Past Events

December 10: Participants joined in an interactive 90-minute long workshop that explored the factors that underlie the underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM academic workplace and the arguments for changes needed in the academy in order for women to fully participate. This workshop was co-facilitated by faculty from AdvanceRIT and the Advocates program. Throughout the session, participates were in active discussion which were culminated in highlighting actions and ideas focused on what you can do to get started. Facilitators were Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Marcos Esterman (KGCOE).

There was a total of 24 participants at this session. Feedback from this workshop showed that over 75% of participants found this session to be valuable, and anticipated to make changes to their current practices as a result from this session. Over half of the participants said that their knowledge on this subject enhanced the way they thought about this issue and every individual said they were interested in the topic. When asked what their significant take away from this session participants answered that there needs to be more advocates and more communication regarding this topic. They also commented on being more proactive in terms of departmental leadership engagement and developing an action plan to address barriers. Overall the workshop was beneficial for those involved.

November 4, 6, 12, Dec. 9, 10: The event gathered all interested members of the RIT community to explore the topic of “building a university culture that maximizes the wrap-around success of its women students.” By “wrap-around success,” we mean choosing the right school (prospective students); being comfortable and academically successful in that school’s culture (current students); and finding professional success after graduation (alumni). Professors Kit Mayberry (CLA) and Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) facilitated these discussions. Overall, there was a total 34 participants with students from various colleges across the university along with both undergraduate and graduate students.

Faculty and Staff Session, Tuesday October 28

Faculty and Staff Session, Tuesday October 29

Academic Leaders, Wednesday October 29

Faculty and Staff Session, Thursday October 30

The goals of these sessions were to bring awareness to the importance of being an active bystander in situations of microaggression. The workshops focused on tackling microaggressions as a bystander through the use of “micro-interventions.” The intent of the micro-intervention is to first make the microaggression visible, then disarm the microaggression, educate the perpetrator, and finally seek external reinforcement.

These sessions were facilitated by Dr. Maureen Scully, University of MA, Boston in collaboration with Tina Chapman, Director of the RIT Diversity Theater, Nancy McDonald-Stoler from RIT Human Resources, Stacy DeRooy from RIT Title IX and Compliance, and Joe Johnston from the RIT Ombud’s Office.

At the first session, there were 10 participants who attended along with 11 participants, 14 participants, and nine (9) participants at the following three sessions, respectively. Feedback of the four workshops was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 80% of attendees anticipating making changes to their current practices as a result of attending this session, as well as reporting that this session has enhanced the way they perceive the issue. In terms of the most significant takeaways from this workshop many commented about being more aware, and sensitive to those around them, as well as what they can do in their role. When asked what they can do differently as a result of the session multiple individuals said that they are going to look into their own micro-aggressive behavior, and always be open to the people and resources around them. Overall this session was effective for people to take a deeper look into being an active bystander and dealing with microaggressions.

Thursday, October 24: Session 1: Creating an Inclusive and Vibrant Working Environment & the GROW Model for Coaching Yourself and Others

Thursday, October 24: Session 2: Roundtable Discussion on Work-Life Integration

Florence Hudson, founder and CEO of FD Hint, and Susan Puglia, retired Vice President of IBM, hosted two interactive workshops on October 24, 2019, to provide faculty and staff with tools to advance their professional and career development as well as improve work-life integration. The first session, “Creating an Inclusive and Vibrant Working Environment and the GROW Model, for Coaching Yourself and Others,” focused on how to promote vibrant working environments through mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship. The second session, “Roundtable Discussion on Work Life Balance,” centered on an open discussion where Florence, Susan, and other RIT faculty shared experiences and methods to successfully manage their personal and professional lives.

There was over 25 participants at the first session and almost 20 participants at the second session. Feedback from the two workshops were positive, with more than 75% agreeing that these sessions enhanced the way they think about the topics/issues discussed. Furthermore, over 60% of attendees planned to change their current practices to both support inclusive and vibrant working environments as well as improve work-life integration. Overall, the session was beneficial, with many attendees commented on the GROW model (set Goals, assess Reality, determine Options, Work it) and establishing networks as the main takeaways of the two events.

Friday, October 11: Facilitators for this workshop were Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE), Carol Marchetti (COS/Math), and Sonia Lopez Alarcon (KGCOE) from RIT along with Professor Emily Liu from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In this interactive workshop, participants learned about elements of dysfunctional and nonproductive behavior that limit the best thinking from being brought to the table and processed constructively during meetings. The session focused on tools and interventions to help “lead” a group into more effective discussions that bring out the best thinking, solutions and outcomes.

Friday, October 11: This workshop explored the faculty experience and the role of mentoring in contributing to academic career advancement and success. Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) facilitated this workshop. In this interactive session, participants identified professional goals, strengths, and skills to develop. They then explored mentoring as a means of meeting goals. Participants also “mapped” their unique mentoring networks and discussed best practices for seeking, developing, and cultivating their networks. For those interested in further developing their mentoring and leadership skills, a brief introduction to the Drexel ELATES program was presented.

October 5: Salary outcomes and pay practices are influenced by institutional structures and systems of power, are closely related to the quality of work life, and inform our knowledge of what (and who) is important to the organization. A salary equity study at an institution of higher learning can shed light on its pay structure. Undertaking and completing such a study shows that academic leaders are attentive to possible inequities in pay. But HOW these studies are conducted and discussed is just as important as the study itself and may ultimately have a bigger impact on the university.

The top four learning goals of this session were (1) benefits of salary equity studies (2) the “win-win” of collaboration between faculty and administrators (3) trust – elusive but essential and (4) starting a healthy campus discussion around salary. Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) were facilitators of this session.

September 11: Connections aims to build and grow relationships among women faculty at RIT. Participants enjoyed a delicious breakfast while connecting with faculty from all over campus regarding academic, research, teaching, social, and work-life balance issues. Participants also met members of AdvanceRIT and CREW, and caught up with other women faculty. The intended audience was new and returning women faculty. There was around 26 faculty members who attended this breakfast!

