Nebraska Methodist College faculty use checklist for inclusive courses

Omaha, Nebraska - Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) now offers diversity, equity and inclusion checklists for faculty to use when creating class syllabi.

“The checklist is being used by faculty to review the language in their syllabi to make sure it is inclusive and student-centered,” said Allison Kinney-Walker, associate professor of arts and sciences and Faculty Senate member. “It is being used to assess textbooks and other readings in courses, and to reconsider policies and practices in the classroom - making changes to those policies to be more equitable and inclusive.”

Planning for the inclusive syllabus checklist began during the 2021-2022 academic year after the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) subcommittee of the Faculty Senate was finding ways to develop DEI resources for faculty.

“The goal of the checklist is to help faculty view their course, including their syllabus, course materials and Brightspace page through a DEI lens,” said Kinney-Walker. “This means faculty are considering how their syllabus and course materials can promote a sense of belonging for our students, and provide equitable and transparent information, policies and protocols for all students.”

In spring 2023, the checklist was piloted with a small group of faculty, and in fall 2023, the syllabus checklist was shared with all faculty.

In fall 2023 and spring 2024, faculty attended workshops to better understand how to use the checklist.

The checklist includes addressing how learning will be assessed, student learning outcomes and Universal Design for Learning, a framework that optimizes teaching for all learning types. It also includes having statements related to philosophy of teaching, accommodations available, non-discrimination, faculty pronouns and campus resources.

Faculty using the checklist are also asked to examine their course materials to make sure they reflect diverse backgrounds.

“This checklist is intended to be a starting point for faculty to start thinking about DEI issues in their classroom. It encourages faculty to think about what textbooks are being used and ask if diverse perspectives are being represented in class materials,” Kinney-Walker said. “The goal is to have faculty use the checklist as they review and update their syllabi and materials, and make changes to their courses that will help advance our DEI initiatives at the College.”

NMC’s DEI initiatives include:

• The Center for Diversity and Community Engagement.
• A DEI advisory board.
• The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) subcommittee in the Faculty Senate.
• A Social Justice and Inclusion Council.
• Affinity groups for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and ally students.

Learn more about DEI efforts at NMC.