New Episode of The Sprint Podcast

It's been a little while since we've done a Sprint Podcast! Things, as ever, are busy in UVAFinance, but we have been hosting regular Sprint discussions. In this episode, Patty and LaVerne catch you up on our March discussions on Fear. 

 Next time, they'll recap our recent round robins, which have (rather delightfully) been all over the place, covering topics from women's sports to healthcare disparities to artificial intelligence. 

 LISTEN IN

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Contact uvafequityactionteam@virginia.edu with questions, or suggestions, or to be put on our invite list. UVAFinance Sprints are optional and open to all.

Read more about DEI in UVAFinance on the website under Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here. Also check out blog articles from the UVAFinance blog.

Melody Bianchetto is Staff Recipient of 2023 John T. Casteen III Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

President Ryan, Bianchetto, faculty 
awardee Barbara Brown Wilson, 
and VP for DEI & Community 
Partnerships Kevin McDonald

UVAFinance's recently retired Melody Bianchetto was honored earlier this month as the staff recipient of UVA's Annual John T. Casteen III Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award.  There were over 44 nominees for this prestigious award.  

You can read more about Bianchetto's efforts and those of the other fantastic winners of this year's awardees on UVAToday.

See pictures from the event on UVAFinance's
Flickr.

UVAFinance: Join us for March Sprint Discussions

It’s March, so no matter what that groundhog said, spring is approaching, and so is our next series of Sprint Discussions. Building on our Allyship discussions from February, we’ll be moving on to the topic of fear in March.

What kind of fear are we talking about? So many different kinds: 

• Social fear that moderates societal behavior
• Fear in black employees
• Fear of black men
• Fear of interacting with other races
• Fear for our children
• Fear of moving beyond our comfort zones
• Fear of demographic change

Don’t be afraid to join us on March 9 and 23 from 4-5 pm (ah see what we did there? PUNS!) for two great sprint discussions with your colleagues and friends. 

 If you missed the Allyship discussions and want to get up to speed, you can always check out The Sprint podcast for February 2023, in which LaVerne and Patty will get you on track in about 8 minutes.

This February, Catch up with The Sprint!

At least a couple of times per month, the UVAFinance Equity Action Team hosts "Sprint Discussions," informal Zoom discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, with topics chosen by those attending. 

Sprints are a great way to catch up with colleagues and have open, interesting talks where we all learn from one another.  We've talked about podcasts and TV shows, historical figures and current events, and much more.  

We hope you'll join us for our February Sprint Discussions, as we tackle Allyship:

Thursdays, February 9 & 23, 4 pm

• In the two February sessions, we’ll discuss Allyship. What defines a real, effective ally, and how is that different from what we sometimes see in the world around us?
• Some helpful resources to check out: 
•  The Guide to Allyship
• The Keys to Allyship
• As always, we’ll also reserve time for current events discussion.

If the Sprint Discussions aren't already on your calendar, email us at the UVAFinance Equity Action Team and we'll fix that for you!  UVAFinance Sprints are optional and open to all. 

NEW:  Beginning January 2023, THE SPRINT PODCAST

If you miss a Sprint discussion, don't worry!  We've started a short-form podcast called The Sprint where we discreetly recap the content of discussions (no recordings, no revealing of the conversations) and the resources we used so that you can stay in the loop.  Check out the Sprint podcast online.

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Related resources:  Learn more about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in UVAFinance on the UVAFinance website. 

Reminder: October 6 UVAFinance Book Club Meeting

The UVAFinance Equity Action Team looks forward to our early-fall book club discussion on October 6 at 4:30pm.

The book we're discussing is Razorblade Tears, by S. A Cosby. The book is an intriguing and fast-paced crime novel set here in Virginia and dealing with themes of racism, classism, homophobia, and parenting.

Check out this video interview Cosby did about his book for more insight into the story. the inspiration for his character, and why he relates to Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days." 

