Penn GSE’s three-part climate study extended over 10 months and involved three distinct components: a climate survey, focus groups, and feedback sessions with GSE’s leadership. Each group—faculty, staff, and students—shared both similar and unique observations related to their respective experiences.

In an effort to understand overall experiences and to inform next steps, we have grouped the findings into six categories of concerns:

1. building awareness of how to report problematic behaviors and developing processes for addressing such behaviors, including sexual harassment and bias incidents
2. creating stronger training opportunities for our community on issues related to sexual misconduct, bias, and inclusion
3. providing more clarity and transparency around GSE’s decision-making processes and protocols
4. enabling greater opportunity for community members to offer ideas and suggestions and ensuring more transparency around how these ideas are taken up
5. creating stronger support systems for community members to ensure that they feel supported and have a sense of belonging and agency
6. offering opportunities for professional and personal growth

GSE has undertaken a number of ongoing efforts for improving the climate for faculty, staff, and students. One of our first efforts was to create the Standing Committee – The Committee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion, constituted in 2016. Comprised of faculty, staff, and students, this committee has focused its work on addressing School climate, including initiating this climate study; clarifying, strengthening, and communicating policies and procedures around reporting sexual misconduct and incidents of bias; and conceptualizing and launching HEARD, a center that brings together students, staff, and faculty interested in issues of anti-oppression. 

1) Building awareness of how to report problematic behaviors and developing processes for addressing such behaviors, including sexual harassment and bias incidents

One of the first activities of the Committee for Race, Equity, and Inclusion involved clarifying and elaborating GSE’s sexual harassment practices and policies including the processes for reporting problematic behavior. A sub-committee of the Committee worked to create a document that clarified policies and practices related to reporting sexual harassment and how such reports were followed up on. In 2018-19, we began to work on practices and policies for reporting incidents of bias and to strengthen bias reporting procedures and resources for any members of our community who have experienced a discriminatory or hurtful act, and will also assist them in identifying campus and School resources to help them understand their options. Resources can be found here under Formal Complaints and Reporting Offices. A Bias Incident Reporting Form also is available online.

NEXT STEPS:

• Revise our policies and practices regarding sexual misconduct to be consistent with new University policies.
  • Under Review: Seeking Clarification on University Policies (6/19)
• Communicate these new policies to the GSE community, including through the website, student orientation, staff and faculty meetings.
  • Pending Clarification of Above (6/19)
• Communicate policies for reporting bias incidents to the GSE community
  • Updated bias reporting policies were sent to the Penn GSE community.

2) Creating stronger training opportunities for our community on issues related to sexual misconduct, bias (including bias incidents in the classroom), and inclusion

GSE initiated its first required training of staff and faculty on sexual harassment, sexual violence reporting, and bias last year; this remains an ongoing effort. Key staff and faculty received additional in-depth instruction from Penn Violence Prevention to ensure that our community members have multiple avenues if they should need assistance. We have also initiated training around issues of bias. In Fall 2018, faculty participated in a training session around microaggressions and how these may be manifested and managed in the classroom. As of Fall 2018, during New Student Orientation all incoming students are required to view a module and be tested on their knowledge of how to report sexual violence and harassment issues on Penn’s campus.

For students, we revised the New Student Orientation to include TAP (Thrive at Penn), an online resource for incoming graduate and professional students to assist them in taking full advantage of their Penn experiences. TAP provides information about resources available to support student success, including academic integrity, wellness and health, healthy relationships, and sexual violence prevention.

NEXT STEPS:

• Create a racial literacy series to educate community members about equity and inclusion.
  • Howard Stevenson teed up at the June Staff Meeting
• Provide implicit bias training for all faculty and staff.
  • Emma and Jessie conducted a bias reporting session a staff meeting in April 2019
  • Lubna Mian is scheduled to present on unconscious bias at a Fall Faculty Meeting
• Continue training around issues of sexual harassment for faculty, staff, and students.
• Initiate training around better support for LGBTQ students.
  • Staff session planned for July 2019. Additional sessions will be offered during faculty and staff meetings in fall 2019. 

3) Providing more clarity and transparency around GSE’s decision-making processes and protocols

In the Summer 2018 and again in Spring 2019, GSE held informational workshops on position reclassification, salary adjustment, and PIQs for staff and professional faculty. At a staff meeting, we also shared an organizational chart for GSE that clarified the organization of the School and the standing committees that help make policy, and then shared these documents with community members via Dropbox.

