In collaboration with the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Educational Innovations unit within Academic and Student Affairs, three Equity and Inclusion Coordinators are assisting with aligning, developing, and implementing a plan for comprehensive set of development opportunities to help faculty members build knowledge, skills, and abilities related to equity and inclusion efforts within the Network for Educational Development and Equity by Design.

As the coordinators have been working to develop plans, they want to provide an opportunity for colleagues from across Minnesota State to join a monthly check-in.  There is no formal agenda, just an opportunity for colleagues interested in talking about advancing equity and inclusion in our learning experiences.

Let us know you’re joining

RSVP below to receive an email invitation that will include connection details to the Zoom meeting.

Questions?

Email ed-innovations@minnstate.edu

Our Coordinators

Ronald Ferguson, Ph.D. teaches sociology at Ridgewater College, where he offers courses in racial inequality and social issues. During his 15 years at the college, he has collaborated with students beyond the classroom via his work as Multicultural Club advisor and Ridgewater Equity and Inclusion workgroup. Dr. Ferguson has published papers in several journals such as: Great Plains Sociologist, Sociological Imagination, and Educational Research: Theory and Practice. A selection of recent works includes the evaluation of the college experience by Native American freshman as well as exploring the parenting process in biracial identity development. He also co-authored the book: What’s Up With the Brothers? Black Masculinity in the 21st Century. Dr. Ferguson has a long history of service via participation with ongoing Minnesota State system diversity initiatives, MSCF Racial Equity Committee, and community workshops/lectures. In addition, he actively serves on several professional associations, including a recent position as president of the Sociologists of Minnesota. He currently resides in Cold Spring, MN, engaging in local efforts related to positive, systemic change.

Álvaro Plachejo currently teaches Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at Normandale Community College and Saint Paul College. He holds an undergraduate degree in Mass Communications/Media Studies from Pontificia Universidad Católica (Chile) and master’s degrees in Higher Education Administration and Applied Economics from St. Cloud State University. He has served Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in a professional capacity for twelve years and a community college instructor for six. Mr. Plachejo brings to this position a strong desire to contribute to equity and inclusion efforts in higher education, as well as previous experience teaching diversity and social justice and serving on his institution’s Equity Council. He is excited to work on promoting anti-racist pedagogy resources for faculty across the system. In his free time he enjoys coffee, sushi, traveling to new places, and binge watching American and Spanish series on Netflix.

Marilea Bramer received her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota in 2008 and teaches at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Her areas of specialization are Ethics, Feminist Philosophy, and Social and Political Philosophy. For the last two years, her research has been in the area of Philosophy for Children (P4C), a program which promotes critical thinking, social and emotional development, and educational equity with primary and secondary students. She has been leading P4C sessions with students in classrooms and also training PK-12th grade teachers and administrators in P4C.