Questions? Email us at uvafequityactionteam@virginia.edu

Book Club Discussion this October

The UVAFinance Equity Action Team is taking a break from our regularly scheduled Sprint Discussions to give everyone room in their schedules to participate in an early-fall book club discussion on October 6 at 4:30pm.

Our book is Razorblade Tears, by S. A Cosby. The book is an intriguing and fast-paced crime novel set here in Virginia and dealing with themes of racism, classism, homophobia, and parenting. We think you’ll really enjoy reading it and that it will result in some great conversation come October.

Questions?  Email us at uvafequityactionteam@virginia.edu 

New on Finance Matters: Inclusive Excellence in UVAFinance (with Special Guests!)

In this episode, we welcome members of UVAFinance's Inclusive Excellence Committee and Equity Action Team to discuss the trajectory of diversity and inclusion efforts in UVAFinance. 

 Our guests are Melody Bianchetto, ToShun Campbell, LaVerne Harris, and James Cobb.

LISTEN IN HERE!

Resources Mentioned:

• More on the UVAFinance blog about Inclusive Excellence activities: http://uvafinance.blogspot.com/search/label/Inclusive%20Excellence
• More on the UVAFinance Website about DEI (scroll down and click on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion): https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/about-uvafinance
• DEI at UVA: https://dei.virginia.edu/inclusive-excellence
• Previous Pods featuring Inclusive Excellence and Brave Space discussions: https://uvafinance.blogspot.com/2020/10/new-on-finance-matters-brave-space-in.html

You're Invited: First Sprint Discussion of 2022

The Equity Action Team is excited to come together next week to discuss the most recent podcast episode of “This American life: Talking While Black”. In this episode, Emanuele Berry looks back on how the Summer of 2020 “racial reckoning” that garnered so much support and solidarity has transitioned to backlash and resistance in 2021.

Berry sums it up best, “The line of what's acceptable to say about race and racism in America, it moved. It's as though we were having one argument, and then the terms changed. And that shift has left many Black people exposed and vulnerable and living with those consequences.”

The podcast shows just two of the many stories of people trying to navigate this changing landscape and their responses to it. Please join us as we discuss this and the climate that we find ourselves in as a community.

Please try to listen to the podcast prior to the next SPRINT.  It is not required but will aid in the discussion of specific scenarios brought up in the podcast. It is just under an hour long and can be accessed in various ways.

• Stream/Download: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/758/talking-while-black
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-american-life/id201671138?i=1000547368708
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhpc2FtZXJpY2FubGlmZS5vcmcvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw/episode/NDQ5NDcgYXQgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhpc2FtZXJpY2FubGlmZS5vcmc?ep=14
• Read the Transcript: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/758/transcript

We hope to see you there!

Thursday, January 20th, 2022 4:30 - 5:30
https://virginia.zoom.us/j/93112746360?pwd=WGNRK1I2V3hoZnRFTm5xUk04QnU1UT09

Announcing the UVAFinance Equity Action Team

As 2022 begins, so does a new group of UVAFinance team members on the Equity Action Team, a working group that is part of the broader Inclusive Excellence Committee.  The team consists of one representative from each of the major UVAFinance departments, plus at large representatives and ex-officio roles.  The team will work together to meet the objectives outlined in UVAFinance's Inclusive Excellence Plan and to engage with UVAFinance staff on DEI strategies, as well as making recommendations and providing feedback to the leadership team. 

UVAFinance has also formed a group of Sprint Coaches to select topics for, identify background materials for, and facilitate our bi-weekly Sprint Conversations.  

There are still open spots in the Sprint Coaching group.  If you would like to serve, contact Patty Marbury.

Membership & Corresponding Teams

Chair, Patty Marbury; Executive Sponsor, Melody Bianchetto; SWaM Director, Mark Cartwright; External to UVAFinance Rep, LaVerne Harris-Grant; Procurement, Zachary Jackson; Financial Reporting, Tim Lingo; Payroll, LeTricia Mathis; Engagement, Brandi Van Ormer; Financial Planning & Analysis, Rafa Kouki; Treasury, TBD; FST, Phil Hamlett; At Large, ToShun Campbell and James Cobb.

