About

You can access the course by clicking here: Cultivating Community at UW: Anti-Racism and DEI&B Training

You will find the ‘click here to take the training’ link at the bottom of this page. You will need to log in with UW credentials to complete the course.

While completion times vary, the training takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete.

You do not need to complete the course in one sitting. While your progress should be tracked automatically, we advise you to make note of your progress via the course outline.

Completing the training requires:

• Access to a computer, laptop, tablet, or Smartphone.
• A stable internet connection is critical for accessing the training, streaming videos, and submitting feedback.

A web browser such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.

State law requires that new employees hired after June 30, 2022, complete the course within 30 days of hire.

Please note, student employees are not required to take the employee course – students have a separate training requirement.

Yes! While only new employees are required to take the course, we have set a goal of 80% employee completion each biennium.

In 2021, the Washington State legislature approved Senate Bill 5227, which requires all public institutions of higher education to provide a professional development program for faculty and staff with the purpose of eliminating racism and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B), beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year.

Cultivating Community at UW aims to:

1. Foster inclusive and respectful work and learning environments.
2. Help employees build understanding and capacity in anti-racism and DEI&B concepts.

Identify additional tools and resources for ongoing learning.

No, you will not be required to take this course annually; however, our goal is to refresh the training every three to four years so that employees can access new content.

This training is required for all new employees. If there is a reason that you cannot or that you prefer not to take the training, please speak with your supervisor and/or your unit Human Resources administrator.

The content for Cultivating Community at UW was developed in partnership with administration, faculty, staff, and students. In addition to leveraging the expertise of UW talent, external content experts were contracted to develop material tailored to UW’s specific needs. The writing team is well versed in diversity and inclusion, consulting, ADA compliance, education, and other related fields.

“Anti-racism” should not be confused with “anti-discrimination.” Anti-racism is a term used to describe the active and intentional opposition to racism and the promotion of racial equity. The term goes beyond simply avoiding discriminatory behavior; it involves actively challenging and working against systemic racism, prejudice, and discrimination.

The Cultivating Community at UW Training is comprised of 49 lessons, including the introduction, closing remarks, acknowledgments, evaluation, and resources. The training covers a range of topics to foster understanding and promote inclusivity. Each lesson addresses different aspects of racism, bias, and other issues related to social identity. The breakdown of lessons covers key areas such as intersectionality, workplace inequality, unconscious bias, empathy, LGBTQ+ identities, and disability awareness.

The inclusion of allyship in various contexts is also noteworthy, as it emphasizes the importance of collective efforts in creating a more equitable and just society.

Self-reflection may elicit strong emotions or reactions in some individuals. If you find the course to be uncomfortable, emotionally difficult, or offensive, it is important that you share your concerns with your supervisor and/or HR representative for guidance. You may also consider:

• Completing the post-training evaluation at the end of the Cultivating Community at UW: Anti-Racism and DEI&B Training.
• Sharing your thoughts with the project sponsor by emailing: vpomad@uw.edu.

Feedback and suggestions are encouraged and may be shared by completing the post-training evaluation at the end of the Cultivating Community at UW: Anti-Racism and DEI&B Training.

Please submit any questions that are not covered in the FAQs to vpomad@uw.edu.

Unfortunately, you must print your certificate at the time of completion. However, UW Bridge retains your completion status for verification purposes.

Investing in diversity and inclusion training and education offers a strategic advantage in today’s globalized world. While some may argue that it takes time and resources away from other important work, the reality is that diversity efforts contribute to the growth and improvement of the campus environment by creating an atmosphere that fosters innovation and encourages individuals to bring their unique experiences and perspectives to the table. This, in turn, leads to a more inclusive and creative environment where diverse ideas can flourish.

Moreover, diversity education plays an important role in raising awareness about unconscious bias. By educating individuals about various forms of bias, one can challenge their preconceived notions and foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment, potentially preventing discrimination and disrupting inequitable practices.

Supervisors may access completion data for direct reports in UW Bridge.

SB 5227 requires that we offer an evaluation at the end of the training. The Office of Educational Assessment is our project evaluator. We encourage all participants to complete this confidential evaluation form and provide candid feedback.

Yes. We are required to report aggregated completion data to the Council of Presidents (CoP) annually. CoP submits reports for all four-year institutions to the Washington Legislature annually.