How do we eliminate, or at list limit, students’ experiences of marginalization and at the same time help them understand that individual experiences, values, and perspectives influence how we all construct knowledge in our field

Fava, Maria C.

English

ScholarWorks at WMU

Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Instructional Development Grants Office of Faculty Development Fall 9-20-2019 Addressing Diversity in Academia Maria C. Fava Western Michigan University, maria.fava@wmich.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/instructional-development-grants  Part of the Higher Education Commons WMU ScholarWorks Citation Fava, Maria C., "Addressing Diversity in Academia" (2019). Instructional Development Grants. 17. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/instructional-development-grants/17 This Poster is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of Faculty Development at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Instructional Development Grants by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact wmu-scholarworks@wmich.edu. TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008www.PosterPresentations.comOur critical analysis of institutional structures concluded that who is in power determines the systems that operate in poor communities, and that prejudices and stereotypes often shape the way in which we look at racism in our field:- These systems, though, are often feet of oppression; they do not solve the problems at the source, they just put band aids on them.Thus, we were asked to define the role that we as instructors play in this system of power.We were faced with the reality that we have two choices:1. We can legitimize systems that are already ruling our institutions.2. We can be the change from within.Maria Cristina FavaSchool of Music - CFAInstructional Development Project/Travel Grant Award 2018-2019“Addressing Diversity in Academia”Addressing Diversity in AcademiaSupport of diversity, inclusion, tolerance, free inquiry, and academic freedom is essential to the very project of research, but also, especially in light of the recent wave of racist, xenophobic, and antigay activities on campuses and in cities across the nation, to our core activity of teaching.The question we as instructors should address is: How do we eliminate, or at list limit, students’ experiences of marginalization and at the same time help them understand that individual experiences, values, and perspectives influence how we all construct knowledge in our field? We strive to answer this question by using a variety of teaching methods based on thoughtfulness and mutual respect. But traditional teaching structures and approaches often do not help us to face classroom challenges generated by cultural differences among students. To help scholars/professors to address this issue, professional organizations, such as the American Musicological Society, have formed various committees and study groups, which organize meetings, workshops, and round tables focusing on diversity and on suggesting ways to improve student learning through instructional and curricular redesign and innovation. “Diversifying Music Academia: Strengthening the Pipeline”The need for more concrete answers led to the organization of a symposium by Project Spectrum, a coalition of graduate students and faculty members, on October 31-November 1, 2018 in San Antonio, TX.The Symposium addressed issues of diversity and inclusion in the fields of music theory, musicology, and ethnomusicology, and it aimed to develop concrete tools to inspire systematic change within these academic fields. This event explored why many people marginalized by their race/ethnicity, gender, and/or sexuality continue to have difficulty in finishing graduate degrees, attaining gainful employment, and receiving tenure within all fields of music studies. How Do We Strengthen the Pipeline?The symposium addressed various challenging issues in a series of workshops led by a diverse group of faculty and graduate students.Presenters offered mentoring and ideas to support underrepresented scholars, to foster relationships among a coalition of scholars dedicated to broad diversity in our field, to amplify the voices of those music scholars working toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in academic life. Workshops sparked discussions that facilitated these conversations, presented the repair of our “leaky” pipeline as a necessarily collaborative effort, and generated strategies for sustaining these efforts. As the Symposium demonstrated, conversations about race, ethnicity, and intersectionality are most effective when both underrepresented and majority members of our various Societies are in dialogue. With the help of initiatives such as those proposed by Project Spectrum we can create spaces in which to bridge this gap and cultivate the strategies necessary to achieve our goals.Addressing Race: Getting Out of the  institutional BoxFor example, at the Symposium, we were asked to consider racism as the consequence of processes of socialization, which oblige us to think within “closed” boxes. In our case the boxes are our institutions and the set of rules and hierarchies that govern them. Instead of a problem of color/ethnicity, we were challenged to start thinking of racism as an issue related to poverty and power.Poverty and Racism: Structural Critical AnalysisHow do we address the relationship between racism, power and poverty in our classrooms? We were asked to think about the following questions:Where do we find and who are the poorest people?Why are they poor?- A) because of social structures that do not allow them to get out of their status of poverty.        Should we fix the social structure?- B) because they are lazy and rely on assistance. Should we fix the people?The way in which we answer these questions at the institutional level determines if we address this problem according to A or B.Power and RacismOur Role in This System of PowerPoster Presented by:Race, Prejudice, Power lead to Racism!We can undo racism if we work on changing the way we approach these three factors.We can undo racism by being liberating gatekeepers of our institutions and changing the relationship between “internalized superiority” and “internalized inferiority” in our departments and classrooms.The most important step, though, is recognizing the problem, because if we deny it, we do not deal with it.Fold or cut poster here Fold or cut poster hereTraditional Academic Study GroupsThe American Musicological Society formed a series of study groups and committees including:- Committee on Cultural Diversity- Committee on Women and Gender- LGBTQ Study Group- Music and Disability Study Group- Committee on Race and Ethnicity in the Profession- Music History Pedagogy Study GroupAll of these groups are critical to supporting diversity in the profession and developing effective instructional strategies and mentoring. Thanks to healthy discussions and professional exchanges with other colleagues who share the same concerns, one can learn more tools to effectively help the class replace cultural biases with an appreciation and a tolerance for cultural difference, thus increasing the likelihood for student success.But members of the American Musicological Society felt that something more could be done.Maria Cristina FavaAssistant Professor of Musicology School of MusicWestern Michigan UniversityEmail: maria.fava@wmich.edu

Addressing Diversity in Academia

Western Michigan University 
ScholarWorks at WMU 
Instructional Development Grants Office of Faculty Development 
Fall 9-20-2019 
Addressing Diversity in Academia 
Maria C. Fava 
Western Michigan University, maria.fava@wmich.edu 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/instructional-development-grants 
 Part of the Higher Education Commons 
WMU ScholarWorks Citation 
Fava, Maria C., "Addressing Diversity in Academia" (2019). Instructional Development Grants. 17. 
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/instructional-development-grants/17 
This Poster is brought to you for free and open access by 
the Office of Faculty Development at ScholarWorks at 
WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Instructional 
Development Grants by an authorized administrator of 
ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please 
contact wmu-scholarworks@wmich.edu. 
TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008
www.PosterPresentations.com
Our critical analysis of institutional structures 
concluded that who is in power determines the 
systems that operate in poor communities, and 
that prejudices and stereotypes often shape the 
way in which we look at racism in our field:
- These systems, though, are often feet of 
oppression; they do not solve the 
problems at the source, they just put band 
aids on them.
Thus, we were asked to define the role that we as 
instructors play in this system of power.
We were faced with the reality that we have two 
choices:
1. We can legitimize systems that are 
already ruling our institutions.
2. We can be the change from within.
Maria Cristina Fava
School of Music - CFA
Instructional Development Project/Travel Grant Award 2018-2019
“Addressing Diversity in Academia”
Addressing Diversity in Academia
Support of diversity, inclusion, tolerance, free 
inquiry, and academic freedom is essential to the 
very project of research, but also, especially in 
light of the recent wave of racist, xenophobic, and 
antigay activities on campuses and in cities 
across the nation, to our core activity of teaching.
The question we as instructors should address is: 
How do we eliminate, or at list limit, 
students’ experiences of marginalization 
and at the same time help them 
understand that individual experiences, 
values, and perspectives influence how 
we all construct knowledge in our field? 
We strive to answer this question by using a 
variety of teaching methods based on 
thoughtfulness and mutual respect. But traditional 
teaching structures and approaches often do not 
help us to face classroom challenges generated 
by cultural differences among students. 
To help scholars/professors to address this issue, 
professional organizations, such as the American 
Musicological Society, have formed various 
committees and study groups, which organize 
meetings, workshops, and round tables focusing 
on diversity and on suggesting ways to improve 
student learning through instructional and 
curricular redesign and innovation. 
“Diversifying Music Academia: 
Strengthening the Pipeline”
The need for more concrete answers led to the 
organization of a symposium by Project 
Spectrum, a coalition of graduate students and 
faculty members, on October 31-November 1, 
2018 in San Antonio, TX.
The Symposium addressed issues of diversity 
and inclusion in the fields of music theory, 
musicology, and ethnomusicology, and it aimed 
to develop concrete tools to inspire systematic 
change within these academic fields. 
This event explored why many people 
marginalized by their race/ethnicity, gender, 
and/or sexuality continue to have difficulty in 
finishing graduate degrees, attaining gainful 
employment, and receiving tenure within all fields 
of music studies. 
How Do We Strengthen the Pipeline?
