Emotional labor involved in teaching is not a new concept, and all instructors bear that burden in some way. We know, however, that some instructors, such as BIPOC faculty, women, and those who teach in specific content areas, bear a disproportionate part of that burden (Costillo-Montoya, 2020; Hua, 2018; Miller, Howell, & Struve, 2019). When it comes to teaching and learning related to human diversity, that situation has been exacerbated by increasingly polarized thinking around issues such as multiculturalism and the nature of evidence and “truth.” Thus, although CATL fully recognizes emotional labor in teaching is a far greater and more complex issue, we want to begin considering it through a more narrowly focused group.
The Problem:
How do we provide community and individual and institutional support for those who are at greater risk for increased emotional labor in teaching, particularly those who teach courses related to diversity (e.g., race/racism, LGBTQIA+ and gender studies, globalism, Indigenous and cultural studies)?
The Proposal:
Thanks to the support of Provost Kate Burns, CATL will lead a one-semester Council on Faculty, Diversity, & Emotional Labor in Teaching. A small group of instructors will be selected to serve based on an application process and will meet approximately monthly during the semester.
The purpose of the Council will be two-fold. First, these individuals will be able to create community and provide guidance and support to one another as they deal with common issues. Second, as an advisory group, they will:
- produce concrete deliverables for the Provost and CATL
- compile information on the types of issues currently faced by instructors of diversity-related courses, as well as those that pertain particularly to BIPOC and other underrepresented faculty teaching such classes.
- craft an annotated bibliography of relevant literature on the invisible labor of such faculty and the specifics of “emotional labor” in their teaching.
- use both of those resources to make formal recommendations for institutional changes that might reduce those burdens.
Compensation:
Selected participants will earn a stipend of $1000 for their work and resulting deliverables.
To Apply:
Full-time faculty members or instructors are invited to apply by sending the following materials to CATL@uwgb.edu:
- An email with the subject line “Emotional Labor” with the following information:
- Name, title, and unit
- Courses taught relevant to this Council
- 1-2 paragraph explanation of the experience or expertise you would bring to the Council, as well as your reasons for applying
- A separate email from your unit chair providing approval of your application and the work this appointment entails. This can be as brief as one sentence.
Please submit all materials by Monday, February 14, 2022.