Initial Sprint Coaching Staff

ToShun Campbell, Patty Marbury, LaVerne Harris-Grant, Brandi Van Ormer, Mohammed AlKaisy, James Cobb

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• Read more about UVAFinance's past inclusive excellence work in the UVAFinance blog.
• Read more about UVAFinance's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts on the UVAFinance website.
• Related:  Patty Marbury wins Leonard Sandridge Award

Caste Book Discussion for September 23

For the Caste book discussion this week, on September 23 at 4:30 (back to a later time—join us for part or all of the time scheduled – don’t worry if you have to come late or leave early) we will be discussing

Caste Part Six: Backlash.

Even if you have not joined us for prior discussions or haven’t read the book, please join us for these very thought-provoking conversations.

Please let Patty Marbury know if you have any questions, and as always, invite your friends and colleagues to participate in our discussions.  Need the Zoom link?

Following are some questions to consider as you read and review the content (after the jump)

UVAFinance awarded Inclusive Excellence grants

UVAFinance was the recipient of two Inclusive Excellence Grants of $10,000 each from UVA’s Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

IE Grant #1: UVAFinance Training

The first was to provide matching funds for two DEI workshops offered to all UVAFinance staff during Summer 2021. The two classes were Bigger than Racism and Allies for Racial Equity, both facilitated by The Racial Equity Group. Ongoing DEI training is one of the action items in our submitted Inclusive Excellence Plan, with a goal of 100% completion. For these two classes offered this year, 85% of UVAFinance staff completed the first workshop and over 90% completed the second. Please contact Patty Marbury (pam5w@virginia.edu) with questions about this grant.

IE Grant #2:  Supplier Diversity Workshops

The second IE grant is for training and engagement related to Supplier Diversity at UVA. The $10,000 will go toward the development and delivery of four workshops. 

First is a UVA Purchasers On-Grounds Roadshow. This workshop will tour the University to educate our 2000 purchasers about procurement/diversity topics, including:

• Virginia’s Small, Women, and Minority-owned procurement program (SWaM) 
• our commitment to meeting the goals of that program and how departments can help
• purchasing guidelines
• purchasing ethics
• an overview of procurement services that departments can request to assist them in diversifying spend.

The second workshop will help educate suppliers on how to do business with UVA, specifically focusing on the areas of academic and construction procurement. A major element to this workshop is that it will be held off-site in partnership with community organizations such as The Center for Community Partnerships, The Minority Business Alliance, and The Jefferson Center to name a few. 

The third and fourth workshops are construction-related, they are Bonding 101 and How to Prepare a Winning Proposal. Please contact Lorie Strother (ljs8n@virginia.edu) with questions about this grant.

Join us for the next Caste book discussion

For the Caste book discussion this week, on August 26, at 4:30, we will be discussing Part Four: The Tentacles of Caste.


Following are some questions to consider as you read and review the content:

1. Wilkerson gives examples that range from the horrifying (lynching) to the absurd (the Indian woman who walked across an office to ask a Dalit to pour her water from the jug next to her desk) to illustrate caste’s influence on behavior. How do both of these types of examples—and everything in between—help cement her points? Why do we need to see this range to clearly understand caste?
2. “Indians will ask one’s surname, the occupation of one’s father, the village one is from, the section of the village that one is from, to suss out the caste of whoever is standing in front of them,” Wilkerson writes. “They will not rest until they have uncovered the person’s rank in the social order.” How is this similar to and different from the process of determining caste in America? Have you ever, for instance, asked someone what they did for work or where they lived or went to school, and been surprised? Did you treat them differently upon hearing their answer?
3. Discuss how overt racism subtly transformed into unconscious bias. What are the ways that we can work to compensate for the unconscious biases inherent in a caste system?
4. It is a widely held convention that working-class white Americans may often "act against their own interests" by opposing policies designed to help the working class. Discuss how the logic of caste disproves this concept and redefines that same choice from the perspective of maintaining group dominance.
5. How does the caste system take people who would otherwise be allies and turn them against one another?

