The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is implementing three tiers of personal and professional development to improve equity, diversity and inclusion on campus for students. This program consists of a required online training, workshops designed specifically for students, an inclusive leadership conference and the opportunity to earn a certificate.

This program provides students with EDI training sessions to enhance their knowledge and understanding of EDI, become culturally responsible and knowledgeable, and become an asset to the diverse world that we live in today. Using a culturally responsive framework, facilitators and educators create student-centered learning environments that affirm racial, linguistic and cultural identities; prepare students for rigor and independent learning; develop students’ abilities to connect across lines of difference; elevate historically marginalized voices; and empower students as agents of social change. The goals of the program include the following:

Goal 1: Gain an understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Goal 2: Provide students with an opportunity to learn about the experiences of underrepresented populations.

Goal 3: Respectfully engage, challenge and support students by creating a safe space for education on various EDI-related topics.

Goal 4: Increase awareness of one’s identities, biases and privileges.

Student EDI training options 

Tier 1

Being a Blugold comes with the responsibility to build a stronger, safer, healthier and more inclusive campus. To help make that happen students are required to engage in an online, interactive feedback tool that focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion at UW-Eau Claire. This is our Tier 1 level of training equity, diversity and inclusion. This training is mandatory for all new students and there are no exemptions for completing it. Returning students may request this Tier One training to begin their equity, diversity and inclusion certificate journey. It will take about 50 minutes to complete this online student development program.

To request access, email FranChesca Riley at rileyfa7494@uwec.edu. 

Tier 2

The Tier 2 section of the EDI training will provide students with an interactive and intentional learning environment to enhance knowledge of a specific EDI topic. Students must successfully participate in 10 EDI Tier 2 sessions in order to move on to the final Tier 3 section of the EDI training. Sessions can include interactive in-person training, book clubs, movies and discussions or immersion trips like the Civil Rights Pilgrimage.

Students will participate in face-to-face, interactive sessions. Sessions will be offered on a schedule which will be released before the start of each semester. Students must enroll in three required sessions and can choose their remaining seven sessions based on the optional choices.

Required Sessions:

Diversity 101 (Understanding EDI: A comprehensive look into equity, diversity and inclusion)

Students will gain an understanding of what equity, diversity and inclusion mean. They will learn the significance of each term individually and how they apply to the world in which we live.

Microaggressions

Microaggressions are everyday verbal, nonverbal and environmental slights, snubs or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target people based solely on their marginalized group membership. Workshop participants will learn to recognize microaggressions, reduce them in their daily lives and support students who experience them daily.

Safe Space Training

This informative and engaging training session is led by two safe-space trainers. Students will gain an understanding of updated terms and respectful ways to engage and have conversation. Terms/issues we will discuss are as follows: LGBTQIA+ (What do the letters in this acronym represent?), pronouns, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, gender roles, erasure, heteronormativity, the queer legal landscape, allies and resources (UW-Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley, nationwide).

Students can register for workshops and track their progress using the link below.

Tier Two Workshops

Diverse Book Challenge 

Join the Diverse Voices Book Challenge for the opportunity to learn about different populations, identities, and experiences that are present within our campus community through reading. This initiative looks at heritage months to highlight varying perspectives to help start conversations, provide proper terminology, and reflect on what you've read. To complete the challenge and earn a Tier 2 completion, participants need to read eight books over the course of the 2021-2022 academic year, from at least four different categories. Once a book is completed, participants must complete a reflection form in order to log the book and their progress.

View featured books and register 

Any participant that completes the challenge will receive a Tier 2 completion and be entered to win season tickets for the Artists and Forum Series 2021-2022 season, with five passes being available for students.

Civil Rights Pilgrimage

Your journey through college is one that changes your life, broadens your horizons and enhances your critical thinking skills. We believe firmly that the college journey should also open hearts and minds to histories and experiences sometimes not fully appreciated by all. The Civil Rights Pilgrimage through UWEC is a unique opportunity to travel the path of the civil rights movement and walk through these pivotal places and stories in our history.

