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Departmental Dialogues: Facilitating Positive Academic Climates to Improve Equity in STEM Disciplines

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Abstract

This exploratory qualitative study examined faculty responses to a collegiality-building process called Dialogues. The process used a series of discussions and activities to guide faculty members toward a common, mutually beneficially goal, while changing patterns of interaction. The responses revealed how faculty members experienced collegiality-building practices, including individual reflection, small group discussions, idea generation and prioritization, and consensus-building. The study examined faculty responses within STEM departments. We conclude with recommendations for encouraging inclusive and participatory departmental norms and behaviors in order to promote a positive departmental climate, which is crucial to achieving equity in all disciplines of the academia.

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Acknowledgments

Partial support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE IT Program under Award HRD-1007978. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Administration|, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6322, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6322, USA

    Maja Husar Holmes

  2. Women’s and Gender Studies, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA

    J. Kasi Jackson

  3. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA

    Rachel Stoiko

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  1. Maja Husar Holmes
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  2. J. Kasi Jackson
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Correspondence to Maja Husar Holmes.

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Holmes, M.H., Jackson, J.K. & Stoiko, R. Departmental Dialogues: Facilitating Positive Academic Climates to Improve Equity in STEM Disciplines. Innov High Educ 41, 381–394 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-016-9358-7

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