A Review of 2020AY AdvanceRIT Activities | 2020 Academic Year End Newsletter

AdvanceRIT did not let a virtual work environment slow us down. We hosted ten Connectivity series events ranging from our Annual Welcome Back Breakfast to coaching workshops to the Promotion Package Prep retreats. CREW Connections for women faculty provided an informal forum for pre-tenured faculty to making connections and finding resources. AdvanceRIT facilitated three Learning Circles and twenty-four faculty participated.

AdvanceRIT continued its work to change the culture at RIT for diversity, equity, and inclusion.  A workshop was held for first-year Software Engineering students in the Fall and for RIT’s Academic Senate in the Spring.

Women of Color Support Partners initiatives were developed and launched with partners across RIT.  AdvanceRIT partnered to host a conversation with Minda Harts, author of The Memo-What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table; a viewing and panel discussion of the film Picture a Scientist, and AdvanceRIT supported the Moving Forward initiative that brought Dr. Carol Anderson, author of One Person, No Vote. In March a social media campaign was launched celebrating our Women of Color Faculty and launched our hashtag #RITWomenRoar! A Women of Color Advisory Board was relaunched and AdvanceRIT supported twelve faculty in attending the National Faculty Women of Color Conference. The Spring Learning Circle, called Learning Circle: Lean in, Listen & Learn Developing as allies for women Faculty of Color, leveraged the events on campus and also included a discussion of the book Caste-The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

Eight (8) new Connect grants were awarded Supporting career development from individual research to faculty peer support groups.