NEXT STEPS:

• Launch of “One GSE,” a monthly newsletter (with accompanying website) featuring consolidated information from every administrative area to provide clear, accessible information about policies, initiatives, events, etc.
  • Newsletters have been consolidated. Full integration will occur with web site launch in November 2019.
• Place all GSE policies regarding faculty affairs online for greater transparency and accessibility.
  • In Process (Academic Year or Web Launch?)
• Share organizational chart for GSE online for greater transparency.
  • Shared at February Staff Meeting. Placed in Dropbox for Public Viewing. Will be posted on the Intranet at Web Launch. 

4) Enabling greater opportunity for community members to offer ideas and suggestions and ensuring more transparency around how these ideas are taken up

Penn GSE values the insights and input of its community members and is working to create mechanisms to better solicit ideas and feedback. Meetings with associated faculty to share perspectives with GSE’s leadership resulted in changes in nomenclature for Professional Faculty and for Professors of Practice. GSE also revived the Lecturer in Educational Practice role to provide a pathway for some Lecturers to have ongoing appointments and increased the appointment term for Lecturers to five years. Community members, including staff and students, engaged in a Design Sprint to reimagine the first floor of 3700 Walnut. A second Design Sprint recently was launched as a vehicle for soliciting staff input into best practices in staff recognition. We also recently requested suggestions for identifying working groups and task forces to address selected climate-related issues. These groups will launch this spring.

NEXT STEPS:

• Communicate systemic mechanisms to share feedback and concerns.
  • Suggestions and feedback can be offered through a short survey on the GSE HR website
  • Staff Advisory Council Informational Meetings, June 2019. Formal launch in August 2019
  • Post-staff meeting surveys initiated in June 2019
  • Initiated staff exit interviews
• Share the mechanisms for staff to provide suggestions and responses to proposals.
  • POP Up Surveys to gauge interest in selected topics (e.g. location of Staff Appreciation Lunch) initiated in April 2019
• Create a virtual suggestion box for the GSE community to contribute ideas.
• Re-administer a Climate Survey in 2021.

5) Creating stronger support systems for community members to ensure that they feel supported and have a sense of agency 

Penn GSE hired its first Chief People Officer (CPO)—the first CPO at the University—in May 2018. The CPO reports to Dean Grossman and leads efforts to ensure that GSE is a people-centric organization, and that GSE supports an inclusive, high-performing workplace culture. The CPO supports, nurtures, and retains GSE’s diverse and talented staff by developing initiatives and programs that reflect GSE’s aspirations as a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive organization. As part of her first initiatives, she codified and disseminated information on how salary adjustments and reclassifications are requested and reviewed. This information was paired with a compensation presentation that covered similar topics and also reviewed how roles are classified and outlined elements of the review process.

Penn GSE also recently hired a student Wellness Coordinator to offer peer support sessions and to promote wellness among graduate students. GSE is the first School at Penn to create this type of dedicated position. 

We also convened faculty discussions about how to identify students who might be struggling with mental health issues and how to refer them to appropriate resources.

Penn GSE also launched HEARD—The Hub for Equity, Anti-Oppression, Research, and Development—in 2018. HEARD’s aim is to draw together members of the Penn GSE community committed to equity and anti-oppression scholarship — and to provide opportunities for continuing learning and research. 

NEXT STEPS:

• Continue training for faculty and initiate training for staff around student mental health issues.
  • Mike Nakkula led a discussion about recognizing signs of student distress at the February2019 Faculty Meeting
• Offer opportunities through HEARD for community members to engage around reading groups and other facilitated sessions.
  • Reading Groups commenced in Fall 2018 and are ongoing. 

6) Offering support and opportunities for professional and personal growth

In addition to climate-related improvements, the Chief People Officer (CPO) is responsible for staff recruitment, employee relations, performance management and compensation, onboarding and orientation, and consultative support to management on matters concerning strategic management decisions and compliance. The CPO develops performance and talent management programs as well as employee relations and employee engagement programs to properly onboard, train, recognize, reward, and transition GSE employees. The CPO assists in navigating and negotiating complex relationships between faculty, staff, and students, and develops School-wide programs that strengthen these relationships and overall organizational morale and performance.

To provide greater opportunities for professional growth, the CPO created the GSE Leadership Academy, a required management training program with an inaugural cohort of 14 staff members.  She also enabled four GSE staff members to enroll in the newly-created Penn Navigator Program to support career development. 

NEXT STEPS:

• Offer career coaching sessions—cover letter, résumé writing, and interviewing techniques—to staff.
  • First of three sessions with Emma Grigore was hosted in June with subsequent sessions, co-led by Amy Benedict, in July and August 2019
• Develop opportunities for faculty, staff, and student collaboration.
  • Joint faculty/staff task forces are in development with a focus on communication and engagement
• Explore mechanisms to support additional professional development for professional faculty.

