Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia will hold training and informational workshops with the campus affiliate of the National Coalition Building Institute International to promote diversity and increase inclusivity on campus. A half-day training session will be held Feb. 11 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for individuals interested in learning more about NCBI and additional workshops will be available for faculty, staff and students.
“As the campus increasingly becomes more diverse, it is crucial for members of our community to gain a better understanding of each other,” said Cheryl Dozier, associate provost for institutional diversity. “NCBI is one of the premier diversity training organizations in the nation, and we are proud to be affiliated with them.”
Founded in 1984, NCBI is a nonprofit leadership training organization dedicated to ending mistreatmentbased on nationality, race, class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, job or life circumstance. The more than 60 campus affiliates in the U.S. and Canada are comprised of campus leaders including faculty, staff and students. NCBI leaders are trained to provide prevention-based programs to reduce prejudice and inter-group conflict within their communities. The university became a campus affiliate of the NCBI in fall 2010.
More than 30 university faculty, staff and student leaders were trained during a three-day “train-the-trainer” program held last spring. Two NCBI lead trainers taught them how to lead prejudice reduction workshops on campus. The training was held in collaboration with University Housing and the Office of Institutional Diversity with support from Georgia Power.
These NCBI-trained staff, faculty and students formed the NCBI@UGA team. They are accepting requests from academic units, departments, student organizations or any other campus-affiliated group to conduct workshops.
A full-day NCBI prejudice reduction workshop focuses on examining the stereotypes that impact actions and attitudes, recognizing and valuing the similarities and differences among group members, developing increased empathy towards others through personal stories, identifying the harmful effects of stereotypes, and developing techniques for preventing and interrupting bigoted remarks and behaviors. Training can be customized to match the needs of campus organizations and units.
“As we strive to ensure that UGA is an inclusive and welcoming campus for all students, faculty and staff, these training modules will increase their knowledge, skills and abilities in working with diverse individuals and groups,” Dozier said.
To request more information or register for the Feb. 11 workshop, contact the Office of Institutional Diversity at 706/583-8195 or by e-mail at diverse@uga.edu.