SCS DEI Updates
This is an archive of all the DEI updates sent out by the School of Computer Science.
SCS DEI Update - Dec. 16, 2022
In this update, we talk about the SCS admissions process and its outcomes, revision of the NSF BPC plan for next year, and information about a Girls Who Code event in January.
SCS DEI Update - Nov. 11, 2022
The DEI office has drafted a white paper that explores the value of embracing and better incorporating neurodivergent stakeholders at CMU.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 28, 2022
OurCS: a success! The 2022 OurCS conference, back in person for the first time since 2019, was a great success!
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 19, 2022
The OurCS conference, back in person again for the first time since 2019, will be held Thursday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 23 in the Gates Hillman Center.
SCS DEI Update - Sep. 30, 2022
The SCS DEI Team is excited to announce the first in our DEI Lecture Series for the 2022-2023 academic year.
SCS DEI Update - Sep. 16, 2022
The SCS DEI Team will host the first installment of its 2022-2023 DEI Lecture Series next month.
SCS DEI Update - Sep. 2, 2022
In this issue, we include a list of upcoming fall events and announcements about DEI initiatives.
SCS DEI Update - Aug. 19, 2022
In this issue, we offer updates on what we're reading, information about upcoming conferences, ongoing DEI training initiatives and events that may interest the SCS community.
SCS DEI Update - Aug. 5, 2022
The SCS DEI Office is preparing to welcome new members of our community for the 2022-2023 academic year. If you are interested in having a member of the DEI Team join an orientation event, email us.
SCS DEI Update - Jul. 8, 2022
Have you considered applying to graduate school, but don’t know where to start? Join a group of successful graduate students and faculty for some help figuring it all out!
SCS DEI Update - Jun. 24, 2022
Disability:IN is a nonprofit organization that connects with more than 400 companies to achieve a vision of an inclusive global workforce that supports the full participation of people with disabilities.
SCS DEI Update - Jun. 10, 2022
The pilot of SCS DEI training is under evaluation by a small group of volunteers in our community! In August, the SCS DEI team will report on their initial reflections and seek additional input for future revisions.
SCS DEI Update - May. 27, 2022
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Uri Treisman, a graduate student at UC Berkeley, was faced with the problem of high failure rates of minority students in undergraduate calculus courses.
SCS DEI Update - Apr. 29, 2022
The team ageism was coined over 50 years ago, and describes the stereotyping of and discrimination against older adults. It is one of the most potent forms of bias today, and one of the least recognized.
SCS DEI Update - Apr. 15, 2022
Are you doing work that helps to broaden participation in computing, either at CMU or with our local community? If so, let the DEI office know! Updates will be used to populate achievements and opportunities, and will be shared with BPC plans and for outreach in SCS.
SCS DEI Update - Apr. 1, 2022
What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity describes the idea that people interact with the world around them in different ways, and that these differences are not viewed as deficits.
SCS DEI Update - Mar. 18, 2022
Join world-class speaker and author Melody Wilding for two seminars where she offers brilliant insights, impactful exercises and cutting-edge research on how to build self-awareness, tame self-sabotage and cultivate resilience.
SCS DEI Update - Mar. 4, 2022
We would like to remind everyone in the School of Computer Science that our collective mission is to cultivate a culture of inclusivity, equity and belonging. In SCS, we embrace diversity as a core value, and we demonstrate it in our campus culture.
SCS DEI Update - Feb. 17, 2022
There has clearly been a substantial impact on student well-being during the pandemic. Student well-being has been linked to engagement and performance in curricular and extracurricular activities, and in student motivation, satisfaction and overall mental health.
SCS DEI Update - Feb. 3, 2022
In spring 2022, SCS will host the DEI(B) Seminar Series: a series on (D) diversity, (E) equity, (I) inclusion and (B) belonging related to the fields of computer science and technology.
SCS DEI Update - Jan. 21, 2022
SCS is launching a new student group, focused on accessibility, with three goals: 1) teaching accessibility; 2) accessible teaching; and 3) encouraging accessibility in our community.