Even if you have not joined us for prior discussions or haven’t read the book, please join us for these very thought-provoking conversations.

Please let Patty Marbury know if you have any questions, and as always, invite your friends and colleagues to participate in our discussions!

The zoom link is: https://virginia.zoom.us/j/95163051737?pwd=TlZ0WVF4VUl4cnpyZ3dTRVl6U2w3dz09

Update on UVAFinance Inclusive Excellence Efforts

 Sprint Discussions/Caste

For the summer (and into early fall), we are using our UVAFinance Sprint Discussions (held bi-weekly on Thursdays, starting at 4:30) to do a deep discussion of the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

Last week, we started discussing Part Three: The Eight Pillars of Caste. This is difficult content and created a lot of discussion so we decided to extend our discussion of Part Three to the discussion on August 12 and adjust the rest of the schedule to accommodate this. We also will then be extending the book discussions through October 21.

Even if you have not joined us for prior discussions or haven’t read the book, please join us for these very thought-provoking conversations.

We will be discussing Part Four: The Tentacles of Caste on August 26.

As always, invite your friends and colleagues to participate in our discussions!

UVAFinance work with The Racial Equity Group

The UVAFinance Extended Leadership Team (which includes Senior Leadership team members and their direct reports) has been working with the Racial Equity Group since March 2021 toward the goal of “making racial equity standard operating procedure.” This work has included foundational training on racism, diversity, and equity, as well as how to analyze and think about processes, procedures, and decision-making with an eye toward equity. We started this work by completing an audit assessment of how we’re doing now, and where we can improve. We used the results of that audit assessment and the knowledge we’ve gained through training to develop a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and strategic goals. These goals will be included in our Inclusive Excellence strategic plan.

To include the entire UVAFinance team in this work we have engaged the Racial Equity Group to facilitate two courses -- Bigger than Racism, which looks at how a racialized society produces inequality and racial disparities without racism, and Allies for Racial Equity, to help us develop skills to be allies in a racialized society, examine our own biases, and understand how these biases impact our interactions with others and decision-making.

Inclusive Excellence Recommendations

The UVAFinance Inclusive Excellence Team is currently working on the strategic recommendations for submission to UVA’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Once submitted, we’ll post these recommendations on our website.

Please email Patty Marbury at pam5w@virginia.edu if you have any questions about the Sprint/Caste book discussions, the training, or our work with The Racial Equity Group, or if you have ideas to include with our Inclusive Excellence Recommendations.

You're Invited: August 5 discussion of Caste

The Caste book discussion originally scheduled for Thursday, July 29, will be held on August 5, 4:30-5:30. We will be discussing Part Three: The Eight Pillars of Caste. 

Check out the VP Finance DEI Resources page for a listing of chapters included and detailed discussion questions.

We have also posted a  “Mixtape” of resources compiled by ToShun Campbell. These resources provide additional content to accompany the book, many of which we’ve talked about in our discussions.

We will be discussing Part Four: The Tentacles of Caste on August 12. Definitely feel free to read ahead as this section is a bit longer and we will only have one week between meetings. We’ll send out some questions the week before.

Please let Patty Marbury know if you have any questions, and as always, invite your friends and colleagues to participate in our discussions!

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• DEI Resources are found here: https://vpfinance.virginia.edu/resources-dei
• More about UVAFinance's Inclusive Excellence Advisory Committee:  https://vpfinance.virginia.edu/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

Summer Book Club: Caste discussion continues (please join us!)

We're continuing our review and discussion of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson this afternoon (July 15). The section to focus on for this discussion is Part Two.

Visit the VP Finance site for the full schedule of our discussions and suggested questions: https://vpfinance.virginia.edu/resources-dei

If you are unable to read the book (or haven’t started), please still join us. You will still be able to contribute to and learn from the discussions without reading it. We really hope you will join us for this discussion, and please share the invitation with other UVA colleagues. These sessions are open to anyone who is interested!

