The UMB Pulse Podcast

Part II of Diane Forbes Berthoud, Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer/VP

October 07, 2021 Diane Forbes Berthoud Season 1 Episode 7
The UMB Pulse Podcast
Part II of Diane Forbes Berthoud, Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer/VP
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

In the second part of our conversation with UMB Chief Officer of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Vice President Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA, we learn about Forbes Berthoud's goals for the fall semester (6:41), her interactions with campus groups and committees (9:57), lessons learned from UC San Diego (13:01), how to take personal responsibility (20:22) and much more. Get all of your Pulse Check updates (1:55) including how to watch a Maryland Public Television documentary featuring the UMB Cure Scholars (2:00).

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Visit our website at umaryland.edu/pulse or email us at umbpulse@umaryland.edu.

Jena Frick:

You're listening to the heartbeat of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the UMB Pulse.

Charles Schelle:

Welcome to the UMB Pulse. I'm Charles Schelle.

Dana Rampolla:

And I'm Dana Rampolla.

Charles Schelle:

And Jena is back from vacation and she will be back with us on the next episode. So a little bit of time off from us.

Dana Rampolla:

That's she probably enjoyed that. Our banter and talking

Charles Schelle:

Right. This is our second part of our conversation with Diane Forbes Berthoud, who is the chief equity diversity and inclusion officer and vice president here at the University of Maryland Baltimore. You know, Dana, I don't know about you, but I learned so much from her in the first part of our conversation when she talked a lot about her background growing up in Jamaica and how her mother was a great influence as well.

Dana Rampolla:

Well I know from the university standpoint, I want to say I'm so impressed with what she brings to the table, but I too, I found her asked really interesting I love hearing about people's families. In this portion of the interview, Diane gets into the details of what this next year will look like for her office. She mentioned in the last episode that she's hiring a director and an assistant and hopefully those folks will be on board for the start of the spring semester. You will have an opportunity to ask Diane questions if you're listening to this podcast on October 7, because later today at 2 p.m., Diane will appear on Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell where she will take your questions. Future town halls are also in the works if you're unable to attend today's event, or a link to face to face visit our podcast page at umaryland.edu/pulse and click on the chapter markers.

Charles Schelle:

This episode is time stamped for you to skip ahead to Diane's interview. But before we do that, as always time to catch up on what's happening at UMB, this is your Pulse Check.

Dana Rampolla:

Students Shakeer, Princaya, Tyler, Courtney and Davioin, are challenged like never before, as they navigate life in West Baltimore during a global pandemic and a time of civil unrest across the nation. Watch these students from the UMB Cure Scholars Program in the documentary 10th & 11th Grade: From West Baltimore on Maryland Public Television. The program will air at 9 p.m., Monday, October 25th. DewMore Baltimore will present Salt Pepper Ketchup Spooky Edition open mic night live and in person at the UMB Community Engagement Center. The free event is great for area teens and takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 8th at the Community Engagement Center at 16 South Poppleton Street. You must RSVP for the event and you can find the link on this episode at umaryland.edu/pulse in the chapter markers.

Charles Schelle:

The University of Maryland Baltimore is aligning travel and event guidance to the University of Maryland Medical Systems tiered approach in situations where you and B employees also serve in a clinical role at the medical system. They must follow the medical systems infection prevention policies including the tiered approach. Here are travel updates pertaining to UMB. UMB will only permit travel for vaccinated individuals or those with an approved exemption that UMB domestic travel requires supervisor approval. International travel to some high risk countries as categorized by the US State Department and requires a dean or vice president approval all individuals are encouraged to be tested before and after travel travel requirements may differ at UMB. If the medical system moves to level red of its tiered approach. Events guidance at UMB has also been revised through partnership with the medical system. UMB is limiting all indoor meetings and gatherings up to 25 people. Indoor events may not include meals and eating together is not permitted. Grab and Go meals may be provided to be consumed. Following the event, larger meetings and gatherings require approval by a dean or vice president, outdoor gatherings and meetings that UMB may be permitted for up to 250 people with the larger size needing approval by 18 or vice president outdoor events with an indoor component must follow indoor event guidelines. UMB sponsored social or community events outside of hospital or UMB premises including but not limited to sporting events, fundraising events, celebrations must follow guidelines for community events on premises and state and national guidelines. UMB will refrain from providing tickets to medical system or UMB sponsored events or networking like sporting events. Requests for student events will be reviewed by UMB Student Affairs. It is recommended UMB refrain from hosting and sponsoring indoor events as outlined in the medical systems theater approach until further notice. Complete updates to this policy as well as frequently asked questions can be found online at umaryland.edu/coronavirus. The University of Maryland, Baltimore Academy of Lifelong Learning is inviting all of the moms and dads out there to join its new parenting forum. The forum is a destination for parents and caregivers to interact and learn from University of Maryland, Baltimore experts. The forum covers all phases of develop element infancy, toddler, elementary school age, adolescence and young adult. The experts will provide insights and answer questions about children's physical and behavioral health, psychology and social well being. The forum features frequently asked questions, a Medical Library for parents, videos, webinars from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's National Center for School Mental Health and so much more. For a link to the forum, visit umaryland.edu/pulse and click on the chapter markers for this episode. KN95s are now required or fully vaccinated faculty, staff and students when participating in classroom and training activities at the University of Maryland Baltimore. Fully vaccinated faculty or staff delivering in person lectures or presentations may have removed the KN95 while speaking as long as at least six feet of physical distance can be maintained between the faculty member presenter and the students or audience. Faculty or staff who are not vaccinated must wear a KN95 while presenting. For more information and care instructions and frequently asked questions about KN95s visit umaryland.edu/coronavirus.

Dana Rampolla:

And that is your Pulse Check.

Charles Schelle:

This is the second part of our conversation with Diane Forbes Berthoud, chief equity, diversity and inclusion officer and vice president here at University of Maryland Baltimore. We left off with Diane in the last episode talking about the Myers Briggs and the Four Colors Personality test. Here at the start of the second part of the conversation, we're going to get into a little bit about her office and plans for the fall semester. Enjoy part two of our conversation with Diane Forbes Berthoud. Shifting gears to your present. And you mentioned your staff. Yeah, and you're here. And so a lot of people are probably wondering, how do I approach and what do I approach your office for? I was wondering if you can speak about that. And your goal for the fall semester.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

So goals for the fall semester first: Get a staff! Also to understand more about the diversity landscape through data. So where are the datasets for the various things that I just mentioned, related to presence, recruitment, retention, progress over time. That's not all going to be solved or reviewed this semester, but beginning that journey of organizing and structuring the data environment a little bit better, so that it's so so we all can have access to who we are as an institution, and begin to set goals for that. So with the staff, with the data, then thinking about what's next. Synthesizing what we know and hoping that once the strategic plan for the campus is finalized, we'll have some kind of a framework for equity, diversity and inclusion that we can build together. And then from there, begin to execute some things in terms of events and the kinds of things that might be coming up. I'm working right now with the system on a symposium on health disparities. I'm a part of a steering committee focused on that in some UMB folks are also on that committee from School of Medicine. So you know one it's learning about that landscape and understanding Health Sciences and equity, diversity inclusion in this environment. So I'll be working with the system on that. I'm hoping in the next year or so year and a half when based on staffing, to have some kind of a summit or gathering of persons who are interested in the state of EDI at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. And that would mean in your various schools or areas, what are some best practices, things that have worked challenges that you have in a way that we can hear from each other and learn from each other and then build from there, right. So it's not only going to be about event planning, but what I find is meeting with some of the leaders in these areas is people aren't necessarily aware of what's happening in a school or a division outside of their own. So working to bring some kind of coherence around that. So there's staffing as I mentioned, assessment, and then creating a forum or fora for people to gather, learn share. And some of the specific things like trainings understanding are people trained in these areas, whether my office develops that are and are working in collaboration with HR. And I have met with the students and would like to continue to learn more from them about their experiences and what they think needs to be improved, certainly increasing and improving diversity, as in, you know, yes, headcount and representation in all the populations will help. Faculty diversity is one of the areas that I think there is a need. And so thinking about development programs, their recruitment strategies, retention strategies, and any kind of faculty development programs, which we'll be talking about this fall. So quite a few things that I need to be working on. Having a staff will help me organize that but this is part of the mapping. And so being the hand writer, drawer, or whatever that I am, I'm kind of putting those pieces together at what things are focused on students, staff, on faculty and water, what's the capacity of the campus but also of my office to be able to lead those initiatives very well.