Race, Equity, and Inclusion

• Insights on Minor Feelings with Dr. David Eng event for students, staff, and faculty (September 2022)
• Teaching about 9/11, War, and Empire with Dr. Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher and colleagues involved in the Costs of War Project (September 2022)
• One Book One GSE’s community-wide discussion with students, staff, and faculty on Minor Feelings (October 2022)
• Coffee Break for Hispanic Heritage Month with the DEI Office (October 2022)
• The Art of Grant Proposal Writing Workshop with Dr. Kathy Hall and Penn GSE students Angus McLeod and Ankhi Thakurta (October 2022)
• Serene Khader’s Decolonizing Universalism: A Transnational Feminist Ethic with Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath (November 2022)
• Visiting Faculty Scholars of Color Lecture Series - Dr. Christopher Candelaria (November 2022)
• Provost’s New Modules on Faculty Bias presentation at monthly faculty meeting (November 2022)
• Banning Books, Banning Readers: Balancing Intellectual Freedom in the Winds with Dr. Vanessa Irvin, a Penn GSE graduate, and colleagues in library and information science, Dr. Emily Knox and Dr. Kafi Kumasi (December 2022)

Community Building

• Event Passport Program for Staff & Faculty (semester-long)
• Staff & Faculty Picnic (September 2022)
• Open Forum on Dean’s Search for Faculty, Staff and Students (three separate gatherings in October 2022)
• Reception for Tony Watlington, new Superintendent of the SDP (November 2022)
• Staff & Faculty Holiday Party and Talent Showcase (December 2022)

Career and Professional Development

• Workday Performance Review’s Manager Trainings and Office Hours (November – December 2022)

Wellness and Mental Health

• GSE wellness walks (semester-long)

Race, Equity, and Inclusion

• MLK Day Book Drive in partnership with Joyful Readers (January 2022)
• Visiting Faculty Scholars of Color Lecture Series
  • Dr. Joy Gaston Gaylesis (January 2022)
  • Dr. Camika Royal (February 2022)
  • Dr. Savannah Shange (March 2022)
• Black History Month Book (February 2022)
  • W.E.B. Du Bois: A Legacy of Impact at Penn and Beyond
  • The Loving Story Watch Party
  • One Book, One GSE, Part II: Responsive Math Teaching
• LGBTQAI+ Community Engagement Session for students, staff, and faculty (February 2022)
• International Women’s Day Coffee Break with the Community & Social Responsibility Committee (March 2022)
• Women of Color in Higher Education Summit for students, staff, faculty, and alumni (March 2022)
• Psychological Safety & Inclusive Culture Presentation at Staff Meeting (March 2022)
• Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month Presentation at Staff Meeting (May 2022)
• Penn GSE Pride Alliance’s Pride & Popsicles event for students, staff, and faculty (June 2022)

Community Building

• Launch of Staff Spotlights in Staff Meetings (January 2022)
• Gratitude message exchange on Teams (January 2022)
• Literary Lunch with Juliana (biweekly from January-April 2022)
• Event Passport Program for Staff (January-May 2022)
• Staff Service Awards Celebration (February 2022)
• Pal-entine’s Week programming (February 2022)
  • Trivia Lunch Break with Community & Social Responsibility Committee
  • Wine Down Yoga with Raquel Arredondo
  • Tai Chi Workshop
• Coffee Breaks hosted by GSE programs/departments
  • Community & Social Responsibility Committee (March 2022)
  • ISHD/Counseling Dept (March 2022)
  • Communications Team (March 2022)
  • Parents Group (April 2022)
  • DEI Office (April 2022)
  • Admissions (May 2022)
  • Center for Professional Learning (May 2022)
  • HR (August 2022)
• Pulse Survey for staff, faculty, and students (April 2022)
• Project for Mental Health & Optimal Development Presentation at Staff Meeting (April 2022)
• Administrative Professional's Day – Coffee, Donuts, & Chair Massages (April 2022)
• Planter Painting with the Community and Social Responsibility Committee (April 2022)
• Building Expansion Project’s Groundbreaking Ceremony (April 2022)
• Catalyst Presentation at Staff Meeting (May 2022)
• Launch of New Hires/Promotions Section Staff & Faculty Newsletters (July 2022)
• GSE Staff Listening Sessions (July-August 2022)
• “Inclusion @ Work” Staff Retreat (August 2022)
• Staff Headshots Event (August 2022)