The zoom link for all of the discussions is: https://virginia.zoom.us/j/95163051737?pwd=TlZ0WVF4VUl4cnpyZ3dTRVl6U2w3dz09. If you have any questions regarding the Sprint discussions, please contact Patty Marbury or ToShun Campbell.

See this afternoon's discussion questions after the jump!

Summer Book Club: Join us for Caste

On July 8, we’ll start our review and discussion of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. The section to focus on for this discussion is the opening through Part One: Toxins in the Permafrost and Heat Rising All Around (ending on page 35). 

As you are reading, prepare for the discussion by considering the following questions:

1. Wilkerson begins the book with an image of one lone dissenter amidst a crowd of Germans giving the Nazi salute. What would it mean—and what would it take—to be this man today?
2. At the beginning of Caste, author Isabel Wilkerson compares American racial hierarchy to a dormant Siberian virus. What are the strengths of this metaphor? How does this comparison help combat the pervasive myth that racism has been eradicated in America?
3. Wilkerson uses many different metaphors to explain and help us visualize the concept of the American caste system: the bones inside a body, the beams inside a house, even the computer program in the 1999 film The Matrix. Which of these metaphors helped the concept click for you? Why was it successful? What did you think of the analogy of America being like an old house built on unstable ground with issues lurking, just hidden from sight?
4. What are some of the elements required for a caste system to succeed? Do you agree with Wilkerson’s argument that the US has a racial caste system? Why or why not? What makes it similar or different to India’s caste system?
5. You could argue that every society in the history of the world has some form of social hierarchy, even if not as brutal and damaging as the American system of chattel slavery, or as rigid and pervasive as the Indian caste system. Is hierarchy inevitable? Can you think of any exceptions?
6. What did you think of Wilkerson’s definitions of casteism vs racism? Do you like this concept of two definitions rather than simply calling both racism? Do you think there’s a danger in re-labeling / softening the emotive term “racism” that we sidestep it / absolve ourselves of it?

Visit the VP Finance site for the full schedule of our discussions and suggested questions: https://vpfinance.virginia.edu/resources-dei

If you are unable to read the book (or haven’t started), please still join us. You will still be able to contribute to and learn from the discussions without reading it. We really hope you will join us for this discussion, and please share the invitation with another UVA colleagues. These sessions are open to anyone who is interested!

The zoom link for all of the discussions is: https://virginia.zoom.us/j/95163051737?pwd=TlZ0WVF4VUl4cnpyZ3dTRVl6U2w3dz09. If you have any questions regarding the Sprint discussions, please contact Patty Marbury or ToShun Campbell.

Summer Sprint Discussions: Join us to talk about Caste!

This summer, over a series of Sprint discussions beginning on June 17, we will review and discuss the bestselling book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. We will discuss a section of the book during each sprint, using discussion questions to guide our conversations.  Visit the VP Finance site for a schedule of our discussions and suggested questions: https://vpfinance.virginia.edu/resources-dei 

If you are unable to read the book, please still join us. You will still be able to contribute to and learn from the discussions without reading it. In addition, before each discussion, the IE team will send the questions and additional resources for that week’s sprint conversation.

We really hope you will join us for some or all of the sessions, and please share the invitation with another UVA colleagues. These sessions are open to anyone who is interested, and we’ve already started expanding our group beyond UVAFinance, which is very exciting! 

The zoom link for all of the discussions is: https://virginia.zoom.us/j/95163051737?pwd=TlZ0WVF4VUl4cnpyZ3dTRVl6U2w3dz09

 

If you have any questions regarding the Sprint discussions, please contact Patty Marbury or ToShun Campbell.

 

Summer Reading from the Inclusive Excellence Team

Contributed by Patty Marbury

Beginning this summer we are going to spend time during our bi-weekly Sprint conversations discussing the book Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. 

