Examine your assumptions.

It is very common for instructors to assume that student shares their own background, but this is not necessarily so. Do you find yourself addressing students as if they all share your social identities?

Learn and use students’ names.

When replying to discussion posts or providing paper feedback, always address students by name.

Model inclusive language.

For instance, avoid using masculine pronouns for both males and females. For example “Good Morning, guys!”

Use multiple and diverse examples.

Multiple examples increase the likelihood of students relating to at least one of them. Take care to include examples that speak to both sexes and that work across cultures.

Establish ground rules for interaction.

This will assure that other students are also being inclusive and respectful. It is important to allow students to voice their opinions, but setting guidelines to do so safely and respectfully is key.

Examine your curriculum.

Are certain perspectives systematically not represented in your course materials (e.g., a course on family focusing only on traditional families, or a course on public policy ignoring race issues)?  If you notice any issues, please reach out to your Program Director.

Be mindful of low ability cues.

In their efforts to help students, some instructors inadvertently send mixed messages (e.g., “Sure, I’ll be happy to help you with this, I know girls have trouble with math”). These cues encourage gender bias and promote stereotypes. Instead, it is more productive to focus on controllable causes, such as effort.

Provide accommodations for students with disabilities.

Every instructor will be notified of any student needing accommodations prior to the start of your course. Be sure to make note and ensure the guidelines are appropriately followed as this is required by law.

Don’t ask people to speak for an entire group.

Students of underrepresented identities often report either feeling invisible in class or sticking out like a sore thumb as the token member. This experience is heightened when they are addressed as spokespeople for their whole group and can have implications on performance.

Gender Inclusivity

Please remember that there may be students enrolled in your courses who do not identify as women or express femininity. Fully embracing our identity as a women’s college means we are committed to developing inclusive and safe learning communities for all students, regardless of gender expression or identity. We expect our faculty to cultivate understanding and acceptance of gender diversity within their classrooms, and foster equitable learning spaces that do not marginalize trans women, trans men, and non-binary individuals who have been admitted to and/or graduated from Bay Path University. With these commitments in mind, we encourage the use of gender-neutral language while teaching and expect that all students’ names, pronouns, gender identities, and gender expressions will be honored by faculty and classmates.

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