Latest News from ODEI
Eight UAB faculty members have been selected to participate in the Summer 2023 Faculty Success Program hosted by the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) and sponsored by the UAB Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The selected members are Yu-Yin Lin, D.D.S., M.S., assistant professor of pediatric dentistry in the School of Dentistry; Allison Jones, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, assistant professor of nursing in the School of Nursing; Michael J. Herr II, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Medical Education in the Heersink School of Medicine; Bhekumusa Lukhele, Ph.D., MPH, BNS, assistant professor of health care organization and policy in the School of Public Health; Molly Richardson, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor of health care organization and policy in the School of Public Health; Ellen Mwenesongole, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice in the College of Arts and Sciences; Emily Jaworski Koriath, DMA, assistant professor in the Department of Music in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Keisha Brown, OD, assistant professor of optometry and vision science in the School of Optometry.
The Faculty Success Program is a 12-week program for faculty of all ranks who are looking for empirically tested methods to improve research productivity through intense accountability, coaching, and peer support and to propel their work-life balance and personal growth. The program will take place from May 14 to August 5.
The NCFDD provides career development and mentoring resources for faculty at more than 450 colleges and universities. More than 475 faculty, postdocs, and graduate students at UAB have taken advantage of the university’s institutional membership. Membership includes access to the NCFDD’s Core Curriculum webinars, focused on skills necessary to “thrive in the academy”; interactive, online Guest Expert Webinars; multi-week courses on preparing tenure and promotion materials and manuscript revision; and 14-day writing challenges.
Four individuals were honored with the 2023 Padma Awards during a ceremony on March 23.
The Padma Awards is sponsored by the UAB Commission on the Status of Women. The CSW Padma is a symbol that was designed to represent resilience and the ability to “rise above the surface and bloom daily”.
The award recognizes those who have overcome significant adversity to achieve their goal(s), demonstrated a commitment to working with underrepresented populations, or advanced the issues that primarily affect those populations by making it easier for individuals coming from underrepresented populations to achieve professional success, taking a courageous stance in the face of adversity or against popular opinion, and/or providing significant service to underrepresented or struggling populations within or external to UAB.
The 2023 recipients are: Chinaza Esiaba, an undergraduate student in the UAB School of Public Health; Kesha L. Thurston, DNP, assistant professor of nursing in the UAB School of Nursing; Carin Mayo, Program Manager for the masters of public administration program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration; and Lauren C. Mays, DNP, assistant professor of nursing in the UAB School of Nursing.
The UAB Commission on the Status of Women is dedicated to promoting gender inclusion and equity by supporting and improving options and opportunities for women at every stage of their education and career. CSW members support work-life balance initiatives, training and development of emerging leaders, and community outreach to improve the academic climate and work environment at UAB.
Chinaza Esiaba
2023 Outstanding UAB Undergraduate Student Award
Kesha L. Thurston, DNP
2023 Outstanding UAB Staff Member Award
Carin Mayo
2023 Susan D. Marchase Outstanding Administrator Award
Lauren C. Mays, DNP
2023 Becky Trigg Outstanding Faculty Member
This Women’s History Month, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) celebrates the incredible contributions women have made to shaping our nation. Women are driving progress and change as breadwinners, leaders in their communities, and trailblazers across industries. The first woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet as U.S. Secretary of Labor was Frances Perkins and she advocated for the minimum wage, 40-hour work week, and Social Security. Women today continue to be on the frontlines of the movement for workers’ rights and equal opportunity.
Today, women still face systemic barriers to equal opportunity despite tremendous progress. The unfortunate gender wage gap means women working full-time typically earn nearly $400,000 less than men over the course of their lifetimes. Women also experience workplace challenges like harassment as well as pregnancy and caregiving discrimination that affect their ability to obtain jobs and advance in their fields. Additionally, women are working to regain ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 217,000 fewer women in the labor force today than before the pandemic.
At OFCCP we advance gender equality throughout our work, including through our enforcement efforts. In the last two fiscal years, we recovered $33.9 million in backpay and salary adjustments on behalf of over 10,600 women jobseekers and workers. For example, in August 2022, the agency entered into a conciliation agreement with Esri, a digital mapping and analytics company, for $2.3 million in back pay and interest to resolve allegations of gender-based pay discrimination against 176 female engineers.
