Professor
Community Awareness: What is a Socially Just University
What You'll Learn
- Understand strategies for strengthening socially-just teaching and learning.
- Explore strategies and structures needed for institutional change based on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
8 Modules
8 Hours
1 hr per module (approx.)
Rating
About Community Awareness: What is a Socially Just University
The course assumes that higher education is a gateway to the resources of society and that there is a need for institutions to become more socially just for all groups, with emphasis on low-income and minority populations that are traditionally underrepresented.
The course includes sessions with institutional leaders about higher education and American society, diversity and inclusion in learning and teaching, professors and students as change agents, socially-just research, and struggles for equity and justice on campus and in communities.
Illustrative modules include: What is a university? What is the role or potential role of universities in making societies more socially just? Do present universities contribute to inequalities and injustices and, if so, how? What changes are needed now?
Sessions will draw upon initiatives at the University of Michigan for starters, and we also will draw upon other educational leaders nationwide
Skills You'll Gain
- Diversity Training
- Higher Education
- Social Justice
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Community Awareness: What Is a Socially Just University invites learners to explore equity, access, and justice in higher education. Through guided dialogue, the course examines barriers to degree completion and institutional change strategies while centering community, reflection, and shared learning across diverse higher education contexts. This course does not offer a certificate of completion.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Introduction to CAC: What is a Socially Just University
- Reading: Introduction to this Community Awareness Course
- Reading: Pre-Course Survey
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
Module 2: Higher Education and American Society
- Reading: Introduction to Higher Education & American Society
- Video: Interview with Susan Dynarski
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of Week Reflection
Module 3: Reconceiving Our Purpose
- Reading: Introduction to Reconceiving our Purpose
- Video: Interview with Alec Gallimore
- Reading: Now is the moment. So what do we do?
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of the Week Reflection
Module 4: Reconceiving Learning and Teaching
- Reading: Introduction to Reconceiving Learning and Teaching
- Video: Interview with Stephanie Hicks, Stephanie Rosen and Whitney Peoples
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of the Week Reflection
Module 5: Reconceiving Research & Scholarship
- Reading: Introduction to Reconceiving Research & Scholarship
- Video: Interview with Stephanie Fryberg and Earl Lewis
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of the Week Reflection
Module 6: Institutional Change: Engaging Faculty
- Reading: Introduction to Institutional Change: Engaging Faculty
- Video: Interview with Tabby Chavous and Anne Curzan
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of the Week Reflection
Module 7: Institutional Change: The Role of Administration
- Reading: Introduction to Institutional Change: The Role of Administration
- Video: Interview with Joana Dos Santos and Robert M. Sellers
- Discussion Prompt: Discussion
- Reading: End of the Week Reflection
Module 8: Final Notes
- Reading: Final Thoughts
Grading Policy
This course does not include graded assessments. Participation occurs through discussion prompts only.
Director of the Gameful Learning Lab, Office of Academic Innovation
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
