Graduate Student Researcher for Equity and Inclusion
(Title Code 3266: Graduate Student Researcher with no fee remission)
Appointment: August 20, 2015 – May 13, 2016, 9 hours per week. This is a 2-semester GSR position; applicant must be able to commit to the full length of the project.
Pay Rate: $23.14 per hour
Application Deadline: Monday, May 4, 2015, midnight PST
Applicant must be a matriculated graduate student at UC Berkeley. To apply, submit the following items by email tofoodinstitute@berkeley.edu with the subject line “Equity and Inclusion GSR.”
- Cover letter
- Resume (limit to 2 pages)
- 2 professional and/or academic references
About the “Building Equitable and Inclusive Food Programming at UC Berkeley” Project:
This position will carry out work on the project “Building Equitable and Inclusive Food Programming at UC Berkeley,” funded by the UC Berkeley Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Innovation Grant Program. (Seehttp://diversity.berkeley.edu/message-vice-chancellor-basri-2014-15-innovation-grants). The project summary is as follows:
UC Berkeley is experiencing an unprecedented surge of interest in food and agriculture, as is reflected by its academics and educational programming, student-led initiatives, and community outreach activities. The growing “food movement” on the campus is a strategic opportunity to address the need to transform campus climate, and to fully integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into Berkeley’s programs, capacity building, and campaigns. While the food programs on campus theoretically embrace equity and inclusion, the collaborators in this proposed project recognize that many members of the UC community do not feel that they have a place at the table. The food movement remains segmented and has a reputation of elitism. Moreover, the staff, faculty, and students in campus food initiatives do not reflect the diversity of the broader UC Berkeley community, nor of the communities who are affected by systemic injustices in the food system: for example students and faculty of color are notably missing. Together, the UC Berkeley food-related organizations involved in this project aim to create safe spaces for open dialogue and critical thinking that will cultivate a climate of inclusivity and diversity in food and agricultural research, teaching, and activism at UC Berkeley. By engaging in a deeply reflective process, we will explore the structures and systems that produce and perpetuate exclusion and racialized outcomes, and will develop solutions that allow for the growth of food-related programs and activities on campus that are authentically inclusive, diverse, and equitable. We will develop and pilot two day-long facilitated workshops for the members and leadership of the UC Berkeley food-related organizations, including faculty, staff, executive leadership, and graduate and undergraduate students. This initiative is innovative and unique, since equity and inclusion issues have never been explicitly addressed in this way in food and agriculture programs on the UC Berkeley campus, as far as we know, though this challenge has persisted for many years.
Initial Collaborating Organizations (to be expanded): Berkeley Food Institute, Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, Centers for Educational Equity and Excellence, Multicultural Community Center, Food Pantry, Cal Dining, Student Environmental Resource Center, Student Organic Garden Association, Berkeley Student Food Collective, GradFood, CityFood, University Health Services, Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, Department of Geography, and Department of Sociology.
This position reports to the Berkeley Food Institute Program Manager, with additional supervision by staff at the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society and Centers for Educational Equity and Excellence.
Responsibilities:
- Co-facilitate the “Building Equitable and Inclusive Food Programming at UC Berkeley” Working Group
- Lead development of two day-long workshops (to be held November 2015 and April 2016), together with working group and project staff. Activities include:
- Articulate goals and desired outcomes
- Develop structure and curriculum, working closely with workshop facilitators (and identifying potential non-UC Berkeley facilitators)
- Coordinate workshop logistics (booking rooms, catering, supplies, travel, etc.)
- Develop in-depth surveys and reflections tools, and post-workshop follow up plan, with aim of assessing how outcomes are being operationalized in respective food-related organizations
- Support and strategize with participants as needed, including development of a “community of practice” model for ongoing workshop effects
- Research and apply lessons from existing campus initiatives related to equity and inclusion and food spaces, such as the Campus Climate Initiative and UC Global Food Initiative
- Lead development and execution of workshop outreach plan, including:
- Targeted outreach to faculty and staff across campus
- Relationship building and collaboration
- Possible pitches in select classes across campus
- Assuring initiative visibility within the broader campus community
- Create project web and social media presence
- Develop project communication and documentation materials, including:
- Website and social media presence
- Project “pitch” and fact sheet
- Thorough documentation of working group meetings, workshops, and follow up activities, for use by future project staff
- Assist with identification of future funding sources beyond length of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Innovation Grant
Qualifications:
- Experience in project management and event planning
- Experience with facilitation
- Skills in relationship-building across diverse communities
- Ability to work independently as well as in a group setting; ability to manage multiple tasks and delegate as needed
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, particularly in regards to interpersonal communications across diverse groups
- Experience with equity, inclusion, diversity, anti-oppression and anti-racism trainings and frameworks
- Familiarity with structural analysis of food systems and structural barriers to inclusion
- Interest and experience in food systems research, education, and activism at UC Berkeley
- Tech savvy and proven social media experience for targeted outreach and campaign building
Applications will be reviewed by a diverse, interdisciplinary committee of staff involved in the grant project. For questions about the position contact Rosalie Z. Fanshel at rzfanshel@berkeley.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct
If you’d like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please see: http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf
Work Environment:
As of January 1, 2014 the University of California, Berkeley is a smoke and tobacco free workplace. Information about our Smoke and Tobacco Free policy is available at: http://www.tobaccofree.berkeley.edu/
