October 2010 Archives

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Thursday, November 18

International Education Week Library Information Fair
11 am - 1 pm; 101 Walter Library

University Libraries will highlight useful resources for international students and offer assistance in the use of the resources. Light refreshments will be served.

Sponsored by University Libraries.

2010 Lecture

Intercultural Matters: The Internationalization of Higher Education
by Dr. Jolene Koester, president
California State University, Northridge

Friday, November 12, 2010
2:00-4:00 p.m., Lecture
4:00-5:00 p.m., Reception
3M Auditorium
Carlson School of Management (map)

Register here now!

The 2010 Mestenhauser Lecture will be given by Dr. Jolene Koester, president of California State University, Northridge, and noted scholar and author in the field of intercultural communication. She earned a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Minnesota in 1980 and was professor of communication studies at Sacramento State University.

The lecture is organized by the Office of International Programs and co-sponsored by the Carlson School of Management and the College of Education and Human Development. Additional support is provided by the College of Liberal Arts.

"Hmong Diaspora, Gender and Public Policy," a discussion and performance featuring academic, political, and artistic leaders. This event will take place on October 21, from 4:30 - 6 p.m., in the President's Room (332) in Coffman Memorial Union. This is the second event in the year-long lecture series, "Marginalization within Margins: Diversity and Equity Across Disciplines and Contexts" presented by the Institute for Diversity, Equity and Advocacy (IDEA).

Event participants include: Senator Mee Moua (Minnesota State Senate, District 67); Mai Na M. Lee (Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Minnesota); Kathy Mouacheupao (Executive Director, Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT)); and Fres Thao, Emcee & Performance Artist (Member of Bakers Club, formerly of Illegoaliens). Moderated by Bic Ngo, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota). 

Attached is a flyer for the film "Outfoxed" hosted by the University Libraries.  Please encourage others to come.

social justice.pdf

The Second Annual Social Justice Film Festival for faculty, staff and students will be held on Saturday October 16^th with five films shown at 1:00 PM and another 5 films at 3:00 PM in Tate Physics Building on the East Bank of the University.  All are documentaries on social justice themes and will be followed by discussion.  Descriptions of the films can be found at http://www.housing.umn.edu/filmfestival/

Come to see a film you've always wanted to see, learn about U of M resources, and the first 150 participants will received a free t-shirt.  Event is sponsored by Housing and Residential Life, The Social Justice Leadership Retreat, The Office for Student Affairs, Office for Equity and Diversity, University Libraries, the Social Justice Minor, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, GLBTA Programs Office, The Women's Center, The Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education, Community Service Learning Center, Disability Services, University Counseling and Consulting Services.

AllyTrainingsFlyer2010-11.pdf

The GLBTA Programs Office is offering the following free, open sessions in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011.  Educational materials and Ally stickers & buttons will be provided, and free PIZZA and beverages will be served!  Everyone is invited!

GLBT Ally Training I: East Bank
Mon, Oct 11, 2010 (National Coming Out Day!)
5:00-8:00 PM
Coffman Union 324
*Space is still available!*

(Trans)Gender 101 Training: West Bank
Wed, Nov 17, 2010
1:00-4:00 PM
Blegen Hall 425

GLBT Ally Training II: East Bank
Thurs, Dec 2, 2010
1:00-4:00 PM
Appleby Hall 226
Note:  It is encouraged that Ally II participants have attended Ally I, but not required.

GLBT Ally Training I: East Bank
Thurs, Feb 17, 2011
1:00-4:00 PM
Coffman Union Presidents Room 332

(Bi)Sexuality 101: St Paul
Wed, March 23, 2011
1:00-4:00 PM
St. Paul Student Center, MN Commons Room

GLBT Ally Training II: West Bank
Tues, April 19, 2011
1:00-4:00 PM
Carlson School TBA
Note:  It is encouraged that Ally II participants have attended Ally I, but not required.

Full DESCRIPTIONS of all our trainings can be found at:
http://www.glbta.umn.edu/programming/allytrainings

** To REGISTER for any training, please email glbta@umn.edu with your name, email, University or community affiliation, and the training(s) you would like to attend. Free pizza and beverages will be provided at all sessions.  Feel free to RSVP for multiple people with a single email, and contact us with any questions!  We are also able to present tailored trainings to staff and classroom groups. **

NEW: Ally Lunch Discussions
First Tuesday of the Month from 12:00-1:30 PM
Remaining Fall 2010 Dates:  Nov 2, Dec 7
Appleby Hall 41

Bring your lunch and your thoughts/questions about being a GLBT ally to these informal, interactive monthly discussions. How do we come out as allies in the workplace, in the classroom, with our friends & families, and within GLBTA organizations? Come discuss strategies and skills for interrupting homo/bi/transphobic situations, and for supporting each other when we speak up. This is meant to be a casual, safer space for talking about what it means to be an ally and how we use our voices and privileges to authentically work for social justice. Everyone is welcome! No registration necessary. For more information, please contact Ross Neely at neely010@umn.edu.

