One Step at a Time: An Update on SGA’s DEI Trainings

 SGA takes steps to improve its diversity, equity and inclusion by educating its members during mandatory meetings that cover a variety important and under-recognized topics.

Lucy Olmstead | lolmstead@butler.edu

At the turn of the new year, SGA vowed to better train and educate its members on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Through various DEI trainings led by both faculty and the SGA’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Student Belonging, Maya Sanchez, SGA is following through with their promise to better serve all students.

Maya Sanchez, senior, is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Student Belonging (DESB). She has been working hard to organize internal diversity, equity and inclusion meetings for SGA.

“It can be difficult to improve DEI on campus if not everyone involved in SGA is onboard with the initiatives,” Sanchez said. “This school year the focus has been trying to improve relationships with the Diversity Center organizations as well as kickstarting mandatory DEI training.” 

These trainings that Sanchez has been working on, occur monthly and each elaborates on a different topic with a specific guest speaker relating to said topic.

“The importance and purpose of this training is to build DEI into part of SGA’s culture,” Sanchez said. “We would like to have DEI be included in members' decision making from the start and not when a problem arises or gets too large on campus. Overall, we would like to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where large campus initiatives and issues are discussed.”

The first training occurred in February. Students were invited to hear professor and Faculty Director of DEI, Dr. Brandy Mmbaga, explain and elaborate on macroaggressions, microaggressions and insensitivity. Dr. Mmbaga led large-group discussions among members of SGA and refreshed them on the meanings of the terms: diversity, equality, equity, inclusion and belonging. She also gave the group many examples on terms that are often said in a genuine way but are actually malicious. Microaggressions were heavily emphasized since these terms and phrases are used frequently in everyday life. Dr. Mmbaga made it a point to explain to students that these aggressions and terms of insensitivity are used more than they may think, but collectively SGA can make steps forward in using more passive and sensitive language.

The meeting concluded with small group discussions between students sitting at the same table. Dr. Mmbaga gave members of SGA the opportunity to discuss with their peers what they took away from the training that day. Most importantly, she emphasized on a four-step process that students can use as a “next step,” which has been included below:

1. Analyze and revisit the findings from the training this evening

2. Change and implement DEI into decision making

3. Go and attend DEI events on campus

4. Participate in outreach by reaching out to your constituents and friends.

The second DEI training occurred earlier in March, and students were able to hear the Director of the Diversity Center, Randall Ojeda, speak on the importance of acknowledging implicit biases. Prior to this training, Sanchez asked members of SGA to take a variety of Harvard Implicit Association Tests (IAT). Students then submitted their results into a form where Sanchez and Ojeda were able to analyze and graph the findings from the IAT’s.

Before immediately jumping into the results of those tests, Ojeda explained to SGA members that implicit biases are caused by many things and are completely subconscious. These factors may include age, race, gender, religion, upbringing and lived experiences. It was important for Ojeda to emphasize that implicit biases are not intentional, but there are ways that students can recognize and improve them as they educate themselves.

Ojeda began with a small group activity where students were able to discuss a question at their table and acknowledge both the similarities and differences within their answers. One of these questions was, “do you enjoy going home for breaks?” and a variety of responses were given based on a student’s particular experience. Some students explained that it is nice to go home and relax to get away from school, while others explained that they enjoyed being away from home because they had different familial situations and experiences.

After some small-group discussion, the results of the IAT’s were then presented to the members of SGA at the training. Sanchez reviewed the gender, race and sexuality implicit associations, but then elaborated heavily on the disabilities implicit association due to its relevance on campus and differences in ability level is sometimes overlooked on Butler’s campus. Sanchez then explained the importance of recognizing the implicit bias that members may have and how, by taking the time to acknowledge this bias, students can better understand and fix these unconscious feelings. Students at the training also emphasized that many things that affect disabled persons on campus often go unnoticed, whether it’s cracked/uneven sidewalks, stairs or broken handicap door buttons.

Sanchez found that overall both SGA DEI trainings have been productive in enhancing students’ knowledge on issues that happen on our campus daily. In the second DEI training feedback survey, the average member was satisfied with the relevance and helpfulness of the topic. Many feedback comments included the importance of how informative the training was and how crucial it is to “be open-minded” and “challenge prior beliefs” when considering implicit biases.

“The main takeaway from training is to have students understand the importance of their position of power on campus and how they can help improve or incorporate DEI into their decision making.” Sanchez said. “There have been issues on campus where minority and POC students feel that their voice has been unheard and ignored. We want to make sure that SGA has the proper training so all students on campus can feel heard and represented.”

As these trainings progress, SGA hopes to improve DEI internally, so they can continue to help this campus and Butler’s students thrive externally. 

More information on DEI or DESB initiatives for SGA can be found on the butlersga.org website or the SGA instagram (@butlersga).