Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - CFANS ECHO
What’s the difference between the Office for Equity and Diversity (OED) Equity and Diversity Certificate Program via ECHO and the CFANS ECHO program?
Both programs use the same curriculum as developed by the Office for Equity and Diversity (OED). Learners earn the same Equity and Diversity certificate and badge after completing the series of 10 courses through either the CFANS ECHO or OED ECHO programs. The CFANS ECHO program is unique in that participants move through the series of 10 courses (i.e., 10 Canvas courses and associated Zoom dialogue sections) as a cohort while building community with their colleagues from across the CFANS community.
Who can register for the CFANS ECHO courses?
The CFANS Equity and Diversity Certificate program via ECHO is free and open to all current CFANS staff and faculty.
What can I expect to do in a CFANS ECHO course?
All online, asynchronous CFANS ECHO courses include reading materials and videos as well as a Zoom dialogue section. Our group dialogues are highly participatory and interactive. Some of the topics we discuss and material with which you engage may bring up emotions or feelings of discomfort. Please take care of yourself while also working to challenge your comfort zone. Please let us know if there are ways we can support you on your learning journey.
If I am not interested in the Equity and Diversity certificate, may I register for only some of the CFANS ECHO courses?
Yes, the courses are stand-alone, and you may take any course(s) that interests you.
I am only interested in the information and not the Equity and Diversity certificate. Can I just get the Canvas course materials and not attend the Zoom dialogue section?
While our CFANS ECHO courses are designed to be stand-alone, you may take any course that interests you without earning the Equity and Diversity certificate. Our CFANS ECHO courses are in high demand with waiting lists, and attendance at the Zoom dialogue section is required to earn credit for completing a course. If you are looking for more resources, please email odicfans@umn.edu or check out the Anti-Racism Resources list from the CFANS Diversity Community of Practice.
May I share the materials (i.e., presentations, brochures, etc.) I receive in the CFANS ECHO courses with others?
The course materials were developed by the Office for Equity and Diversity (OED) and are for personal educational use only. If you would like to use the materials in any other way, please contact oeded@umn.edu.
Do the CFANS ECHO courses need to be taken in any particular order?
The CFANS ECHO courses are stand-alone and do not need to be taken in any particular order. Many people choose to take all 10 CFANS ECHO courses with a cohort of their peers during one academic year. However, if you are not able to attend all of the CFANS ECHO courses as scheduled, you may also enroll in the OED ECHO version of a course(s). OED also offers multiple dates and times for each of their 10 courses during the academic year.
When will future CFANS ECHO courses be offered?
At this time, CFANS ODI is offering all 10 courses once during the 2023-2024 academic year. We will announce at a later date if we will offer more sessions for each of the 10 courses during ‘23- ‘24.
How many people can enroll in a CFANS ECHO course?
Only 25 participants can enroll in each CFANS ECHO course offering. Registration is limited to ensure time for meaningful, co-facilitated discussion in small groups during the Zoom dialogue sections.
What if I am waitlisted for a CFANS ECHO course? Am I able to still participate in the course and attend the Zoom dialogue section?
Unfortunately, those who have been waitlisted are not able to participate/attend. You can be added to the waitlist for any CFANS ECHO course and DORS will automatically alert you if/when you have been added to the Canvas course for which you are waitlisted.
What if I can no longer participate in a CFANS ECHO course/Zoom dialogue section?
We encourage participants to do their best to attend the Zoom dialogue section that they registered for and prioritize this time in their schedules. However, we know emergencies and changes in schedules occur. In those cases, please “withdraw” from the course as soon as possible. In order to withdraw from a CFANS ECHO course/Zoom dialogue section, you need to log into the Destiny One Registration System (DORS). This document will guide you through the process of dropping or withdrawing.
What if I need to arrive late to or leave early from a CFANS ECHO Zoom dialogue section?
We encourage participants to arrive 5 minutes before the Zoom group dialogue section starts. If you are 15 minutes late or have to leave 15 minutes before the end of the dialogue, we ask that you withdraw from the course and encourage you to enroll in the OED ECHO version of the CFANS ECHO course you missed.
Who tracks my CFANS ECHO participation?
To track progress, log into your Destiny One Registration System (DORS) account at learning.umn.edu and click on 'My Enrollment History' to see the course(s) for which you are enrolled and/or have completed.
If you have taken certificate courses through the former PeopleSoft system and/or through ULearn, your completion will not be reflected in your current Training Hub records. However, you may check your complete Training Record (PeopleSoft, ULearn data, and Training Hub) through the Office of Human Resources system: Training History Report. Please note: if you previously completed course(s) in Training Hub, these have been imported into DORS and should be reflected under ‘My Enrollment History’ and will not be reflected on the Office of Human Resources system: Training History Report.
Upon completion of all 10 of the required ECHO courses, request a digital badge and/or certificate by submitting the ECHO Digital Badge and/or Certificate Request Form.
Please note, if you completed the ECHO program prior to 2018, we recommend that you consider re-enrolling the ECHO program as the content and format has evolved significantly.
I previously completed CFANS or OED ECHO Courses in Training Hub. Do those courses count toward my Equity and Diversity Certificate?
Yes. We recently transitioned to using DORS instead of Training Hub for registration and tracking purposes. All CFANS ECHO courses previously completed in Training Hub should have migrated to DORS. Please reach out if you have any questions about previously completed ECHO courses that did not transfer as complete in DORS. Direct questions to: odicfans@umn.edu.
Can I use paid work time to complete the Equity and Diversity Certificate via CFANS ECHO?
It is at the discretion of your supervisor to permit use of paid staff time to complete the necessary components of an Equity and Diversity Certificate. Please discuss and work directly with your supervisor to make arrangements.