We have attached an Ally Training flyer -- please post in your areas and help us spread the word!  For updated information on all our trainings, programs and events, please visit our website:

http://www.glbta.umn.edu

Thank you!


Anne Phibbs, Shawyn Lee & Ross Neely
GLBTA Programs Office
University of Minnesota
46 Appleby Hall
612-625-0537
glbta@umn.edu

by Kimberly Clarke

Speaking Frankly: Strategies for Creating Meaningful Discussions among
Diverse Learners

21 September, 2:30-4 pm
Walter Library 101

During this early-in-the-semester workshop, participants will (1) consider ways to build classroom climates that embody commitments to diversity; (2) discuss principles for developing learning-centered classroom discussions related to complex topics, complicated questions and contemporary issues; and (3) learn practices that foster classroom discussions that are respectful and challenging, creative and meaningful, engaged and transformative.

Faculty Facilitators: Tim Lensmire, Louis Mendoza and Doneka Scott

I attended the first part of the panel, when professor Tim Lensmire spoke about how he incorporated themes of sensitive-to-some issues such as race/racism and white privilege into his class.  The example he used and spoke from was a syllabus from a class he teaches on
literacy and race in the 21st century.

Throughout the text of the syllabus excerpts, it was easy to see [but not so easily done, I'm sure] where he made decisions to feature researchers of color in his list of readings, to develop assignments where students must bring their own backgrounds into class as part of the assignment, and also using rather unorthodox methods to make this things happen.

Here are some examples.  First, he mentions a theorist, writer and theologian, Rev. Thandeka, someone who I personally was surprised to see as part of his reading list.  I had never heard of her before, yet she wrote a book called Learning to be white: Money, race and God in
America.  I was expecting all of the readings to be from educational researchers...not a minister who works within the areas of race and social justice.  She's on my reading list now.

Next, since he recognizes that his class, and by extension his syllabus, reflects the white, Christian, heteronormative structure of the university, he explicitly makes an assignment where students work collaboratively to deconstruct a book or film of their own choosing.
Of course, the students own privileges, biases, and attitudes are revealed, because that is the purpose of the class--to explore and expose students' ideas of race, literacy, and politics.

Lastly, there's another group assignment, where students are expected first to observe then grade one another on their understandings of Bakhtin, a Russian philosopher [who apparently is notoriously difficult to "get"].  The Show Off Your Bakhtin contest is more than a debate; the class is formed into an American Idol set up, where students perform their understanding of Bahktin, and observer-students are required to behave snidely.  Tim explained during the panel that Bahktin is hard for the students, and that the set up is made to make students laugh and be humorous with one another.  He told us the Bahktin uses humor in his work, and that understanding that was quite important.

I really really liked Tim.  He was quietly earnest, yet droll.  I thought that his work is directly applicable to our work as librarians.  Sometimes, students I encounter want to work on topics
that are personally difficult for me because they are at odds with my own beliefs [I'm quite liberal].  During his brief talk, he showed us how to manage discomfort during a class by creating community and space for laughter. Additionally, he demonstrated how easy it can be
to use content that is objectionable in a class setting.  I can see myself using as search examples topics like white privilege in the library skills classes I teach.

I would love him to do a social justice/white privilege talk for the Libraries

Please join us this coming Thursday, 7th October, for a discussion on the status of women in MN and UMN-TC.

Are We There Yet? Status of Women in MN (Forum)
3:30 pm., 205 Hubert H. Humphrey Center (http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/HHHCtr/)
Debra Fitzpatrick, Director of the Center on Women and Public Policy and Michelle Chen, research intern at the Women's Center, will be presenting the Status of Women in MN report and Action Toolkit for women students (work-in-progress) respectively. Discussion will follow.

Best regards,
Michelle Chen
Research Intern
Women's Center
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

--
Anitra Cottledge | Assistant Director
Women�s Center | Office for Equity & Diversity
University of Minnesota
54 Appleby Hall
128 Pleasant St. SE | Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-625-2385 | cottlead@umn.edu | www.umn.edu/women