Summit Explores Reach, Inclusion

November 21, 2017

The fifth bi-annual Consulting Summit on November 7 brought together academic support staff and librarians from across the campus to compare experiences providing help to instructors and researchers, and to explore the topic of inclusion and diversity in the services they provide. 

Forty-five people participated in the half-day event held at the Berkeley Institute for Data Sciences (BIDS) in Doe Library, nearly half attending the summit for the first time. Participants came from a dozen units, including the LibraryResearch ITEducational Technology Services, the Center for Teaching and LearningCampus Shared Services-IT, the D-LabDigital Humanities at BerkeleyBerkeley Resource Center for Online Education (BRCOE), the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, and the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships.

Attendees focused during morning breakout groups on three questions addressing the summit’s theme, “How to build and sustain community among consultants”: “Who do we serve, who don’t we serve (well), and how do we support each other to cover the gaps?”

Lunch provided an opportunity to hear from and speak with Professor Oscar Dubón, Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion. Vice Chancellor Dubón spoke of the strength of collective intelligence and the need to welcome, value and support each member of the campus community. Speaking about the

 day’s topic, Dubón told the group, “Looking inward as you are doing is important,” so that “we can understand together how campus isn’t supporting people who aren’t being served.”