SCS DEI Update - Jan. 7, 2022
The SCS DEI Team wishes you a Happy New Year and a healthy and productive spring 2022 semester!
SCS DEI Update - Dec. 10, 2021
The SCS DEI office is excited to welcome Michelle Lane, administrative assistant, to our internal team!
SCS DEI Update - Nov. 12, 2021
Following up on the previous briefing on microaggressions, we wanted to address some of the debate about the concept and dig deeper on exploring effective ways to disarm and respond to microaggressions when they occur.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 29, 2021
In today’s briefing, we will focus on microaggressions, which are behavioral manifestations of unconscious biases. They represent the ways that unconscious biases and stereotypes can seep into our behaviors — the language we use, the assumptions we make about others, the questions we ask, etc. — and often take the form of unintended and/or unrecognized exclusions, slights or insults.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 15, 2021
Bias Busters, a program devoted to confronting and tackling unconscious bias, recently kicked off its first sessions of the semester. We’ll be reinforcing some of the key points from the program in this and upcoming DEI Updates.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 1, 2021
Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month, where we pay tribute to generations of Hispanic Americans who have enriched and influenced our society in positive ways.
SCS DEI Update - Sep. 17, 2021
Research has shown that when students from underrepresented groups are placed in a welcoming academic environment, they increase their identification as a member of an academic community, and have decreased concerns about stereotyping.
SCS DEI Update - Sep. 3, 2021
The desire to create inclusive environments continues to grow within organizations. Yet, there are few resources on racial diversity and teamwork.
SCS DEI Update - Aug. 19, 2021
We welcome all new incoming students, staff and faculty as we get ready for the new academic year!
SCS DEI Update - Aug. 6, 2021
Summer is flying by! The SCS DEI office has been busy getting ready for orientation and the start of the fall semester.
SCS DEI Update - Jul. 22, 2021
This week, we focus on immigrant students and their impact on US enterprise.
SCS DEI Update - Jul. 8, 2021
It is clear that root causes of inequity are increasingly related to social class. Low socioeconomic status is a systemic disadvantage that is often overlooked in current definitions of DEI. More analysis is needed to understand how to best move forward in leveling these inequities.
SCS DEI Update - Jun. 25, 2021
We have been focused on preparing for fall and the arrival and return of new students, staff and faculty. We will be providing orientation and training opportunities around DEI as we arrive on campus. Contact us if you have needs or suggestions relative to DEI education and training opportunities and the return to campus.
SCS DEI Update - Jun. 11, 2021
In this month of Pride, SCS wants you to know that all are welcome and safe here. SCS is an inclusive community for all people, including members of the LGBQT+ community. We also acknowledge two national events this week: Juneteenth, celebrating the freedom of African Americans from slavery in the United States, and the five year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.
SCS DEI Update 15 - May. 14, 2021
As outlined in the report by the American Council on Education, “Leading After a Racial Crisis: Weaving a Campus Tapestry of Diversity and Inclusion”, today we reflect on the idea that fragmented perspectives and tensions, as well as unresolved emotions, create a need for a particular type of leadership, which is placed within a weaver-leader network. This framing articulates several foundational leadership activities, which resonate with our DEI work with the community.
SCS DEI Update #14 - Apr. 30, 2021
The days since Derek Chauvin was convicted for murdering George Floyd have given us time to reflect. The journey toward the world we envision is just that: a journey, fraught with obstacles new and old, defeats and victories, sadness and joy. If you find you need help dealing with your feelings during this time, the office of the Associate Vice Provost for DEI has collected resources for your benefit. Please, make use of them. In order to take the necessary steps as we journey forward, we encourage getting involved in the resources collected here. Additionally, your thoughts and suggestions for DEI programs and events can have a tremendous impact in shaping a more diverse and equitable SCS community. Please share them with a DEI committee member from your department or email SCS-DEI@cs.cmu.edu.
