Welcome, everyone, to our online Spring 2023 DEI Book Discussion Series!

This semester's book is Straddling Class in the Academy: 26 Stories of Students, Administrators, and Faculty from Poor & Working Class Backgrounds & Their Compelling Lessons For Higher Education Policy and Practice, by Sonja Ardoin & becky martinez. All participants have received a copy of the book or have elected to use an ebook version.

Are you working from home and forgot your book? Or working in the library but forgot your book at home? Never fear, an ebook is available here and here! You can download the entire book, or read / download specific chapters. This ebook is courtesy of ISU Library collections, meaning you will need to login with your ISU NetID and ISU password in order to access the book via Quick Search.
Have some general questions about the series, feedback, or site suggestions? Post them on our General Discussion board!

NOW AVAILABLE: Our Straddling Class companion LibGuide! The Additional Resources section includes other works by the authors, plus selected books, reports and articles mentioned by the authors, included on the guide for further learning!

1. Weekly Expectations: For each Unit, please complete the following by the dates below:

Complete the assigned readings
Read / review How to Engage & Discussion Ground Rules to understand how to engage, participate, and learn
Review also our statement on Self-Care: On Identities & Triggers
Post your Reflection on the readings, addressing the specific questions posted for that Unit.
Please read and reply to at least 2 other participants' reflections for that Unit
- Rich discussions can result from responding helpfully to others, and responding to others' comments on your reflections!
- As moderator, I will also be providing posts & feedback, plus the specific questions we will address for each Unit

Intended Learning Outcomes: Achieve familiarity with the ways that social class and classism impact students and staff in academia; identify and practice ways to be more inclusive and welcoming of all individuals; gain understanding of the authors' "positionality" as academics from working class backgrounds versus your own positionality; learn and seek to operationalize steps we can take to be class-inclusive in our work and communications.

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2. Ready to get started? Here's our weekly Schedule:

Note: To access Discussions area you can use the top left menu on this page. We will also post a direct link to the weekly discussion board down below on the MONDAY the Unit begins. Aim to complete weekly assigned readings before / soon after Unit begins. Aim to post your weekly Reflection before the literal due date. In this way we can promote rich discussions! (Weekly discussion board questions will be available shortly before each Unit's start date! -svg)

Unit 1: DISCUSS Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2 (Begins Monday March 27; Your posted Reflection due by Thursday March 30; please also respond to others' posts by this date.) Optional Zoom chat Friday March 31 at 1 pm.

Unit 2: DISCUSS Chapters 3 & 4 (Begins Monday April 3; Your posted Reflection due by Thursday April 6; please also respond to others' posts by this date) Optional Zoom chat Friday April 7 at 1 pm.

Unit 3: DISCUSS Chapters 5 & 6 (Begins Monday April 10; Your posted Reflection due by Thursday April 13; please also respond to others' posts by this date) Optional Zoom chat Friday April 14 at 1 pm.

Unit 4: DISCUSS Chapters 7 & 8 (Begins Monday April 17; Your posted Reflection due by Thursday April 20; please also respond to others' posts by this date) Optional Zoom chat Friday April 21 at 1 pm.

Unit 5: DISCUSS Chapter 9, 10 & Conclusion (Begins Monday April 24; Your posted Reflection due by Thursday April 27; please also respond to others' posts by this date) Optional Zoom chat Friday April 28 at 1 pm.

Optional Zoom Chats link: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/98588863023?pwd=ellvbjJzWTArVzBIY0k3N3hZYVdqQT09

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~Susan