September 10, 24, October 22, November 5, December 3: Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing by Corbett and Hill explores the factors that underlie underrepresentation of women in the engineering and computing workplace. This repost argues for changes in the academy in order for women’s full participation. The report emphasizes the need to combat stereotypes and biases, emphasize the social relevance of STEM, cultivating a sense of belonging and changing the environment.

We proposed a teaching circle dedicated to systematically reviewing the chapters in the report, connecting the content to RIT and reflecting on action that we could take to change the work environment. The facilitators for this teaching circle were Marcos Esterman (KGCOE) and Margaret Bailey (KGCOE). There was a total of seven participants who contributed to the teaching circle as well.

Why this matters to RIT, faculty and students: Diversity in the workplace contributes significantly to the performance of that workplace. We need to be part of the solution that ultimately leads to parity – we need to start with us!

While we discussed actions, the goal of this teaching circle was self-reflection, collaborative discussion and personal action. If something that benefitted the university in a more systematic way manifested itself, we would leverage it, but that was not the goal.

Coaches & Sponsors within Software Engineering Senior Design Session: Thursday, August 22

Software Engineering Faculty Session: Tuesday, August 27

First Year Software Engineering Student Session: Tuesday, September 10

This three part series was designed to support the GCCIS software engineering (SE) department in creating a vibrant learning environment their students. There were three different sessions each geared towards the senior design coaches, faculty, and first- year students in the SE department, respectively.

The first session was designed for coaches and sponsors who work with our SE senior- year students within their final design course to create a vibrant learning environment that respects and values all individuals. This session first used gender related statistics and challenges that women face in the technical field for bias training and then built from this to provide practical instruction on how to implement a vibrant learning environment for their students. Learning objectives included using constructive feedback to encourage students to succeed, making a positive and encouraging atmosphere, and focusing on overcoming challenges that hinder the creation of a vibrant learning environment. Facilitators were Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math)

Over 30 individuals attended the coach/sponsor workshop, with positive reflections based on the surveys. Participants commented on their willingness to “encourage students to help identify challenging issues related to vibrant learning environments” and “be more patient and take more time to listen when someone has an issue”.

Overall, this session encouraged great conversation and thoughts on how to achieve a vibrant learning environment for the SE senior design project course.

 The second session was directed towards the faculty to reinforce the department’s commitment to enhancing gender diversity and inclusion among all groups. As in the previous session, the goal was to encourage the faculty to think about how to implement a vibrant learning environment for the students, while also providing them with the necessary resources and tools. Facilitators for this session were Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math). There were approximately twenty participants at this SE faculty focused session.

The last session was specifically designed for first year SE students to engage in their thinking about what type of environment qualifies as vibrant, and what they want to see in their student group experiences. Creating the most inclusive and engaging learning environment was shown through hands-on activities and statistics about the SE field.

Learning objectives included setting ground rules, comparing vibrant environments to non-vibrant environments, becoming aware of unconscious biases, seeing how society has shaped the way we see women and minorities, and how to overcome challenges that arise from trying to create a vibrant learning environment. The facilitators for this session were Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE), Carol Marchetti (COS/Math), and Sonia Lopez Alarcon (KGCOE).

Almost 100 students attended this session and the positive feedback was overflowing. This session inspired the students to think about their inner biases and what they want from their student groups. When asked how they may act differently as a result of participating in this session, many responded with their willingness to “be more aware of unconscious bias” and to “respect other’s knowledge and be a positive influence”. The student session stressed the importance of attitude and group communication to create an effective and inclusive learning environment.

Tuesday, April 30: All full-time faculty members, department chairs/academic leaders, and staff who work closely with our students were invited to attend an interactive workshop that focused on bystander awareness and included time for discussion, practice, role-playing (voluntary), and practical takeaways. This spring, Dr. Maureen Scully, University of MA, Boston and Professor Tina Chapman DaCosta (Diversity Theater, DDI) offered a uniquely designed workshop using Brick by Brick, a film written and directed by Tina Chapman DaCosta that’s set in 1941, to introduce multiple perspectives as well as Playback Theatre, a form of improvisational theatre where participants share stories that are enacted on the spot. The reflections on the film, insights from our own experiences, and enacted stories formed the basis for shared learning and for the closing segment on designing and supporting inclusive practices.

The 2.5-hour session included an introduction by Dr. Scully; screening of Brick by Brick, a RIT Diversity Theater production involving faculty, staff, and students; reflections with other participants in pairs and small groups; and Playback Theatre to enhance how we listen, learn, and identify practices for stewarding an inclusive culture.

Monday, April 29: Breakfast brainstorming session among the Advocates and AdvanceRIT Director. Focus of discussion was on programing for the following year, recap of the past year, and possible strategies to expand Advocate and Allies participation.

Wednesday, March 6: This breakfast session was hosted by Human Resources and Advance RIT to discuss the topic of faculty compensation with a group of 8-10 department heads/chairs/associate deans from across RIT. The aim of the session was for HR and Advance RIT to better understand the topics that could be covered in a workshop for department heads/chairs and associate deans on the topic of faculty compensation. They also shared with the group slides that would be used in the upcoming salary workshop (target audience is faculty) and use these as a starting point for our discussion. Facilitators were Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) Tina Chapman DaCosta (Diversity Theater, DDI), and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math).

Presenting a Strong Promotion Case (Workshop 1): Friday, March 22: For faculty preparing promotion packages to full professor or senior/principal lecturer, campus leaders served on a discussion panel including Provost Ellen Granberg.

University & College Policies (Workshop 2): Thursday, April 18, 2019: Covered university and college-level policy on promotion (E6.0) to full professor or senior/principal lecturer. Topics included promotion requirements and timeline; and strategies for listing accomplishments in scholarship, service, and teaching. Facilitators were Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Maureen Valentine (CET).

External Letters/Research Statements (Workshop 3): Friday, May 3: This interactive session was for faculty preparing promotion packages to full professor and covered preparation of materials for external reviewers. Facilitators were Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) and Sara Schley (NTID).

April 9-10: RIT hosted the CRLT Michigan Players for their fifth visit since 2014. This year the performance was offered in a two-part series called Moving the Needle. Two performances of the Part 1, Shifting the Conversation, were offered on April 9 and two options of the Part 2, Creating a Culture Resistant to Sexual Harassment, workshop were offered on April 10.

Partly research presentation, partly embodied case-study, and partly community conversation, Moving the Needle: Shifting the Conversation challenged participants to expand their understanding of what sexual harassment is, how it impacts individuals and communities, and what makes an environment prone to its presence. Using the NASEM consensus study report (http://sites.nationalacademies.org/shstudy/index.htm) as both grounding and springboard, this session eschewed a “tips and tricks” workshop model, and pointed attendees toward the ongoing reflective practices that individuals and communities will need to commit to in order to address the culturally embedded problem of sexual harassment. This session was best suited to department-level conversations among faculty and staff. Nearly 180 faculty and staff members attended Part 1 session. One attendee’s most significant takeaway was “the acting made the importance so real to me.” This person also noted that “the focus on community was fantastic.” Another attendee noted “wonderful table discussions” and “excellent session.”

Building on introductory conversations about the widespread presence and consequences of sexual harassment on individuals and communities in higher education, Moving the Needle: Creating a Culture Resistant to Sexual Harassment gave groups an opportunity to envision a different, more inclusive future. Available for individuals who have participated in Moving the Needle Part 1, session attendees engaged in communal responsibility by brainstorming concrete strategies their units can implement. Attendees jumpstarted their conversations by analyzing an embodied case- study, and then participated in facilitated design-thinking exercises targeted at research- based pivot points to effect change. At the end of the session, groups generated specific actions they can take to create a culture that actively resists sexual harassment.

This session was best suited to unit-level conversations among faculty and staff. Around 150 faculty and staff members participated in Part 2. One attendee’s most significant takeaway was “the scenarios are always great in helping us ‘see’ how things may happen in real life.” Another participant’s noted takeaway was understanding “the ways in which I may contribute to a permissive environment.”

Thursday, April 4: All full-time faculty members were invited on April 4 to attend an interactive workshop titled “Let’s Talk Money: Understanding RIT Pay Practices” where participants learned where to find salary-related resources available today and explored how to shape future thinking and discussions regarding salary. This was a hands-on, 90-minute session where participants will ideally understand RIT’s compensation philosophy and salary practices (such as factors affecting faculty salary, compa-ratio/position to market, and moving pay toward market). Learning objectives also included finding your salary- related information in Oracle and general salary-related information on the HR website. Facilitators were Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) as well as Christine (Tina) Ross from RIT Human Resources.

Fourteen faculty members attended this workshop. As a result of participation, attendees noted what they may do differently moving forward. Noted plans include “approach department chair or/and dean to discuss salary” and “look at my annual increases more critically and ask questions.”

Thursday, February 14: Connections aims to build and grow relationships among women faculty at RIT. Participants enjoyed a delicious breakfast while connecting with faculty from all over campus regarding academic, research, teaching, social, and work-life balance issues. Participants also met members of AdvanceRIT and CREW, and caught up with other women faculty. The intended audience was new and returning women faculty.

Thursday, January 1: The AdvanceRIT team conducts workshops with faculty and staff at RIT as part of an ongoing series of unconscious bias education and professional development to expand the capacity of RIT to meet the goals of the 2018 - 2025 Strategic Plan.

AdvanceRIT hosted a 3-hour Creating Vibrant Learning Environments workshop, which was created and facilitated by Dr. Linda Manning, for the faculty and staff in the College of Engineering Technology on January 10, 2019.

Dr. Manning uses a developmental, experiential approach to learning. The premise of this workshop was that faculty and staff members want students to succeed, but they face many challenges, in particular those related to an increasingly diverse student population, in a context of increasing research expectations. Approaches and methods that were reliable in the past do not seem to work as well today. Students are also facing increasing pressures to adapt to the shifting focus of education, employment and life choices. Everyone is doing their best with the resources they think they have, with good intentions. This session was about recognizing that there are strategic shifts in worldview and behavior at the individual level that can build on strengths to create life- long learning in vibrant learning environments. This is not an intellectual exercise; it is all about safe, effective behavioral shifts.

Over 80% of the survey respondents found the session to be a valuable use of their time, thought the session enhanced the way they think about student interactions, and thought that the session enhanced understanding of how norms can affect learning and communication. Also, over 95% found the presenter knowledgeable on the topic and plan to take action to create a positive learning experience in all student interactions.

When asked what small changes you would immediately make when interacting with students, participants responded “Be aware of how something I say is interpreted,” “Try to be a better listener. Learn more about students,” and “Set ground rules for the classroom.” There was a total of 110 participants, 46% of which were women participants.

Staff Session: Tuesday November 27

Academic Leaders: Tuesday November 27

Faculty Session: Wednesday November 28

Faculty Session: Thursday November 29

Shaping academic departments and organizations to be inclusive environments is a proactive and continuous effort. This year we are continuing the effort to strengthen communication through vibrant work environments. Ample research has shown that unconscious biases, micro-inequities, and differential micro-affirmations can make university life a very different experience across gender, race, and status. With training and practice, everyday allies can learn how to interrupt the practices that perpetuate inequalities and to create the kind of inclusive settings where people can learn, thrive, and excel.

This workshop series held in November 2018 within the College of Liberal Arts (COLA) built upon ongoing work at RIT. Participants learned about the conceptual background for ally work through active learning and engaged in some interactive exercises, supported by the collaboration with RIT Diversity Theater. Participants were asked to come prepared to share situations encountered and thoughts on how to create a better work climate. The staff, faculty, and academic leaders within COLA participated in these interactive, 2-hour sessions – final counts include 19 staff members, 23 faculty members, and 15 academic leaders. In response to the workshop, one participant said they would “reflect on responses to colleagues” and another added that they would “be more willing to speak up to refocus rather than challenge.” Facilitators for these workshops were Dr. Maureen Scully, University of MA, Boston and Professor Tina Chapman DaCosta (Diversity Theater, DDI).

The upcoming Bystander Awareness workshops available to all full-time faculty, staff, and academic leaders on April 30, 2019 were promoted.

Thursday, November 8: Connections aims to build and grow relationships among women faculty at RIT. Attendees enjoyed a delicious breakfast while connecting with faculty from all over campus regarding academic, research, teaching, social, and work-life balance issues.

Participants met members of AdvanceRIT and CREW, met and caught up with other women faculty and found out what AdvanceRIT and CREW have planned for the 2018- 2019 academic year.

Participants were asked to submit a PowerPoint slide for a slide show with any personal information they are willing to share (hobbies, family, aspirations, research interests, etc.).

Wednesday, October 10: This workshop offered by AdvanceRIT and NTID explored the faculty experience and the role of mentoring in contributing to academic career advancement and success. Recent literature and practice now offer new, more flexible approaches to mentoring in which faculty build a network of "multiple mentors" who can address a variety of career competencies.

In this interactive session, participants identified their professional goals, strengths, and skills that they want to develop; explored mentoring as a medium for helping meet those goals; "mapped" their own mentoring networks - what they are and could be, drawing on a range of examples from NTID faculty colleagues; shared strategies on effectively addressing communication challenges while networking in non-deaf environments' and discussed best practices for seeking, developing, and cultivating a network of mentors. All NTID tenured and pre-tenured faculty members were encouraged to attend this interactive workshop. Facilitators were Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) , Kathryn Schmitz (NTID), Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Administration, Todd Pagano (NTID), Associate Dean for Teaching and Scholarship Excellence.

Friday, September 28: On behalf of Provost Granberg, a workshop to learn more about RIT's tenure and promotion policies and process and your role as a tenure/promotion committee member was held. This workshop reviewed RIT's tenure and promotion policies (E05.0 and E06.0) and discussed how to apply them to candidate dossiers. We also discussed the roles and responsibilities of committee chairs and members and reviewed best practices, common questions, and issues that may arise during your deliberations. We also discussed unconscious bias and how it might creep into the process and what you can to do mitigate it. There was ample time for questions and answers from the participants. A continental breakfast was provided.

Thursday, September 20: Faculty mentoring can offer a vital contribution to a successful academic career, particularly for women, faculty of color, and for those with hearing differences. The most common form of mentoring has been a "traditional model," which is defined by a one- on-one relationship between an experienced faculty member who guides the career development of an early career faculty member. Formal mentoring programs have been largely designed to fit this traditional definition. Recent research, however, has indicated the emergence of new, more flexible approaches to mentoring in which faculty build a network of multiple "mentoring partners" who can address a variety of career competencies.

In this interactive session, offered by AdvanceRIT and NTID, participants identified common roadblocks to success for faculty across the career trajectory; recognized both traditional and emerging models of mentoring; explored how to design and implement a networked mentoring program; shared strategies to effectively address communication challenges while networking in non-deaf environments; and discussed outcomes, best practices, and resources on network- based mentoring for use by faculty and administrators. Facilitators were Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Carol Marchetti (COS/Math) Kathryn Schmitz (NTID), Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Administration, Todd Pagano (NTID), Associate Dean for Teaching and Scholarship Excellence.

September 14, 2017: This event was hosted by AdvanceRIT and CREW to kick off the fall semester. The breakfast aimed to build and grow relationships among women faculty from across RIT campus. Participants were asked to submit a PowerPoint slide for a slideshow with any personal information they wanted to share, such as hobbies, family, aspirations, and research interests. Connections were made regarding academic, research, teaching, social, and work-life balance issues and accomplishments.

September 20, 2017: This session was part of the Distinguished Seminar Series hosted by Women in Science (WISe), and supported by an AdvanceRIT Grant. Kimberly Tanner from San Francisco State University introduced “Decibel Analysis for Research in Teaching - A New Tool for Systematically Analyzing Teaching Practices across Instructors and Institutions.”

October 2, 2017: In 2016, Mary Deane Sorcinelli, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst presented a workshop to our faculty and academic leaders on how faculty mentoring can offer a vital contribution to a successful academic career, particularly for women and faculty of color. In response, AdvanceRIT offered a one-hour session modeled after this interactive session. Participants identified common roadblocks to success for faculty across the career trajectory, recognized both traditional and emerging models of mentoring, explored how to design and implement a networked mentoring program, and discussed outcomes, best practices, and resources on network-based mentoring for use by faculty and administrators. The audience for this  workshop was the KGCOE leadership team.

October 11, 2017: This interactive and practical workshop introduced Dr. Kathleen P. King’s proven and powerful strategies to infuse new approaches and success into faculty’s writing skills and publishing records. Gleaned from over 15 years of coaching and teaching faculty and doctoral students, this motivating and informative workshop included specific techniques, strategies and templates to accelerate faculty writing productivity. In this workshop, we re-examined and transformed key writing practices as well as chart a personalized, focused publishing agenda and plan. The session was designed to meet the needs of faculty across a wide range of skills and expertise. “Kathy” works with faculty to develop a foundation for ramping up academic writing productivity, improving manuscript acceptance rates, tapping the power of technology tools to improve writing and editing, and maximizing the benefits of writing with others, near and far. Dr. Kathleen P. King is a Professor and Program Director of Higher Education & Policy Studies at University of Central Florida, Orlando. The event was hosted by AdvanceRIT with support provided by the Office of the Provost, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and The Wallace Center.

