The Senators Challenge:
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
Welcome to the December issue of Engage. This month's newsletter includes information on the Senate meeting, challenges, news, training, wellness, and other important information.
1. Savor Diversity:
Senators, in the December Faculty Senate meeting we challenged you to Savor Diversity. Savor means to taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely. This simple act of gathering with your colleagues in your office, division, department, and school/college was offered as a method for focusing on a process of coming together, enjoying a meal with various ethnic foods, and savoring the diversity of both the food and those that make up this place called Vanderbilt!
This brief 1 hour of time together is really to engage in a meal representing who you are and the 'flavor' you bring to your department. We are encouraging senators to register their group by clicking on the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SavorDiversity
. Once registered, you and your colleagues, staff and students will set a date in January to Savor Diversity. Prepare your favorite dish that reminds you about your family heritage. Everyone shares in a buffet style meal and discusses what makes you special and why we as a community can benefit from having a diverse working/teaching environment. So enjoy some flavorful food and engage in conversation. That's it!
2. Complete your Project Safe Training:
Senators, please take 15 minutes to complete the web-based training and consider posting messages in your classroom or within your syllabus supporting Project Safe. The
Golden Obligation/Golden Opportunity
was created by the EAD in partnership with the Faculty Senate. It provides additional information about mandatory reporters, confidentiality, and resources. Our goal is for all senators to complete the training by February 1. Please encourage your colleagues to do so as well.
b. You can search for the course by title: Golden Opportunity/Golden Obligation
e. Print the Project Safe Logo to place on your door or within your syllabus.
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Chair Dewey apprised the Senate of the extensive, ongoing work of the Executive Committee.
- Chancellor Zeppos and Vice Chancellor Hill responded to a series of questions that were received by Senators through the Faculty Senate portal.
- The Vanderbilt Faculty Senate overwhelmingly passed a Resolution Affirming our Guiding Principles. This Resolution is strongly 'student-facing' in nature, as it arose out of a sincere sense of duty to foster constructive learning environments that are inclusive of all students' realities and perspectives.
- More than thirty different faculty members directly contributed to the authorship and editing the final document and is intended as a powerful statement of our Faculty's commitment to our students and their learning.
- The full draft minutes of the Senate meeting can be found on the Senate Portal for review.
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1. Go There!
Cynthia Cyrus, Ph.D. is leading the charge to promote mental health & well-being resources for all students. They have created a "green card" that lists resources and numbers, as well as the vu.edu/wellbeing web page.
http://vanderbilt.edu/wellbeing/. Please obtain a card and place it in your wallet. Another card for faculty resources is being developed.
a.
Engage:
Your main stop for news from the
Faculty Senate
! Please make sure to submit your
Q&A items for the Chancellor, Provost, or Vice Chancellor of DEI by the 15th of each month.
Submit questions via the
Faculty Senate
portal!
i.
iNCLUSIVE
, a biweekly listing of diverse and inclusive news and events, covering
faculty, staff and students and the EDI Connect newsletter.
ii.
EDI Connect
, which addresses unconscious bias through a video interview, an
awareness campaign with graduate and undergraduate students and more.
- video interview
- awareness campaign
3.
Training Reminders:
Remember to train for:
a.
Kognito: Training is available to improve your understanding and recognition of psychological distress.
b. MAPS: Training is available to enhance your understanding of Mental Health Awareness
and Prevention of Suicide.
4.
SkyVU - going live January 2018!
a. Send all non-emergent reports to Safe VU or call 911 for emergencies. VUPD is
available 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
b. EMERGENCY - Call 911 or (615) 421-1911
c. Non-Emergency - Call (615) 322-2745 or 2-2745 from a campus extension.
d. "FBI has defined a hate crime as a "criminal offense against a person or property
motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability,
sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity." Hate itself is not a crime-and
the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties." Learn
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In previous issues we discussed the four realms of health: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. If you participated in the move challenge, then you have improved your physical health! Good for you. The next two months we will focus on mental health and the stigma and biases around mental health conditions.