Career and Professional Development

• GSE Leadership Academy’s cohort 3 with initiation to SP2 to join (January –April 2022)
• IT trainings on Freshservice ticketing system and Canvas Course Creation Form (February-March 2022)
• Launch of new employee onboarding module in new ticketing portal, Freshservice (April 2022)
• Performance Appraisal Workshop (April 2022)
• IT trainings on Canva (April 2022)
• Manager meetings on enhanced summer flexibility (May 2022)
• Launched Interview Committee Training (May 2022)
• IT trainings on Canvas (May 2022)
• Developed Hybrid Work Norm Guidelines for staff and faculty (June 2022)
• GSE Leadership Academy’s Quarterly Manager Meeting, "Mental Agility" (June 2022)
• GSE HR’s staff sponsorships for Penn HR’s Leadership Development Programs (Essentials of Management, AMP-UP, Leadership @ Penn, Career Navigator)
• GSE HR’s staff scholarships to participate in Center for Professional Learning programs

Wellness and Mental Health

• COVID Update with Benoit Dube for faculty and staff (January 2022)
• Time and Energy Management for Sustainable Life Balance Workshop with Penn HR (January 2022)
• Work-Life Resources Overview at Staff Meeting (February 2022)
• Meditation Session with Dr. Charru Sharma (March 2022)
• Radical Resilience Workshop with Penn HR (March 2022)
• Yoga with Dr. Charru Sharma (March 2022)
• Conversation about Responding to Gun Violence (June 2022)
• Enhanced Summer Flexibility with additional flex options, weekly Focus Fridays, and school-wide early releases (June-August 2022)

Race, Equity, and Inclusion

• Hired Raquel Arredondo as GSE’s first Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (July 2021)
• Launch of monthly DEI Onboarding Sessions for new staff hires (October 2021)
• Visiting Faculty Scholars of Color Lecture Series (November 2021)
• One Book One GSE – Radical Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights by Robert Moses and Charles E. Cobb, Jr. – for Staff, Faculty, and Students (November 2021)

Community Building

• Pulse Survey to Staff (June 2021)
• Break Rooms hosted by the Community Building Committee (June-August 2021)
• Coffee Breaks hosted by GSE programs/departments (July-November 2021)
• Event Passport Program (August-December 2021)
• Clay Pot Making Class (August 2021)
• Sip & Paint Class (August 2021)
• Coloring & Puzzle Break (August 2021)
• Clean-up Week (August 2021)
• Faculty & Staff Lunch (August 2021)
• GSE Space Tours for New Hires by Staff Advisory Committee (August 2021)
• Halloween Pumpkin Decorating Party (October 2021)
• Thanksgiving Celebration (November 2021)
• Gratitude message exchange on Teams (November 2021)
• Pulse Survey to Staff & Faculty (November 2021)
• Staff/Faculty Holiday Cheer Exchange (December 2021)
• Staff/Faculty Holiday Party (December 2021)
• Literary Lunch with Juliana Rosati (bi-weekly)
• One Penn GSE staff & faculty newsletter (monthly)

Career and Professional Development

• GSE Return-to-Campus Checklist (July 2021)
• IT Trainings - Hybrid Classrooms & Meetings (July- August 2021)
• Staff HyFlex Retreat (August 2021)
• GSE Leadership Academy - Quarterly Manager Meeting, "Leading Diverse & Inclusive Teams" (December 2021)
• GSE HR sponsors staff for Penn HR’s Leadership Development Programs (Essentials of Management, AMP-UP, and Leadership @ Penn)
• GSE HR provides scholarships for staff to participate in Center for Professional Learning (July 2021)

Wellness and Mental Health

• Thinking Traps and Gratitude Workshop by Penn Positive Psychology Center (June 2021)
• Pilates with Erin Chambers (August 2021)
• Compassion Fatigue Workshop by Penn HR (November 2021)
• GSE’s Focus Fridays (weekly in summer and monthly in fall)

