Belonging and Success


Undergraduate Biology BS Statement

We in the Undergraduate Biology Program believe that varied perspectives and personal experiences are vital to our success. The Undergraduate Biology Program at the University of Kansas is committed to creating a space where all ideas and perspectives are valued. Below, we describe our BS vision and action steps to create a caring  culture for all our students, staff, and faculty. 

We strive for:

  • Faculty and staff that reflect our student population 
  • A student population that reflects our global community 
  • A place where all students, staff, and faculty feel they belong.  
  • A culture of accountability: when problems arise, we work to address them on an individual, classroom, and departmental basis 

 

Faculty & Staff will strive to:

  • Foster a supportive environment during student and colleague interactions 
  • Provide standardized materials to students regarding out-of-classroom learning opportunities 
  • Create welcoming office spaces for students 
  • Highlight supportive opportunities to students 
  • Implement evidence-based pedagogy through course transformations and other best practices 
  • Provide training and assistance to spread evidence-based  pedagogy practices for faculty and staff within and outside KU 
  • Provide training to faculty and staff that enhances understanding of our community  
  • Train undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants in best practices in education 
  • Use respectful hiring approaches in our unit. 
  • Participate in regular Impact & Belonging  educational efforts 
  • Seek to identify and eliminate any barriers within our policies, systems, programs, and services 
  • Respect the variety of student values, experiences, and motivations

 

Our students can join us by:

  • Sharing experiences and perspectives openly and honestly with the faculty and staff of biology 
  • Contributing to a collaborative learning experience by respecting peers and their various viewpoints 

 

Undergraduate Biology Belonging and Success Committee Members

Lauren Spain-Eddington, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Biology, Committee Chair 

Victor Gonzalez, Associate Teaching Professor 

Bridgette Kells, Senior Academic Advisor 

Tara Marriage, Assistant Teaching Professor 

Dyan Morgan, Associate Teaching Professor 

Denny Swartzlander, Director of Physiology Laboratories 

Shelly Nauman, Microbiology Lab Coordinator 

Maria Losito, Communications Coordinator 

Kennedy Chrisco, Microbiology Lab Coordinator 

 

Additional Resources:

Office of Civil Rights and Title IX

International Support Services

Office for Advancing Success in Science (OASiS)

The Student Engagement Center

TRiO McNair Scholars Program

Emerging Scholars Program