​Best Practices

When examining best practices related to Diversity and Inclusion, it is important to start with self-reflection. Identifying your own personal biases can help you understand why you may react in a certain situation. By taking time to examine how your own background and identities impact how you interact with the world, you can take active steps toward educating yourself about those who may be different from you. With this self-reflection and an understanding of our own areas of privilege and marginalization, we can all use our places of privilege to help those who are marginalized. 

This can be as small as normalizing asking for pronouns by providing them when you introduce yourself in meetings or classrooms on campus. It also comes in the form of actively listening to how people self-describe their identities. Because language can change, it is best to listen to how individuals describe themselves (i.e. using person-first language or identity-first language) and mirror the language for that person. This honors each person’s choices and preferences regarding language and helps diminish the presence of microaggressions on our campus. 

Life-long learning is essential to continually growing as individuals and as a community. Mistakes will happen. When they do, it takes courage and humility to accept responsibility, reflect, and apologize (Getting called out: How to Apologize).

To assist in this process, review the UW-Stevens Point Inclusive Language Guide and feel free to read and utilize the following resources:

​Students

Bystander intervention can help to create a safer campus and empower students, faculty, and staff to recognize and reduce harm. Empowering everyone to be active bystanders can help in several ways, including:

  • Empowering individuals to recognize and respond to signs of suicide
  • Addressing high-risk drinking among college students
  • Creating a culture where hate speech, bias incidents, and harassment are not tolerated
  • Minimizing the risk of sexual assault and interpersonal violence
  • Reducing the likelihood of hazing incidents
  • Creating an inclusive environment for students with disabilities
  • Connecting individuals to important resources and services

Don’t just Be a Bystander - Everyone Can Help! There are five steps to helping when witness to a problematic or potentially problematic situation: 

  1. Notice the Event: People are busy, distracted, on their phones, talking, texting, not aware of their surroundings – some don’t want to notice. Pay attention to what is going on around you. 

  2. Interpret It as a Problem: Sometimes it is hard to tell if someone is in need of help. Error on the side of caution and investigate. Don’t be sidetracked by ambiguity, conformity or peer pressure. 

  3. Assume Personal Responsibility: If not you, then who? Do not assume someone else will do something. Have the courage and confidence to BE THE FIRST!

  4. Know How to Help: NEVER put yourself in harm’s way, but please DO SOMETHING! Help can be direct or indirect. 

  5. Implement the Help - Act!

Strategies for Doing Something

DIRECT: Step in and interrupt a harmful situation by pointing out the problem and engaging participants in conversation about better alternatives.

DISTRACT: If you aren’t comfortable calling out the problematic behavior, try interrupting a risky situation by distracting and redirecting the people involved.

DELEGATE: If you can’t do it alone, involve others.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff face unique opportunities and challenges within teaching. In addition to facilitating learning within our classrooms, faculty and staff have opportunities for life-long learning, development, and growth. 

To assist with these processes, feel free to read and utilize the following resources:

Refer to the Workplace Conduct Expectations Policy for guidelines for faculty and staff interactions and information on how to report concerns to the UWSP Human Resources Office.

The Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning (CITL) offers one-on-one consultations to faculty and staff. Find out how CITL can assist you by scheduling a consultation.


Religious Beliefs Accommodation: It is UW-System policy (UWS 22) to reasonably accommodate your sincerely held religious beliefs with respect to all examinations and other academic requirements.


Equal Access for Students with Disabilities: UW-Stevens Point will modify academic program requirements as necessary to ensure that they do not discriminate against qualified applicants or students with disabilities. The modifications should not affect the substance of educational programs or compromise academic standards; nor should they intrude upon academic freedom. Examinations or other procedures used for evaluating students' academic achievements may be adapted. The results of such evaluation must demonstrate the student's achievement in the academic activity, rather than describe the disability.

If modifications are required due to a disability, please inform students to contact the Disability and Assistive Technology Center (715-346-3365 / Room 609 ALB) to complete an Accommodations Request form.

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Official Campus Trainings
  1. To schedule the official Bystander Intervention training, contact DOS@uwsp.edu.
  2. To schedule the official Safe Zone training
  3. To schedule the official Toward a More Inclusive Campus training, contact Lindsay.Bernhagen@uwsp.edu

UW-Stevens Point is committed to fostering a safe, productive learning environment. Title IX and institutional policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. 

In the event that you choose to disclose information about having survived sexual violence, including harassment, rape, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, and specify that this violence occurred while a student at UWSP, federal and state laws mandate that your faculty and staff personnel notify the Title IX Coordinator/Office of the Dean of Students.