CoFIE Learning and Development Program

In support of Mason’s broader strategic goals and local academic units’ Inclusive Excellence Plans (IEPs), the Coaching for Inclusive Excellence (CoFIE) Learning and Development Program offers strategies for inclusive recruitment, hiring, and retention of faculty. These strategies, applicable across all disciplines and fields of study, are taken from decades of research that have resulted in best practices nationwide. Below are the courses for the Fall of 2023.

To schedule any of the CoFIE online synchronous courses for your unit or to register for the Include U asynchronous course, contact Dr. Millie Rivera.

CoFIE, I: Strategies for Inclusive Recruitment

This workshop aims to equip colleges/schools, LAUs, and faculty members with valuable tools and strategies to enhance the range and inclusivity of their applicant pools. (Focuses on faculty and staff)

CoFIE, II: Strategies for Inclusive Hiring 

This course, based on the work of the University of Michigan’s STRIDE (Strategies and Tactics for Recruiting to Improve Diversity and Excellence) Committee, provides guidance on application review, applicant shortlisting, initial interviews, and managing the campus interview process. It also explores research and strategies to promote fairness and inclusivity. (Focuses on I/R faculty)

CoFIE, III: Fair Evaluation of RPT Dossiers 

Based on the work of the University of Michigan’s STRIDE (Strategies and Tactics for Recruiting to Improve Diversity and Excellence) Committee, this course explores the role of schemas in the performance evaluation of faculty and the influence of various factors across domains such as grant applications, student evaluations, and recommendation letters. It also highlights how the cumulative effects of these considerations can create advantages and disadvantages for faculty members. Lastly, the course presents research on the potential negative impact of parental or other types of leave on the review of a faculty member’s dossier. (Focuses on I/R faculty)

CoFIE IV: Include U Bystander Intervention in the Academic Workplace course

The goal of Include U is to enhance awareness of how bias influences the academic workplace and the different strategies we can employ when witnessing instances of biased behavior. This course, comprising three modules, examines four contexts: Search Committees, Faculty Meetings, Faculty Peer Evaluations (P&T), and Casual Interactions. Developed by faculty members for faculty members, the course was created through a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant, and is available either virtually or in person, as a group experience. To register for the online, asynchronous Include U course, contact Millie Rivera. (Focuses on I/R faculty)

Below are the in-person courses for the fall semester.

Include U – Module 1 (Bias Incidents in the Academic Workplace)  Register Here

Include U – Module 2 (How to Intervene When You See Bias Incidents)  Register Here

Include U – Module 3 (More Scenarios and Approaches to Intervening)  Register Here