Space for Conversation: Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity in Academics

Edge for Scholars is honored to provide a forum for reflections, personal stories, examples of effective institutional progress, and actionable ideas for driving change. The Edge is a community for candid conversation about life in academics linked together by an open blog site and social media. Most content focuses on strategy for early career researchers to achieve their goals. In this moment we hope to foster a space to share insights and strategies for engrafting reverence for the necessity of diversity in all forms.

We have glimpsed the leading edge of commitment to diversity in academics, but not the realization of genuine representation, inclusion, or equity. Please consider adding your voice to building momentum that cannot be stalled.

Why write or re-publish here?

Edge for Scholars is accessed by more than 300,000 individuals, and the Cutting Edge newsletter is delivered to more than 50,000 inboxes. Your thoughts or key information will have an audience. If you re-publish material from other blogs or print media, please include the entire piece of work, not only a link through. If the material is copyrighted, you are responsible for being in compliance.

What’s the format?

You choose how best to express your ideas. All rhetorical modes and creative energy are welcome including, and certainly not limited to: essays, point-counter-point debates, examples of petitions and demands of groups within academics, round-ups of resources and educational tools to promote enduring change, photo montages, videos, cartoons, and animations.

How do I get started?

We have a WordPress content management system that is straightforward. Steps for building a profile and creating a blog post are here. If you hit a snag, a member of the editorial team can help you at info@edgeforscholars.org. Be patient, it’s a labor of love, and they don’t work around the clock.

If you would like your work considered for an upcoming theme newsletter(s) please post before June 24, 2020. We will keep an eye on what our audience is responding to as measured by views and likes to help select newsletter content.

Please share the link to your blog post on your social media. We also will share in Edge social media accounts.

Thank you for considering joining this crucial conversation.

And now for an overview of the fine print:

What are the boundaries?

Our community standards apply.

If your content is not intended for relevance to higher education and the experiences of students, trainees, faculty, or staff at colleges, universities, or other non-profit academic or research organizations, other platforms will be better suited. We will move posted items to draft status and contact you if we don’t understand the relevance to this conversation or if you are advertising your own consulting, education, or other services.
We are not a news outlet, political organization, or host for accusations. Any claims about institutional or individual actions must be able to be substantiated in publicly available sources. In general, it’s best (and safest for you) to give examples or use fictional names to de-identify individuals or institutions unless the content is laudatory. Posts that violate this principle will be taken down, and in some instances authors will be encouraged to make revisions for re-posting.
Be courteous. Don’t insult, troll, or flame others. We tell it like it is, but we aren’t gratuitously offensive.
Only post images that are in the public domain or for which you hold the copyright. If you don’t have a good image for your post, use the default images or let our moderators come up with one.
Please review the terms of use; if you choose to post, we assume that you have.

Pick up your megaphone!

Other Resources Related to Blogging

Basics:

Blogging in a Busy World: Tips for Keeping Your Readers Engaged

If you want to add visuals:

Post Like a Pro: 3 FREE Resources to Make Your Social Media Posts Stand Out

DIY Infographics: 3 Tips and 3 FREE Resources

How to cite social media in academic work:

MLA/APA Style

Because we think blogging can build your brand and network:

https://edgeforscholars.org/not-that-kind-of-network-tales-of-developing-a-national-reputation/