Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Education
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Committed to Diversity

We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning, teaching, and working environment in the School of Education. We value and affirm the voices and experiences of diverse students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Committee on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Faculty and Staff - Submit a DEIJ Activity

Professor with a student looking at a computer

Teaching

This is a sampling of School of Education courses with DEIJ content.

EDHE 661 - Inclusive University - Susana Muñoz

The primary purpose of this seminar is to sustain and strengthen a supportive network of graduate students and faculty in the School of Education who are particularly interested in research, pedagogy, and activism around issues of equity, social justice and inclusion. It is designed to enhance the preparation of doctoral students to fulfill their current and future educational roles, including serving as diversity researchers, educators, and allies.

EDRM 700 - Quantitative Research Methods - Kari Dockendorff

In quantitative methods, I use a Critical Quantitative approach throughout the class to focus on learning quantitative methods in a way that align with critical paradigms. We use data to represent educational processes and outcomes to reveal systematic inequities. Students learn how to critically examine research to question what is being studied, and how constructs are measured, and to question who is being included or excluded within educational datasets.

EDHE 773 – Students in the Collegiate Context – Susana Muñoz

To promote a DEISJ perspectives for this course, the instructor:

Integrates cultural knowledge with specific and relevant diverse issues on campus.
Assesses and address one’s own awareness of EDI, and articulate one’s own differences and similarities with others.
Demonstrates personal skills associated with EDI by participating in activities that challenge one’s beliefs.
Interacts with diverse individuals and implement programs, services, and activities that reflect an understanding and appreciation of cultural and human differences.
Recognizes the intersectionality of diverse identities possessed by an individual.
Recognizes social systems and their influence on people of diverse backgrounds.
Articulates a foundational understanding of social justice and the role of higher education, the institution, the department, the unit, and the individual in furthering its goals.
Demonstrates fair treatment to all individuals and change aspects of the environment that do not promote fair treatment.

Outreach

We work to engage our local and global communities in social justice issues on both the local and national level.

Spanish literacy students find empowerment within, explore post-secondary pathways with Caminos program

Antonette Aragon – Caminos is a transformative educational and career readiness pathway program for Latinx and Indigenous high school students to attend and graduate from higher education institutions. The Caminos program began in late spring of 2015 as a partnership between Fort Collins High School, Colorado State University’s School of Education, and the El Centro Cultural Center. The goal of the Caminos program is to address specific Latinx and Indigenous academic needs and provide access to understanding higher education opportunities while affirming cultural and racial assets. Currently, the program serves about 200 students at FCHS, Linton Elementary and Boltz Middle School.

Counseling Client Outcomes and Counselors’ Multicultural Competence

Jessica Gonzalez-Voller – Exploring client progress in counseling, the therapeutic relationship, and counselors multicultural competence is a primary goal for counselor educators; however, gaps in empirical research exist related to the relationship between these areas. This is a follow up study, longitudinally exploring the relationship between the effects of multicultural competence and the therapeutic relationship on client outcomes from both client and counselor-in-training perspectives. Preliminary results are being analyzed and implications for providing counseling to college students and community members will be provided.

Kelly McKenna receives Fulbright grant to improve distance education in Malaysia

Kelly McKenna, associate professor of adult education, received a Fulbright Grant to assist Asia Pacific Univeristy in developing equity-focused distance and hybrid curriculum for their diverse learner population.

“I am beyond honored to represent CSU, the field of adult and distance higher education, and the U.S. in cultural exchange efforts to develop and promote international understanding while supporting access for all learners to participate and succeed in higher education,” McKenna said of receiving the award.

Susana Muñoz on Latinx Critical Race Theory, Racial Rhetoric in Education, and Student Activism

Racism and inequity have deep roots, Susana Muñoz says in her book, ‘Why They Hate Us: How Racist Rhetoric Impacts Education.’

“We wanted to unpack the complexities of how we behave and act, and how all of this is historically rooted in the foundations of who we are as a country. If we do not talk about that and put a mirror up to ourselves to understand what is happening, how in the world are we going to change?” Muñoz said in an interview with OnlineEdDPrograms.com.

More Outreach Activities

Pronouns: Beyond the Basics Podcast Featuring SOE's Dr. Alex Lange

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Why it’s replacing Columbus Day in many places

RISE scholar gives TEDxCSU talk on decriminalization in classrooms

Dr. Susana Muñoz talks root analysis of structural racism in educational attainment on REACH podcast

Dr. Susana Muñoz authors policy brief on preparing Colorado community colleges for equity

Research

Our faculty are examining a wide array of social justice issues in their research and scholarship.

Impact of racist rhetoric on education documented in education scholars’ new book

Susana Muñoz, Funding Source, American College Personnel Association. The purpose of this research is to conduct a case study examination of a community college, (Community College of Denver) in the state of Colorado to illuminate the localized impact of the Trump Effect, contextualized by state and institutional policies. The research questions guiding this study are:

In what ways has the anti-immigration rhetoric from the 2016 election cycle and current political environments influenced undocumented students’ perception of their campus climate campus
How are institutional actors at community colleges cultivating “undocufriendly” campus climates

Findings will inform how community college institutional actors can better support undocumented and DACA students in their educational trajectories give the current sociopolitical environment.

School of Education faculty member recognized for research in justice-oriented science teaching

Daniel Birmingham and his co-authors — Angela Calabrese Barton, from the University of Michigan, and Edna Tan, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro — are being recognized for their article sharing ways that teachers can more equitably engage students from lower income communities of color. Their article titled “Rethinking High-Leverage Practices in Justice-Orientated Ways” has been awarded the 2021 Journal of Teacher Education Outstanding Article Award by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

The Challenges of Human Trafficking Education in Schools

With over half of victims of human trafficking in the United States believed to be minors, a high percentage of those victims being of marginalized identities, and many survivors reporting having been trafficked while in school, there is a clear importance for promoting human trafficking education in schools. Congruently, a number of U.S. states have introduced laws that address human trafficking education in schools. Additionally, more and more schools are providing HTE to students and related training and resources to educators. Unfortunately, the field continues to be plagued by a lack of accurate statistics of perpetrators and victims. This, in conjunction with the frequent inaccurate media portrayals of stereotypes of ideal victims and typical perpetrators, has made its way into the development of HTE curricular material. Vincent Basile, Brooke Jones, and Lumina Albert, with support from the Center for Ethics and Human Rights, are using critical race theory to examine these patterns and effects.

Get Involved

We value and encourage participation by students of diverse backgrounds in our school activities. Check out these opportunities for ways you can get involved.

Black, Indigenous, and Teachers of Color Collective

BITOC is a mentoring and support program for students in CSU’s teacher preparation program and local teachers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.

Caminos Program

Addressing the academic and cultural needs of bilingual LatinX and Indigenous high school students. In Spanish, “caminos” means “pathways” and by fostering positive relationships with CSU student mentors and professionals, the Caminos program helps students plan their future pathways, be it high school graduation, a career, or a college degree.

Diversity Committee

View our S-JEDI committee and contact a member to get involved.

Explore College and University Resources

Rising Up Against Anti-Blackness and Racial Violence

We join CSU Leadership in issuing a statement of support and solidarity for Black members of our communities in response to continued systematic violence and oppression against Black Americans.

Statement from the School of Education

Protesters hold a sign that reads, `Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter -MLK`

31% Racially Minoritized Students
5% Student-Veterans
4% International Students

SOE Diversity News

More Diversity News

Education Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice