Faculty Members Receive Curriculum Diversity Minigrants

PULLMAN, Wash. — Ten Washington State University faculty members have received 1999
Curriculum Diversity Minigrants.
The educators will use the support to address diversity issues through existing courses or
to create new ones. Proposals were submitted for classes offered in the 1999-2000 school year
and evaluated by the American Diversity Committee appointed by Provost Gretchen M. Bataille.
Mary Blair-Loy, a member of the sociology faculty, received $1,000 for her redesign of the
Sociology/Women Studies 351 course, “Sociology of the Family.” Rather than discussing the
structure of the African American, Latino, Native American and Asian American families in
separate chapters, the class will consider the experiences of several ethnic groups in each unit.
The units are divided into sections based on different cultural experiences such as marriage.
Blair-Loy hopes students will gain a better understanding of how each stage in the family-life
course is experienced across the diverse American population.
Philosophy faculty member Mary Bloodsworth was granted $1,000 for development of a
lesbian and gay studies course. As the only course offered relating to sexual orientation,
Women’s Studies/Sociology 484 will increase the emphasis on the issue of violence and hate
crimes using videos and the latest textbooks. The new materials will be placed in Holland Library
for general circulation, reserve use and for anthropology, communication, sociology and other
departments.
A $1,500 grant was given to Lindsey Cohen of psychology for her modification of the
Psychology 361 course, “Principles of Development.” Tentatively, the revised course will be
offered Fall 1999 and include topics impacting children from diverse backgrounds. Current media
will be integrated to promote student awareness of issues pertaining to development and
diversity.
Through a joint effort between the College of Business and Economics and the comparative
American cultures department, a $1,000 grant was awarded to David L. Corsun for his creation of
the Management 221/Comparative American Cultures 221 course, “Working with Diversity.” It is
intended to better prepare students for the world of work and to heighten awareness and
sensitivity to diversity issues.
Nursing faculty member Bronwynne Evans at the College of Nursing/ICNE in Spokane
received $1,000 for the development of the course “Nursing Practice: Foundations” (Nursing
321). The class will provide students the opportunity to practice physiological, psychological,
social, cultural and spiritual assessment of clients in a clinical setting.
Judy Jones, a member of the women’s studies faculty, developed a course on “Native
American Women’s Cultural Traditions” (Women’s Studies 322). The $1,000 grant will fund guest
presentations by Native American women to relate their knowledge and experience through
stories, songs, weaving, beadwork and hidework. Students also will attend an educational
program in an American Indian community.
A $1,500 grant was given to English faculty member Michelle Kendrick at WSU Vancouver
for the creation of English 338, “Computers and Discourses of Diversity.” It will explore the
diversity issues created with the use of the World Wide Web and other online resources, as well
as what issues are erased or ignored as a result.
Reorganizing a class that has not been taught since 1993, Valerie Phillips, an accounting,
information systems and business law faculty member, received $1,500 for her work on the
Business Law 410 course. Originally encompassing a wide range of law categories, the course is
approached from an environmental-law standpoint with a focus on Native American themes.
In response to student inquiries, human development faculty member Suzanne Smith at
WSU Vancouver created Human Development 350, “Diversity in Contemporary Families.” The
$1,500 allotted for course development will integrate guest speakers, videotapes and interviews
into the textbook readings, providing students with information on families of different religious,
ethnic, economic and gender-based structures.
Susan Ross of the Murrow School of Communication received $1,000 for the development of
the Journalism 405 course, “The Costs of Free Speech.” The funds will be used to purchase
videotapes and develop an online class discussion site. The course will include aspects of
communication, political science, law and sociology in a small-group setting that will allow
students to individually explore the complex and charged issues of diversity.
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