Mental Health Disorders: There are twenty categories of mental health disorders. As we study and learn more about mental health, we are more aware of the role of genetics and brain function in each disorder. For example, in the category of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders have more evidence related to the brain circuitry than in the past. And neurodevelopmental disorders encompass the autism spectrum, intellectual developmental and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders.
In this issue we will address substance abuse since it is one of the most common mental health disorders and there are genetic links to alcohol and opioid abuse.
- Substance use is a common problem in the world and affects millions of Americans. A few facts include:
- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation noted substance abuse as this nation's number one health problem.
- Many people use and misuse substances: >175 million persons aged 12 and older (65.7 percent of this population) reported alcohol use in the past year, 66.7 million individuals in the United States aged 12 or older admitted to binge drinking in the past month and 27.1 million people aged 12 or older used an illicit drug in the past month.
- Harmful binge drinking is common on college campuses and is associated with unintended deaths, assaults, sexual abuse (rape), domestic violence, and academic problems.
- Men use heavy alcohol three times as much as women.
- Surgeon General Murthy stated we needed "a new call to action."
- Categories of substance use include safe use, misuse, substance use disorder, and addiction.
- The cost is significant to individuals, their families, and their communities/society.
- Early interventions are best to abate potential long term problems from substance abuse and treatment options exist.
- If you are concerned your substance use is no longer in your control, contact your physician or EAP to be assessed.
Learn more and be informed: Answer these three challenge questions:
- What is a standard drink? Answer at: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
- Do you know what safe use levels are for your gender (male or female)? Answer at: https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/How-much-is-too-much/Is-your-drinking-pattern-risky/whats-Low-Risk-drinking.aspx
- Calculate your blood alcohol levels for the last amount of alcohol you consumed: http://bloodalcoholcalculator.org/
A few tips to support your mental wellness around substance use:
- Drink at safe levels only.
- Never drink and drive.
- Learn to relax in ways that reduces stress without reaching for a drink. Consider using mindfulness-based stress reduction activities to help manage and reduce stress.
- Avoid drinking alcohol to help you sleep.
- If you think you drink at levels above the safe use for alcohol, seek assistance with a mental health and/or healthcare professional.
- Role model safe drinking behaviors and learn more about college drinking at: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/college-drinking.
- If you have concerns about a student's drinking behaviors, direct them to the PCC. (https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/pcc/)
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The SEC Academic Leadership Development Program identifies, prepares and advances academic leaders for roles within and beyond SEC institutions.
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Nine Vanderbilt University faculty members will participate in the SEC Faculty Travel
Program. Vanderbilt's Faculty Travel Program participants for 2016-2017 are:
- Celso Castilho, assistant professor of history, collaborating with the University of Alabama.
- Mario Crucini, professor of economics, collaborating with Auburn University.
- Joel Rodrigue, assistant professor of economics, collaborating with Auburn University.
- Bonnie Dow, professor of communication studies and chair of the department, collaborating with the University of Florida.
- Anjali Forber-Pratt, assistant professor of human and organizational development, collaborating with the University of Florida.
- Nina Martin, associate clinical professor in psychology and human development, collaborating with Auburn University.
- Michelle Murray, assistant professor of Spanish, collaborating with the University of Alabama.
- Lynn Ramey, associate professor of French, collaborating with the University of Mississippi.
- Karl Zelik, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, collaborating with the University of Tennessee.
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New Faculty Development and Diversity Website:
The Provost's Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs (OAFA) has launched a
new website.
The new site provides access to information for faculty events, development, diversity, awards, and resources.
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A
ny senator with thoughts, concerns or new business for the Executive Committee to address can
submit them in writing to the EC via
email
or anonymously via the
Faculty Senate Portal
Feedback
Form.
Wishing you a safe, healthy and joyous holiday season! See you in 2017!
From Your
  
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