Envisioning a More Inclusive Chatham: An Interview with Dr. Randi Congleton
As the Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Chatham University, Dr. Randi Congleton is comfortable wading into the often uncomfortable waters of intergroup dialogue and addressing issues of power, privilege, and oppression; she believes it is some of the most crucial work we can do. We caught up with Dr. Congleton to discuss her university-wide initiatives, the markers of a truly inclusive campus, and how we can all be better advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion across Chatham.
Dr. Randi Congleton, Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Is there a specific initiative you've worked on at Chatham that you are proudest of?
RC: I'm proud of a lot of things, but one of the initiatives that I'm proudest of is Chatham’s Intergroup Dialogue Program (using the Michigan Model of Intergroup Dialogue), which helps students learn to facilitate conversations across difference to reach new levels of understanding. I work with a team of phenomenal faculty and staff on campus to enhance and strengthen that program and we’re now in our third year. We have been able to train more than thirty students to be intergroup dialogue facilitators, and we now offer sections on race, ethnicity, and gender, one-time workshops, and a new course led by Heather Black, Dean of Students and Devin Fabian, Assistant Director of Residence Life called Creating Inclusive Communities in the Residence Halls.
Where do you think Chatham stands to grow in terms of equity and inclusion?
RC: There is a lot of possibility, and I think it takes everyone. We're all human and nothing is ever perfect, but to sit and wrestle with the complicated is important. I think what’s next for Chatham is to think more intentionally about equity and inclusion in each sector of the institution. Some ideas include: strengthening hiring practices, developing affirming groups for faculty and staff, improving racial justice, and building stronger connections in the Pittsburgh region. During my initial hire, my role was centered in the student experience. Now we're thinking a lot more broadly about how equity and inclusion fit in the overall vision of the university.
“Now more than ever, we need to be thinking about how we can enact healthy communication techniques, especially when it comes to issues of social justice and engaging across difference. ”
What do you consider the markers of a truly inclusive campus?
RC: It begins with a strategic direction that illuminates where you are going and what outcomes are important. I always say that universities are microcosms of our larger society. What you find larger society wrestling with, you find college campuses wrestling with. We do not leave our lived experiences on Fifth Avenue. Campus is not a utopian society where everyone feels included and says, “It's okay if we don't quite agree, let's sit in the messiness for a second.” That's not reality. We show up with everything have been socialized to understand regarding issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, systems of belief, and more.
Students participate in the Multicultural Graduation Ceremony, April 2019
When you consider inclusion, it’s from a 360° perspective, from using teaching practices that honor different ways of understanding, to including individuals from different backgrounds in the curriculum. Are we filling needs for students who are housing- or food-insecure? Are we making space for the great things that international students, students of color, and students from the LGBTQIA+ community bring to the table? Can students who are nursing mothers find space to breastfeed on campus? Can disabled students find a van-accessible spot and get into Woodland Hall? If we have retention challenges for certain populations of students, how can Chatham step up and assist in closing the gap?
What does inclusion look like when we are doing well? It looks like strong retention and support for faculty and staff of color. They provide personal and scholarly value as well as mentorship on our campus. When we step up for those who are disproportionately impacted and in the margins, everyone benefits.
“If you see someone as a human worthy of feeling that they matter and them being here is important, you have to show up for them. It requires saying, ‘I want to do my best because I want to honor all of who you are. So I’m going to learn how to say your name and what pronouns that you would like to be referred to and what makes you feel affirmed. When I mess up, because I’m human and humans mess up, I will take up the hard task of being comfortable with the uncomfortable and learning how to do better.’ To be able to treat each other in this way means that the learning is stronger, the connection is stronger, and the students that we send into society become stronger. ”
How can faculty and staff be better advocates for diversity and inclusion in their own individual departments?
RC: Start with yourself. I think the first thing is to ask yourself, “Is this something I care enough about to do something?” There are podcasts you can look into, one of my favorites is Code Switch, which looks at identity in America from intersectional lenses. I like to read different blogs or books to be more educated about concerns and lived experiences that I don't have. Google is a great tool.
“Everyone doesn’t have to be on a picket line, but if everyone commits themselves to doing something a little bit different than they did before, Chatham will be a much stronger place. ”
Students participate in an activity for the 2019-2020 Black Student Union kick-off event, September 2019
If you want to get more involved on campus, you can volunteer for a committee through the Diversity & Inclusion Council. If your department is doing a search and you want to make sure that the search is as equitable as possible, you could raise your hand during those search meetings to say, “Are we doing everything that we can? I was able to gather some resources to help us be better in our search advocacy.” All of these small things add up; every drop creates the larger picture. Chatham recently released gender inclusive policy recommendations—work to implement them in your department. Define and work towards inclusion goals in your department. Attend professional development opportunities and co-sponsor events with Multicultural Affairs.
What aspect of your work do you find the most fulfilling?
RC: Making space for people to show up in who they are, no matter who it is, faculty, staff or student. I think that is probably one of the most important aspects of inclusion work there is. I enjoy the strategy behind inclusion work as well as providing workshops and support to departments who are wrestling with ways to show up better for their students.
“Every day we wake up and we have to decide whether or not we want to be better than we were the day before. And we mess up, there is a lot of stumbling, a lot of wrestling, a lot of healing, a lot of unpacking. It’s worth it in the end if we can show up for our students and each other. ”
Are there any Chatham initiatives for diversity and inclusion that you’d like to highlight?
A student adds to the library’s Day of the Dead offrande in honor of Trans Women of Color, October 2019
RC: I'd love to highlight the Diversity and Inclusion Council. We have representatives from across the university that have a passion for diversity and inclusion work. I'd love to highlight the Library staff, who do their heritage display every month and the Gender and Sexual Violence Prevention Committee, who are leading the way in gender inclusive policies and practices. The Women’s Institute is very intentional about intersectional events all year. We have to shout out Dr. Ethan Block, Dr. Kevin Hatala, and Dr. Jeff Bukowski with the Chatham Men's Project, which consists of male-identified faculty and staff who are making space for male-identified students to show up. There are so many gems around campus, whether it's Dr. Tyra Good and the work she is doing with urban education or Kelly Henderson who has been teaching intergroup dialogue concepts to K-12 students through sustainability programs. The School of Health Sciences has done multiple programs on gender inclusive health practices and training around pronouns. What do I want to highlight? We could be here all day. We can never forget to celebrate the moments that our community shows up to make a difference.
Faculty & Staff: Save the date for the second annual Equity & Inclusion Professional Development Day on May 8th, featuring workshops and keynote speaker, Dr. Robin Means-Coleman '91, the Vice President and Associate Provost of Diversity at Texas A&M, a noted scholar and professional in diversity and inclusion across the country as well as a Chatham alumna.
