What follows is from the Cornell AgriTech DEI Bulletin.  Many thanks to our colleagues Anna Katharine Mansfield and Amara Dunn-Silver, Cornell AgriTech DEI Council co-chairs, who are taking such a strong lead with AgriTech’s DEI efforts. They write, “Like any group, DEI practitioners use jargon as a shortcut to convey specific meanings that may be unclear or confusing to anyone unfamiliar with the terms. As part of our DEI Bulletin series, we are exploring some key terms, concepts and practices that are important to DEI.” If there’s a topic you’d like them to explore, contact Anna Katharine or Amara, or you can submit a suggestion anonymously. For more information on SIPS DEI efforts, visit the SIPS Access & Community Empowerment webpage.

A special thank you to Jessie Choi (she/her), PhD, USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Associate in Ithaca (she/her) guest author of this DEI Bulletin!

During my first year as an undergraduate, I struggled to navigate aspects of the classroom that weren’t clearly addressed in the syllabus. I wish the syllabus had included information about office hours (beyond times and location), other resources available to help students succeed, clear academic expectations, guidance on handling discrimination and harassment in the classroom, and reassurance that seeking accommodations is both acceptable and encouraged.

One particularly painful undergraduate experience stands out. I was assigned to a group for a project, but one of the students refused to work with me because of my race and left the group. I was shocked and scared. After that incident, attending that class became a source of discomfort and anxiety for the rest of the semester. Questions constantly ran through my mind: “What if the instructor doesn’t think this is a big deal?” “Maybe I should just move on and focus on coursework… but how can I focus when I feel so unwelcome in this space?” I didn’t know what was the “right” or “wrong” way to respond, and this uncertainty made me hesitant to seek help or share my concerns with the instructor.

I have observed students who felt uncomfortable requesting accommodations for their color blindness, which made completing coursework more challenging, as well as others who attended class with anxiety, uncertain whether their peers or instructors would know how to assist them in the event of a seizure.

This experience taught me the importance of an inclusive course syllabus in fostering a learning environment rooted in respect, trust, support, clear expectations, and safety. By creating a syllabus that explicitly addresses these values, instructors can set the tone for a supportive classroom culture. Below are some essential components instructors should consider when crafting an inclusive syllabus.

Keep reading to learn more about making your course syllabus more inclusive!

Some basic syllabus components:

Attendance policies. What’s the goal? Incentivizing or punishing? If possible, explain why attendance is important and how it benefits students’ learning and engagement.

Participation policies. What’s the goal? Incentivizing or punishing? If possible, explain why participation is important and how it benefits students’ learning and engagement.

Grading policies. Be explicit and transparent about how grades will be determined. Clear grading criteria reduce confusion and set clear expectations for students.

Camera or digital policies. Clearly state that filming or recording other students during class is prohibited. This helps create a sense of safety and respect for all students.

Options to access course materials. Where can students access textbooks? Include free options like the library. Try to have copies of textbooks available for students to borrow during the course. Encourage students to reach out to you if they need help with accessing reading or textbook materials.

Language. Focus on using a welcoming tone: “We are going to do…” vs “You are going to do…”

Explain and model how students can reach out to instructors:

Email. Share an example email or outline in the syllabus or with other course documents online.

Office hours. Share an example of what students can expect during office hours, not just the room number, dates, and times.

Be available. State that, if a meeting is needed outside of office hours, students can reach out via email to schedule an in-person or online meeting.

Important course policies and statements:

Include specific policies and statements in the syllabus such as those below. (See example: Create a Student-Centered Syllabus in Canvas.)

Title IX, non-discrimination, and anti-harassment policy. Include the policy in the syllabus. Clearly state, both in writing within the syllabus and verbally in class, that any form of discrimination or harassment is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. State that you encourage students to inform you when they experience any type of discrimination or harassment. Highlight how students can report incidents and seek help.

• Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX
• Report to Cornell

Inclusivity and open communication statement. Include a statement that welcomes students from all backgrounds and states that Cornell University and you support respectful, inclusive, and supportive learning environments. (See example: Expectations and Resources for Student Success in Canvas.) Emphasize to students that you encourage them to reach out for one-on-one conversations whenever they, or their peers, are facing distress. This is especially important for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who may be less likely to seek help on their own.

Academic expectations. Clearly state what you expect from students, what they should do, and how they should prepare to succeed in the course. (See Expectations and Participation sections of Expectations and Resources for Student Success in Canvas.)

Mental health and stress management. Provide accessible support resources where they can reach out for help. (See Mental Health section of this Expectations and Resources for Student Success in Canvas.)

• Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at Cornell Health: Professional counseling services. Appointment required. Fee varies. Telehealth is available.
• Let’s Talk: Informal, confidential consultation with health counselors. No fee and no appointment necessary.
• Empathy, Assistance, & Referral Service (EARS): Confidential one-to-one peer support program through informal conversation. No fee and no appointment necessary.
• It is helpful to include examples of how previous students/peers benefitted from it: “I’m glad I utilized Cornell’s ‘Let’s Talk’ and ‘EARS’ programs. It really helped me to…” This will encourage other students to utilize them.

Disability services. Provide clear guidelines on how students can request accommodation.

Example: Students can request accommodations by scheduling a meeting (sds_cu@cornell.edu) or by registering for accommodations with Cornell Student Disability Services.

Open communication and accommodations

• Verbally express your openness to communicating with students throughout the course.
• Encourage students to inform you about anything you need to know to support them and ensure they feel safe and comfortable attending class. Be mindful that this can involve student medical conditions. Encourage students to let you know how you can support them without asking for disclosure of medical information.
  • Example: If a student informs you about a severe peanut allergy, you can take proactive steps by notifying the class that peanut consumption is not allowed in the classroom.
• Many students may not realize that conditions like color blindness are recognized as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Clearly state that you are happy to provide accommodations for students with color blindness or other needs and encourage them to reach out to you as soon as possible to discuss their needs.
• If you have safety or medical training, such as CPR or seizure response, share this information with the class. This fosters a supportive environment and reassures students that help is available if needed.

Basic needs support: Share resources for food insecurity and emergency housing. Include contacts for free campus resources like writing centers or tutoring services.

• Food insecurity and housing accommodations in Ithaca:
  • Anabel’s Grocery
  • Cornell Food Pantry
  • SNAP support
  • Disability-related Housing Accommodations
  • Student Support and Advocacy Services
  • Student & Campus Life Support and Resources
• Community resources near Cornell AgriTech – list includes organizations that support food security and other basic needs

 Professional Development and Academic Support:

• Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives
• Knight Writing Institute
• The Learning Strategies Center

Consider attaching your syllabus to the Cornell Class Roster (only open to the Cornell community) so that students can view it in advance and get a sense of what to expect.

Additional Cornell resources:

• Writing course syllabus by Center for Teaching Innovation
• Canvas creating student-centered syllabus
• Checking accessibility of content created in Canvas
• Course Management & Policies

At AgriTech we grow things, including classrooms where all students can thrive.