After DiversityEdu training, Inclusivity Advocates host dialogue sessions

As a follow-up to the DiversityEdu online training that all St. Olaf College students were required to take this fall, Hall Council Inclusivity Advocates hosted one-hour residence hall dialogue sessions to provide students an opportunity to reflect, engage, and commit to creating an inclusive campus.

The dialogue sessions, held in residence halls across campus, were facilitated by Inclusivity Advocates, an Area Coordinator, and staff from the Dean of Students Office. They focused on providing students with an understanding of issues such as unconscious bias and assumptions; stereotypes; microaggressions; intent vs. impact; and bystander strategies for microaggressions.

Vice President of Student Life Greg Kneser and Dean of Students Roz Eaton also spoke about the climate on campus. At the end of each session, students were asked to think about one thing they would like to do to help St. Olaf become a more inclusive environment for everyone.

These dialogue sessions served as a follow-up to the DiversityEdu online course all St. Olaf students were required to complete prior to registering for spring classes. The one-hour interactive program, created with college environments in mind, covers a broad range of issues related to diversity.