Home › 2006

2006 Conference Agenda

Conference Schedule

10:00 am - 11:00 am - Concurrent Sessions

Embracing Inclusion - Fostering an Institutional Climate that Values Student Services Contributions Toward Student Success and Institutional Advancement

  • Dr. Belinda A. Dalton-Russell, Associate Vice President of Student Services, Danville Area Community College
  • Dr. Lily Siu, Dean, Communications, Education, Humanities, and Fine Arts, Richland Community College

Student Services provides opportunities for the deliberate and total development of students and learning experiences beyond the classroom. This innovative and thought provoking topic will introduce the unique challenges that Student Services practitioners face and the need to be recognized as an integral part of the institutional culture. Through audience participation we will examine the language barriers, bias and cultural differences among the major administrative units (Academic Affaires, Student Affairs, Technology Services, Business Services, etc.). We will explore through communication ways to bridge the gap between ambiguity and understanding of Student Services educational contributions to lifelong learning. We will discuss the importance of change of attitude, relationship building, collaboration, and measures of effectiveness.

Where do we go from here? How do we get minorities involved at all levels of the educational spectrum?

  • David G. Lewis, President, Lewis Consulting Group, Inc.
  • M.S. Katherine Starks-Lawrence, M.A., President/CEO ENER:Consulting

It's 2006 and the dismal reality is that minorities continue to lag far behind our majority counterparts at every level within our educational organizations; from the board room to the class room.

Program Objectives

This workshop will

  • discuss the ramifications for not addressing this gap
  • examine strategies to bridge this ever widening gap.

The Cast of "Crash" Shares Their Personal Experiences With Racism

  • Dr. Hazel Rozema, Associate Professor, Communication Department, University of Illinois at Springfield

We will view clips from an Oprah show where she interviews cast members of the movie "Crash" (Best Picture) about their life altering experiences with racism and what motivated them to do the movie. Actors include: Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Don Cheadle, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and others. It includes a discussion of the pros/cons of using the "n-word" in rap music.

From Walking to Running: A Student's Perspective on Activism

  • Carrie A. Kagawa, Student, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

We will explore, in an interactive discussion, the multiple dimensions of activism from a college student's perspective.

Program Objectives

  • Share personal experiences with activism
  • Motivate students toward activism: challenges and rewards
  • Explore how faculty/administration can successfully guide students toward activism

Malcolm X College: Commitment to Diversity as a Core Value

  • Cecile Regner, M.A., Vice President of Faculty and Instruction, Malcolm X College
  • Ranfen Li, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Instruction, Malcolm X College
  • Helen Doss, Ph.D., Instructor of English, Malcolm X College
  • M. Gabriella Muralles-Ball, M.A., Instructor of Spanish and Latino Literature, Malcolm X College
  • Mark Hardy, M.M., Instructor of Music, Malcolm X College

Malcolm X College has traditionally served underrepresented groups of students. However, the surrounding neighborhood has experienced gentrification recently. In order to position the institution well for the future, and to distinguish its unique tradition, the college has revisited its mission statement. All constituencies of the college participated in a vigorous and enlightening discussion about whom we should serve and why, and what we should value and why. We shared many anecdotes encountered in our daily operations and learned from the experiences of our colleagues. Through reflection, we have reconfirmed our mission to serve students of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Program Objectives

  • The participants will have learned the process of mission statement revision.
  • The participants will have learned the ways to engage all constituents of the institution in the reflection process.
  • The participants will have learned how different views and perspectives shape the college mission and core values.
  • The participants will have learned the importance of reflections in defining college mission and core values.

Getting off Automatic: Initiating Systemic Change in the Workplace - Part One of a Two Part Session

  • DuWayne Brooks, Director of Multicultural Student Services and Director of African-American Studies, Bradley University
  • Rebecca Durbin, Executive Director of Student Affairs, Rosalyn Franklin School of Medicine

DESCRIPTION MISSING

11:15 am - 12:30 pm - General Session

Generation NeXt Goes to Work

Today's young people from "Generation NeXt ", up to about 26 years old, are entering the workforce with characteristics and expectations that present unique challenges to those responsible for recruiting, orienting and supervising them in the world of work, as they have challenged those educating and preparing them to go to work. The product of postmodern influences they tend to have different expectations and tolerances than workers from the "Baby Boom" and other generational cohorts. This presentation will describe Generation NeXt, our postmodern world, and the generational cohorts, with special emphasis on how we interact in the workplace and suggestions for getting the best from our next generation of workers.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm - Concurrent Sessions

From Nothin' to Somethin': A roadmap for assessment and education

  • Krista Budde, Counselor/Coordinator of Student Life, Lake Land Community College, Mattoon, IL
  • Shannon Phillips, English Instructor and Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter Co-Advisor, Lake Land Community College, Mattoon, IL

Where do you start with issues of diversity on a campus that is 98% Caucasian? This program outlines the initiatives over the past two years to assess a rural, community college about issues of diversity and develop a plan of inclusively. From how our Anti-Bias and Diversity Education Committee was formed to the assessment process and beyond, participants will have a clear understanding of how to begin to assess campus climate. The program will also outline the benefits, purposes, mission statement, and activities of the Anti-Bias and Diversity Education Committee.

