Brown Bag Lunch Series

I thought that this was an interesting opportunity for students to get involved with.  MICA (Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy) is holding a "Cross Cultural Brown Bag Series" allowing all members of the campus community to come together and discuss important issues.

Through my internship in the Community Service-Learning office I've noticed that these conversations about "civic engagement" and social issues are common among the faculty of the university, but rarely engaged by the wider student body.  The university is a place of learning and, I believe, that it's important to have all ideas being put out on the table so that we can learn from one another's experiences.

It's exciting that there are more spaces are being given for students and faculty to listen to one another.

The next brown bag lunch will be held on Monday November 9th and the topic of discussion will be Latino/as in the military during WWII.  The brown bag lunches are held in the Stamp Student Union, Student Involvement Suite, Terrapin Rooms B & C, 12:00p-1:30p.

Until next time,

Sasha

To protest or not to protest?

(Gerald Martineau/the Washington Post) Yesterday students and staff met at Nyumburu Cultural Center to march down to the Administration building in protest of the cuts on the Office of Equity and Diversity.  The protest made it into the Washington Post as well as the Diamondback this morning.

Members of the UMD community were given the opportunity to write down their feelings and post them on the Administration building.  Students and faculty declared, "Without diversity, there can be no equality." Various students expressed that the UMD self proclaimed ideals of diversity was what brought them to the university.

I have heard critics ask, "What is the point of the protest?  What can students actually do?"  That attitudes assumes that we have no say in our experience as college students.  It implies that our time here is a serious of experiences and actions done to us, rather than us being a part of the decision making process. 

No one denies that the budget cuts are serious and that the whole university hasn't been impacted.  I feel that students are voicing concerns that we are being ignored in the decision making process.  The students and faculty are equally affected by the decisions of the administration.  Students are asking for transparency.  At the very least we are asking to be informed rather than just being told after the fact. By protesting students are saying enough. 

We have come a long way as far as diversity, but we still have a long way to go.  Issues of diversity are not solely for minority groups, but affect us all equally.  There is so much that we have yet to learn from each other.

On Tuesday Novemeber 10, 9p students and faculty will again meet to discuss next steps. 

Diversity?

I think most of us can remember the process  of applying to UMD.  I recall a strong emphsis on this idea of diveristy.  The university prides itself as being a diverse campus.  What does all of this talk of diversity mean?  Is diversity having a rainbow of skin colors on campus?  Is diversity bringing a group of people with wide ranging experiences and backgrounds?  Is diversity both of these things?

According to the, recently drafted,  Diversity Plan Draft diversity is "all the ways we differ as indiviuals. It includes visible differences such as age, gender, ethnicity, and physical appearance; as well as underlying differences such as thoughts styles, religion, nationality, socio-economic status, belief systems, sexual orientation and education. It means respecting, valuing and harnessing the richness of ideas, backgrounds and perspectives that are unique to each individual" (ASME).  In addition the University of Michigan points out that diversity "should be a source of mutual enrichment to all members of the university community."

So what does this all mean with the restructuring of the office of Equity and Diversity (which includes the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education, Nyumburu Cultural Center, and the office of LGBT Equity)? As Nehama mentioned Dr. Cordell Black, Assistant Provost of Equity and Diversity Cordell Black, has worked at the university for years fighting for marginalized groups on campus with the idea that diversity is essential to the "excellence and enrichment" of the the university.

Students are not taking the matter lightly.  Last night there was an emergency meeting to discuss the restructuring of the office of Equity and Diversity and Dr. Cordell Black.  This morning's Diamondback article is titled Students furious over diversity official's ousting.

In response to last night's meeting there will be a march on the administration building starting at 12p at the Nyumburu Cultural Center.  Let your voices be heard!

-Sasha

UJC General Assembly

Hey guys,

I've been given an incredible opportunity and I'm so excited about it that I thought I'd share it with you all early! I'm attending the General Assembly (GA) of United Jewish Communities next week and can't wait. The GA is a HUGE gathering of Jewish leadership from around the world that comes together on an annual basis to discuss Jewish leadership, current issues, and have plenaries, forums, and workshops for current and emerging leaders. It encompasses the political, business, and non-profit realms while bringing together leaders of diverse ages and backgrounds.

The GA is taking place in DC and I applied for a chance to go for free--and got it! There are lots of amazing speakers who will be there, and I will be sure to update you about everything next week. As of now, I know that President Barack Obama and Prime Minister of Israel Benyamin Netanyahu will be speaking there. I was also invited to a student event at the Israeli Embassy where Ambassador Michael Oren and past Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Natan Sharansky, among others, will be speaking. 

If you've ever met me, you know that I freak out when meeting important people, and get more a bit more excited than I should. I can't wait to share my experiences with you next week!

-Nehama

Dr. Cordell Black

If you saw the Diamondback this morning, you saw the articles about the possible closing of diversity offices on campus and the possible termination of Dr. Cordell Black. Now it appears that it will just be a radical restructuring of responsibilities, and that Dr. Black will be returning. While there have been many rumors flying around about all of this, this situation still reflects how important diversity on our campus is--hundreds of students are reported to be attending an emergency meeting to discuss the situation tonight. 

If you want to attend the meeting, it's from 6-8 pm tonight in the Nyumburu Cultural Center (if you're facing the front of Stamp, it's to the left). Even if you're not sure about what's happening, the meeting's a great place to learn about these issues and to separate fact from fiction. Check out the facebook event for more info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168255853162&index=1

Unfortunately I can't make it tonight, but if you go, please comment on this entry so that we can all hear what you thought of it! And look at tomorrow's Diamondback--I'm sure there will be media coverage of this meeting. 

-Nehama