By Meredith Howard | Staff Writer
Baylor’s upcoming “If You’re Breathing, You’re Biased” lecture will tackle the issue of unconscious bias, and how that can affect decisions made in various communities we may belong to, like classrooms and the workplace.
The event is being held by Baylor’s Equity Office from 1 to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday in Human Resources Office 200 (Clifton Robinson Tower), and will “take a look at defining bias, identifying personal and potential biases and consider the effect of biases in the workplace as well as within the Baylor community,” according to the Equity Office.
Woodbury, Minn., sophomore Runo Egi said she feels that these types of anti-bias events are valuable for the student body to attend.
“It’s definitely important as we go around in our daily life to be aware of the potential biases that we might hold against anything,” Egi said. “I think having a workshop like this will just bring those thoughts to the forefront because not everybody always knows that they’re being biased.”
In terms of inclusion events Egi thinks Baylor should hold more of, she said, “more racial sensitivity training. I think that would be helpful for students on campus as well as faculty.”
Egi said she thinks the Baylor student body could be more open-minded and that geographic region might play a role in the development of views she sees in some Baylor students, stating that location can lead to different political climates.
“I tend to think that a lot of people here are not as open to other ideas and thinking in different ways as people might be on other campuses,” Egi said.
Fort Worth sophomore Caitlin Berray also said she thinks workshops similar to “If You’re Breathing, You’re Biased” will ultimately benefit the Baylor community.
“Recognizing your bias can really help you be more inclusive and understanding of everyone,” Berray said. “I feel like we’re a very set-in-our-ways university; we all could benefit from opening our minds to different groups of people.”
Chicago junior Kyra Pellikan said that by offering anti-bias events like Wednesday’s “If You’re Breathing, You’re Biased,” Baylor is making an effort to be more a more inclusive university.
“They’re doing their part trying to gain awareness; even if people aren’t going to it, at least they’re trying,” Pellikan said.
“If You’re Breathing, You’re Biased” is open to all students, faculty and staff and is the first part of “Building an Inclusive Community,” an Equity Office event series.More information about Baylor’s diversity, inclusion and anti-bias initiatives can be found online.