Each year, we offer two travel immersion experiences for you to explore issues of social justice and the history of the civil rights movement in the United States. The trips for the 2023-2024 academic year begin on Friday, January 5 or March 15, 2024. Participants will travel to Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Gulfport and Jackson, Mississippi, New Orleans, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee. Participants will return to Eau Claire on Monday, January 15 or Sunday, March 24.

In January 2021 we will offer a virtual Civil Rights Pilgrimage featuring tours, films, lectures, and speakers. Participants will receive 5 Tier 2 credits toward their Student EDI Leadership Certificate. The Canvas course for this experience will open on January 4. The synchronous activities for the virtual experience will take place January 11 through 15. More information about the experience can be found on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage site. 

Tier 3

Students are encouraged to consider the completion of a certificate in equity, diversity and inclusion personal development. Tier 3 provides participants with the opportunity to earn an EDI certificate and letter of accomplishment following completion of 10 sessions and a project/presentation that demonstrates and incorporates their learning. Participants will have their entire collegiate careers to complete the certificate program. 

After completing 10 sessions, students interested in earning their EDI certificate will need to complete the student project form below. Students are allowed to decide how they would like to demonstrate their learning. If they would like to display it beyond the options provided, a staff member will follow up to provide an individual consultation. The presentation of student certificates will be held prior to the University Student Excellence Awards in May. 

Students will be asked to incorporate the following questions into their Tier 3 project/presentation:

1. What have you learned as a result of participating in the student EDI certificate program?
2. How will you incorporate your knowledge around EDI into your campus experiences and environments? Please provide specific examples.
3. How will you utilize your knowledge around EDI in your future career?
4. What topics will you continue to study beyond your time at UW-Eau Claire? Why are those topics important to you?
5. What is something you wished the university would have provided more education around in relation to EDI training?

Student Project Form

Once students complete their projects, they must submit the Completion Form in order to receive their certificate and be recognized.

Project Completion Form

Barron County campus options

Tier 2 sessions are primarily scheduled on the UW-Eau Claire campus. Some sessions may be offered through distance education (DE) technology for students to attend virtually from the UW-Barron County campus and Marshfield site. Connection arrangements will be made no later than one week before the session when there are at least two interested participants from the same location. However, during the fall 2020 semester, all workshops will be offered virtually and are open to any UW-Barron County or Marshfield student.

If you are interested in virtually attending an upcoming session, please contact the DE coordinator at your location.

• Marshfield: Kari Vanden Busch, VANDENBK@uwec.edu
• UW-Barron County: Sue Kleusch, KLEUSCSE@uwec.edu

NOTE: Not all sessions are eligible for this service due to session format, time of day and facilitator preference. We will try our best to accommodate requests for eligible sessions.

*Disability Accommodations: If you require an accommodation, please notify us at least two weeks in advance of the program so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Contact the Center for EDI Training, Development and Education Office at thesinjm@uwec.edu. All requests are kept confidential.

Resources

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire offers many EDI resources for students, faculty and staff. These resources can be helpful for addressing problems on campus and educating everyone on why EDI is important. Additionally, there are several free resources available through outside sources that can help continue education and growth.

Visit the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion homepage for more information on UW-Eau Claire's EDI mission and links to the following EDI programs:

Affirmative Action
Bias/Hate Incident Reporting
Gender & Sexuality Resource Center
McNair Program
Multicultural Student Services
Services for Students with Disabilities
Student Support Services
University Police
Upward Bound

There are many resources available off-campus to help students continue to learn about topics surrounding equity, diversity and inclusion. Here are a few:

• Project Implicit: A series of tests to help understand personal areas of bias around race, gender, religion, age, ability and more.
• MyPronouns.org: Learn why pronouns matter and more about gender inclusive language.
• Tribal Nations of Wisconsin: Learn more about the 11 federally recognized, sovereign nations within the state of Wisconsin.
• Gender and Sexuality Terminology
• Black History Month Library: This free Google drive contains information about influential people, events and movements to help further educate around Black history.
• TedTalks: There are many TedTalks available that discuss various areas of diversity and inclusion.
• Podcasts: There are a wide variety of podcasts available that discuss individual identities or how they intersect.