October 24, 2017 and November 6 and 7, 2017: Professor Maureen Scully from University of Massachusetts in Boston has visited RIT multiple times to lead bystander awareness education workshops through the NSF AdvanceRIT grant. Dr. Scully facilitated several workshops last fall with the assistance from True Story Theater and RIT Diversity Theater. Two workshops (2 hours each) for department chairs and academic leaders, one 2-hour workshop for full-time faculty, and one 2-hour workshop for staff were held, with a strong bystander awareness focus with time for practice, role-playing, and practical take-a ways. The last segment of each workshop provided time for the participants to plan/conceptualize what would be most helpful for this group’s development in the future.

November 3, 2017: Dr. Linda Manning, Senior Fellow, Centre on Governance from the University of Ottawa facilitated a workshop for the School of Film and Animation (SoFA). The workshop’s title was “Create a Vibrant Learning Environment within Your Classroom: A Place Where Everyone Learns.” The session target audience was SoFA full-time faculty and technical staff. For this dynamic and interactive session, participants were asked to come prepared to actively participate.

December 1, 2017: The workshop was intended primarily for junior faculty and doctoral students of any major. Attendees learned how to increase their publication quality and quantity. There was a presentation with a sharing and question/answer format, with some small group engagement; including discussing current research. The workshop leader covered the topics following the outline below. Others were encouraged to give tips and to answer and respond to other participant questions and give feedback on current research. Also, participants were asked to bring their current research to get feedback for improvement. Take-away tips related to the following topics below that are covered during the workshop: Foundations (developing a winning attitude and persistence), Selecting Topics and Publication Sources (requirements, niche, selecting journals), Matching Publication Sources (reviewers, referencing, formatting), Time Management (finding the time to publish and to be more productive), Multiplying Publications (coauthors, progression, mining your data, extending work), and Empirical Research (what to include in each part of your article). The event was hosted by AdvanceRIT, P&T SMARTS, and Faculty Development, and included guest speaker Dr. Robert N. Lussier.

February 28, 2017 and March 1, 2018: All faculty and staff within Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Division of Diversity and Inclusion, and other departments, who work closely with our students were invited to attend one or both sessions presented by the Michigan CRLT Players. The first of the two interactive sessions on February 28 included five actors, prompting participants to analyze a series of bias incidents from the perspective of a targeted student, reflect on their own experiences of marginalizing behavior, and explore strategies for intervening effectively when they observe this behavior and for responding productively when a concern about their own behavior is raised. The second session on March 1 involved two actors, where participants considered the impacts of an “isolated” bias incident on a targeted student, reflected on the ways they listen to others’ stories about negative experiences of climate at RIT, and developed strategies for responding to concerns shared with them in ways that might mitigate rather than exacerbate existing climate concerns. This event included high attendance and great feedback.

March 7, 2018: During a visit to RIT, Johanna Lucht, electronics engineer working for NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, discussed her experiences as the sole deaf female engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, including her relationship with coworkers, the role of American Sign Language in STEM career, accommodations, challenges of being deaf and “flying” through barriers at NASA. Johanna also discussed events that led her to become the first deaf engineer to carry out an active role in NASA mission control during a crewed research flight, and share an overview of projects she works on to demonstrate technical signs she uses for projects. She also explained her decision behind each technical sign for interpreters and students to use in their career.

March 27, 2018: AdvanceRIT and key campus partners facilitated an 80 minute, faculty mentoring session to express the importance of mentoring relationships and how they offer a vital contribution to a successful academic career

• During the session, participants:
• Explored different models of mentoring
• Identified common roadblocks to success for faculty across the career trajectory
• Recognized both traditional and emerging models of mentoring
• Explored how to design and implement a networked mentoring program
• Discussed outcomes, best practices, and resources on network-based mentoring for use by faculty and administrators

April 6, 2018: This offering was part of the P3 Group program, however all interested faculty were invited to attend (including those who are not participating in the P3 Group program last year).

This workshop was for all full-time faculty interested in submitting a strong package for promotion OR were planning to do so in the near future. Tenured faculty seeking promotion to full professor and non-tenure track faculty seeking promotion to Senior or Principal Lecturer were invited to attend. Panelists for this session included Jeremy Haefner, Provost; Anne Haake, Dean of GCCIS; Sophia Maggelakis, Dean of COS; Twyla Cummings, Dean of Graduate Education; and Danielle Smith, Professor of Sociology & Honors Program Director. All panelists were asked to prepare answers to the following questions:

Can you give an example of a strategy someone used in making their case for promotion that you thought was particularly successful?

Can you share what you think are common mistakes that candidates make in preparing their package?

If your time since last promotion has involved both mostly-administrative time and teaching/research time – do you have suggestions on packaging our narrative to address needs of promotion guidelines?

Are there ever quotas or limits placed on the number of faculty who can be promoted in any given year?

P&T SMARTS, AdvanceRIT and CREW continue to actively support non-tenure-track,

tenure-track, and tenured faculty to develop successful careers by offering a series of workshops crafted to provide information, skills, and strategies they may need for career navigation.

April 17, 2018: All full-time faculty members were invited to attend the interactive workshop where participants were shown salary-related resources available today, and explored how to shape future thinking and discussions regarding salary. This was a hands-on, 80-minute session, where participants discussed what RIT has learned from past studies regarding faculty salary and then explored salary-related resources. Learning objectives included realizing learnings from past salary studies conducted at RIT, obtaining salary-related information from Oracle and HR website and check accuracy, and understanding RIT salary processes. Facilitators included Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) Carol Marchetti (COS/Math), Maureen Valentine (CAST) from the AdvanceRIT Leadership Team and Judy Bender and Christina Ross from RIT Human Resources. The event was co-sponsored by P&T SMARTS, CREW, and Advocates & Allies.

April 19, 2018: Dr. Liz Litzler is the Director of the University of Washington Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity, and has evaluated some of AdvanceRIT’s programs. Her presentation shared results from the evaluation of the Connect Grants and the Connectivity Series. Many stakeholders participated in the evaluations, and AdvanceRIT wanted to share the outcomes and impact with the RIT community. The session also engaged attendees through a discussion of the results and solicited thoughts about moving these programs forward. All interested faculty and staff were invited to attend.

