Program Overview
Towson University’s Diversity & Inclusion Faculty Fellows (DIFF) Program will support
the actualization of the University’s vision for diversity and inclusion by providing
selected faculty members of various rank with opportunities to infuse diversity and
inclusion into existing curriculum, create models to improve classroom dynamics in
support of social justice, create scholarly knowledge that supports equity, access,
and inclusion or identify strategies to enhance institutional practices. Program outcomes
will serve as evidence of the Division of Academic Affairs’ commitment to Towson University’s
2020-2030 Strategic Plan: Leadership for the Public Good and the Diversity Strategic Plan: A More Inclusive TU: Advancing Equity and Diversity (2020–25).
TU’s DIFF program provides support for TU faculty who are interested in developing
or redesigning courses for major or core curriculum, curricular practices to support
inclusive classroom environments, research and teaching projects, pedagogy and research
toolkits, scholar-practitioner collaborations, and/or building collaborations to enhance
diversity and inclusion.
Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellow Expectations:
- Attend monthly workshops during the academic year 2022-2023
- Implement the newly developed Diversity initiative in the spring of 2023.
- Showcase project at TU’s annual January Educators Summit or other approved conference
in 2024.
- Assess and evaluate the project.
- Participate in DIFF networking gatherings and provide informal mentorship to future
DIFFs for an academic year following fellowship, as available.
- Act as a resource for the Office of the Provost as available.
Selected Faculty Fellows will be awarded a $1,500 stipend or a course release for
their participation in the program. If multiple faculty members are involved in the
project, the stipend will be split among the faculty members. In addition, Fellows
or each team of Fellows will have an opportunity to apply for an additional $750 to
support the implementation of their project.
call for proposal 2022-2023
Call For Proposal
Note: Electronic submission of materials is preferred and can be accessed at the link below. Proposals may also be submitted by emailing diversityfellows AT_TOWSON or delivered to Jasmine Nance in the Office of the Provost.
Deadline to submit proposals is Thursday, March 24, 2022, by 5 PM EST. All applicants
will be notified by Friday, April 15, 2022.
Electronic Submission
Selection of Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellows will be made by the Diversity
Faculty Fellows Review/Advisory Committee.
Selected Fellows will be invited to participate in a one-on-one meeting to discuss
their needs and expectations as a participant of the Diversity and Inclusion Faculty
Fellows Program after selection.
Questions? Contact Iona Johnson, Assistant Provost for Diversity & Inclusion.
Diversity Faculty Fellows Review/Advisory Committee
Name
|
Department
|
Michaela Frischherz |
Associate Professor, Communication Studies |
Iona Johnson |
Assistant Provost for Diversity and Inclusion |
Maggie Reitz
|
Vice Provost, Office of the Provost
|
Lisa Simmons |
College of Business and Economics and Business Communications |
Brenda Conley |
Assistant Professor, Instructional Leadership & Professional Development |
Areas of Focus
All TU faculty, including lecturers, adjuncts, and clinical faculty in any discipline
are eligible to apply for this program. Proposals must be for pedagogy, service, research,
and/or innovative collaborations between scholarship and practice as noted below:
I. Develop Curricular Practices to Support Inclusive and Diverse Classroom Environments
Examples include developing assignments, methods of universal design, and other techniques
in the classroom that guide students towards adopting an analytical framework for
understanding and valuing difference and inclusion.
II. Develop and/or Redesign Courses for Major or Core Curriculum
Examples include developing departmental courses that add to students’ understanding
of the experiences of others. These courses might be added as part of a major or the
core curriculum.
III. Support Scholarly Engagement
Examples include innovative research from any discipline.
IV. Develop scholar-practitioner collaborations
Examples include partnering with other faculty (of any rank) or staff on diversity
and inclusion research, faculty and on-campus practitioners partnering to study, observe
and apply programs, serving diverse populations. Community engagement and workshop
facilitation is welcomed.
V. Create Opportunities for On-Going Mentorship
Examples include projects that sustain long-term relationships related to diversity
and inclusion. Mentoring might be related to student and faculty retention, curriculum
development supporting inclusive and diverse classroom, the tenure process, and other
opportunities.
VI. Identify Areas of Potential Collaboration to Enhance Diversity and Inclusion
Examples include assisting with collaborations and initiatives across departments
and across campus and/or proposing and organizing conferences or speakers.
Previous Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellows
Want to Learn more?
Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellows Program
For more information on the program, contact Iona Johnson, Assistant Provost for Diversity and Inclusion.