Charles Schelle:

Even though you're new, you still had the chance to to meet with people as you mentioned students actually, I think before you officially started you were part of a book club right discussion for how to be an anti racist. So how did that go? And then, as a follow up, what are some maybe other groups or committees on on campus that you could see yourself interfacing with.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

Thank you. So I wasn't officially a part of the book club. But I joined the discussion like, you know, like, an outsider at the time, because it was in June. So I was still transitioning from my previous role. I leave it up to the participants and the listeners to say how they thought that went. I found it myself to be exciting, to begin to work with persons who are going to be my colleagues later. So I was excited about that. And also to be a part of what I think is a tremendous movement of change, curiosity, strength from the staff were a part of that group and faculty as well. And students, it's really great to be a part of a community where people are committed and serious about equity, diversity inclusion, so much so that there's a position and they're willing to have the conversations, the difficult ones and the ones that are easily to think about how we can be better as an institution. So that that for me has been exciting. What was the second part of your question?

Charles Schelle:

The different groups that you would you would interact with.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

Yeah, so so all groupsthat have to do with all things equity, diversity and inclusion. Every major group, faculty, staff, students, so, so far I'm -- I don't my calendar offhand. But this is who I remember meeting with. I've met with staff groups, a brief meeting with the staff senate at the Diversity Advisory Council, the President's Council for Women, the UMBrella group, the executive group of the student government, and then their individuals in different places. I've met with all the deans and all the vice presidents and various constituents who people say, Oh, you have to meet so and so. Once I met with the dean or someone else, someone else was recommended to me. So I've been meeting with individuals who, in their own ways have advanced those goals. As a group, very important group. In my work, I've met with all the DEI officers, all the schools that have assistant or associate deans of diversity, or appointed individuals, whether with that title or not, who are charged with advancing faculty diversity or student diversity. For example, in the School of Medicine, I met with that group with all the assistant associate deans and there are two of the schools that are hiring for that role. So I've met with them as a group, and we'll meet with that cohort it as individuals as well, because they are the leaders for those initiatives in the schools. And so it goes right so of course, I report to the President and I meet with him as well. And every other group that might have a number of persons have said, I'd like to meet with you Welcome to campus. And I have this onboarding list that I'm still working through and I'm absolutely sure as soon as these are through and we kind of get moving forward I'd be happy to so I anticipate somewhere between now and November I'll be having those meetings, which is also a part of my strategic planning and learning of the landscape process.

Charles Schelle:

During your time at UC San Diego, you've done a lot. You know, I'm looking through your your rsum. And between accountability data dashboards for key metrics, creation of equity, diversity, inclusion, best practices, resource planning toolkit. You mentioned a lot about search committees, too. And there's can be a lot of top level stuff but I'm wondering like, as for the broad UC San Diego community, when you came on board, what was the general ask? What was kind of the atmosphere of, you know, we want x,y and z to make this place, like even better?

Unknown:

So I was on campus for 10 plus years. And when I was interviewing for my last role I that's something you ask your future boss, what are the priorities. And in addition to listing the quality she needed from the person, she talked about the task that was needed, and the first thing she said, one of the first things was, I need a do-er. And in my mind, I was like,

Dana Rampolla:

My mom told me that.

