How do you design courses that are more inclusive to accommodate the needs of an increasingly diverse student body?

A virtual presentation hosted by the Office of Inclusive Excellence as part of its Inclusive Pedagogy series will provide UB faculty and instructors with strategies, resources and insight on creating more inclusive curriculum and syllabi.

The event, titled “Creating an Inclusive Curriculum,” will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 18. To attend, guests should register online.

“Across various disciplines, departments and programs in higher education, the curriculum, as we know, is not inclusive and instead centers on white Eurocentric perspectives in terms of what we teach and how we teach,” says Raechele L. Pope, one of the presenters of the event and associate dean of faculty and student affairs and chief diversity officer in the Graduate School of Education.

“Including scholars of color and other minoritized and marginalized groups, and infusing cultural content and critical analysis is essential to making higher education inclusive and relevant,” Pope says. “If we are truly committed to equity, diversity, justice and inclusion, we must begin with a massive overhaul and transformation of our curriculum.”

The program will also feature Amy L. Reynolds, professor of counseling, school and educational psychology in the Graduate School of Education.

Pope’s research focuses on the social and organizational analysis of equity, access, inclusion and engagement in higher education. She explores how college campuses can create and maintain a multicultural environment. Pope and Reynolds have co-authored two books on these topics: “Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs: Advancing Social Justice and Inclusion” and “Creating Multicultural Change on Campus.” Pope also wrote the book, “Why Aren't We There Yet? Taking Personal Responsibility for Creating an Inclusive Campus.”

Reynold’s work centers on expanding our understanding of multiculturalism through scholarship on race, racial identity, queer and trans identity, acculturation and more. A licensed psychologist, Reynolds investigates college student mental health issues, including racism-related stress and issues related to LGBT bullying. Her research also focuses on creating training environments that instill multicultural competence. She is the author of “Helping College Students: Developing Essential Support Skills for Student Affairs Practice.”