We also promote equal opportunity for women by removing barriers to accessing good jobs. As America invests in its infrastructure and the economy through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and CHIPS and Science Act, there is a historic opportunity to create good jobs for women and their families. This year, we will launch our Mega Construction Project (Megaproject) Program, which will foster equal opportunity in the construction trades workforce of federal contractors and subcontractors on large, federally funded construction projects. From the earliest stages of a Megaproject, OFCCP engages a wide range of stakeholders in the community to remove hiring barriers and promote consideration of a diverse pool of qualified workers for jobs. Megaproject engagement can provide immediate impact on contractor and subcontractor recruitment and hiring practices, providing women with access to good jobs with fair pay in traditionally male-dominated occupations.
As President Biden stated in his Proclamation on Women’s History Month, “Let us strive to create a Nation where every woman and girl knows that her possibilities know no bounds in America.” Our society is stronger when everyone has a seat at the table and has the tools to succeed. On this Women’s History Month and in every month, OFCCP remains committed to rooting out discrimination and expanding equal employment opportunity for all.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is proud to host “An Evening with Reverend Dr. William Barber, II” on Friday, January 20, at 6:00 p.m. at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church.
The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II is the President and Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach; Co- Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival; Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries; Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary; and Senior Fellow at Auburn Seminary. For more than a quarter century, he has pastored the Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Dr. Barber comes to Birmingham to conclude UAB's annual recognition of Birmingham King Week by sharing his efforts to preserve Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy of a Poor People's Campaign. Dr. Barber will share how to embody the moral and socially just principles, inspired by Dr. King, and everyone's responsibility to continue its legacy.
The event is co-sponsored by UAB’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Institute for Human Rights, Division of Student Affairs, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register at bit.ly/uab-williambarber. To request accessibility accommodations, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) celebrates the rich diversity of our students, faculty, and staff and recognizes the diversity in our community during the holiday season.
As you prepare to celebrate the holidays, the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) provides tips and strategies to ensure that you are creating an inclusive environment and planning appropriate activities and gatherings.
Educate, then Celebrate
An inclusive holiday season should not be limited to decorative flags and potluck dishes from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Consider an educational panel discussion, poster board presentations, or a shared slide show that allows employees to learn about underrepresented faith-based systems or religions. Also, consider that some of your employees may be non-religious, and provide opportunities to celebrate days that focus on advocating for all human rights. Given the wide range of ways people celebrate the holiday season, it is important to avoid giving the impression that one or some holidays take precedence over others.
Know Your Office
Engage in data collection (survey, email, direct communication) where employees can share the faith-based or religious holidays they celebrate. Be sure to communicate to employees that sharing information about their faith or winter holidays is voluntary. Ask participants to share the dates and methods of celebration of those holidays; the goal of collecting this information is to spread cultural awareness and foster inclusion during the winter holiday season.
Personal Holidays
Regular full-time employees in Workgroups A and F (Faculty) receive nine designated holidays and three personal holidays in 2022. UAB will be closed on December 23rd, December 26th, December 30th and January 2nd.
Personal Holidays or Vacation time may be used for faith-based holidays and cultural celebrations that take place on days when the University is open. As a reminder, all leave requests are approved at the discretion of the immediate supervisor.
Not a Zero-Sum Scenario
Remember that being inclusive of underrepresented winter holidays does not mean that you cannot celebrate Christmas. Inclusive excellence calls for collaboration and cohesion. Expanding the winter holiday festivities that your office celebrates asks participants to be mindful and compassionate towards all faith-based holidays.
Ignoring Faith and Religion can be harmful
Some might think that completely ignoring all religious and faith-based holidays is the best way to be inclusive. Faith and religion are important components of many employees’ lives and an important facet of diversity. It can impact how they approach their role, how they interact with their colleagues and students, and may underpin many other aspects of their identity.
Host a Two-Part Event
If you decide to host a holiday gathering for your employees, consider hosting a two-part event. The first phase of the celebration should be free of alcohol consumption and feature secular music. This could benefit employees from different religious groups, people who have experienced substance abuse disorders, or people who prefer to abstain from alcohol consumption. The event could feature words of appreciation, positive remarks, and moments of reflection. But always respect an employee’s decision not to participate in a holiday event or other celebration.
Inclusive Food
Be sure to provide food that is inclusive of the cultures and faiths that are represented in your department. Provide options that meet the dietary needs of your employees, including meals that are kosher, halal, vegan, or gluten free. Additionally, be mindful of the placement of food dishes. For example, you would not want to place shrimp or pork near vegan dishes.
Interfaith Calendar
Locate and distribute an interfaith calendar to promote awareness and intentional inclusion of underrepresented winter holidays. Be sure not to schedule any celebrations on any of the holidays. Click here to view an example.
