Even in These Unprecedented Times, Efforts Continue to Keep TIDE Rolling!

TIDE's logo was created by one of our students, Eloisa Basilio <eloisabdesign@gmail.com>, and represents continuing efforts to create a tidal wave of change on campus and beyond.

Like every other professional around the world, the month of March found educators moving full speed ahead, most of us to finish what needed to be completed before midterm and Spring Break. Then, we all seemed to simultaneously hit the proverbial brick wall that stopped many of us in our tracks. After the reality of COVID-19 closed campuses, educators at every level began to pull themselves up as they tried to make sense of the new reality. Next, we began the race to make pivotal changes in a relatively short period of time.

While some were still shaking their heads in disbelief, Elgin Community College (ECC)'s TIDE started deep conversations contemplating what might happen to our mission and vision in this rush. We wondered how we might encourage ourselves and fellow faculty to reflect upon both the positive and detrimental consequences of actions we might take on all of our students' learning and on both our students' and our own well-being.

ECC, which is located in Elgin, IL halfway between Chicago and Rockford, is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, is an Achieving the Dream Leader College, an Hispanic Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School - Bronze Level. In addition, ECC is one of the nation's top community colleges having earned again in 2019 The Aspen Institute's Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence: Top 150.

TIDE stands for Teaching/Learning Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity. An initiative of the college's Student Support Infrastructure (SSI), this faculty-inspired grassroots movement focuses on culturally responsive teaching. Our collaboration of faculty, staff, and administrators encourages cultural competence in teaching and learning by

• Promoting the vision of accessible, equitable, inclusive, and social justice practices in the classroom and other learning environments;
• Advocating for needed training, programs, resources, publications, and services aimed at advancing each individual's cultural competence and culturally responsive teaching and classrooms; and
• Presenting a unified voice on TIDE issues across the College as well as throughout ECC's district and beyond.

Thank them for their continued dedication if you know any
of the members of the TIDE task force.

Co-chairs Susan Timm, Professor II, Digital Technologies and 
Tyler Roeger, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL)
and the following:


* Sandi Brown, Senior Director, Emergency Mgmt & Professional/
  Organizational Development
* Kris Campbell, Associate Professor I, Mathematics
* Nancy Chahino, Perkins Grant Administrator
* Lori D. Clark, Professor I, English
* Javier D. Coronado-Aliegro, Associate Professor II, Spanish
* Clark Hallpike, Professor II, Business
* Peter Han, Assistant Professor II, Humanities
* Mia Hardy, Assistant Professor I, Sociology
* Liddy Hope, Assistant Professor I, Human Services
* Ryan Kerr, Associate Professor I, English
* Shawn Maxwell, Associate Professor II, Music
* Deborah Orth, Project Assessment Administrator
* Tammy Ray, Instructional Technology & Distance Learning Coordinator IV and 
  Unit Adjunct Faculty
* Susan Robinson, Assistant Professor II, Theatre
* Joe Rosenfeld, Professor II, Human Services
* Manuel Salgado, Professor II, Psychology
* Angelika Stachnik, Associate Professor I, Medical Imaging
* Cathy Taylor, Dean, Sustainability, Business & Career Technologies

(Pictures above show just some of the TIDE members who attended our first planning retreat held June 2019.)

 Sometimes people do something so impressive, so remarkable that the deep pride you feel becomes difficult to contain. I am constantly amazed by the dedication and creativity of this amazing team. While many understandably are focused on their own individual situations, TIDE members expressed deep concern for continuing to roll forward TIDE values so others--students and faculty alike--would not be inadvertently forgotten in the rush.

TIDE members are committed to leading by example, so before we even began teaching in our new remote locations, TIDE was making a splash on campus. The task force realized when the crisis hit that others might have some of the same concerns and struggles as we did. Thus, we created TIDE Presents: Faculty Afternoon Chats. We intentionally reached out to our adjuncts who by often teaching at multiple schools could provide a wider lens in relation to how other schools are handling this situation. We are now preparing for our fourth Friday afternoon chat organized by and for faculty. The response has been incredible and continues to motivate us to move forward with this initiative. We are all benefiting from the camaraderie and reflection upon important issues affecting our students and ourselves.

(Picture above shows just some TIDE members at second planning retreat held Dec 2019.)

The same Friday of our first chat, just a couple of hours before ours, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education hosted its first of two complementary Diverse Talk Live webcasts: “Three Big Diversity-Related Questions Resulting from the COVID-19 Crisis” (3/27/2020). Other groups have since held webinars on similar topics. These were excellent programs; one would expect nothing less from these state and national organizations.

Still, as TIDE continues its faculty chats, I am amazed that our small team of dedicated changemakers had already planned to cover the same topics as and even more than these major associations, which has only served to solidify in my mind how amazing and creative the TIDE task force truly is. TIDE has accomplished much in a relatively short period of time. And now, members are making great progress advancing our mission during these tumultuous times. I stand in awe of such a creative and diverse group in which I am privileged to play a small part in their vital work.

As we move into new learning platforms, equity mindedness needs to be our continued focus, or perhaps for some of us, a new mindset. The pandemic will pass; however, our focus on TIDE issues, which will continue to matter regardless of the situation, must keep rolling forward.

 TIDE and certainly many of you around the world have been passionate about this work long before Rona (Coronavirus' street name) appeared; so naturally, we will continue our efforts on advancing accessibility, inclusivity, diversity, equity, and social justice. Please share with us what you and your school has done and is continuing to do to keep a keen focus on these values so they aren't unintentionally pushed to the wayside in the chaos of teaching remotely. Your ideas might inform ours. We certainly hope ours have sparked your motivation and inspiration. Together, we can make much progress. The time for doing so is now. Thank you for helping us keep the TIDE rolling within and well beyond our ECC community!

Fortunately, at ECC, TIDE's efforts are encouraged from the faculty association to the President's Cabinet and the Board of Trustees. This task force earned the 2020 prestigious ECC President's Choice Award. Still, the work is not easy. Individuals disagree on best approaches. Some institutional barriers endure; implicit biases persist. Regardless, TIDE continues challenging each other and the status quo and having difficult conversations among ourselves and with others who will join us. By doing so, the TIDE will continue rolling forward.

#Weareinthistogether #Bepartofthesolution #EducatorsarestrongerthanCOVID19 #EquityMatters #SpartansUnited #ProudtobeECC