Identify Attributes of Inclusive Teaching

“Equity-focused Teaching is a corrective tool that allows instructors to acknowledge and disrupt historical and contemporary patterns of educational disenfranchisement that often negatively impact marginalized and minoritized students. It recognizes that systemic inequities shape all students’ individual and group-based experiences of social identity and produce vastly different relationships of power in and outside of the classroom, which impact students’ learning and success. The corrective work of equity-focused teaching involves deliberately cultivating a learning environment where students:

• Have equal access to learning
• Feel valued and supported in their learning
• Experience parity in achieving positive course outcomes
• Share responsibility for the equitable engagement and treatment of all in the learning community.” (Equity-focused teaching)

“Equity is the goal we strive to reach, in which all learners start by having access to the same opportunities. But access is not enough. Equity requires naming and dismantling the systems, structures, and oppressive forces that act as barriers for some students more than others. When we work to remove barriers, more individuals can succeed. This is an ongoing process.” (Hogan & Sathy, 2022, p. 4-5)

“Equity acknowledges the differences between learners, their diversity, and the types of learning environments that help diverse students succeed.” (Addy et al., 2021, p. 4)

“Equity is achieving equal outcomes, not merely providing equal rights. Equal rights, without acknowledging unique circumstances and barriers and providing sufficient resources and opportunities, can still result in inequality. A more equitable future requires acknowledging the harm caused by our nation’s history of unequal access to power, education, income, housing, health care, intergenerational wealth, and other resources and confronting how it continues to affect outcomes today. A diverse, inclusive environment is more likely to lead to equitable outcomes than a homogeneous and hierarchical one.” (Inclusive communications guide)

“As Badgers, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every student feels a sense of belonging, and where we appreciate and celebrate one another’s abilities, views, and accomplishments.” (Student Affairs)

“Academic Belonging is about cultivating students’ sense of connection to and ability to see themselves in the discipline or profession, your course, or a community of scholars (including your class or campus.)” (Equity-focused teaching)

“A classroom is a community within many other levels of community (discipline, institution, higher education). Inclusion means helping all students feel part of the classroom community. Educators may take for granted the experiences and privileges they had as a student, making it difficult to know what others need to feel a sense of belonging and value.” (Hogan & Sathy, 2022, p. 146)

“Identities are qualities, beliefs, appearances, or any other attributes that make an individual student unique. From a psychological standpoint, personal identity reflects how a student sees themself.” (Addy et al., 2021, p. 76)

“To be genuine and authentic, representation is when a representative of a community reflects the shared power and inclusion experienced by that community on campus. If a community feels marginalized because they are not truly included in the campus community, then the representative is being tokenized.” (Inclusive communications guide)

“[W]e used to use the term underrepresented minority (URM) to include Black, Latinx, and Indigenous people. We now use the word minoritized in place of URM. This terminology shifts away from characteristics that are socially constructed and recognizes systemic barriers and oppression that have characterized particular groups (Sotto-Santiago, 2019).” (Hogan & Sathy, 2022, p. xi)

UW-Madison reporting tools use the following terms: 

“Minority: Domestic (not international) students who have identified a race/ethnicity other than solely White.” (Glossary of Terms)

“Underrepresented students of color include Black/African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino/a, Southeast Asian (Cambodians, Laotians, Vietnamese & Hmong). Students of color include all underrepresented students of color as well as other Asians and Native Hawaiians. International students are not counted for students of color/underrepresented students of color.” (APIR 2022 Diversity Update)

“Accessibility is proactive and strives to remove barriers during the design stage of an event, program, or service. Accommodation is reactive and strives to remove barriers caused by inaccessible design. This ensures people with disabilities have the same access as people without disabilities. Being proactive when it comes to accessibility at UW-Madison is the right thing to do because it puts people first now, and in the future.  We want to think of accessibility as a way of planning ahead to create an inclusive environment for all. The benefits of designing experiences with accessibility in mind include creating an inclusive learning and working environment, better retention, and cost and time savings. Inaccessible experiences exclude people, cause harm, and damages the university’s reputation.” (Accessibility@UW)

“The University of Wisconsin-Madison supports the right of all enrolled students to a full and equal educational opportunity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wisconsin State Statute (36.12), and UW-Madison policy (UW-855) require the university to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities to access and participate in its academic programs and educational services. Faculty and students share responsibility in the accommodation process. Students are expected to inform faculty of their need for instructional accommodations during the beginning of the semester, or as soon as possible after being approved for accommodations. Faculty will work either directly with the student or in coordination with the McBurney Center to provide reasonable instructional and course-related accommodations. Disability information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student’s educational record, is confidential and protected under FERPA. (See: McBurney Disability Resource Center)” (Guide syllabus statements)

“One of the longest and deepest traditions surrounding the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Idea signifies a general principle: that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.” (Wisconsin Idea)

“I shall never be content until the beneficent influence of the University reaches every family of the state.” (UW President Charles Van Hise, 1905) *Van Hise is a complex historical figure known as a progressive conservationist and a supporter of eugenics. 

“UW–Madison’s vision for the total student experience combines learning in and out of the classroom, with students engaging in four areas of intellectual and personal growth: Empathy & Humility, Relentless Curiosity, Intellectual Confidence, Purposeful Action.” (Wisconsin Experience)

Empathy & Humility: “Badgers bring heart—empathy and humility—to everything that we do. It’s the very lens of our worldview. We develop and demonstrate a cultural understanding of ourselves and others; we engage locally, nationally, and globally in a respectful and civil manner; and we appreciate and celebrate one another’s abilities, views, and accomplishments.”

Relentless Curiosity: “Badgers show relentless curiosity at every step of life’s journey. We question things that no one has ever thought to question. We actively learn with expert instructors, scholars, and peers; we engage in creative inquiry, scholarship, and research; we develop resilience; and we foster courage in life and learning.”

Intellectual Confidence: “Badgers fearlessly sift and winnow until we achieve intellectual confidence. At our core, we’re learners and teachers. We develop competence, depth, and expertise in a field of study; we integrate ideas and synthesize knowledge across multiple contexts; and we exercise critical thinking and effective communication.”

Purposeful Action: “Badgers strive to find greater meaning every day through purposeful action. We work for the common good—for something that’s bigger than ourselves. We apply knowledge and skills to solve problems; we engage in public service, partner with others, and contribute to the community; and we lead for positive change.”