10 May 2018: "Yet we can also see how Elizabeth could become a sort of “porter” for the department, carrying a greater weight of the work others don’t want to do, and how Dan, Amanda, those behind closed doors and the department chair are fine with that. Reward systems in most colleges and universities allow for significant autonomy and tend to recognize individualistic rather than collective behavior. Without awareness of the possibility of bias, policies and practices that ensure equity, and department leaders and faculty members committed to and willing to act to ensure fairness, Elizabeth’s door seems the obvious first choice." --KerryAnn O'Meara, in this great article from insidehighered.com.
Such an important article. I have been thinking about these issues a lot lately and how I can help break the patterns described. It even connects to a larger project/conference presentation I am working on about Lucy Larcom. Over 100 years ago, she was a teacher whose door seemed like the obvious choice for people needing help--and it put her in a difficult position.
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