On Monday, June 12, 2023, the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (FLAS) hosted the Forward Together Symposium, a day-long event aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing innovative ideas, and advancing equity and inclusion within the Faculty. The symposium featured a diverse program of breakout sessions and panel discussions, covering a wide range of topics relevant to teaching and learning in today's ever-changing world.

In the plenary session that set the tone for the day, John Stilla, FLAS Senior Dean, emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive, equitable and collaborative working and learning environment for employees and students and discussed strategies to move “Forward Together”.

Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions led by faculty members from various disciplines. These sessions covered a wide range of topics, including rethinking grading practices and essay writing in an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) framework, implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in essays and long writing assignments, and nurturing a culture of academic integrity in the classroom.

Other sessions focused on decolonizing pedagogical approaches, integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion into curriculum and pedagogy, and creating more seats at the table through justice-based equity work. Presenters shared their research, experiences, and best practices, providing valuable insights for their colleagues.

The FLAS team is proud to present the following guiding principles that will shape its working and learning environment:

1. We will foster intentional relationships with the people with whom we engage, the communities to which we belong, and the land on which we reside to cultivate a space in which each person feels safe, seen, heard, and valued. 
2. We will cultivate an empathetic culture of trust and mutual respect allowing us to work effectively across difference while fostering belonging. 
3. We will make a difference by helping learners recognize and overcome barriers and by creating inclusive learning environments that foster critical thinking and creative problem solving and encourage lifelong learning and global citizenship. 
4. We will promote integrity and trust in our communities by listening, respecting diverse views, and being accountable to ourselves and one another. 

The FLAS Forward Together Symposium proved to be a valuable platform for faculty and staff members to learn together, share their expertise, and support one other. By moving forward together, the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences is forging new paths in providing a quality liberal arts and sciences education for all students and fostering a sense of belonging and connectedness within the FLAS community.