2020 James Chalgren Award Presented to St. Cloud State University library faculty member Rachel Wexelbaum

St. Cloud State University library faculty member Rachel Wexelbaum was awarded the Inter Faculty Organization’s (IFO) 2020 James Eric Chalgren Award. The James Eric Chalgren Award recognizes an IFO member who has improved the professional lives of LGBTQ+ faculty through leadership and activism at the campus and statewide level.

Rachel has advocated for inclusive work environments for LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and students, not only on her campus but across the state system by serving as a representative on the Inter Faculty Organization LGBTQ+ Caucus. She has been a part of implementing the preferred name policy and creating campus caucuses to offer support for LGBTQ+ faculty, faculty of color, and women faculty. In order to build an LGBTQ+ inclusive environment, she has served as co-chair for the President’s Advisory Council, and she has led the council in strategic planning for diversity, equity and inclusion on campus.

In her position as a librarian, Rachel has integrated the LGBTQ+ collection into programming tied to the grant funded National Library Medicine’s “Surviving and Thirving: AIDS, Politics and Culture” which she sponsored with the University Library, LGBT Resources Center, the Art Department, the Film Studies Department, School of Health and Human Services, the peer to peer sex education student group, and local HIV/AIDS organizations. Rachel’s commitment to this work has provided access for people in other countries where LGBTQ+ information is restricted or even illegal. She has provided access to information and resources that extends beyond her campus population and community.

Rachel’s work with the Wikimedia Foundation and as a Wikipedian have been instrumental in helping a larger project of “queering Wikipedia.” Rachel’s Wikipedia work is focused on LGBTQ+ individuals and topics, and the intersections between LGBTQ+ identity and other identities. She also “queers” articles that should address LGBTQ+ issues. In 2017, Rachel became the Twitter administrator for Wikimedia LGBT+’s Twitter account @wikilgbt. As Rachel notes in an interview about her work: “I use @wikilgbt to promote LGBTQ+ focused edit-a-thons and Wiki Loves Pride photo shoots at Pride festivals, as well as any intersectional Wikimedia events that would include LGBTQ+ content creation. @Wikilgbt promotes those Wikipedia editors doing great LGBTQ+ work, and followers use @wikilgbt to collaborate on translation of articles, to ask for Creative Commons licensed photos or other media to enhance entries, or to share photos of their edit-a-thons. We have grown the followers to 600 in less than a year, from all over the world. Followers include Wikipedians librarians–LGBTQ+ and otherwise–and LGBTQ+ organizations in addition to Wikimedia Foundation chapters and employees. This community builds trust among LGBTQ+ Wikipedians from different countries, working across languages and cultures.”

In addition, Rachel has served on the local human rights commission as a liaison to St. Cloud State University, where she educates the campus about the St. Cloud Human Rights Office, state anti-discrimination laws and how to file discrimination claims. As a volunteer for human rights commissioner, Rachel initiates difficult dialogues with the purpose of action and for an affirmative work, living, and learning environments in St. Cloud.

Rachel has provided significant service to the IFO LGBTQ+ Statewide Committee, her institution and campus community. Her commitment and work to create equity and opportunities for LGBTQ+ faculty, staff and students, exemplifies being a recipient of the James Eric Chalgren Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.

Gov. Walz Issues Stay at Home Executive Order - Exempts MinnState

Moments ago, Governor Walz announced a Stay at Home Executive Order for all Minnesota residents. The Stay At Home Executive Order directs Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs from March 27 at 11:59 pm to April 10 at 5:00 pm.

As part of the Executive Order, the governor has declared State colleges and universities as essential, which means the colleges and universities of Minnesota State are exempt from this order. Instruction will resume, as scheduled, on either March 30 or April 6 as previously announced.

All classes will be delivered using alternative modes, and campuses will remain closed to the public. Faculty may access campus for things like retrieving items from offices, performing maintenance on equipment used for labs, or to broadcast an online course. While on campus, faculty must practice the social distancing guidelines of the CDC. Students may also access the campus, if needed, for services not accessible at home.

The Chancellor will maintain campus-based essential services needed to support our students. A limited number of employees will be on campus to maintain infrastructure and provide services for students living in dorms. 