Race, Equity, and Inclusion

• Launch of Asian Affinity Staff Group (January 2021)
• Visiting Faculty Scholars of Color Lecture Series
  • Dr. Dominique Baker, Assistant Professor, Southern Methodist University – “Hate Crimes and Black Student College Enrollment” (February 2021)
  • Dr. Dorinda Carter Andrews, Professor, Michigan State University – “Decentering Whiteness in Teacher Education: Addressing the Questions of Who, With Whom, and How” (March 2021)
  • Dr. Monique Morris, Author, Social Justice Scholar, Filmmaker - Facilitating Liberated Learning: How Educators Counter the Adultification of Black Girls in Schools” (April 2021)
• Black History Month Book Drive on Teams - for Staff and Faculty (February 2021)
• Allyship Workshop with ReadySet at Staff Meeting (February 2021)
• Welcome to West Philadelphia, virtual tour of Penn’s engagement with the West Philly community, led Glenn Bryan, AVP of Community Relations, in partnership with OSS and OSCE (February 2021)
• “Out at Work: A Virtual Discussion with GSE Alumni Sharing Insights on Navigating Careers in Education.” panel discussion from the LGBTQ Affinity Group (February 2021)
• Women of Color in Higher Education: Resilience and Empowerment Amidst Twin Pandemics -three-day event in partnership between the Office of Student Services and the GSE Center for Professional Learning - for Staff, Faculty, and Students (March 2021)
• Women's History Month celebration on Teams - for Staff and Faculty (March 2021)
• Racial Literacy Series with the Racial Empowerment Collaborative and Lion's Story - 3 sessions for GSE & SP2 staff and faculty with post-session debriefs with GSE’s Black Affinity Group and Whiteness Anti-Racism Affinity Group (March -April 2021)
• Staff Reading Group Initiative with Dr. Jalil Bishop, Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow - “Legislation, Policy, and the Black Student Debt Crisis: A Status Report on College Access, Equity, and Funding a Higher Education for the Black Public Good” (April 2021)
• OSS Lifting Up Excellence Series - for Students, Staff, and Faculty (March - April 2021)
  • Discussion on this year’s Investing in West Philadelphia Working Group (IWPS) project, directed by Sean Plaskett, ISHD doctoral student, moderated by Dr. Caroline Watts (March 2021)
  • Fireside Chat with Black womxn in GSE’s Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (Kimberlin Butler, Rahshene Davis, Christina Grant, Felicia Two-Grant and Shanta Smith), moderated by Dr. Sharon Ravitch (March 2021)
  • Discussion on the research of William Thomas, doctoral student in Educational Leadership, on the lives of Morehouse College alumni who chose to be public-school teachers (April 2021)
  • Discussion on the working paper of Marcus Wright, doctoral student in HED, "Generation Blindness and the COVID-19 Websites of Highly Selective Universities” (April 2021)
  • Discussion with Leverne Nichols, graduate from GSE’s Education Entrepreneurship Master’s program, and his partner Briah Neale on their art in education projects in
• Baltimore and the creation of their education support program, PATCH, with Dr. Sharon Ravitch (April 2021)
• Safe Space Workshop, hosted by LGBTQ Affinity Group in partnership with the Penn LGBT Center - for Staff, Faculty, Students, and Alumni (April 2021) · HEARD’s Movie Night - “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality” with discussion by Dr. Howard Stevenson - for Staff and Faculty (April 2021)
• HEARD’s Staff Reading Initiative - “Legislation, Policy, and the Black Student Debt Crisis: A Status Report on College Access, Equity, and Funding a Higher Education for the Black Public Good” facilitated by Dr. Jalil Bishop - for Staff and Faculty (April 2021)
• “Get HEARD” Lecture Series - “Toward understanding versatile-thinking and meaning-making” with doctoral student Laronnda Thompson and her advisor, Dr. Doug Frye (April 2021)

Community Building

• Literary Lunch with Juliana Rosati (biweekly)
• Community-Building Committee’s Virtual Breakrooms (monthly)
• GSE Expansion Town Halls (March 2021) - one with staff & faculty, and one with students
• Parents Group - Read Across America Storytime (March 2021)
• Staff Service Recognition Lunch (March 2021)
• Administrative Professional's Day - Virtual Tango Concert and Lunch (April 2021)
• Committee for Social Responsibility Committee’s Earth Day discussion on Teams (April 2021)
• Expansion of Microsoft Teams chat communication to 6 special interest subgroups

Career and Professional Development

• GSE HR provides scholarships for staff to participate in Center for Professional Learning (January - May 2021)
• GSE Leadership Academy - “Strategic Diversity in Practice”, Employee and Labor Relations Academy (January 2021)
• GSE HR sponsors staff for Penn Career Navigator Program
• Launch of Admin Resource Center channel and notebook in Teams (April 2021)
• IT Training - Lean Coffee Meeting Method (May 2021)
• IT Training - IdeaMachine Demo by Wharton Interactive (May 2021)

Wellness and Mental Health

• Nutrition Counseling Partnership Promotion (January 2021)
• EAP Workshop: Making Tax Returns Less Taxing (January 2021)