Unknown:

You know, and that's I, I am a strategic and systems thinker. All these tests like Gallup, and all these things. My number one strength is strategic, and the second is achiever. And so while I love the talking, like enjoying this conversation, and I love sharing and talking with members of the campus community, I'm also about and what does this lead to, or to what does this lease I don't enter the preposition. So what are we going to do with that we say, this is who we are. And then therefore what right so that was very attractive to me because my boss at the time was looking for a do-er, or someone who would implement the kinds of changes that would make a difference on a very, very, very large campus on our one public university, you know, highly ranked in not just the nation but the world.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

The second thing in terms of what needs to be done, I need a strategic plan for the campus had a strategic plan. However, there was not a named you know, plan, framework, something that would then help us get to where we are. So how would we know we were successful, right? Without a plan, without some named goals and strategies to say, okay, a year or two from now have we done this thing? So my role, most of my portfolio was strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, community engagement, which actually is some of what I'll be doing in this role. And so those were the things that that's where it started, I think it was 2016-17. And that is a very long process that in this or another conversation, I'll be happy to talk about. And from the plan, it was not just to have words on a page or words in a file or on a website, it was then to say, what are the major areas that we'll be measuring from now on across our 17 schools and divisions? And what kind of reporting and how can we track our progress. And so one of those metrics, one of the categories was access and success, recruiting, retaining, developing, supporting a diverse faculty, staff and student body that was reflective of the state and as a public institution in state of California, and here at Maryland, I would say the same that's reflective of the state and the regions of the Baltimore region and the state of Maryland. And that can be measured, right. And so if in a state, women have college, going age or professional, in graduate school, going age constitute at an let's say, 48%, I actually need to learn this right in terms of availability, 48% of the states, I'm just naming something yet, in a particular school or division, there are 23% of women here, then we will say, well, actually in the state, here's what we know about people in that field, or professional and graduate school age, and then qualification, we would then need to critique and understand what's happening there and try to close that gap, or that descend, create no more disparities in those areas. So the plan was a big part of my work there, and the execution and implementation of the plan and the measurement of that through an accountability process. Very long, complicated, rewarding, and involved process that required a lot of collaboration and stakeholder engagement, faculty, staff, students, multiple meetings, and for many of which I hope to have here both in the virtual and when we are back in in person environment to do and to have something that will say here are three or four major areas. And here's what we're going to do together and a commitment, a commitment from all all of us that will make that happen, because that's not my job alone.

Dana Rampolla:

Right, right. And I imagine you'll you'll redefine those every couple of years. Yeah, to determine what your progress has been. Exactly. So what would you say had the biggest impact in improving equity at UC San Diego?

Unknown:

The commitment and collaboration. People willing to come to the virtual physical campus tables to grapple with the difficult issues of under representation of some groups and faculty, staff and student areas, and some disciplines, and the color the collaboration and the commitment, people saying, we want to make this happen. And another major thing I know you asked for one, but another major thing that wouldn't have happened without changes in either leadership or hiring and how we did that. So over time, which is natural people retire, people move like I moved from California, after 10 years, that guy moved from here after 15 years, I'm doing that, you know. So over time people retire, they leave, they've timed out, their contract ends that maybe after five years as an administrator and may not have been renewed or whatever, then there's an opportunity to refill that position, or what are we going to do and who are we going to hire. And these are opportunities. So that office has been in place I came in and maybe a year or so after it was established. It's been in place about six or seven years now. And in that time, the changes in leadership as well as the collective commitment, were two of the main areas. There's a marvelous chancellor there, Pradeep Khosla was a pleasure to work for. Someone who worked for him and to be there during his leadership. And then my boss, also the Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at that time, Dr. Becky Petitt. And through their leadership and commitment and building those relationships, to be able to secure buy-in and hire the right kinds of staff. I mean, I think her hire of me and the staff that she hired and the Chancellor's hire of people in the cabinet also secured that commitment and then their leadership of their areas. It's really a cascading effect to say this is a priority for us. Yes, we're going to be researchers in this area. Yes, we have this technical element of our field. And for us, equity, diversity inclusion, it was I think it was theme number two of a five-point plan for the strategic plan that was very clear for newcomers for our plan. Now that's probably eight, nine years old. Now, of course, it evolves over time and has evolved almost a decade now. But that that goal number two has remained something related to diversity and students success is also a major focus. And I see that here as well with a strategic plan. So I'm excited about that and build continuing to build because it's here already to strength. than that, and to build that out here with commitment, and collaboration, for sure.

