programs.
2) Offer the Accelerating Accessibility Scholarship for a student with disability through collaboration with Mobility International USA (MIUSA), a local non-profit organization that promotes international education for leaders with disabilities.
3) Offer Friday PD sessions on how to be supportive of faculty, staff and students with disabilities. Other departments including the Accessible Education Center on campus and MIUSA often join the sessions.
4) Work with Office of International Affairs to support international students and education.
5) Offer one tuition waiver to ELAW Fellow for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged grassroots leaders to work with ELAW study in the AEI.
6) Hosting ORTESOL in November 2017 with the focus on Supporting Diverse Learners in ESOL - brings professionals from around Oregon and neighboring states and professionals from K-12 and HEIs.
7) AEI faculty and staff serve as leaders in several professional organizations including TESOL, Study Oregon, and UCIEP.
8) AEI has partnerships with Voice of America, Organization of American States, Alianza Binational Center Uruguay-USA, and several universities in Japan.

6. Other: 

1) Introduce resources on disability-related services in the International Student Success (ISS), the ongoing orientation course which is required for all incoming students.
2) Post LGBTQ-friendly stickers all around the department.
3) Be encouraging of all sexual orientation and gender identity being ‘normalized’ in the classroom, in materials and activities, at the discretion of the instructor.
4) Introduce the laws and policies regarding LGBTQ positively during the Student Conduct Orientation for incoming students.
5) Install multilingual "welcome" signs on all entrances and several office doors in Agate Hall.
6) Hire dozens of UO students to be tutors (in ESL classrooms and at the help desk), conversation partners (cross cultural sharing), activities team members (participate in service learning, community service, and on activities with intensive English program events), and as Faculty and Staff Support Team (FASST) members.

Staff
1. University Service: 

1) Modifications to make Agate Hall a more welcoming place for diverse communities - "welcome" signs in several languages have been placed on our doors and male and female meditation rooms have been assigned.
2) Created the AEI resource webpage with AEI-specific resources with links and docs on supporting students with disabilities.
3) Assist and support international students across campus including collaborating with the Health Center and University Housing. For example, our marketing team created videos in different languages for use by the Health Center in communicating immunization and health insurance requirements.

2. Departmental Contributions: 

1) Constructed the building so that all of the classes are on the first floor (because of the lack of an elevator), so that there was a kitchen on the first floor, and any student-related traffic areas that faculty might need to visit were on the first floor
2) Offer an all-gender bathroom in Agate.
3) Renovated Agate building to include 2 contemplative spaces and footbaths in the restrooms.
4) Before the Ramadan in 2017, the newly created AEI Diversity Committee ensured that the prayer space is well advertised through different media and languages, as well as by improving the prayer space.
3) Hold all-faculty/staff meetings, larger events and activities on the first floor where they are more accessible.
3) Present the UO Diversity Statement in the application form and admission package.

3. Community Service and Outreach: 

1) Work with Office of International Affairs to support and collaborate on programming for international students.
2) Student activities office engages international students in the community and fosters interaction both on and off-campus, through cultural and service learning opportunities.
3) Homestay program allows vetted families to host international student in the Intensive English program thereby encouraging cross-cultural awareness, interactions and dialogue.
4). Tutoring and conversation program offers interaction between intensive English language students and UO matriculated students encouraging cross-cultural awareness, interactions and dialogue.

4. Professional Development and Training: 
1) Support and give workshops at on-campus partners to raise awareness on unique challenges that international students with disabilities face. 2) Present workshops and presentations on the topic of supporting students with disabilities within the field. 3) Support academic projects or topics that include LGBTQ and culturally diverse perspectives. 4) Will host the 2017 Fall state conference for Oregon Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ORTESOL) with a theme a faculty group proposed, Supporting Diverse Learners in ESOL, with threads on students with disabilities, LGBTQ students, and Adult Basic and Secondary Education. Expected faculty presentations include ones on supporting students with disabilities, Universal Design for students with learning disabilities, and cultivating an inclusive classroom. 5) Will make sure one professional development each term will be dedicated to diversity topics.