Race, Equity, and Inclusion

• Penn GSE Community Meeting, for Staff &Faculty (June 2020)
• Staff Reading Initiative: “A New Paradigm for Valuing Black Communities” – Dr. Ariane Thomas facilitated a discussion about the podcast from the Brookings Institute entitled, “A New Paradigm for Valuing Black Communities.” (July 2020)
• Implicit Bias workshop with Penn LGBT Center (August 2020)
• One Book One GSE - How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi – for Staff, Faculty, and Students (October 2020)
• “Can We Talk? Civil Dialogue for Troubled Times” facilitated by Chris Satullo and Harris Sokoloff – for Staff &Faculty (October 2020)
• Unconscious Bias Workshop with Dr. Gittens at Penn GSE Staff Meeting (December 2020)
• International Students and Academic Freedom at the American University: A Virtual Forum (November 2020) –Alan Ruby, Dean Grossman, Professor Jon Zimmerman (Penn GSE), Professor Jacques deLisle (Penn Law), Amy Gadsden (Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives) – for Staff, Faculty, and Students (November 2020)

Community Building

• Parents Group: Prioritizing Learning, A Chat for Parents and Caregivers (October 2020)
• Halloween Party for Faculty & Staff (October 2020)
• Post-Election Gathering for Hope and Community: A Reflection Space (November 2020)
• Pulse Survey to Staff & Faculty (November 2020)
• Parents Group: Magical Moments with Books - Exploring Early Literacy at Home (December 2020)
• Employee Appreciation Week (December 2020) - daily social events (5 total) and an appreciation message exchange

Career and Professional Development

• GSE Leadership Academy - Conflict Engagement (July 2020)
• IT Training - PowerNotes for Research & Writing (September 2020)
• Title IX and Sexual Misconduct policy update and training, and follow-up Q&A session with Associate VP for Equity and Title IX (September 2020)
• IT Training - Trello for Teams (October 2020)
• IT Training - Zoom New Features Lunch & Learn (October 2020)
• GSE Leadership Academy –“Engaging Teams,” Shanna Hocking (October 2020)
• GSE Leadership Academy – "Leading Remote Teams," Barbara Roche (November 2020)

Wellness and Mental Health

• Pilates with Erin Chambers (monthly)
• Resilience & Learned Optimism with Penn PPC (December 2020) 

Race, Equity, and Inclusion:

• Dean Grossman and the Race, Equity, & Inclusion Committee hosted a Community Meeting on LGBTQ Issues at Penn GSE, open to all Faculty, Staff, and Students (January 2020)
• Staff Reading Group and Staff Movie Nights, hosted by the Hub for Equity, Anti-Oppression, Research, and Development (HEARD) and facilitated by Dr. Jessie Harper, Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs and Diversity (January, March, April, May 2020)
• Professors of Practice Sharon Ravitch and Mike Nakkula, and Professor Howard Stevenson gave a presentation on “Addressing the Socio-Emotional Concerns of Students During Remote Teaching” (April 2020)
• Community meetings to discuss recent national events, racial injustices and inequalities, and Penn GSE’s role in creating change (June 2020)

Community Building:

• GSE Community Building Committee hosted a “Community Building Sprint” to discuss ways to improve the community at GSE (January 2020)
• The Committee for Social Responsibility hosted Virtual Water Cooler Sessions on Zoom for Faculty and Staff (March, April, May 2020)
• Virtual Yoga, Pilates and Literary Lunches for Faculty and Staff hosted by Janeen Chavis, Erin Chambers and Juliana Rosati (March-June 2020)

Career and Professional Development:

• Adam Kirk Edgerton, a recipient of the 2019 NAEd Spencer Dissertation Fellow and Ph.D. candidate in Education Policy, hosted Grant Crafting Series Workshop: "Crafting Successful Dissertation Funding Proposals." (February 2020)
• Christine Cunningham, a winner of the McGraw Prize in Education, hosted a Webinar “Engineering Equity in K12 STEM Education” (February 2020)
• A Vanguard webinar series addressed investor concerns about the recent stock market downturn (March, April, May 2020)
• The Center for Professional Learning launched “Lunch and Learn” information sessions for Faculty and Staff
• Dr. Sharon Ravitch hosted a “Lunch and Learn Webinar Series: Rhythms and Boundary Setting” for learning and working from home (April 2020)
• Dr. Angela Duckworth hosted a “Lunch and Learn Webinar Series: Setting Goals and Follow Through” (April 2020)
• Penn GSE Information Session for Employees hosted by Penn GSE Admissions (May 2020)

Summer and Fall 2019 were filled with numerous events aimed at building climate at Penn GSE. Events ranged from the serious – faculty and staff trainings on topics like mental health, student disabilities or understanding sexual misconduct and reporting procedures – to a Penn GSE social outing to a Phillies game. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