Program Objectives

  • Understand the effects that hate crime and bias incidents have on college campuses and communities
  • Identify challenges that may be faced on a campus
  • Implement a plan for assessing campus climate about issues of diversity
  • Develop a mission and plan for an inclusive campus climate
  • Implement a systematic response mechanism for incidents of hate on your campus
  • How to move towards an inclusive campus

The Declaration of Privilege: America and the Racial Divide

  • Albert C. Fields, St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, Diversity Facilitator, 5600 Oakland Ave., Rm. F342, St. Louis, MO 63110
  • Anna Shabsin, JD, MSW, Adjunct Professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University and Certified Hypnotherapist

White privilege runs through our American foundation, marring the ideals of liberty, democracy, justice and equality. White Privilege is written into the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation. It is the basis of the American Dream. Join Anna Shabsin and Albert Fields as they explore our history and explain how privilege manifests itself today.

Program Objectives

  • Define White Privilege
  • Show how the United States has built white privilege into its founding documents and daily workings, creating a norm of white supremacy
  • Provide skills to become social justice workers

Challenging Racism and Oppression: Decatur's Youth/Adult Dialogue

  • David Kidd, Y.E.S. (Youth Engagement Strategy) Coordinator, Macon County Teen Court Administrator

During the 1999-2000 school year a fight broke out at a high school football game. The consequence was the expulsion of seven youth for 2 years. The W. K. Kellogg Foundation recognized Decatur as having a racial problem and awarded them one of fourteen national grants. The mission of the grant was for youth to conduct youth/ adult dialogues and promote a collective youth effort that seeks to unite youth from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to work together in developing solutions to issues in the community.

The work of the youth has been to integrate the multicultural philosophy of one that promotes the acknowledgement, appreciation, and usage of cultural differences as a critical factor in the development and implementation of any system, program, or curriculum. Visions, Inc. a Boston consulting firm, has trained the youth in the use of target and non-target groups. This philosophy implies that the process of change is not static but interactive. It moves us from an individual view of human beings to a relational one.

The youth will share their challenges and successes in their work in Decatur, Illinois. The motto under which they have developed their work has been, "don't make decisions about us, without us." Through their work they have developed an advisory council to the superintendent, mayor, and health department, sponsored four Youth Summits, developed Teen Court, and conducted many diversity trainings.

Program objectives

  • Utilize the training tools of diversity with a short session of target/non-target groups.
  • Conduct an interactive session with one of the target groups.
  • Share the story of youth and their journey in diversity.

Tools to Walk the Talk: Practices in Teaching Diversity

  • Lily Siu, Ph.D. , Dean, Communications, Education, Humanities, and Fine Arts Division, Richland Community College, Decatur, IL
  • Carla Boyd, Assistant Director of Admissions and Records, Student Diversity Advocate, Adjunct faculty, Danville Area Community College, Danville, IL

Discussion of applied strategies, tools, pitfalls and rewards of teaching diversity using best practice examples from the classroom and in co- and extra-curricular activities.

Program Objectives

  • Explore multiple opportunities/venues for diversity education
  • Gain strategies & tools for teaching diversity
  • Overcome the obstacles and appreciate the challenges of diversity education
  • Recognize the pitfalls and celebrate the rewards in teaching diversity

Diet, Exercise, and Diversify

  • J. C. Crane, Jr., Coordinator of Diversity Initiatives, Bachelors Degree, Triton College, River Grove, IL

This presentation will encourage the participants to examine personal bias and hidden feelings about diversity. We will analyze each step of the journey from establishing comfort zones to building a multicultural community. Specifically, we will give examples that minimize stereotypical behavior which can cause comfort zones. The Pyramid of Hate will be discussed, and will show how common, day-to-day behaviors may prevent sensitivity and appreciation for cultural diversity. In conclusion, the audience will participate in two activities that demonstrate the effectiveness of universal human needs within diverse communities.

Program Objectives

  • This program will give the audience strategic activities to incorporate sensitivity and appreciation for diversity.
  • The audience will be more conscious of diversity issues in their everyday life.
  • We will encourage the audience to define this presentation as their personal journey towards the achievement of a multi-diverse community.
  • We will suggest various methods to eradicate stereotypes and comfort zones.

Getting off Automatic: Initiating Systemic Change in the Workplace - Part Two of a Two Part Session

  • DuWayne Brooks, Director of Multicultural Student Services and Director of African-American Studies, Bradley University
  • Rebecca Durbin, Executive Director of Student Affairs, Rosalyn Franklin School of Medicine

 

‹ The 6th Annual Diversity Conferenceup2006 Conference Handouts ›