Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Economics

To follow through with our Statement of Solidarity issued in June 2020, the Economics Department created three working groups during the 2020-2021 academic year—classroom climate, curriculum, and resources for advancement—committed to the following endeavors: 1) understanding the classroom experience of students who have felt marginalized within Economics, 2) exploring the Economics curriculum to ensure that a diverse group of students can identify with Economics, and 3) expanding resources for students to succeed both academically and professionally in Economics at Oxy and beyond. 

During the 2021-2022 academic year, the working groups made concerted efforts to move the department closer to achieving a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive major. Below, we highlight the actions taken by each working group.  

• The Classroom Climate working group hosted a roundtable discussion for economics majors, economics minors, and students currently enrolled in an economics class in Fall 2021. The roundtable was attended by about 30 students and six faculty members, and was hosted by Chris Arguedas, former director of Oxy’s Intercultural Community Center. The discussion highlighted and reinforced the feedback that we received from our student survey conducted in the 2020-21AY. Several female and nonwhite students stated that they felt uncomfortable speaking up when they weren’t sure of an answer. Students noted that it was helpful when faculty explicitly acknowledged gender and racial dynamics in the classroom, and when faculty took steps to reduce pressure to get questions right in class.
• The Curriculum working group administered the department’s textbook support program which offers free introductory economics texts to students enrolled in Economics 101 and 102 who demonstrate highest financial need. The working group also created a set of resources for Economics 101 and 102 instructors to utilize in their coverage of discrimination (Econ 101) and economic inequality (Econ 102). The materials include suggested topics to cover, readings, videos, and exercises. Finally, the working group assembled a database of examples, applications, and exercises dealing with diversity, equity, and inclusion that have been used by faculty teaching intermediate and upper-division courses. All resources were circulated to economics instructors.  
• The Resources for Advancement in Economics working group had several accomplishments this year. Working with the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Association (APIDAA), Women of Economics (WOE), and the Economics Student Association (ESA) they organized a panel of Asian alumni in decision making positions, which also included a dinner with the alumni and students who helped to organize the event. The event, which was the second in our Visible Hands Initiative, was well attended with over 30 students and faculty members. The working group also incorporated student involvement this year to help with events. In addition, with the goal of redefining what it means to be an economics major and to demonstrate the diversity of our students and faculty within the program, the group created an Instagram account (@oxyecon). The account has over 170 followers. The group also organized a First-Gen Student Resources Workshop for first-year students and sophomores interested in economics. The workshop highlighted important resources for academic and career planning. Finally, the group organized a program to create more cohesion and to provide more tools for students participating in Oxy’s Undergraduate Research Center’s Summer Research Program (SRP).
• The department chair reached out to other departments on campus to share resources and experiences incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work into the major and curriculum. 
• The Economics Department continued it efforts to bring a diverse range of speakers to campus with the support of the Remsen Bird fund. Homa Zarghamee, associate professor of economics at Barnard College, gave a talk on the gender gap in competitiveness. In a separate event, Alice Volz, an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, spoke about gender gaps in financial well-being and wealth.
• Professors Jason Wong (Econ) and Seva Rodnyansky (UEP) collaborated to create the Econ-UEP Student Research Colloquium, which is a bi-weekly colloquium showcasing interdisciplinary research by Oxy student-scholars investigating environmental, urban, and economic policy questions.

Previous Year-End Report Summary

2020-2021 Year-End Report Summary

This year, the Economics Department created three faculty working groups—classroom climate, curriculum, and resources for advancement in Econ—committed to the following endeavors: 1) understanding the classroom experience of students who have felt marginalized within Economics, 2) exploring the Economics curriculum and textbook used in the principles-level courses to ensure that a diverse group of students can identify with Economics, and 3) expanding resources for students to succeed both academically and professionally in Economics at Oxy and beyond.

While there is much more work to do in the coming years, the working groups met several times throughout the academic year and made several efforts to move the department closer to achieving a more equitable and inclusive major. Specifically, during the 2020-2021 academic year, the working groups accomplished the following:

The classroom climate/experience working group conducted a survey of students and alumni on their experiences in the classroom and in the economics community at Oxy. The survey responses provided the department with insightful information about the experiences of students, especially those students who have ever felt marginalized in Economics. While students indicated that they felt supported by many Econ faculty members, several students expressed that they felt uncomfortable expressing confusion or uncertainty about course material in front of classmates, felt that some classmates are unaware of discrimination and inequality, felt that some students dominate classroom discussion, and felt uncomfortable in classrooms that have few female students or students of their racial background. Using survey responses, the classroom climate/experience working group developed a document with ideas for creating a more equitable classroom. The document, which will continue to evolve, provides a wide range of strategies that faculty may utilize to create a classroom environment more inclusive for students from underrepresented backgrounds.  The curriculum working group evaluated the current textbook used in the department’s principles-level courses and found the textbook provided an unacceptable discussion of labor market discrimination and bias. As a result, the committee explored alternate texts and the department approved the adoption of a new textbook by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers. The new textbook which will be used in Econ 101 and 102 includes an accurate discussion of discrimination and implicit bias and a wide range of examples that allow a diverse group of students to identify with Econ. To make the transition to the new textbook easier for students, the department will be providing textbook support to students with the highest financial need.  The curriculum working group received department approval to make labor market discrimination and economic inequality required topics for Econ 101 and 102, respectively. Resources will be provided to instructors to help them incorporate these topics. The resources for advancement in Econ working group created and launched the Visible Hands Series. The series is a partnership between the Oxy Economics Department and the College’s Alumni Organizations. The speaker series connects Oxy students with alumni of color with the goals of fostering diverse professional networks and learning about the professional experiences of our alumni of color. In the inaugural event, which partnered with the Occidental College Latino Alumni Association (OCLAA), the Economics Students Association (ESA), and Women of Economics (WOE), our students had an opportunity to engage with a panel of Oxy Latinx alums who occupy decision-making positions in various professional fields (non-profit, government, business owners, administrators) and hear about the different types of decisions they make and the factors that shape those decisions, including their Latinx background. Panelists also discussed their professional journey (e.g., challenges or other personal motivations that helped with their success) and the role that their experiences as Latinx students at Oxy played in their professional careers. The resources for advancement working group in partnership with the ESA and WOE held the first roundtable on Students of Color in Economics. The conversation was facilitated by Professor Jesse Mora. Students expressed a desire for more opportunities to interact with other students of color, greater efforts to create more inclusive classrooms, and the expansion of topics in Econ 101 and 102 that are of interest to students of color or that students of color can relate to.   Other efforts by the department include:

• Expanding eligibility for enrollment in the department research seminar (Honors) by eliminating the first year of studies from the GPA calculation used for eligibility.
• Remsen Bird sponsored speakers from a group of scholars with diverse backgrounds and opinions including Brendan O’Flaherty (The Economics of Race in the United States), Marquise McGraw (Will We Fly Again?), and Jenny Price (Stop Saving the Planet! An Environmentalist Manifesto).
• The Economics Students Association (ESA) and Women of Economics (WOE) hosted a number of events aimed at creating a sense of community within the major (e.g., game night, student-faculty mixers, senior celebration), provided information and guidance about the major for any student interested in Economics, provided peer mentoring and tutoring for students taking Econ courses, and student and alumni panels.