Banner image with the text: The Learning and Teaching Commons at the Washington Center student-centered, equity-minded, inquiry-oriented, committed to access and excellence

RECAST | Centering Equity & Community Care

by · March 27, 2020

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Saliba, Therese <SalibaT@evergreen.edu>
Date: Mar 27, 2020, 4:12 PM -0700

Dear Community,

In this time of crisis and unpredictability, our commitment to prioritizing our support and care for one another is paramount, as we follow “stay home” orders to protect the health of our communities.  This also means recognizing how our most vulnerable community members will be differentially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.  The Division of Inclusive Excellence and Student Success (IESS) is collaborating with partners across the campus to center equity and community care in our work ahead.  We know that in times of crisis institutional and societal barriers often become more pronounced and may limit student engagement and student success.

Given that over 80% of our students come from one or more historically underserved group, our advisors and staff (Advising, TRiO, Access Services, First Peoples, New Student Programs) have been reaching out to many students during the past two weeks to provide encouragement, information, and answers to their questions about spring quarter.  Students have responded positively to this outreach, and we encourage all staff and faculty to reach out to any students you are connected with for a personal check-in.

We have also been working to provide technology and workshops for students to prepare for remote learning. If you are aware of students who have a technology gap, please direct them to this site for Chromebook acquisition or to advising@evergreen.edu.  We encourage your flexibility as the college works to distribute these tools to our students. 

With over 50% of our students identifying as low-income, and many more who may experience heightened food, housing, and employment insecurity in the days ahead, the CARE Team is ensuring that our clearinghouse of resources on food, housing, and emergency fund relief is current.  We also know that community resources will be stretched during this time as well. Please continue to refer students in distress or who have basic needs gaps to the CARE Team with the online referral: https://www.evergreen.edu/care  The CARE Team is preparing to address these referrals in the best way possible.

We also ask for your awareness and efforts in combatting racial stigmatizing of others, particularly members of our Asian American community. During this time, we seek to amplify Evergreen’s values of inclusivity and belonging. To reduce stigma, bias and xenophobia please keep this guidance in mind:

  • Rely on and share trusted sources of information.
  • Speak up if you hear, see, or read stigmatizing or harassing comments or misinformation. (Please see Evergreen’s non-discrimination policy). 
  • Show compassion and support for individuals and communities more closely impacted.
  • Avoid stigmatizing people who are in quarantine. They are making the right choice for their communities.
  • Do not make assumptions about someone’s health status based on their ethnicity, race or national origin.

We encourage you to remain attentive and flexible in addressing student needs, and to draw on and share the resources below to ensure that our vulnerable community members aren’t left behind as we launch into spring quarter.  At this time of uncertainly, one thing we’d like to say is that Evergreen is here for you! 

With profound appreciation for all the work our dedicated staff and faculty are doing to promote equity, community care, and engaged learning at this challenging time.

Therese Saliba
Interim Vice President of Inclusive Excellence & Student Success

——————–

Technology Access for Remote Learning

IESS has donated President Equity Funds, and joined with the Library, to purchase over 300 Chromebooks, which should be available for distribution later next week.  Other resources and workshops to promote student access and success in remote learning can be found here. 

Access Services & Accommodations

Accommodations will still need to be provided to students.  As you receive accommodation letters, please reach out to students to schedule a time to meet privately (and remotely) to review their accommodations.  Be aware that many students may experience new and unanticipated barriers in this new classroom environment, and accommodation needs may change.  Encourage students to connect with Access Services if you see they are experiencing challenges.

Reminders for Equity Pedagogy in Remote Learning

All staff and faculty are welcome to self-enroll on the Keep Teaching Canvas site.  

  • Pay attention to the whole student experience. Many faculty are sending out private surveys of students’ technology needs. You may also ask students if they have other concerns they’d like to share that would help you support their success in remote learning for spring quarter.
  • Make sure to touch base with every student. A reply from each student is important, so please don’t assume that no response means all is good. If you have concerns about students who are not connecting, please contact advising@evergreen.edu.
  • Remember the ABC’s of Inclusive pedagogy –Affirm identities, Build community, and Cultivate leadership.  Think about how to do this in an online environment; we know you will be creative! Here are details for Building Community and Student Success online.  
  • Remain flexible and assume everyone is doing the best they can in difficult circumstances. This link on Equity and Access in Remote Learning offers helpful tips.
  • Stay engaged in your students’ education.  Make time to reach out to them one-on-one as often as possible!  You cannot be too pro-active, experts say.

Students’ Basic Needs

Financial Aid

Students experiencing financial difficulty in Spring Quarter should communicate their needs and concerns to the Financial Aid Office as early as possible. It’s most often easier to assist a student early in the quarter compared to later. It is especially important to communicate changes in family employment and income as these may change your eligibility for financial aid. Email your concerns and questions to finaid@evergreen.edu. Walk-up and phone service is not available through at least April 10.

Emergency Funds

The College has small emergency grants and short-term loans available to help students through emergency situations. The rule limiting students to one emergency grant or loan per academic year has been lifted for Spring Quarter 2020. Information and electronic applications are at: https://evergreen.edu/financialaid/emergency-resourceshttps://evergreen.edu/financialaid/emergency-resources

Food and Shelter

During the ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order the Campus Food Bank will be closed.  As a satellite of the Thurston County Food Bank, we are coordinating for future distribution on-campus when possible.  Please access emergency food distribution with social distancing at 220 Thurston Ave NE 98501 (360) 352-8597 open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. and 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. for other locations and hours check:  https://thurstoncountyfoodbank.org/

In addition, we are working to update the information on Evergreen’s Resources–Crisis and Emergencies webpage, some of which remains relevant. We will send other updates when we have them.     

Therese Saliba, Ph.D.
she/her
Interim VP of Inclusive Excellence & Student Success
Library 2211/2209
The Evergreen State College  |  Olympia, WA  98505
Phone: 360-867-6854

Tags:

You may also like...