Who We Are
This group is comprised of English scholars from the Western Michigan University English Department. This graduate student-led group brings faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students together to create a community of learning committed to developing and sustaining inclusive pedagogical practices.
Mission Statement
The Department of English Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism (ABAR) group works with students, faculty, and staff to foster reflection and intentionality in matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In response to systemic bias in our society, ABAR rethinks department policies and teaching practices and advocates for better representation, mentorship, and institutional support to encourage a welcoming environment.
Current Initiatives
In support of the goals outlined above, ABAR has outlined the following goals for the 2023-2024 academic year: to develop a community of learning and to conduct a syllabus and policy review.
To begin building a presence at relevant events across the university and ensure that all faculty and students have a chance to benefit from the wealth of information those events represent.
To compile a calendar of events that will aggregate all relevant events into an easy, digestible format. In addition, we’re also hoping to use the newly established website to share what we learn; keep your eyes peeled to our blog for short recaps of relevant events / discussions / articles.
To ensure that the department continues to move our pedagogy toward inclusive practices, ABAR is devoting attention to revamping department policies and reviewing syllabus inclusion statements.
To elicit student feedback from English students regarding where they would like to see the department move in regards to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our pedagogy
To compile a more robust collection of teaching resources for the website that our faculty and staff can utilize to develop and enact more equitable and inclusive courses and classroom practices.
To begin discussions of necessary curricular reforms within the department, considering how we might adapt our offerings to better serve our students’ needs and push the department toward an anti-bias, anti-racist agenda.
Awards
The ABAR group recognizes the importance of introducing undergraduate and graduate students to ABAR-related growth opportunities on campus and aims to encourage attendance at various events through departmental awards.
WMU English ABAR Group 