Microaggressions Survey - Please Participate

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:52:44 -0500

Recently, our Graduate School Dean, Dr. Janet Rutledge, wrote to you as graduate students asking you to participate in a survey about your experience of microaggressions*. The deadline for the anonymous microaggressions survey has been extended to Friday Feb 18th.

*Microaggressions are statements, actions, or incidents regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group on the basis of their racial or ethnic identity (here is a youtube video that has many examples of microaggressions in higher education and a pdf listing some general examples of microaggressions as well).

Please fill out the survey about whether or not you've experienced microaggressions as a graduate student here at UMBC and what you would like to see the Graduate School do to improve the community and climate here. The survey is short and can be completed in a few minutes, although there is an optional space for a narrative or recording to be added for you to share how microaggressions have impacted your graduate experience. Responses to the survey will be used as early as next week in a series of workshops for faculty, staff and administrators.

We understand that revisiting and reflecting on microaggressions is difficult and we thank you, deeply, for being willing to do that in order for us to amplify and learn from your experience.

In appreciation of your participation, there will be a separate link and instructions provided after completion of the survey that enables us to provide a $10 honorarium to you on your Campus Card (the anonymity of your survey responses will be protected). Thank you for helping us create a more responsive and inclusive graduate community.