EMU Today

YPSILANTI — Eastern Michigan University associate professor Audrey Farrugia, who served as the 2023-24 Michael G. Morris Endowed Chair, will host an Open House and Morris Chair Presentation on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in 231 Porter Building. The Open House allows attendees to explore opportunities within the College of Education and connect with others interested in the field. Following the Open House, Farrugia will lead a discussion on transforming education through leadership, with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging.

During the event, Farrugia’s project, “Research, Response, Results: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging Preparation in the College of Education,” will seek to explore and improve the climate within higher education. 

"My work as the 2023-2024 Morris Chair aims to provide an understanding of the current climate and experiences around diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging in the College of Education,” said Farrugia.  “A college climate survey was conducted along with focused events and funding for faculty, students and staff to build community within the College…….." Findings from the survey will help the college better understand the current climate around DEIJB and use that knowledge to prepare faculty to foster DEIJB in both the classroom and the community. The project consists of three core components:

• College climate research survey and listening sessions
  A college climate survey and focused listening sessions were administered to authentically understand DEIJB experiences. These sessions gathered perspectives from students, staff, faculty, and lecturers within the College of Education, allowing their voices to be heard and documented.
• Development sessions with national experts
  Findings from the survey and listening sessions will inform development sessions for the EMU College of Education. These sessions, led by national experts in DEIJB, will address topics and scenarios raised during the research phase to empower faculty and staff to incorporate DEIJB principles into their teaching and community practices.
• Follow-up seminar for reflection and strategy
  In a final seminar, the College of Education members will reflect on the project's lessons and strategize ways to proactively integrate DEIJB into their classrooms and interactions with the broader community.

Farrugia’s work emphasizes active participation and learning within the college and is a key step toward strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging initiatives. As part of her ongoing efforts, she will present the findings from the climate survey and development events at the upcoming College of Education Open House and Morris Chair Presentation. During the event, Farrugia will also discuss how her project aligns with and supports the work of the 2024-2025 Morris Chair, Christopher Robbins.

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, EMU is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves nearly 13,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.