Dana Rampolla:

It is exciting to think about where we'll move in the upcoming years because I do feel like we have a good base here. But that doesn't mean it's perfect and certainly doesn't mean there's not room to grow. I find UMB to be a very collaborative community on a lot of levels. So I think it's gonna lend itself well to your goals. Diane, what can we each do on a personal level to be active, and not just be a bystander when it comes to equity on campus?

Unknown:

Certainly to be open to learning and change. And that's for everyone at every level. And so although I do this professionally, I'm listening to podcasts, I'm reading books, when I have the time or listening to books. Let me be more honest about that listening to books because it's rare that I am sitting and reading for two or three hours, I'll be driving and listening to something. And I'll be walking on the trail and listening to a book or something like that. Having that commitment, we know there's not perfection, but we would like to make progress. So progress, not perfection, necessarily. And also the understanding and grace, you know, the past year and a half, have been some of the most challenging in many of our lifetimes, it was extremely challenging for me, personally, psychologically, professionally, because all of my life's collided, you know, professionally, this is the work I do. And so there was a lot of emotional and psychological labor, that went into working on a very large campus, dealing with some of these kinds of issues at all levels, and the physical, you know, toll of seeing these images and sometimes having trouble sleeping or hearing a staff member being very upset about what's been happening. And my just thinking about that person all day, and for the next day and the next day. And knowing that there are probably 5000, more staff members who may have had a similar experience related to microaggressions, or racial battle fatigue, or being discriminated against because of their immigrant status or LGBTQIA, plus, and so forth. All that said, you know, it's 'I still am committed to learning and growing.' And I will not get everything right, either, you know, and there may be harm, and others may do harm to others or to me, but to have I hope to continue to have some grace and understanding in that process. So the learning and the commitment and the change. And, you know, some understanding about our human experience, which is complicated and messy, and beautiful.

Dana Rampolla:

Well, maybe you can share some of this podcast with us on a dedicated website.

Charles Schelle:

Something else or wanting to add to with the pandemic, I think there was a lot of issues that came out also about equity for access when it comes to Internet, for learning at home about personal time. And I'm wondering if if you've seen any of that in the past year, you know, your discussions for this kind of workplace issues?