 Sexual Misconduct/Reporting:

• Jessica Mertz of Penn’s Office of Sexual Violence Prevention conducted a two-day workshop on anti-violence advocate training (June 2019)
• Joann Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer, presented “Understanding Penn’s Sexual Misconduct and Reporting Policies” at a staff meeting (September 2019)
• Faculty and staff received written information about responding to sexual misconduct (November, December 2019)

Career and Professional Development:

• Amy Benedict, Director of Career and Professional Development, and Emma Grigore, Chief People Officer, offered career-coaching sessions focused on writing cover letters and résumés (June, August 2019)
• 1:1 onsite retirement counseling was offered to staff (July 2019)
• Emma Grigore coordinated onsite retirement counseling with a retirement specialist (October 2019)
• Emma Grigore launched and led the Leadership Academy’s second cohort, which completed management training (October–December, 2019)
• Amy Benedict and Emma Grigore offered a session on interview success as the third part of Penn GSE’s Career Development Workshop Series (October 2019)
• CPR and AED training were offered to staff by Penn’s Medical Response Team (October 2019)
• Louise Pedraz, Manager of Compensation, offered Compensation 101, an overview of job classifications, salary setting, and related topics (November 2019)
• Four staff tasks forces were launched: the Committee for Social Responsibility, the Community Building Committee, the Professional Development Committee, and the Staff Advisory Committee; representatives of each reported results of their initial work at the December staff meeting (Fall 2019)

Community Building:

• Faculty/staff outing to a Phillies game (September 2019)
• GSE Holiday Party at Perry World House (December 2019)

Race, Equity, and Inclusion:

• “Creating an Inclusive Community for LGBTQ Individuals,” led by A. Malik Muhammad, Associate Director of the Penn LGBT Center, was a focus of faculty and staff meetings (July 2019)
• Ann Tiao, Assistant Dean for Student Services, and Imani Harvin, Associate Director for Student Services, facilitated a discussion of The Hate U Give following its screening (September 2019)
• Jane Holahan and Erica Gillaspy, Director and Associate Directors of the Weingarten Learning Resources Center, gave a presentation on Student Disability Services at a faculty meeting. (September 2019)
• Professor Howard Stevenson led a three-part Racial Literacy Training for staff (September–November 2019)
• Lubna Mian, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty, presented on implicit bias in faculty hiring at a faculty meeting (October 2019)
• “Creating an Inclusive Community for LGBTQ Individuals,” led by A. Malik Muhammad, was a focus of faculty and staff meetings (November 2019)
• Dean Pam Grossman reported on the work of the Committee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion at a faculty meeting (December 2019)
• Professor Sigal Ben-Porath; Steve Piltch, Director of the School Leadership Program; Associate Professor Amy Stornaioulo; and Ann Tiao, Assistant Dean for Student Services, led a presentation on inclusion of students with disabilities at a faculty meeting (December 2019)
• The Staff Reading Group met and discussed A Report from Occupied Territory, facilitated by Dr. Christopher Ashford, Executive Director of Penn Futures (November 2019)
• The GSE Parents Group, focusing on support and shared challenges, was launched (Fall 2019)

Wellness and Mental Health:

• Graduate Thrive at Penn was offered as part of New Student Orientation (August 2019)
• A session on Work/Life Balance Resources and Services was offered by a representative from Health Advocate (August 2019)
• Professor of Practice Mike Nakkula and Ann Tiao, Assistant Dean for Student Services, led a discussion on signs of student struggle at a faculty meeting (September 2019)
• Professor of Practice Mike Nakkula led group support sessions to discuss mental health at work (September 2019)
• Matt Verdeccia of Health Advocate presented “Managing Emotional Health at Work” at a staff meeting (October 2019)

Spring 2016:

• Professor Howard Stevenson and Dr. Jessie Harper led a session to help faculty build inclusive classrooms. During this session, faculty engaged in small-group discussions of real case studies of controversial topics that arose in GSE classrooms over the past year and exchanged information on best practices.

Fall 2016:

• The Task Force on Race, Equity, and Inclusion was formed.
• Professor Shaun Harper held a workshop for GSE faculty on addressing microaggressions and racism in the classroom.
• Professor Howard Stevenson led a community forum on the presidential election.
• Professor Howard Stevenson led a community forum on race.

