Yes, there are better days ahead in our pandemic world – but we still have to get through the winter. Want to talk it over with faculty members who might be facing your same life issues?
Ohio Five is hosting virtual coffee hours on March 3, 11 and 24 to bring together those who might like to get to know colleagues across our five colleges and share ideas and support. The gatherings include:
I Have Three Jobs But Just One Brain (Thursday, February 11, 12-1:30) Are you working from home – but also managing virtual school, caregiving for a parent, or entertaining a toddler while in your staff meeting – or all of the above? In this Zoom meeting, we’ll bring together groups around caregiving challenges for conversation and strategies that helped you multitask and keep your sanity.
Your hosts:
Christa Craven is Dean for Faculty Development at the College of Wooster. She has 10-year-old twins--one with ADHD, the other on the autism spectrum--homeschooling during the pandemic. Her partner largely coordinates the homeschooling, but she has had to be away 5 of the last 10 weeks to care for an elderly family member. Christa looks forward to the opportunity to talk to other caregivers about our many roles & the complicated spaces we find ourselves in during the pandemic.
Dan Gibson is Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Physics at Denison University where he coordinates faculty development programs. Like many mid-career faculty, Dan and his spouse share both parental duties and support for aging relatives. Dan looks forward to a conversation about how we can support both our families and each other.
Connections and Conversations (Wednesday, March 3, 4:30-6) Continuing the Ohio Five’s successful gathering series for BIPOC faculty and staff, “Connections and Conversation” offers a forum to build networks and share advice to help BIPOC and other underrepresented communities succeed and thrive. Register here
Your hosts:
Ted Mason is Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Kenyon College and a Professor of English. One of his primary interests is in the long-term development of opportunities and support networks for underrepresented faculty and staff in academic professions. He anticipates that we will have great and rewarding discussions in this facilitated session.
Ivonne M. García is Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at The College of Wooster, and Professor of English. As CDEIO, she devotes most of her time to supporting BIPOC and other underrepresented faculty, staff, and students; providing programming, workshops, and trainings on antiracist/antibias approaches; and, revising existing structures and creating new
ones that help BIPOC/UR students/faculty/staff thrive. She very much looks forward to our conversation in this session.
The Pandemic and My Limitations (Thursday, March 11, 4:30-6)
Living with a disability or extended illness already asks a lot of your resourcefulness and endurance – now add the complications of isolating at home and staying safe from COVID-19 This is a place to share experiences and approaches to work and life with this double challenge. Register here
Your Hosts:
Elizabeth Hamilton is Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oberlin College. She has been moved by the power of the liberal arts to respond to the challenges we're now experiencing so acutely. Disability and chronic illness deserve more attention as real aspects of our very human lives. Elizabeth looks forward to sharing and listening. Let's minimize video conference fatigue by elevating the meaningful connections made possible by technology.
Dawn Chisebe is the Interim Chief Diversity Officer and teaches in the Black World Studies, Department at Ohio Wesleyan University. She is recently disabled and concerned about issues of equity and accessibility on campuses. In her position she is focused on policy revisions and the creation of new policies, providing intentional programming and campus training that engages anti-racist work, and ensuring support mechanism both exist and are effective for underrepresented faculty, staff, and students. I look forward to building connections with everyone!
I’m a Bubble of One (Wednesday, March 24, 4:30-6) Living alone has its challenges and its pleasures – and both can be intensified when working from home. If you’re on your own, or find yourself far from family or other communities to help you through this time, find a network to share how to make your solo bubble a place of refuge and connection. Register here
Your Hosts:
Ashley Biser is the Assistant Provost for Curriculum and Equity at Ohio Wesleyan University. While she is currently weathering the pandemic with her partner and two cats, she is no stranger to living alone, far from the support networks of family and friends. She looks forward to conversations with colleagues as we continue to find new ways to support and care for each other from a distance.
Sheryl Hemkin is Associate Provost and Professor of Chemistry at Kenyon College.
If you’re interested in participating, please complete the advance survey/registration for each workshop you’d like to join. When registering, you’ll have a chance to suggest topics you’d like to discuss. Each workshop will be limited to 36 participants, who will receive a confirmation email and calendar invitation with the meeting Zoom link. Each 90-minute meeting will be kicked off by leaders from your campus, who will use your topic suggestions as conversation-starters for break-out conversation groups. There’ll be a brief time at the end to share your experiences together. If there’s interest, Ohio Five will host an additional session for each Virtual Coffee Shop topic this semester, with the option of continued networking to follow.