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

Absolutely. Yes, I served in a search committee for my former campus pretty much for the whole time of the pandemic, to call return to learn return to campus return to work, there are different variations of it. And actually, that my subcommittee that I cochaired, had to do with equity, as well as market strategies and what other industries were doing higher education, the UC system, and beyond like Spotify and Amazon and Twitter, and so forth. And so our committee researched and looked at some of those issues. And some of the issues of equity that arose both from the survey that we administered on campus, as well as our reading of various magazines had to do with caretakers of all clients, all genders, all groups. Although we know that according to the research from McKinsey and other groups that women bear most of that, particularly in the US market that we were losing more women and more people of color from their various fields and disciplines and from the workforce broadly, that Black and Brown children were experiencing more learning loss and less access to technology than others, and less access to parents who were physically available to assist them because they might have been out right shuttle drivers or nurses or various professions, etc. That said, our employees and we have to think about the institution where we work, we're experiencing some of the very same kinds of things, right? So learning loss, income loss, you know, psychological strain and burden, emotional labor and trauma, among other things. And so, a persons with disabilities having concerns as well being on a Zoom call, and maybe not having all the tools that you need to be able to participate fully in the ways that you might if you were on the university campus, where many of those things are built in students with disabilities, also, veterans who were experiencing PTSD in a different way because of the pandemic and because of the lack of engagement, isolation and other things that many populations were experiencing. The list goes on and on and on in the middle of it. Those who were in racialized or minoritized populations, were experiencing the pandemic in different ways, too, because of the police involved shootings and the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Ms. Breonna Taylor and so on. And so just knowing that all of that was happening also means you know, I even read something about working while a woman or Working While Black or whatever during the pandemic. And there was a piece I think was in the Harvard Business Review about being gracious when people are not on camera, in part because for some people, it may be shameful to show where they live because what Zoom can do if one does not have the upgraded thing and the technology to show to blur into the virtual backgrounds not everybody has the update or the laptop or whatever that allows them to do that and or the access or the bandwidth I mean the list goes on and on. So some people might have been in a closet some people might have been in a kitchen with three four or five other people a multi generational home their parents have had to live with them they have children, they may have a spouse or not. And that then means if I don't have a virtual background to hide the parts of my life that I have kept private and I come to work to do work at a desk where you and I can see each other we're somewhat equal if you want to call it that because you have a desk I have it as you have a cubicle, I have a cubicle or I share or whatever the thing is, everybody needs to have their camera on. Well there is an assumption that we're making there about what people are willing and able to do and what they would like to show us in terms of their environment. That's one thing the other thing is Zoom fatigue is real. And psychologists have talked about Zoom fatigue learning specialists education specialist I've talked about this as well, ophthalmologists, I went to my own ophthalmologist for my check before I moved out here great let me get this one out my insurance and all of this change my glasses the whole thing and she asked me about that. What kind of work do you do? How long are you doing this and everything else? And I have not looked at a screen more in my life than I have during the pandemic. So turning off the screen at times and and some people were getting headaches in my office and sometimes I had a few I take my glasses off turning off the screen allowed me to still hear. Get my pineapple, my raspberries or whatever you know to get to eat because sometimes that doesn't happen with the stress of last year that didn't happen. Or to get a glass of water. I was not well hydrated at times. And so all of those kinds of issues that I'm raising some of it I'm just using personal examples I learned from my co-workers as well as through my reading and education that the between the Zoom fatigue the emotional stress the other things that were happening in our society, the pandemic as well as dealing with children and working and thinking about leaving the workforce all of those things are aspects of equity around class and race and gender and lifestyle and own life and you know family arrangements and so on and sociologists I'm sure could help us with this discussion too and without considering that and just saying well you're here to do a job of work you better get it done or when are you going to do this if we don't if we don't consider all the elements. And plus that I was mentioning, we end up having workers or people who are here at the university unhappy dissatisfied and with low morale which leads to other outcomes for the university that we do not want. So we have to think about then how do we equitably consider wellbeing, productivity, engagement happiness, satisfaction at work and it is very much connected to me to equity diversity inclusion.

Charles Schelle:

Yeah, there is a few times during the pandemic where someone's like 'Well why is your camera showing your your ceiling light?' I'm trying to hide the dirty dishes on my tables I haven't picked up, or the blankets in the back. so just you know

Dana Rampolla:

Or the dog walking by.

Charles Schelle:

Yeah well the dog will hop up on my lap.

Unknown:

Oh I like that yeah I like seeing my well, I hate to say it's my favorite part -- but the meetings that I liked the most were the ones with animals, the family members,

Dana Rampolla:

Right

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

The little ones who would come waving on the screen and I'd be one of the few who be like, 'Hi! Hi Maya!' Hi Belinda!' I'm just doing that because I'm thinking they probably are bored out of their minds upset they're not seeing their friends hating having to wait for mom or whoever or dad or any relative really on the thing when they really want your attention. And I hope I have been understanding and gracious there to that you know and often people are you know they're often apologizing and I get into so I started talking to the kid and then the employee is like that's that was not part of this you know your pandemic puppy or something because that kind of lightens the load, you know, and makes the child feel included but also the employee not feel ashamed of their life or upset like I'm sorry, I'm interrupting this meeting. I'm like, look, this is a part of our life right now. Work-life integration. How about that. So that part has been kind of fun. I've actually gotten to see meet some of the newborns that the children who are born since the pandemic and playing with babies virtually and all.

Charles Schelle:

I'm not ashamed of showing people my dog.

