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January 2020 Volume 2, Issue 1
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WELCOME TO THE OFFICE FOR DIVERSITY NEWSLETTER!
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Happy January 2021! As we return to campus amid what is shaping up to be another unusual semester, we would like to remind you to practice self-care and compassion. The greatest gift you can give is kindness, even to yourself! And as always, please continue to wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and stay home if you are feeling sick.
In this month’s newsletter, you will find a letter to the campus community from Dr. Annie McGowan, Interim Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity. Read about the work of Dr. Srividya "Srivi" Ramasubramanian, a Presidential Impact Fellow, Professor of Communication, Affiliated Professor of Women's & Gender Studies, and Director of the Difficult Dialogues on Campus Race Relations at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Meet the outstanding fellows of the 2020 Accountability, Climate, Equity, and Scholarship (ACES) Program Cohort. Get to know Dr. Gabriela Zapata, ADVANCE Administrative Fellow in the Office for Diversity and Associate Professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies, and her exceptional scholarship on second language pedagogy. Finally, please take a moment to explore our calendar to find events and professional development opportunities.
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Texas A&M University has received the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for the second year in a row. The College of Dentistry and the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences have also won this prestigious award. Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) recognizes outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and is awarded by the INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
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A LETTER TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
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Happy 2021!
I want to extend my sincere appreciation for the warm welcome that I have received during my transition to service as the Interim Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity at Texas A&M. I am excited about the opportunity to work with the members of the Aggie Community to help Texas A&M achieve its land grant mission to prepare all students to assume leadership roles and make meaningful contributions to society.
2020 was a year of stretching to meet the demands of unforeseen expectations. We began the new year with political unrest in our nation’s capitol—a striking reminder of the work that must be done to reconcile...
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Your Voice matters to us!
Texas A&M University is launching Your Voice Matters Survey 2021 from February 10, 2021 through March 7, 2021. We want to hear from all students, faculty, and staff so that we can collect everyone’s perspectives of their Texas A&M experience. Visit yourvoice.tamu.edu to learn more and monitor your email for the invitation on February 10, 2021!
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PRODUCING OUTSTANDING SCHOLARSHIP
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Dr. Srividya "Srivi" Ramasubramanian
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Dr. Srividya "Srivi" Ramasubramanian is a Presidential Impact Fellow, Professor of Communication, Affiliated Professor of Women's & Gender Studies, and Director of the Difficult Dialogues on Campus Race Relations at Texas A&M University, where she has served as Associate Dean for Climate & Inclusion. We spoke to Dr. Srivi about her scholarship that addresses issues relating to media, diversity, and social justice.
What is the inspiration for your research?
Communications and dialogue can help people connect, understand one another, build empathy, and create bridges across different cultures. This is the basic principle that drives...
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CONNECTING THOSE ADVANCING ACCOUNTABILITY
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The Texas A&M University’s Accountability, Climate, Equity, and Scholarship (ACES) Fellows Program welcomed the following six fellows to cohort II during 2020: Dr. Connie Barroso Garcia, Educational Psychology; Dr. Jocelyn Frelier, International Studies; Dr. ArCasia James-Galloway, Teaching, Learning and Culture; Dr. Jesse O’Rear, Performance Studies; Dr. Kristy Pathakis, Political Science; and Dr. Cinthya Salazar, Educational Development and Human Resource Development.
In recognition of Texas A&M University's Diversity Plan, the ACES Fellows Program promotes the research, teaching, and scholarship of early-career scholars who embrace the belief that diversity is an indispensable component of academic excellence. The ACES Fellows Program is funded by the Office of the Provost, and administered by the Office for Diversity at Texas A&M in partnership with the following colleges: The Bush School of Government and Public Service, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering, College of Geosciences, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science.
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ADVANCING EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
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Dr. Gabriela Zapata is an ADVANCE Administrative Fellow in the Office for Diversity and Associate Professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies at Texas A&M University. We interviewed Dr. Zapata about her research that focuses on multiliteracies-based second and heritage language pedagogy, teacher education, research-guided methodologies, and instructors’ use of metaphors to define what they do and the way in which they see the learning process and how that translates to the classroom.
What is the inspiration for your research?
My goal has always been to do research that has practical purposes. I not only want to address the needs of...
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Jan. 27 - [Virtual Symposium] Teaching Writing Now: Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in the Writing Classroom “Teaching Writing at the Border”
Send March events to Crystal Carter by February 2nd for consideration in the February newsletter.
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Texas A&M has issued COVID-19 guidance to enhance the safety of those returning to campus. Free testing is available for all students, faculty, and staff who have symptoms or have been in close contact with known or suspected cases. The tests provided through this program are mouth swab tests that do not require assistance. More information can be found at the Student Health Services website.
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Texas A&M University
Office for Diversity
Jack K. Williams Administration Building
1360 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843-1360
Phone: (979) 458-2905
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