Listening to each other helps us to be better together, better tomorrow.
The Foster School of Business is dedicated to hearing out the needs, issues, and dreams of our community. With Foster Listens, we hope to make a safe, warm, and easy way to share your experiences with us. Our community matters, and together we can foster progress to better our Foster School, and humanity.
Here you’ll find a clearinghouse of resources, information, communication channels, reports, and opportunities for your voice to be heard. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in touch.
Listening to you
Your experience matters. Your words matter.
We are dedicated to creating opportunities and avenues for members of our community to have their voices heard and to seek resolution on issues impacting their experience at Foster.
Click the button below to sign up and learn more about Dean’s Listening sessions.
The Foster Diversity Committee surveys our community every 2 years to track progress on our inclusive climate. A link to that survey will be posted here when the survey opens. You can see reports from the previous surveys on the “Sharing with you” page.
This video from our colleague Tim Wilson at UW Bothell explains why student course evaluations are important and how we use the information to improve your learning experiences.
Employee exit surveys offer Foster staff an opportunity to improve upon our current practices and create a more supportive and enriching workplace. All of the questions on the survey are optional to complete and any information you provide will not affect any future references we may be requested to make on your behalf. In addition, Foster HR welcomes you to share feedback at any time. This information can also be collected in an aggregate way to keep the details anonymous.
The Bias Incident Advisory Committee refers those who report incidents to appropriate campus offices and program which can effectively respond to and provide university resources and guidance.
Help our community be more inclusive by anonymously sharing comments that have made you feel excluded or included at Foster.
SafeCampus supports people who have concerns about relationship violence, stalking, cyberstalking, harassment, threats, escalating conflicts at school or work, and suicidal indicators. People also call us when there isn’t a specific safety concern yet, but the witnessed behavior is concerning, erratic or just doesn’t feel right. If you have a gut feeling that something is “off,” a situation is escalating, someone may be in danger, or you just want to consult with someone, call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233.
Office of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman serves the UW community by providing high-quality, client-focused services for preventing, managing, navigating and resolving conflict at the UW. We act as thought partners with clients to assist them in navigating any issue to do with their lives at the UW.
UW Student Counseling Center
The Counseling Center has partnered with My SSP to give students access to real-time, confidential mental health and crisis intervention support, 24/7 and in multiple languages. There are several ways to connect: Call 1.866.743.7732 (If calling from outside the US or Canada, dial 001.416.380.6578). Online chat: Chat with a My SSP counselor on the My SSP website or on the My SSP app (Apple App Store | Google Play).
UW CareLink
UW CareLink connects UW faculty and staff with experts who help you or your family members navigate life’s challenges. You get free, confidential access to guidance consultants who provide:
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- Counseling
- Legal advice
- Financial guidance
- Eldercare assistance
- Work-Life solutions
- Consultation for managers
- Critical and traumatic incident response services
Faculty Senate Dispute Resolution
All university faculty have rights and responsibilities that are protected under University rules, regulations, and policies, which include the Faculty Code. When disputes arise relating to those rights and responsibilities, the Faculty Code provides various processes and options for addressing them.
University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO)
UCIRO investigates complaints that a University employee has violated the University’s non-discrimination and/or non-retaliation policies.
Talking with you
We are here to support you and work together with you.
Below are opportunities to engage in real person-to-person conversation on the issues that are critical to you.
UDS Office Hours with Natalia Esquivel Silva (Community Program Manager, UDS) vary from quarter to quarter. To learn more, please check out our UDS Newsletter or Instagram. You are welcome to contact Natalia ([email protected]) to coordinate a meeting as well.
Undergraduate Student Diversity Committee
The Undergraduate Business Council (UBC) Vice President for Diversity leads a subcommittee of undergraduates whose mission is to create a more inclusive and equitable environment at Foster. They strive to do this by identifying and creating awareness of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion related issues through discussions and yearly projects. To learn more or to share your experiences with the committee, please reach out to the VP of Diversity here.
Graduate Student Diversity Committee
| Program | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology Management MBA | Ali Khan | [email protected] |
| Hybrid MBA | Evan Kim | [email protected] |
| Full Time MBA | Christine Pham | [email protected] |
| Evening MBA | Kelsi Ramirez | [email protected] |
| Executive MBA | Barhame Soumana | [email protected] |
| MSIS | ||
| MSEntre | Lloyd Dees | [email protected] |
| MSCM | Lin Li | [email protected] |
| MSBA | ZiCheng Sheila Kelley Fernandez | [email protected] [email protected] |
| MST | Athena Stirbis | [email protected] |
| MPAcc | Athena Stirbis | [email protected] |
| PhD | Anusuya Banerjee | [email protected] |
Please feel free to reach out to them to share feedback, concerns, or compliments:
Kate Spoor
Molly Breysse Cox
Click here to learn how to connect with the Advising team.
Sharing with you
Transparency is critical to being accountable to our Foster community; we need to act and make changes based on what we hear. Here we will share updates and reports on our efforts and insights.
After each Listening Session, we will post our report and track issues identified here.
This report summarizes results from the new items to measure inclusive teaching that were added to Foster’s course evaluations in 2020-21. View the report here.
Each year, we’ll post a report summarizing general themes identified in the Microaggressions survey. Expect a report here in Spring 2023.
Our annual report provides a snapshot of our community’s diversity, outlines the progress we have made, the challenges we continue to face, and our plans for next steps.
Tracks the diversity of our community over time (available only to Foster faculty and staff).
43 Reports were filed (over half were filed anonymously) in WQ 2021
Reminder that this is for the entire UW Campus, not just the Foster School
WQ 2020: 20
WQ 2019: 12
Primary concern as reported by the person completing the report
Discrimination: 28
Harassment: 6
Flyers/Posters: 5
Grafitti: 1
Damage to Property: 1
Intimidation/Threat: 1
Themes identified in an informal review of reports
These don’t center on one department, school, college
Employment, hiring
Micro-aggressions
Disrespectful environment
Anti-Asian harassment, xenophobia
Anti-Semitism
Misogyny, sexist attitudes
Dismissive behavior based on faith/religion, conservative perspectives
For more info about the Bias Incident Reporting Tool or the Bias Incident Advisory Committee, visit the Reporting Bias Incidents page or contact Mara Stevens.
Dreaming with you
Foster’s future is ours to create together. Fill out this form to let us know what you see for the Foster future.