April 20, 2018: This offering was part of the P3 Group program, however all interested faculty were invited to attend (including those who are not participating in the P3 Group program last year). For more Info on P3, please visit: https://nsfadvance.rit.edu/program-sInitiatives/p3.php

This workshop was for all full-time faculty who wanted to submit a strong package for promotion OR were planning to do so in the near future. Workshop facilitators included Professors Margaret Bailey (KGCOE) and Maureen Valentine (CAST) from the AdvanceRIT Leadership Team.

Through an interactive discussion, we stepped through the university policy on promotion (E6.0) and asked each of you to describe and discuss your college-level promotion policy in small groups assembled by college. Questions from groups helped shape the remainder of the session. In addition, tips were shared on how to best assemble your listing of accomplishments - what you did/accomplished in scholarship, in service - highlight leadership activities, in teaching - describe how you provide learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom, etc.

April 23, 2018: Kristina Mitchell, Director of Undergraduate Studies at Texas Tech University, arrived at RIT to present her research that explores the relationship between gender and teaching evaluations using both content analysis in student evaluations (both formal university evaluations and informal online evaluations), and quantitative analysis of students' ordinal scoring of their instructors. Many universities utilize teaching evaluations as part of consideration for tenure, compensation, or other employment decisions. But in doing so, universities may be engaging in discriminatory practices against female academics. She and her co-author found both that the language students use in evaluation comments regarding male professors is significantly different than language used in evaluating female professors, and that a male instructor administering an identical online course as a female instructor receives higher ordinal scores in teaching evaluations, even when the questions asked relate only to the content of the identical courses. Dr. Mitchell discussed the real-world consequences of these results: both in potential discrimination in employment decisions against women in higher education, as well as in the interactions and language that women in higher education must endure that their male counterparts rarely do.

April 24-25, 2018: Ellyn Satter, registered dietitian nutritionist and family therapist, is a leading authority on feeding and eating. Satter is the author of the Division of Responsibility in Feeding, the gold standard for feeding children. Parents credit Satter’s methods with allowing them to have relaxed and enjoyable mealtimes and raising children who eat well and grow in ways that are right for them. Ellyn helped RIT faculty and staff learn how to address child feeding issues to enhance work life quality and reduce mealtime stress. Supported by an AdvanceRIT Connect Grant.

May 1 and 2, 2018: All full-time faculty members, academic leaders, and staff who work closely with our students were invited to attend an interactive workshop which focused on bystander awareness, with included time for discussion, practice, role-playing (voluntary), and practical take-a ways.

Professor Maureen Scully from University of Massachusetts in Boston has visited RIT several times to lead effective bystander awareness education workshops through AdvanceRIT and in collaboration with RIT’s Diversity Theater. Tina Chapman DaCosta, Director of RIT Diversity Theater, has partnered with AdvanceRIT on several occasions to present interactive theatre-based workshops. In this event, Dr. Scully and Tina Chapman DaCosta offered a uniquely designed workshop using Playback Theatre, a form of improvisational theatre where participants share stories that are enacted on the spot. These stories form the basis for shared learning and further reflection on how to support an inclusive climate. This event was hosted by AdvanceRIT in collaboration with Student Affairs, Division of Diversity & Inclusion, Title IX Office, Ombud’s Office, Human Resources, and several units within Academic Affairs.

May 4, 2018: This offering was part of the P3 Group program, however all interested faculty were invited to attend (including those who are not participating in the P3 Group program last year).

The workshop was for all full-time faculty who wanted to submit a strong package for promotion OR were planning to do so in the near future. This session explored how to best prepare materials for external reviewers and identify potential reviewers. Participants were asked to get a copy of a colleague’s promotion package (or a portion, such as their research statement). We did not share these with each other, but rather discussed what we learned from reviewing someone else’s statement by asking ourselves the following questions:

• How well did they sell their work?
• Were there interesting strategies/formatting used?
• Were there things you thought could have been done better?

We shared strategies for selecting reviewers and our experience with the process. Did they say yes? What does the university policy say regarding external letters? Participants were also asked to bring a copy of their college’s promotion policy. Facilitators included Professors Carol Marchetti (COS) and Sara Schley (NTID) from the AdvanceRIT Leadership Team.

September 23: Participants enjoyed a delicious breakfast while connecting with faculty from all over campus regarding academic, research, teaching, social, and work-life balance issues. Participants met the AdvanceRIT team and members of the Council for the Representation & Engagement of Women Faculty (CREW), they were able to meet and catch up with other women faculty, and find out what AdvanceRIT and CREW had planned for the 2016-2017 academic year.

November 1, 2, and 3:  “By using playback to encounter our reluctance to be active bystanders, reflect on a variety of bystander moves, and practice ways to make a difference, we can create a culture of active bystanders and support diversity and inclusion. Playback is a form of improvisational presentation that reflects back the feelings, thoughts and stories of the people in a community. Started in 1975, now hundreds of Playback companies present in over 50 countries across the globe. Playback creates a deep ritual space where any story, however ordinary, extraordinary, hidden, or difficult can be told and affirmed. The NEA-funded True Story Theater troupe has being doing workshops on active bystanders as diversity allies since 2004.”

December 2: P&T Smarts hosted an event about publishing an academic book: “You have an idea for a book. Perhaps you’ve begun researching and writing on your topic. But you don’t know much about the book publishing process. This edition of P & T Smarts is intended to answer questions about what publishers need to know in order to become interested in your book-length manuscript and what choices you have as an author when it comes to making publishing decisions.”

February 1: Faculty Success Networks can come in the form of one on one mentoring, mentoring clusters or faculty- career related peer support groups. These networks can play a critical role in faculty success: identifying resources, balancing work loads, understanding university policies, establishing collaborations, etc.

