Harassment is an institutional, systemic, and cultural problem within academia, potentially damaging a department’s professional integrity, the integrity of scholarship, and the advancement of the discipline. This workshop will discuss why harassment is so prevalent in universities, and how victims/survivors as well as bystanders can be supported and protected from retaliation. Furthermore we will identify evidence-based best practices of how chairs can prevent harassment from occurring, including how to change the climate and culture to signal that harassment will not be tolerated.
Mental health challenges among college students are common. How can faculty members and department leaders do a better job supporting students in need? Sociologists Shirley Leyro (Associate Professor at Borough of Manhattan Community College and Mental Health First Aid Trainer) and Yvonne Vissing (Professor at Salem State University and National Alliance on Mental Health Trainer) will share strategies for responding to students and explore proactive ways that faculty members, departments, and institutions can support student mental health.
The number of students earning undergraduate sociology degrees is declining (ASA 2018), yet many sociology departments continue to flourish, even in this challenging environment. With a judicious attention to student interests – in teachers, topics, and scheduling, departments have the potential to produce high enrollments and strong cohorts of majors.