Caste has been highly recommended as an anti-racism book, and while it would certainly be helpful, it is not necessary that you read the book to participate in and engage in the discussions. An outline of the discussions will be coming soon, and when possible, we’ll supplement the book with other relevant resources. 

Watch for the outline coming soon, and in the meantime, order your copy of the book! Please contact Patty Marbury, pam5w@virginia.edu or ToShun Campbell, tc8yk@virginia.edu if you are outside of UVAFinance/SFS and would like an invitation to these Sprint discussions.

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Want to know more about the book?  Check out this link: https://www.npr.org/2020/08/10/900274938/caste-argues-its-most-violent-manifestation-is-in-treatment-of-black-americans

Inclusive Excellence Committee: Our first update of 2021

Contributed by Patty Marbury

·        Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training:  UVAFinance managers will begin DEI training and discussion this month.  Training for the whole UVAFinance team will be made available soon.

·        Sprint Discussions: We continue to have great turnout for our sprint discussions on topics of racial equity and inclusion.  Topics are suggested by team members, and most recently have been focused on white supremacy and January’s Capitol Hill riots.  This week, we’ll be discussing symbols of white supremacy.  All UVAFinance team members are invited to these optional discussions.  If you would like to attend and haven’t received an invitation or have misplaced your invitation, contact Patty Marbury.  

·        Book Discussions:  Every other month, the IE committee hosts book discussions.  These are open to anyone across UVA; if you’re interested, contact Patty Marbury.  Past books (and one podcast) we’ve tackled include Master of the Mountain, The Vanishing Half, and the 1619 Podcast.  Watch for information about our next book soon!

·        Racial Equity Group:  UVAFinance held a kickoff meeting with this independent firm in early February, with finance leadership and members of the IE Committee in attendance.  The firm’s work will include an assessment of UVAFinance’s racial equity actions currently and a plan for going forward.

·        Recruiting Resources:  The IE team is meeting this week with HR on more inclusive language for our job postings, and interview questions that touch on racial equity.  Our aim is to build up our HR practices to support our UVAFinance value of diverse and inclusive teams.  We will be making these resources available to UVAFinance managers in the coming weeks.

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You can keep up with the Inclusive Excellence Committee by clicking on the “Inclusive Excellence” label in the right hand margin of the UVAFinance blog (or just click here).

The UVAFinance IE Advisory group includes Patty Marbury, Melody Bianchetto, Jen Bari, Jack King, Steve Kimata, ToShun Campbell, Raegan Harouff Gaye, Anne Marie Cumiskey, Mohammed AlKaisy, and LaVerne Harris. Please reach out to any member of the group with questions.

What's next for Inclusive Excellence in UVAFinance

 Contributed by Patty Marbury

The beginning of 2021 will see the start of some exciting things for Inclusive Excellence in UVAFinance:

1. DEI Education: We have selected several online courses for managers and employees. To allow for greater engagement, the courses will be offered in the context of group meetings with breaks for discussions.

2. Sprint discussions: We are working on a schedule of several months of topics, to allow for participants to read, listen to podcasts, research, or watch videos about the topic. This schedule will be tentative to allow for changes due to relevant current events. Watch for the schedule to come out just after the New Year!

3. Book discussion: In addition to the sprint discussions, we will continue to host book (or movie or podcast) discussions every other month. The next book discussion is scheduled for January 28, 1:30-3:00 pm. We will be discussing the novel, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. A zoom meeting invitation will be coming shortly. UVAFinance will purchase five copies of the book (to be added later to our library), so please let me know (pam5w@virginia.edu) if you would like to reserve one.

4. Guidelines for HR practices within UVAFinance: We are working on providing consistent languages for job postings, as well as guidelines for search committee selection, interviewing, and recruiting.

The UVAFinance IE Advisory group includes Patty Marbury, Melody Bianchetto, Jen Bari, Jack King, Steve Kimata, ToShun Campbell, Raegan Harouff Gaye, Anne Marie Cumiskey, Mohammed AlKaisy, and LaVerne Harris. Please reach out to any member of the group with questions.