Spring 2017:

• The appointment term for Senior Lecturers was increased to five years.
• The nomenclature for non-standing faculty was changed to better recognize their important contributions. For example, Associated Faculty are now referred to as Professional Faculty, and Practice Professors are now called Professors of Practice. The 10-year cap on the length of service was removed for Professors of Practice.
• Professor Sigal Ben-Porath presented to faculty about discussing controversial topics in the classroom. She provided resources to assist faculty in sustaining a safe and engaging classroom environment, particularly when controversial issues are raised.
• Harris Sokoloff convened discussions on civil discourse between Penn GSE and Cairn University community members.

Fall 2017:

• The Task Force on Race, Equity, and Inclusion recommended a school-wide climate study.
• Dean Grossman converted the Task Force on Race, Equity, and Inclusion into a Standing Committee.
• Jennifer Feldman and Sean Burke from the University’s General Counsel’s Office facilitated a workshop for staff on sexual harassment.
• Harris Sokoloff and Professor Jon Zimmerman convened discussions on civil discourse between Penn GSE and Cairn University community members.

Spring 2018:

• Jennifer Feldman and Sean Burke from the University’s General Counsel’s Office facilitated a workshop for faculty on sexual harassment.
• Lubna Mian from the Provost’s Office presented to staff about unconscious bias.
• The initial component of the climate study, a school-wide climate survey, was administered to faculty, staff, and students.
• The School clarified and publicized GSE’s sexual harassment and bias policies.
• Jessica Mertz of Penn’s Office of Sexual Violence Prevention provided sexual harassment training to staff.
• Community members participated in a design sprint to reimagine the first floor of 3700 Walnut Street.
• Student health and wellness was a focus topic at the faculty retreat.

Summer 2018:

• Following extensive community consultation, GSE consolidated its space from seven locations across University City to two locations (#3440 Market Street and the Quad—including 3700 Walnut Street, Stiteler, and Solomon—with a goal of becoming “One GSE” as a community.
• Emma Grigore (CPO) initiated staff exit interviews.
• Held compensation workshop for staff; reviewed reclassification, salary adjustment and classification process.

Fall 2018:

• Initiated Thrive at Penn (TAP) as part of orientation for faculty, staff, and students
• Mike Fink from Penn Police presented to faculty and staff about active shooter best practices
• A third-party vendor compiled data and descriptive statistics from climate study respondents.
• Feedback sessions with Dean Grossman were conducted with faculty and staff as the second component to the climate study
• A third-party facilitator conducted focus groups with faculty, staff, and students as the third component of the climate study.
• Professor Howard Stevenson and Dr. Jessie Harper led a training session on building inclusive classrooms. Faculty engaged in small group discussions of actual case studies from classroom settings.

Spring 2019:

• A feedback session with Dean Grossman, Associate Dean Matt Hartley and Assistant Dean Ann Tiao was conducted with students as the second component to the climate study
• Professor Mike Nakkula led a session on recognizing student distress.
• Vice President Joann Mitchell from the President’s Office gave a presentation to faculty on the University’s sexual harassment policies
• The School launched the GSE Leadership Academy, a management training program.
• The School launched a design sprint on staff recognition.
• GSE issued its Climate Study Report.
• Emma Grigore offered performance appraisal training
• Emma Grigore initiated staff exit interviews.
• Emma Grigore and Jessie Harper conducted a bias reporting workshop for staff.
• Jessica Mertz of Penn’s Office of Sexual Violence Prevention presented a workshop and case study analysis to faculty on sexual violence prevention.
• Ann Tiao led a session for faculty on helping students in distress.

Summer 2019:

• Jessica Mertz of Penn’s Office of Sexual Violence Prevention will conduct a two-day workshop on anti-violence advocate training. (June 2019)
• The School offered an LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Workshop (July 2019)
• The School hosted 1:1 Retirement Counseling Onsite (July 2019)
• The School offered career coaching sessions—cover letter, résumé writing, and interviewing techniques—to staff. (June, July, August 2019)
• The School offered a Work/Life Resource Presentation (August 2019)
• First GSE at the Phillies outing for faculty and staff (August 2019)

Fall 2019:

• Lubna Mian of the Provost’s Office presented on unconscious bias in faculty hiring at a faculty meeting.
• The School launched GSE Leadership Academy—Cohort 2, a management training program for GSE staff managers. (October 2019)
• Mental Health Resources were featured at the October staff meeting.
• The School hosted 1:1 Retirement Counseling Onsite (October 2019)
• The School held a compensation workshop for staff. (November 2019)
• Sexual Harassment Prevention will be featured at the November staff meeting.
• A 3-Part Racial Literacy Program was offered to staff (October 2019)
• The School offered a career coaching workshop on interview success (October 2019)