Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Establishing a Black Humanities in Education Through History and Culture – Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities

The NEH grant entitled Establishing a Black Humanities in Education Through History and Culture (BHE) Initiative, directed by Dr. Chanelle Rose, supports the development and instruction of content knowledge for preservice and in-service teachers. Humanities courses taught by faculty from History, English, and Philosophy will examine the rich history and culture of African Americans to foster a deeper understanding of the U.S. Black experience, with a particular focus on southern New Jersey.  

Universal Design for Learning

Many History Faculty have made the decision to teach using a pedagogical approach called Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which involves designing courses with universal access and inclusion in mind, by, for example, allowing more student choice in assignments, incorporating flexible deadlines, or encouraging students to revise and resubmit their work. Many of the faculty began to learn about the approach—or brushed up on what we already knew—in a couple of professional development sessions in early 2021. During the 2022-23 year, Dr. Kelly Duke Bryant served the college as one of two UDL fellows. Responsible for promoting UDL among all CHSS faculty, she helped create training modules on the topic, convened live training sessions and meetings, offered mentorship and support to colleagues who were interested in trying UDL-informed pedagogies, and worked with a team to organize a UDL festival. Together, she and Dr. Hague worked with the History Department as UDL trainers, offering teaching sessions, learning opportunities, and support for colleagues. Many of us have adopted UDL-informed teaching approaches. Our department appreciates the ways that UDL can maximize student engagement and inclusion regardless of ability, disability, background, and obstacles to learning by providing choice in how to engage with course content and assessment and by offering various supports for learning. Many of us have found that in addition to the important work it does in supporting students with disabilities, UDL goes a long way to promoting inclusion, belonging, and a sense of ownership in learning among all students.