University bribing faculty to take 'inclusivity' training

James Madison University is offering faculty members a $250 stipend to participate in a semester-long institute on how to “be inclusive teachers.”

According to a description for the program, participants will meet every other Tuesday, beginning on January 19, for the “opportunity to hone their skills for appreciating, leveraging, and responding to diversity within their classrooms.”

[RELATED: University paying students to be ‘Social Justice Advocates’]

Faculty members will also “gain knowledge in areas associated with inclusivity and multiculturalism” in order to develop “tools” for “managing group processes and difficult dialogues,” “addressing inflammatory and prejudicial comments,” becoming “aware of microaggressions and how to prevent them,” and “fostering more inclusive, equitable learning environments.”

The description promises that “participation will enhance agency and confidence in making classroom environments more multiculturally minded and will create a community around issues of inclusive excellence,” adding that faculty members will be awarded a $250 stipend for participating.

Among other stated goals, the program is intended to help faculty develop “specific teaching strategies for inclusion and diversity,” as well as learn “best practices on inclusive pedagogy.”

[RELATED: UCLA paying students to fight ‘whiteness,’ ‘patriarchy’]

James Madison University, a public institution, has a combined full-time and part-time faculty size of 1,375, meaning the school would pay out up to $343,750 if every faculty member participated.

Campus Reform reached out to the university for comment on the matter, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @AGockowski