We understand the great effort needed to meet the challenges of this time. Each of our faculty has sacrificed to meet the needs of their students. Praise which I can offer does not do justice to the tremendous effort you have all made – but thank you, for everything.

We also want to take this opportunity to commend the bravery and hard work of all of Minnesota’s nurses, healthcare providers, police, first responders, and other public safety employees that are risking their lives each day to provide the necessary care for our residents. We take great pride in the important work our campuses do to prepare a large number of students in these vital areas. There is no doubt your contributions as faculty have prepared our State to take swift and effective action.

We understand things are changing rapidly. We will share information as it changes. Our website www.ifo.org/covid19-info will contain updated information about COVID-19 and your work as a State university faculty member.

As you take steps to protect your health and that of others, keep in mind that we are fighting a virus, not members of our communities. Discrimination, stereotypes, xenophobia, and racism remain as harmful to our campus and local communities as before the emergence of COVID-19.

As a reminder, you can further protect yourself and others by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water; covering your cough and sneeze; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Practicing self-care by eating a healthy diet and taking time to rest

• Frequently cleaning all commonly touched surfaces

• Avoiding large gatherings

• Staying home if you are sick 

If you feel you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, The Minnesota Department of Health recommends:

• Stay at home for at least 7 days, and for 3 days with no fever and improvement of respiratory symptoms – whichever is longer. 

• Use the CDC website on how to Care For Yourself at Home with COVID-19.

• If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days.

• They should closely monitor their health, and if symptoms occur, they must isolate themselves. More guidance on this can be found here: MDH COVID-19 Basics

• Use the CDC website for How to Minimize Spread.

In solidarity,

Brent Jeffers

IFO Accepting Applications for Academic Affairs Positions

The IFO is currently accepting applications for one or more faculty to serve as Coordinator/s of Academic Affairs. This position provides management and oversight of academic issues and outreach. Please click here to read the full job descriptions. 

In order to welcome the applications of faculty who need to retain workload within their home academic unit and also to make it possible for contingent faculty to serve, this position has been divided into two parts; IFO Academic Liaison to MinnState and IFO Academic Projects Coordinator. Applicants may apply for one or both positions, which means that a candidate could apply for either the Academic Projects Coordinator position that is 38%-time or for the Academic Liaison position that is 50% or 63% time, or apply for both positions for up to 100% time. Each candidate must clearly indicate if they are applying for one or both positions.

Summaries of both IFO Academic Affairs Positions are listed below:
(more detailed information can also be found at https://www.ifo.org/academic-affairs-coordinator-positions)

1. IFO Academic Liaison to MinnState: 50%-63% time / 12 to 15 credits; Position involves coordinating the IFO representation on MinnState Committees, serving on committees such as the Academic Affairs Council and Transfer Governance Team, and meeting with representatives in the MinnState System Office to stay abreast of issues. The position is available to faculty currently serving at any of the Minnesota State Universities in tenured, probationary, or fixed term appointments; faculty may apply for a 50%-time position (12 credits equivalent), or a 63%-time position (15 credits equivalent), workload to be adjusted accordingly. The successful applicant will receive either 12 or 15 credits of release time from their home campus, accordingly.

2. IFO Academic Projects Coordinator: 38% time / 9 credits; Position involves leading data collection and report writing efforts related to topics of importance (e.g., Equity 2030), coordinating IFO faculty work on Academic Issues, and convening the IFO Academic Affairs Committee; and involves some travel to the state universities. The position is available to all faculty who are current IFO members, including faculty in adjunct and community faculty positions. Successful applicant who is in a tenured, probationary or fixed term appointment will receive 9 credits of release time from their home campus; successful applicant who is in an adjunct or community faculty position will receive a stipend from the IFO of $2,500 per credit ($22,500 per academic year) at monthly intervals throughout the academic year.

Each position is a 2-year term beginning August 2020 and ending June 2022.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Submit a cover letter and vitae to Brent Jeffers (jeffers@ifo.org) by January 10, 2020.

Candidates may be asked for an interview with the IFO Board (in person or by phone) at the January 23-24, 2020, IFO Board meeting. Candidates will be notified of the Board’s decision by January 31, 2020.

Please contact me with any questions at jeffers@ifo.org or by phone at 651-227-8442 ext. 19.