Advocates & Allies

 

 

 

Program Overview

Mines Advocates is a group of Orediggers who are committed to supporting women on campus. Advocates are active proponents of gender diversity and equality, which at Mines means increasing the number of women faculty, encouraging the hiring of and promotion of women to administrative and leadership positions, and ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of women at Mines within their units. Advocates foster dialogue with the Oredigger community through the Allies for Gender Equity workshop, adapted from the nationally recognized program at North Dakota State University.

Allies for Gender Equity Workshop

During an hour-long interactive, scenario-based workshop, the Advocate facilitators invite the Mines community to explore incidents of micro and macroaggressions experienced by women colleagues. Participants practice appropriate actions to take in those situations. If you would like to request an Allies for Gender Equity Workshop, please email Chris Coulston at coulston@mines.edu.

Workshop is not recorded nor will identifying information from the dialogue be discussed away from the session.

Meet the Advocates

 

  1. Christopher (Chris) Coulston, Chair / EE coulston@mines.edu
  2. Dustin Olson / Public Safety dolson1@mines.edu
  3. Sareen Lambright Dale / SHAPE slambrightdale@mines.edu
  4. Kelly Sorge / Director of Fitness ksorge@mines.edu
  5. Mark Orrs / EDS orrs@mines.edu
  6. Carolyn Freedman / Global Initiatives cfreedman@mines.edu
  7. Cynthia Norrgran / CBE cnorrgra@mines.edu
  8. Mirna Mattjik / EDS mmattjik@mines.edu
  9. Bryann Lynch / Public Safety brylynch@mines.edu
  10. Annette Pilkington / WISEM apilking@mines.edu
  11. Julia Roos / EDS jroos@mines.edu
  12. Chris Thiry / Arthur Lakes Library cthiry@mines.edu

 

History of Advocates & Allies

Phase I

In April 2019, we brought the nationally recognized Advocates and Allies for Gender Equity program to campus. The workshop provides men with a deeper understanding of the inequities facing their women colleagues in higher education and provides them with a set of tools to respond in the moment as an ally. Over 80 men faculty and staff completed allies training for gender equity since its introduction to campus. A parallel session for women, Gender and Higher Education: Exploring Women’s Experiences was offered, and a facilitated listening session was offered in early fall. Learn more about Advocates & Allies.  

Phase II

Members of the Women Advisory Board (WAB) selected seven men Advocates from a pool of applicants in late summer 2019. The Advocates completed a two-day, seven-hour training facilitated by the Advocates and Allies trainers to create an Advocates & Allies Mission Statement, objectives, principles and actions, and presented their work to the WAB. The WAB advises the work of the advocates and communicates feedback on gendered environments from other women colleagues and peers at Mines.

Phase III 

The advocates are currently delivering the Allies for Gender Equity workshop to the Mines community and pursuing paths to further their advocacy work across campus.