school news

SPH Launches DEIJ Workshop Series for Staff

The virtual, six-week series aims to build upon the foundational knowledge of past diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice trainings at SPH and better equip attendees with the tools to meaningfully engage when challenges arise.

As part of an ongoing effort to invest in the professional development of staff members, the School of Public Health is launching a new, staff-oriented diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) workshop series.

“As a school, we tend to focus a lot on our students and faculty, but our staff are an integral part of our community, as well” says Yvette Cozier, associate dean for DEIJ, who helped develop the new workshops with Ira Lazic, associate dean for administration and finance. “DEIJ-centered conversations may break out in classroom settings, but we wanted to create a workshop that focused on the staff experience because so much of the business of the School happens outside of the classroom. This series will center staff voices, concerns, and scenarios to really help inform our DEIJ efforts and push our community forward.”

Set to begin on February 4, the virtual, six-week series aims to go beyond the introductory DEIJ trainings that the School has previously hosted. The goal is to build upon that foundational knowledge and better equip attendees with the tools to meaningfully engage when challenges arise, as well as foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

The School is partnering with Jessie Saintcyr, principal and owner of Saintcyr Consulting, to deliver the workshop series. Saintcyr is a human resource, DEIJ, and employment law expert, and has worked as an organizational leader for government, higher education, and non-profit businesses. Throughout the series, she will draw on her 20 years of experience to guide attendees through different DEIJ concepts and share strategies for growth that can be adapted and applied to the SPH community.

When developing the workshop series, it was important to the organizers that each session cover topic areas that will benefit the entire staff community, rather than just hiring managers or supervisors, Cozier says. Session topics include: the principles of inclusion, increasing self-awareness, turning inclusion into meaningful action, performance management, the dos and don’ts of DEIJ, and recruiting and retaining diverse talent.

“We don’t expect anyone to come out of these workshop sessions fully prepared to do everything right, but the more we can practice and the more we can learn about what it takes to be inclusive, diverse, and equitable, the better off we all are,” says Cozier.

“We can have very lofty conversation about the things that we stand for and what we believe in, but we must be able to respond when challenging moments arise. It won’t be perfect, but each time, we will get better at it, and this continued practice can really bring us far and help to better everyone’s experience, whether they are staff, faculty, or students, along the way.”

If you are interested in enrolling in the DEIJ workshop series and can commit to all six weeks of training, please register here by Friday, January 28. Space is limited.