Word of the Month
Each month, SACI sends out a word and definition, covering a social justice topic. We encourage you to review the definition and consider how it is applicable to your DEI journey.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Logan Doerfler (doerflerl@wou.edu) or Veronica Rodriguez (rodriguezv@wou.edu).
August 2022 Word of the Month
Unconscious Bias
Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one’s tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing.
July 2022 - Co-Optation
Definition: Various processes by which members of the dominant cultures or groups assimilate members of target groups, reward them, and hold them up as models for other members of the target groups. Tokenism is a form of co-optation.
June 2022 - Disability
May 2022 - Social Justice
Definition: A broad term for action intended to create genuine equality, fairness, and respect among people.
April 2022 - Bias
Definition: An inclination or preference, especially one that interferes with impartial judgment.
March 2022 - Intersectionality
Definition: Social construct that recognizes the fluid diversity of identities that a person can hold such as gender, race, class, religion, professional status, marital status, socioeconomic status, etc.
Feburary 2022 - Ally
Definition: Someone who supports a group other than one’s own (in terms of multiple identities such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, etc.). An ally acknowledges oppression and actively commits to reducing their own complicity, investing in strengthening their own knowledge and awareness of oppression.
January 2022 - Classism
Definition: Prejudiced thoughts and discriminatory actions based on a difference in socioeconomic status, income, class; usually by upper classes against lower.
December 2021 - Assumption
Definition: A thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. For example, many people assume a link between people PTSD and violent behavior.
SACI Portal Channel Set Up Instructions
Word of the Month can be accessed in the WOU Portal via the SACI Channel!
Every month, SACI will update the channel to include new terms. All terms have been thoughtfully considered and encouraged to further explore as it relates to individuals’ professional and personal capacity.
SACI Portal Channel Instructions:
- Log in to your WOU Portal
- Click on the [+ add channel] button
- Click on the link ‘SACI’
- Refresh your page and the SACI Channel should be available!
Questions? Contact Logan Doerfler at doerflerl@wou.edu.
