University Times

Concerned about how best to teach about race or gender? Wondering about the new scholarship in your field that deals with women or African Americans? Those questions and other issues of diversity will be addressed during the Chancellor's Diversity Working Group Faculty Seminar for More Inclusive Courses set for May 12-23.

The seminar is the third in a five-year series of seminars designed to assist faculty in making their courses more inclusive in terms of gender, race and other diversity issues. Along with readings and discussions, the seminar will include library time and presentations by visitors and local experts. Stipends of $1,500 are provided by the Office of the Chancellor to each faculty member who participates in the seminar. There are only 10 openings. The deadline for applying is Feb. 3.

Application for the seminar is open to all Pitt faculty.

Last year's working group included faculty from communication, education, English, nursing, foreign languages, psychology, Africana studies, anthropology, and the Greensburg and Johnstown campuses.

Applicants should submit:

* A syllabus of a course they have taught at Pitt and would like to make more diverse.

* A statement about the kind of course enhancement they are seeking.

* Information about why changes in this course would have a large impact on diversity in the classroom. For example, the course might be a large introductory course, one that is approved for general education, one that is required for majors, or one that trains a significant number of teaching assistants.

* A copy of the applicant's curriculum vitae.

* A letter from the applicant's chairperson agreeing to provide in-kind support such as typing.

* A letter from a faculty colleague or student commenting on the applicant's teaching, or a recent course evaluation.

Selection criteria include the quality of the proposal, the number of students who would be affected by changes in the course, the impact of the course on a program, and the degree to which the proposed enhancements make the course address both race and gender. In addition, representation of tenured and tenure-stream faculty and of a range of disciplines is desirable.

Seminar members are expected to submit a revised syllabus at the end of the seminar, to meet together at least twice during the following year while they are teaching the revised course and to contribute to planning the following year's seminar.

Seminars will be scheduled during the next two years to facilitate participation by as many departments and schools in the University as possible.

Interested faculty should contact co-chairs of the Diversity Working Group subcommittee on curriculum Ogle Duff, 648-7194, or Kathleen Blee, 624-6485. Submit applications by Feb. 3 to Nancy Washington, 132 Cathedral of Learning.