This session will included the following:

• Guidelines for Establishing an Effective Mentoring Relationship
• Resources available through the Wallace Center for Mentoring
• Facilitated time for participants to develop their own plans for setting up their own Faculty Success Network- a framework and guidance was provided

The intended audience was: Faculty, Faculty Mentors: Mentees & Peer Support Groups were encouraged to attend together.

February 3: Participants learned how to write competitive proposals for seed funding for their research plans. They also learned about Connect Grant opportunities and best practices. Registered participants received best practice proposal examples.

February 10: Participants learned about:

• The importance, planning, and execution of efficient and effective course preparation materials.
• The strengths and limitations of student teaching evaluations and how they may affect teaching effectiveness.
• How to address the special issues or concerns AALANA faculty may experience in the classroom and best practices on how to navigate these challenges.

The intended audience was AALANA faculty P&T Smarts is continuing to actively support non-tenure- track, tenure-track, and tenured ALLANA faculty to develop successful careers at RIT and to retain them by offering a series of workshops crafted to provide information, skills, and strategies they may need for career navigation.

March 2: Mutual Mentoring at Mid-Career: Making Every Connection Count: This workshop explored the challenges faced by mid-career faculty (for example those at associate professor or senior lecturer) and the role of mentoring in contributing to academic career advancement and success. Recent literature and practice now offer new, more flexible approaches to mentoring in which faculty build a network of “multiple mentors” who can address a variety of career competencies. In this interactive session, participants identified their professional goals, strengths, and skills that they want to develop; explored mentoring as a medium for helping them meet those goals; “mapped” their own mentoring networks—what they are and could be, drawing on a range of examples; and discussed best practices for seeking, developing, and cultivating a network of mentors.

Network-Based Mentoring Programs to Support Faculty Connections: A Fresh Approach for Academic Leaders: Faculty mentoring can offer a vital contribution to a successful academic career, particularly for women and faculty of color. The most common form of mentoring has been a “traditional model,” which is defined by a one-on-one relationship between an experienced faculty member who guides the career development of an early career faculty member. Formal mentoring programs have been largely designed to fit this traditional definition. Recent research, however, has indicated the emergence of new, more flexible approaches to mentoring in which faculty build a network of multiple “mentoring partners” who can address a variety of career competencies.

In this interactive session, participants identified common roadblocks to success for faculty across the career trajectory; recognized both traditional and emerging models of mentoring; explored how to design and implement a networked mentoring program; and discussed outcomes, best practices, and resources on network-based mentoring for use to by faculty and administrators.

May 16: The Michigan Players were back at RIT with two performances of "The Chair’s Role in Faculty Mentoring" on May 16, 2017. These two performances took place in the Campus Center 003-2610, with the first being from 9-11 AM and the second from 1-3 PM. Fashioned as three thematically related vignettes, this performance explored the department head’s role in faculty mentoring. In these short scenes, the audience saw a department head discuss a third year review letter with a junior faculty member, welcome a new faculty hire, and check in with an associate professor regarding promotion readiness to the rank of Professor. Developed to showcase positive and potentially problematic mentoring behaviors, this interactive performance allowed department heads and other academic leaders to think through the ways that they might create a more positive climate for faculty mentoring, both structurally in their department’s policies and interpersonally in the behaviors they adopt and use with their faculty colleagues.

November 6, 2016: Service work is an excellent way for you as a faculty member to familiarize yourself with the institution and allow you to become better known among your peers. However, faculty often find it difficult to find the balance between too much service and not enough. Often the reason new faculty take on too much service is the fear of saying no. Dr. Laura Tubbs facilitated a panel session for women faculty in Stan McKenzie Commons from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. It featured seasoned faculty who shared their tips on how and when to say no to service opportunities, being strategic about service assignments, and finding that balance between teaching, scholarship, and service.

March 31, 2016: This talk highlighted how to be agile through the challenges of a changing environment and develop the ability to lead and succeed. The speaker is Radha Ratnaparkhi, who is currently the Vice President of Research Impact, where she is transforming the talent base for IBM research.

April 7, 2016: RIT welcomed the acclaimed Michigan Players, who featured their production of “The Fence,” which focuses on topics and situations experienced by faculty and academic administrators in the areas of promotion, tenure, and institutional climate. A touring theatre company housed in the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the University of Michigan, the CRLT Players create research-based performances that examine current issues in higher education. Using a range of innovative theatrical techniques, the actor’s performances will engage RIT faculty and academic administrators in critical reflection, respectful dialogue, and problem solving. Providing a ‘fly on the wall’ perspective, these performances focused on the tenure and promotion process and how gender and faculty rank influence dynamics and the decision-making process of tenure committees.

April 8, 2016: Maureen Scully co-created the term “tempered radicals” to explore how insiders in organizations can use their insider knowledge to advocate for change and support organizations in being more inclusive, socially responsible, and effective. She studies and conducts workshops on “bystander awareness and action.” Allies are vital for change efforts. Yet often a silence falls when something inappropriate is said or done. Bystanders of good will are likely to freeze. With a new lens on what’s at stake and some practical tactics at hand, bystanders can instead pivot a situation, so that inclusivity and equal opportunity are upheld as values. Come learn more about how to mobilize – and to join – the active bystanders.

May 2, 2016: This event was a follow-up to the session hosted by CREW in December: Success Strategies for Research Focused Junior Faculty Women at RIT. Findings from this session were be discussed. The moderator, Priya Natarajan, led a round table discussion about actions RIT can take to support research focused women faculty.

May 17, 2016: Dr. Pamela Cook presented an overview of literature on best practices to promote diversity among the STEM faculty. It focused particularly on studies that quantify the cognitive shortcuts that we all make with respect to gender, and with respect to other aspects of diversity, as well as the impact that these have on the climate for and success of faculty underrepresented in STEM fields, including women. Finally, it discussed practices for recruiting and especially for retaining/mentoring faculty.

