As part of its ongoing efforts to provide resources to NIRSA members, the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Commission developed the “Resources to promote social justice on campus” series last year. Topics have ranged across a broad spectrum of EDI issues—from examining specific legislation, such as bathroom bills and DACA, to taking an in-depth look at topics like privilege and intersectionality.
The series
The goal of this series is to provide concrete, easy-to-access resources that can help members, regardless of their level of expertise or knowledge in this area, find an entry point into the conversation and begin to educate themselves, their staff, and their students. A new installment is published roughly twice a month; they appear on the NIRSA news section of the website and in the NIRSA Know newsletter.
Throughout this past year, members have shared their appreciation for this series and in having such resources cultivated specifically with the lens of campus recreation in mind. The Commission’s innovation to collect these articles serially on the website has also created a convenient archive of resources that members can go to in expected situations, such as when they need a general staff training, or unexpected situations, such as when questions arise suddenly or they find themselves facing an unprecedented issue on campus.
Lend your voice
In 2018, the Commission would like to keep this series going—and they would love your help doing so! Bringing more voices to the table as authors of this series is one of many ways the Commission hopes to integrate NIRSA’s strategic value of equity, diversity, and inclusion into the fabric of the association.
This is your chance to share with your NIRSA peers what aspects of equity, diversity, and inclusion are important to you, resources you’ve used in your department, or needs you’ve seen evolve over time on your campus.
No one writes alone
Is writing not your forte? Does having your work appear on web sound intimidating? Not to worry!
The structure of the social justice resource series is intentionally consistent—in fact the introductory and conclusion paragraphs of each edition are the same (so, half the work is already done!). You simply need to provide the links of two to four EDI related resources, available on the web for your peers to read, download, or watch. Then provide just two more things: 1) a short summary of the resource and 2) a few sentences describing how it’s specifically applicable to the world of campus recreation.
Additional good news—the Commission has completed a year’s worth of these resources already so there are plenty examples available on the website to help guide you.
Furthermore, after you submit a draft to NIRSA HQ, the team will work with you to review the content, tone, grammar, and so forth ensuring your article is clear, concise, and in top shape for your peers to read. You can also proudly sport the “I write for NIRSA” pin at the 2018 NIRSA Annual Conference.
- Ready to lend your voice? Reach out to NIRSA Director of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, Erin O’Sullivan or a member of the EDI Commission and they’ll help you take it from there!
Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.