Dana Rampolla:

I found that a really positive piece of the pandemic is having that insight when people are able or willing to share. And I love seeing the little kids come we have had a standing meeting for what a leadership group that I've been in at the university and one of the men was the primary caregiver for his toddler daughter and he started out each meeting 'I am so sorry, like I don't have a choice she would sit on my lap' and like I thought that was really a nice piece it is what it is him getting to actually and I can see where it could be a negative but it made me have such a good feeling about him to see him functioning as a father and an employee and just that he could balance both both of those things. So you talk about Myers Briggs and personality testing I mean it was a real life display of I'm doing it. I'm juggling it. I'm living in the minute and I'm doing the best I can.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

You know I think this is something about our workforce that we need to we are reexamining right how at times we have felt that family, children were an interruption of the main mission. And when we've done that, what we've created is a false bifurcation or a dichotomy between work and home and there needs to be one for some people. And I completely respect that. I have maintained some of that myself when I was-- why I loved my commute back in the day when we add commutes regularly you know I did that every day and I knew that once I got to work I mean I always had my phone on if any of my family members, my parents, spouse, children whatever you know I would pick up and they would know it although there were times it's like 'Mom I left my...' And I was like 'I'm in a meeting!' You know but obviously is that 'Mom I don't feel well. My nose is bleeding or I have a fever.' Or just before COVID even then you're not really supposed to have children at school sick like that. So I would see those calls and I would and once I determined the content of the call, the intention of the call, then I was like okay gotta go people have to leave. But the part of the reason why some people have been overworked and feel underpaid and under appreciated is because they've felt ashamed of having to do any kind of caregiving or chastised for doing that and now COVID just kind of brought it all front and center and the jobs that are offering the understanding the flexibility the respect for people's lives and you know are the ones where people feel okay, this is a job where I want to be and stay you know, and so there's that more there's greater satisfaction. So it's it's really a moment for us to go: 'What have we become?' And this this thing about the wearing busy as an armor, you know, this is a an awesome thing. And people are overworked, stressed and burned out like a lot of our colleagues in health sciences right now, you know, and health fields.

Charles Schelle:

Is there anything else that you wanted to touch on?

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

No, this has been a fantastic conversation. I think you asked great questions. And you had been talking on for quite a while but it's been a pleasure, thank you.

Charles Schelle:

It was a really upbeat conversation. I learned so much. Again. Welcome to UMB Dr. Diane Forbes Berthoud.

Diane Forbes Berthoud:

Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure, Dana and a pleasure, Charles. Thank you.

Charles Schelle:

Thank you.

Dana Rampolla:

All righty. That was a great conversation with Diane. Our next full episode will be on Thursday, October 21. And we will be talking about UMB's very own Donaldson Brown Riverfront Event Center in Port Deposit. Charles will be taking a road trip not not literally. But that would be fun. It's a great place to see what we'll be talking to Jennifer Coolahan. She is a business services specialist at UMB. And she's going to share with us the history of the mansion, how to host a wedding or a conference there, and even how it can be used as a Hollywood set,

Charles Schelle:

There is a bank vault in the basement, which is reason enough to tune into the episode. But that could probably be a Hollywood set all on its own. But yeah,

Dana Rampolla:

It likely could and I think she might be telling us about a ghost or two that lurks around every now and then. Yeah, it has some very cool history. So I think it'll be a fun conversation.

Charles Schelle:

Well if you have a question for Jennifer or any of our upcoming guests, or even your esteemed co hosts visit umaryland.edu/pulse and send us your comments, suggestions, questions, anything in. Remember to subscribe on Apple podcast, Spotify, Amazon, Google, and wherever you'd like to listen to the UMB Pulse. And that's it for this episode. Thanks for listening to the UMB Pulse.

Jena Frick:

UMB pulse with Charles Schelle, Dana Rampolla and Jena Frick is a UMB Office of Communications and Public Affairs production edited by Charles Schelle. Sound engineering by Jena Frick. Marketing by Dana Rampolla. Music by No Vibe. Recorded in the University of Maryland Baltimore Community Engagement Center.

Show Open
Intro
Pulse Check
Goals for the Fall Semester
Meeting and Interacting with Campus Groups
Lessons Learned from UC San Diego
Biggest Impact on Equity
Taking Personal Responsibility
Being Inclusive using Technology
Wearing Busy as an Armor
Next Time on The UMB Pulse

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