Introducing the 'Reflections on Inclusion' interview series: Kathryn La Barre

Kathryn La Barre
Kathryn La Barre, Associate Professor Emerita

A new and ongoing series of interviews conducted by Kathryn La Barre, associate professor and chair of the GSLIS Curriculum Committee (AY 2012-2013), furthers GSLIS efforts to respect varied perspectives and diversity of experiences. This series asks core faculty to reflect upon the ways in which the values expressed in the statement of inclusion are integrated into their pedagogical and/or research practices. The first contributor is Interim Dean Allen Renear. In the fall, this series will be opened to participants in the wider community at GSLIS. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kathryn La Barre at klabarre@illinois.edu.

Through the leadership and joint efforts of the Task Force on Inclusion and the Curriculum Committee, GSLIS recently released a syllabus template for use in all courses (available on the Inclusion Initiatives web page). This document represents a set of guidelines for best practice, and we hope that it will be adapted for use in all classes taught at GSLIS. A prominent feature of this template is the following statement on inclusive practices from the Diversity Values Statement approved 11/5/2012 by the Academic Senate at UIUC:

As the state’s premier public university, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s core mission is to serve the interests of the diverse people of the state of Illinois and beyond. The institution thus values inclusion and a pluralistic learning and research environment, one in which we respect the varied perspectives and lived experiences of a diverse community and global workforce. We support diversity of worldviews, histories, and cultural knowledge across a range of social groups including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, economic class, religion, and their intersections.
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