SCS DEI Update #13 - Apr. 16, 2021
Daunte Wright. In the seemingly endless string of police violence against Black Americans, 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed during a traffic stop in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area — all while the community anxiously watches the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer for the murder of George Floyd. The Wright and Floyd families have gathered together to protest once again, with much community support. And we stand with them in protest. Demonstrations have returned to the streets, along with curfews and calls for nonviolent protests.
SCS DEI Update 12 - Apr. 2, 2021
Among the many opportunities listed in this week's message, please make use of the resources compiled by CFA — listed later in this document — that support the defense of our Asian community within CMU, the greater Pittsburgh region and beyond. If you feel threatened or witness behaviors that threaten others, use the Report It resource detailed below. And if you have any additional suggestions for programs or events that you believe may be helpful if hosted for SCS audiences, please share them with a DEI committee member from your department or send email to SCS-DEI@cs.cmu.edu.
SCS DEI Update 11 - Mar. 19, 2021
The events we saw take place in our country this week are just the latest in a string of seemingly relentless, horrifying, hateful violence. As President Jahanian said in his recent message, it is crucial that as we rise to meet the next days and the challenges they'll present, that we continue to treat one another with love and empathy.
SCS DEI Update 10 - Mar. 5, 2021
March is National Women’s History Month. Accordingly, many of the events and announcements we're including in this week’s update will reflect this. Women have long been drastically underrepresented in computer science – an imbalance we've sought to address in a number of ways over the last several years, not the least of which has been maintaining equal numbers of men and women in our incoming first-year classes. We recognize and celebrate National Women’s History Month. Simultaneously, we realize the need to continue adapting our attitudes and practices to reflect more than cisgender men and women.
SCS DEI Update 9 - Feb. 19, 2021
With the onset of winter weather combining with COVID protocols, it’s easy to feel isolated during this time of year. We've listed several CaPS resources below, and you can always reach out to them directly if you're feeling in need of support. Please take advantage of all the opportunities here to connect, participate, and add your voice and talents in our effort to make SCS a more diverse and welcoming community.
SCS DEI Update 8 - Feb. 5, 2021
Classes began this week and with the rush of new schedules and fresh beginnings, we have progress to report and opportunities for connections to announce. These are important steps in our ongoing work to make SCS a more diverse and welcoming community. Our best ideas are only as good as the people who are willing to enact them.
SCS DEI Update #7 - Jan. 22, 2021
Ramping up toward the new semester, we continue to work on the initiatives that will make the SCS community more welcoming, diverse and inclusive. Steep challenges lay before us, but I am confident that our efforts will continue to move us forward into the light.
SCS DEI Update #6 - Dec. 18, 2020
As this semester's activity winds down toward winter break, we offer a final update of 2020. We hope you have a safe, happy and restful holiday break. We have a lot of work to do in the new year and look forward to continued progress.
SCS DEI Update #5 - Dec. 4, 2020
We hope you had a restful holiday break. Thanks again to our students, staff and faculty for your help making the SCS community more welcoming, diverse and inclusive.
SCS DEI Update #4 - Nov. 20, 2020
We are at the end of Transgender Awareness Week and today is Transgender Awareness Day, which memorializes victims of transphobic violence. As we continue to progress in our DEI efforts, it is important to acknowledge the struggles of members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
SCS DEI Update #3 - Nov. 6, 2020
During a week where much of the country’s focus has been on the election, we have continued to make progress on our efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion. We remain committed to providing periodic updates on this important work as well as to invite participation and collaboration.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 22, 2020
As various SCS groups and constituents continue work on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion, we are committed to providing periodic updates on their work, progress and achievements, as well as inviting participation and collaboration.
SCS DEI Update - Oct. 9, 2020
An update on the activities of SCS’ initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion. It will be the first of a continuing series of updates published roughly every two weeks going forward.
Jodi Forlizzi -
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Michelle Lane -
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Darla Coleman -
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Seminar Series on DEI in CS -
The CMU School of Computer Science Seminar Series on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Computer Science.