The symposium addressed various challenging 
issues in a series of workshops led by a diverse 
group of faculty and graduate students.
Presenters offered mentoring and ideas to support 
underrepresented scholars, to foster relationships 
among a coalition of scholars dedicated to broad 
diversity in our field, to amplify the voices of those 
music scholars working toward diversity, equity, 
inclusion, and accessibility in academic life. 
Workshops sparked discussions that facilitated 
these conversations, presented the repair of our 
“leaky” pipeline as a necessarily collaborative 
effort, and generated strategies for sustaining 
these efforts. 
As the Symposium demonstrated, conversations 
about race, ethnicity, and intersectionality are most 
effective when both underrepresented and majority 
members of our various Societies are in dialogue. 
With the help of initiatives such as those proposed 
by Project Spectrum we can create spaces in 
which to bridge this gap and cultivate the strategies 
necessary to achieve our goals.
Addressing Race: Getting Out of the  institutional Box
For example, at the Symposium, we were asked to 
consider racism as the consequence of processes 
of socialization, which oblige us to think within 
“closed” boxes. 
In our case the boxes are our institutions and the 
set of rules and hierarchies that govern them. 
Instead of a problem of color/ethnicity, we were 
challenged to start thinking of racism as an issue 
related to poverty and power.
Poverty and Racism: Structural Critical Analysis
How do we address the relationship between 
racism, power and poverty in our classrooms? 
We were asked to think about the following 
questions:
Where do we find and who are the poorest people?
Why are they poor?
- A) because of social structures that do not allow 
them to get out of their status of poverty.        
Should we fix the social structure?
- B) because they are lazy and rely on assistance. 
Should we fix the people?
The way in which we answer these questions at the 
institutional level determines if we address this 
problem according to A or B.
Power and Racism
Our Role in This System of Power
Poster Presented by:
Race, Prejudice, Power lead to Racism!
We can undo racism if we work on changing the 
way we approach these three factors.
We can undo racism by being liberating 
gatekeepers of our institutions and changing the 
relationship between “internalized superiority” and 
“internalized inferiority” in our departments and 
classrooms.
The most important step, though, is recognizing 
the problem, because if we deny it, we do not 
deal with it.
Fold or cut poster here Fold or cut poster here
Traditional Academic Study Groups
The American Musicological Society formed a 
series of study groups and committees including:
- Committee on Cultural Diversity
- Committee on Women and Gender
- LGBTQ Study Group
- Music and Disability Study Group
- Committee on Race and Ethnicity in the 
Profession
- Music History Pedagogy Study Group
All of these groups are critical to supporting 
diversity in the profession and developing effective 
instructional strategies and mentoring. Thanks to 
healthy discussions and professional exchanges 
with other colleagues who share the same 
concerns, one can learn more tools to effectively 
help the class replace cultural biases with an 
appreciation and a tolerance for cultural difference, 
thus increasing the likelihood for student success.
But members of the American Musicological 
Society felt that something more could be done.
Maria Cristina Fava
Assistant Professor of Musicology 
School of Music
Western Michigan University
Email: maria.fava@wmich.edu


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Addressing Diversity in Academia

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