I teach global health ethics as one of my classes. I open the classroom the first day by having the students talk about what a respectful classroom looks like to them. They are fantastic at bringing up [things like] noises someone might make — kind of a little laughter or when something is said in a certain way. We talk about power dynamics. And I say that I’m learning and to please tell me if something has happened in the classroom that I missed, or if I made a misstep. If you don’t feel comfortable coming to me, go to a TA or to another student who could come to me, because I really want to know.

Then we write up a document: this is what we’re going to do to have respectful conversations. At the close of the [course], I’ll ask if they thought to go back to that original document, if there are ways that we can improve, or ways that I can improve.

[Another] practice that I have is around gender identity — putting in the syllabus where the closest gender-inclusive bathroom is — and using pronouns. I think that helps set a tone of inclusivity, openness and honoring the diversity that’s in our classrooms. – Kate Whetten, #HumansofDukeSanford #Faculty

Kate was recently featured in an article about promoting an equitable learning and research environment for students at Duke University.