August 11, 2016: This session was for faculty submitting their package for promotion to full professor this year OR considering or planning to do so in the near future. Discussion Participants: Jeremy Haefner, Provost; Anne Haake, Dean of GCCIS; and Peter Hauser, NTID Professor, Director, Deaf Studies Laboratory. The presenters will offer tips and strategies for making the best case for promotion. There will be time for Q&A for participants to ask questions related to promotion to full professor.

December 11: The CRLT Players visited RIT with their acclaimed production of Navigating Departmental Politics. A touring theatre company housed in the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan, the Players create research-based performances that examine current issues in higher education. Using a range of innovative theatrical techniques, the Players’ performances engage faculty, graduate students, and university administrators in critical reflection, respectful dialogue, and problem solving.

February 11: This seminar was designed to allow participants to understand what is known about gender and its role in negotiation performance. The topics covered included the triggers of gender differences in negotiated outcomes, as well as strategies and techniques that can be used to overcome the gender gap in negotiation performance.

The content encouraged:

1. Understanding of general patterns of gender effects in negotiation performance.
2. Understanding of individual and situational factors that can exacerbate gender differences in negotiation performance.
3. Acquire techniques/strategies for value creation and value claiming.

March 31: Who really likes to stand up in front of peers and present? As professors, you are fairly comfortable with your students, but what happens when we are with others who may know more than we do about a topic? What if our goal is to persuade and convince them of an idea and need them to commit time, money, or resources? The stakes are high.

This session provides techniques on:

• Planning and preparing a presentation.
• Focusing a presentation so that it captures and holds the audience’s attention.
• Differentiating between need-to-know and nice-to-know information.
• Devising an interesting opening.
• Developing an effective platform presence.
• Using body language to create a positive reaction.
• Using your voice to convey authority and enthusiasm.

April 21: Too much time and money is wasted today because information is not effectively communicated. We spend our time crafting the message or trying to decipher it. In this practical, interactive session, you will learn techniques on how to write more effective and focused communications.

 This session provides techniques on:

• Organizing the writing task.
• Identifying primary information and directing readers' attention to it.
• Arranging facts for maximum impact.
• Writing action-getting letters and emails.
• Writing direct and concise messages.
• Sharpening personal writing style to create a strong, effective presence.
• Structuring a coherent proposal.
• Communicating your research clearly, concisely, and confidently.

In today’s fast-paced environments, we cannot afford to underestimate the power of the written word.

April 23: The change of an organization’s culture which reflects a diverse participation in STEM fields can (and should) be driven by both bottoms-up and top-down approaches. This discussion will include reflections, from a woman’s perspective, on a 30+ year career in STEM fields where significant organizational culture change occurred. Specific experience from technology practice situations and technology leadership situations will be discussed as examples to demonstrate how both approaches help to move the culture in sustainable directions to increase both the participation and satisfaction of women scientists. The shared examples will include the following

• Individual as individual – breaking the organization’s paradigm
• Individual as pioneer – raising the organizational bar
• Leader as pioneer – setting a standard and expectation framework
• Leader as example – implementing effective (possibly different) leadership styles
• Leader as role model, mentor and sponsor – reaching back

April 28: Who really enjoys going to meetings these days? Not many do. But why? In today’s business settings, our calendars are filled with meetings, but instead of helping us accomplish our work, meetings usually are a waste of time. Instead of placing the responsibility solely on the Chairperson, we propose that some of the issues with ineffective meetings lie with the participants.

This session provides techniques on:

• Being a productive meeting participant.
• Presenting information so your message is heard and can be acted on.
• Keeping the meeting on track as a Chairperson.
• Learning how to delegate tasks to appropriate people.
• Recording and writing the minutes.
• Using meetings as networking opportunities.

January 16, 2014: Dr. Christopher Lee (human resources practitioner, lecturer, researcher, and author) presented a 90 minute webinar offering a checklist of activities that to help you plan for, conduct, and document a successful faculty annual review that helps set the stage for an ongoing dialogue that supports collegial relationships.

January 23, 2014: This event specifically focused on Career Navigation for Academic Women. Participants talked about some of the components of Career Navigation: Goal Setting, Effective Networking, Self-Agency, Career Coaching, Peer Support Teams, Crucial Conversations, and Work/Life Balance, as well as tenure expectations and process.

March 6, 2014: MCC President Dr. Anne Kress shared her story on how she achieved success in academic leadership while offering advice for women faculty at RIT. She shared strategies for effectively leading institutional change. The discussion concluded with time for questions and further dialogue.

March 17 and 18, 2014: Jane Tucker, Ph.D. (COACh Facilitator) presented this seminar designed to build an understanding of mutual interest based negotiations or solution finding. The content encourages: developing an understanding of the parties’ interests, clearly asking for what you want, developing alternatives that enhance the possibility of reaching agreement, packaging of the possibilities, and utilizing the concepts of anchoring and a zone of possible agreement. Seminars designed specifically for Assistant Professors, Associate/Full Professors, and Women Doctoral/Graduate Students/Postdoctoral Fellows were presented.

April 22, 2014: Dr. Silvia Benso and Dr. Margaret Bailey facilitated a panel that explored how language (verbal, visual, corporeal, symbolic, etc.) frames images of women, how women stereotypes are thus created and how best to avoid falling prey of representational traps when we communicate. Panelists included Sharon Beckford (Foster, Dept. of English), Evelyn Brister (Dept. of Philosophy), Henry Hinesley (Women’s and Gender Studies Program and GLBT Center), Dinah Holtzman (Dept. of Performing Arts and Visual Culture), Ammina Kothari (Dept. of Communication), and Jessica Lieberman (Dept. of Performing Arts and Visual Culture).

May 1, 2014: Professor Sharon Mason and Dr. Carol Marchetti facilitated this panel that gathered to learn effective strategies for professional advancement including awards recognition, tenure and promotion. Share your own strategies and experiences as we look to increase the recognition of our work. Panelists included Dr. Kara Maki (Assistant Professor, College of Science), Dr. Callie Babbitt (Assistant Professor, GIS), and Dr. Manuela Campanelli (Director, CCRG & Professor, College of Science).