Initiatives

June 2007 - Establishment of Diversity Website

The major project for fall ’06 and Winter-Spring ’07 was the creation of a diversity website. All task force members were actively involved in its development. The website is comprehensive in scope, reflecting the richness of diversity at UMSL, covering areas such as:

Welcome Letter from the Chancellor, espousing his views on the topic
Rotating diversity photos
Information about the task force
Demographics
Drop downs, including task force history, mission/vision and list of task force members
and much, much more

September 2006 - Establishment of Diversity Student Radio Show

The task force got in on the ground floor with the creation of a student radio station, The U. The station was started September 2006 and the task force’s student radio program on diversity commenced the same month. Called The World View, the name was coined by a student, Ebony Hairston, also host, along with Katarina Panerina, co-host. The student tagline is: “Unity, harmony and respect for different points of view,” repeated throughout the program.

The show’s hosts interview students from different cultures, including international students. It also plays music from various genres and from all over the world and has national and international news briefs that are related to diversity.

September 2006 - Multicultural Photos Project

Recommended and helped to implement the development of multicultural photos, Think Diversity/Think UMSL

This project included the hiring of a full-time photographer to take natural-looking photos of students, faculty, staff and others on campus, capturing the essence of campus life. The photos are on CD and available/distributed to the whole school for ads, brochures, flyers, etc.

March 2006 - Mission and Vision Statements Established

Task force members crafted Mission and Vision statements and approved by Chancellor George and Provost Cope.

February 7, 2007 - Dealing with Difficult Dialogues -- Parts of Speech
presented by UM-Columbia’s Interactive Theatre Troupe

When an English class is unable to handle the diversity issues they encounter, the actors remain in character and turn to the audience for suggestions to improve the situation. In interactive theatre audience members become active performers, taking advantage of the opportunity to receive feedback and explore the multicultural dimensions of teaching. Attend with your colleagues to explore these issues. Attend with your classes when the topic of diversity is relevant to your course curricula. For more information go to: http://difficultdialogues.missouri.edu/theater.html

Sponsors: Center for teaching & learning, the Colleges of Fine Arts & Communication, Arts & Sciences, Nursing Education an the Dean’s Committee on Social Justice, Multicultural Relations, Office of Equal Opportunity and The Chancellor’s Task Force on Diversity

February 17, 2006 - Am I Someone’s Mirror? Diversity Issues in the 21st Century
Prof. Rudy Wilson, SIUE

Prof. Rudolf G. Wilson, Assistant Provost for Cultural and Social Diversity, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, uses interactive activities to create a common experience to discuss, acknowledge, and generate possible solutions to common issues - prejudice, hostility, power, and control - reflected in the shattered mirrors in our community. Designed for UMSL faculty, staff, and student leaders. Cosponsored with the Offices of Student Affairs and Multicultural Relations, the Diversity Task Force, and the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

October 14, 2005 - Civility, Freedom, and Tolerance: Effectively Approaching Race and Identity in the Classroom

Dr. Jonathan Smith (American Studies, St. Louis University) aims to heighten faculty awareness of the possibility that the identities and identifications-how we are seen and identified by others-we bring to the classroom shape our dialogic space, even when the course material has no obvious connection to issues of identity. He fears that inattention to the role of identity, in any discipline, may silence significant groups of students. Smith's goal is to foster classroom participation that is forthright, honest, challenging, thoughtful, and intellectually rigorous. Continental breakfast will be served. Co-sponsored by the Provost's Office, the Diversity Task Force and the Office of Equal Opportunity.

October 2005 - Diversity Presentations

The Center for Teaching and Learning and the task force added regular presentations on diversity to their schedule for faculty and staff. Other sponsors included The Office of Multi-cultural Relations and Office of Equal Opportunity.

July 5, 2005 - First Year Report

The report launched its first set of recommendations. The report was well publicized, including being available on the UMSL website and presented to the Faculty Assembly on September 2005.

The report reflected a year of dialogue, discussions and presentations about enhancing campus diversity. It put forth nine recommendations, from “Reinforcing the educational benefits of diversity” to “Better coordination of diversity activities.”

The report has continued to be a working document, guiding the process to generating more specific recommendations. The task force has followed many of these recommendations to implementation. Moreover, task force members have striven to cultivate an attitude of respect, meaningful dialogue and rules of engagement, so as to better practice and reflect a culture of inclusion. The task force has continued to grow in membership, representing a good cross-section of the campus, including a member of the UMSL Alumni Association.

June 10, 2005 - Group Visit to SIUE

A group of task force members visited Prof. Rudy Wilson, SIUE’s director of the Office of Cultural and Social Diversity. Task force members: Gwen Deloach-Packnett, co-chair; Deborah Henry, co-chair; and Malaika Horne, chair, inquired and learned about SIUE’s approach to enhancing campus diversity. They also observed a diversity class of about 35 students, taught by Prof. Wilson.

October 29, 2004 - The Whiteness Conference – Washington University – St. Louis

Many task force members attended The Whiteness Conference – Washington University – St. Louis. Members included: Malaika Horne, Gerda Ray, M.K. Stallings, and Murray Velasco.

September 2004 - The Chancellor’s Task Force on Diversity

Chancellor Thomas F. George established the Chancellor’s Task Force on Diversity July 2004. It held its first meeting September 2004. It is well represented by the University community, chaired by Malaika Horne, Ph.D. Task force members read and reviewed innumerable documents on the topic to bring themselves up to speed.