What is the purpose of the Teach-In?

The purpose of Teach-In is for mutual education among students, faculty and staff and is intended to address topics related to inequality and systems of oppression, as well as social justice and liberation. The broad learning objectives of Power, Privilege, and Difficult Dialogues are to raise awareness, inform, create dialogue, and motivate action.  

The hope is that each individual has valuable takeaways from their experience at this event. The intent of the Teach-In is to spark dialogue within the GVSU community that continues after the conclusion of the event. Learnings and experiences from the Teach-In are intended to be shared among the GVSU community and continued throughout the academic year. 

Additionally, whether you are a student, faculty, or staff, the purpose of the Teach-In for you is to:

• Be amongst people with different perspectives
• Engage in a safe and constructive space for challenging discussions
• Learn from the lived experiences of others
• Learn from one another on how/why we aren’t like-minded, and how our differences strengthen us
• Work together on how to address/navigate social issues

 What is the value of being a presenter at the teach-in?

Teach-In presenters are in the unique position to share space with their audience and offer up knowledge on a topic of their choosing. 

As a presenter, you have the opportunity to:

• Tell your own story
• Share solutions
• Learn how you’re similar to others
• Receive professional exposure
• Build your resumé 
• Practice public speaking and engaging in professional discourse

You get from your session at Teach-In what you put into it. Additional valuable aspects of presenting at this event include:

• Networking opportunities
• Exposure to a variety of professionals in public and private spaces
• Practice for conference presentations and similar events 

Why is the teach-in open to staff, faculty, and students? What is the value in that?

At GVSU we believe we can all learn from one another, and the Teach-In is intended to foster this environment in an intentional space. It is structured this way because:

• Students get the opportunity to to be educators
• It is an opportunity for mutual education and intended to offer equity in student and professional voice
• Community-based learning is a core value at GVSU
• Through a level playing field in presentations and participation, we can change our culture
• Shared experience in real-time is paramount in understanding others perspectives
• This structure demonstrates that we are all students and we are all teachers

Why should students attend and participate in topics that are challenging, upsetting, or raw? (Power, privilege, and difficult dialogues)

We especially encourage contributions with an intersectional framework that takes into account the various ways that race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, etc. impact lived experience.  

• If you don’t agree with something, we want to still acknowledge it and respect it. To learn more about our university policy on expression and speech, please see the Expressive Activity at GVSU page

• This space is intended to strengthen perspectives of unfamiliar topics for all involved
• Engaging in difficult dialogues helps a person navigate situations you might not want/think you’ll have to face or acknowledge, but the reality is: you will! The Teach-In allows you to:
  • Think critically
  • Learn skills to navigate challenging relationships, including:
    • Friendships
    • Family 
    • Stranger/unexpected encounters
    • Coworkers
  • Help to build resiliency
  • Be active in your community and the world; to make change, we cannot sit back and be a bystander
  • Better prepare yourself to handle challenging situations
  • Be an ally
  • Speak up for yourself
  • Advocate for yourself and others

Will sessions be offered virtually in addition to in-person?

Certain presentations will be offered virtually or recorded. This is dependent on the presenter and their own preference on their session delivery and access of technology to hybridize their session. The Teach-In committee does not provide virtual Zoom-in options for sessions at this time. 

What is the deadline for proposals?

October 20th, 2024, at 11:59PM

When will I hear back about my proposal?

All those who have submitted a proposal for the Teach-In will hear back on the status of their application by November 1st, 2024. 

Will I get class credit for presenting at the Teach-In?

This is dependent on your instructors and whether your class is offering credit for participation. Unless your instructor has offered this, there is no class credit offered for presenting.

Can I get a recording of my presentation?

We are not able to offer recordings distributed to presenters at this time. However, if you wish to set up your own recording of the session for your own records, please contact [email protected]

Why does a presenter need a faculty or staff to submit alongside them?

To lend legitimacy to your submission

What should I wear to present?

Business casual.