Fix Your Climate

Book excerpt: Microaggressions, microbullying, and bullying are the silent destroyers of a university's climate. Similar to high blood pressure, these behaviors appear difficult to detect, but if undetected and untreated, they can destroy relationships and morale, and reduce collaboration, productivity, and a sense of belonging at your institution. So how do you prevent (or clean up) a toxic environment in your unit, department, or campus? In this handbook, two leading experts on hierarchical microaggressions - Myron Anderson and Kathryn Young - present in-depth scenarios, strategies, and worksheets for addressing these issues on your campus. In these pages, you will get: A primer on the relationship between microaggressions, microbullying, bullying, and campus climate. Scenarios, strategies, and tutorials for preventing and addressing microaggressions in both administrative and academic units. Scenarios, strategies, and tutorials for preventing and addressing microbullying and bullying behaviors. A case study of how one institution developed a comprehensive bullying policy. A 4-way implementation model to guide your strategy for addressing these issues. "Anderson and Young have conceived a practical and comprehensive approach to achieve positive and measurable change in your campus climate and it begins with a very simple premise: campus climate is everyone's responsibility." - Stephen M. Jordan, Ph.D., President Emeritus, MSU Denver