EDI training for freshers

[GCburneraccount]

I recently went back to uni for a reunion and saw the timetable for freshers week pinned up. Certainly more structured and less booze focussed than my hazy memory of the 90's.
I noticed they have a mandatory sexual consent session and a whole day of mandatory EDI sessions. I think my year would have been a bit bemused at that.
I'd be interested to know how this stuff is perceived by students now - anyone have insight into what sort of content its likely to cover? Do they think its odd for a uni to give young adults mandatory moral education sessions? (if thats what it is!) Do they turn up and behave?

What’s edi

Equality, diversity and inclusion.

In my line of day to day work EDI means Electronic Data Interchange but this thread is about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The latter is something we have all had to do courses in for about 2 decades. Today's students will have grown up with having to learn about this is school.

Sorry for the TLA*!
EDI = equality, diversity and inclusion
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*Three Letter Acronym...

There is a difference between Freshers & induction. One is optional and is usually social, the other is compulsory.

Some sessons are only compulsory for society committee members. My daughter is treaurer of a society and has to complete mandatory sessions. Initiation ceremonies etc used to be a thing so there is a big drive to get rid of that ethos within groups.

Sexual consent - good idea for a generation of porn addled young men

EDI - moralising and lecturing a generation who have grown up with this stuff and will only yawn at it. Surely not compulsory?

I see you've already been enlightened but I just thought I'd add that the original acronym was not a good acronym ('DIE'), so the letters were switched around.

As a parent of two autistic young people who have suffered discrimination from their peers throughout their education I think any training is a good idea.

EDI = exclusion, division, indoctrination

👆

Let ne get this straight. You think that sessions on not discriminating against someone who is disabled, of an ethnic minority or a woman etc is NOT a good idea. wow.

If it's done well it's none of those thing. I've been on courses at work about mental health, dyslexia (both excellent), menopause (bit rubbish but well meaning), neurodiversity, LGB (both good), and the inevitable Stonewall about the T which was as we'd all expect. I think some companies take the lazy route and just get Stonewall in but there are lots of charities that focus on different things and some do very good packages and although most of it is just common sense (don't be an arse) there are obviously people who need reminding how to behave decently.

I think the young men need very thorough training in matters of consent, and the young women need someone to tell them that it's OK to say No.

Other EDI (equality, diversity, inclusion) should be evident in the arrangements for their courses, the material they're taught and the general ethos of the university.

Of course, they'll be given guff about trans, and not much else. As far as I see, in a lifetime of teaching undergrads, they need consent training as I outline aboe, plus stuff on class. The number of working & lower-middle class kids who tell me about feeling intimidated & stupid because of class backgrounds is legion. And I've generally only worked in elite and/or Russell Group universities.

We have a long way to go about class-based equality of opportunity ...

But class will not be anywhere near the sort of EDI training most woke universities deliver.

I agree if it's done well. Unfortunately my recent EDI experiences have focussed on the T to the exclusion of everything else.

Steady on @Comefromaway I didn't say say that!
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My first reaction on seeing it was to think about 18 year old me and my cohort in the 90's. I reckon faced with a day of EDI training most wouldn't have turned up, and some would have come and messed about. Things have changed since then and I'm interested in what todays 18 year olds would do. And I guess the wider question is does this achieve its aim?
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I'm not sure what I think about all this, which is why I'm asking. I've gone in a big circle with this stuff in the last 15 years or so. I was very enthusiastic about training on all aspects of EA2010, and have seen various iterations of what you end up getting when you do that, some good, some bad. If anything I'm now instinctively averse to 'moral' training for adults unless theres very good reason.

I'm in US and here we call it DEI. And the "E" stands for equity not equality. Equality is actually considered a bigoted concept by SJWs here bc it means we should treat all people equally, vs. equity which means we should infantalize people who have been designated perpetual victims based on the color of their skin or whatever victim class they self-idenfy into. And so those people need to be provided all sorts of special (not equal) treatment bc their inherent victimhood prevents them from achieving anything based on their own merit, skills, or drive. I mean, how on earth could you want to treat a person of color equally to everyone when they're clearly permanently traumatized from experiencing every injustice imaginable bc - well just look at them!

Yup, that's considered the non-racist, non-bigoted mentality here. Shame on all you UK people still using that antiquated "equality" term which is clearly a dog whistle.

I like consent lessons. They are clearly still needed.

The number of working & lower-middle class kids who tell me about feeling intimidated & stupid because of class backgrounds is legion.

Loads of privately educated kids I know are keeping the fact they went to private school under wraps at university for fear of discrimination due to the general atmosphere there. Especially with groups like the 93% club advocating against this minority.

Why do you all do this? No, I don't know who you're referring to when you say "primary beneficiaries." Being that I'm I'm the US and seeing DEI implemented first hand vs. you who is clearly in the UK, please enlighten me and tell me who you're referring to. And I'd be obliged if you avoid the hem and haw act and just say what you mean.

A whole day of EDI? I can barely make it through an e-learning module.

Is this just not going to be a day of sneakingly playing on your phone and learning to detach from the subject?

Presumably E6 mandatory training, which came in from 1st August. OfS requirement as a condition of registration.

I work in a university. The training we offer is useful because we have a huge number of cultures suddenly put together. Some students genuinely won't know about others' cultural background (particularly regions) and how to be respectful of difference. Our consent training is also hugely important.

Most universities have a big problem with students feeling part of a community, mainly because students are so insular in class post-covid. Training and info sessions about different groups is often a first step to getting people to gel a bit. Also most of my students have never had a job so this is also a clear explanation on what is acceptable behaviour in a professional environment.

It’s a 10 second Google. Google exists globally.