The SIPS Diversity and Inclusion Council is open to anyone in the SIPS community who would like to participate in building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community in our school. New voices, viewpoints and energy are always welcome. Read more about the efforts of our working groups. Questions? Email: sips-dicouncil@cornell.edu.
The Allies for Indigenous Reconciliation working group, in communication with the Cornell University and Indigenous Dispossession Committee (CU&ID), is working to host two Indigenous speakers and address the current underrepresentation of Indigenous students, staff, and faculty in SIPS.
Graduate Student working groups have been very active, and have now split into two groups, one focused on retention and recruitment and the other on community and education. The mission of the grad working group is to create a more equitable and inclusive graduate student experience through the development of grants, transparent mentorship and evaluation guidelines, and broadening community education reforms. Action items include publicizing funding available for DEI conference travel and ways of reducing A Exam stress. Graduate students also are planning to take a lead to incorporate diversity and inclusion topics into existing SIPS seminar series or as SIPS-wide plenaries, and are exploring ways to collaborate with SIPS faculty on the diversity and inclusion section that is a required part of all CALS ‘Moonshot’ proposals. If you have ideas for seminar topics or speakers or would like to join in the planning, contact Jacob Suissa (jss528@cornell.edu). Other grad activities, contact Riley Henderson (rnh53@cornell.edu)
Celebrate Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture that annually runs from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast. Activist Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 in the aftermath of the Watts riots, basing it on African harvest festival traditions. Rituals vary, but usually include nightly candle lighting and discussion of Kwanzaa’s Seven Principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Visit the Cornell Diversity and Inclusion DEI Celebration Resources page to learn more about Kwanzaa.
Pitch in! The SIPS Diversity and Inclusion Council meets monthly via Zoom and has an active Slack channel. We are always looking for people who are passionate about a wide range of issues. Email sips-dicouncil@cornell.edu to learn how you can join in with these and other working group efforts.
Names matter
From the Cornell AgriTech DEI Bulletin by Amara Dunn and Anna Katharine Mansfield:
Learn correct name pronunciation to help everyone belong
Our names are an important part of our identities. They may be connected to family history, culture, or religion. So learning and using the correct pronunciation of a person’s name communicates that they are important and that they belong. Also, having your name repeatedly mispronounced can have real consequences. (Check out this article: If You Don’t Know How to Say Someone’s Name, Just Ask)!
We’ve all seen or heard a name that we were afraid of trying to pronounce, and likely had a moment of panic trying to figure out what to do. But you’ve probably learned to pronounce many Latin names of insects, microorganisms, or plants – not to mention the chemicals found in foods or pesticides. If you can say ‘neonicotinoid,’ you can learn to pronounce unfamiliar names.
Perhaps a colleague or student has said “You can just call me ___.” It’s certainly important to respect a person’s choice of name. But pay attention to other cues (a shrug or sheepish smile) that might suggest that this isn’t their preference. If they’ve repeatedly experienced their name being mispronounced, they may suggest a nickname because it’s exhausting to repeatedly correct others, or because they dislike the perceived discomfort of people struggling to pronounce their preferred name.
If it feels appropriate, check in privately. Reassure your colleague that you are willing to learn to pronounce their name correctly and want to use the name they prefer. Then practice until you’ve got it down.
Here are some simple actions to help our co-workers, colleagues, and the growers and community members we work with feel like they belong:
Do:
- Ask the correct pronunciation of someone’s name when you first meet. Repeat once or twice, if necessary, to check.
- Put your researching skills to work and take time to learn the correct pronunciation. Write yourself a note. Practice on your own. Do what works for you. Sites like this one allow you to type in a name and see a phonetic spelling or hear it pronounced.
- If you will be introducing others (e.g., at a meeting), consider asking everyone for phonetic spellings (not just those with unfamiliar names) of their names in advance.
- If it’s been a while since you met someone and you need a reminder on name pronunciation, ask.
- Apologize briefly when you make a mistake, then move on.
- Gently correct colleagues when they mispronounce someone else’s name.
Don’t:
- Say that someone’s name is “tricky” or “difficult.” It may be unfamiliar to you, but it may be very common in other cultures or languages. Don’t make a person feel like they’re being “difficult” because you haven’t learned how to pronounce their name.
- Make a big deal out of learning to pronounce someone’s name in front of a group. This can make them feel singled out and “othered.” Make a note and go back to them privately.
- Over-apologize when you mispronounce someone’s name. Anything beyond a simple ‘I’m sorry!’ can make the person feel awkward and puts the responsibility on them to make you feel comfortable.
- Assign someone a nickname instead of learning to pronounce their preferred name. There is no situation in which this is respectful. Also, don’t make excuses.
- Correct someone’s pronunciation of their own name. They get to decide how to pronounce it, even if you’ve met someone else who pronounces the same name differently.
Learn more: