DIVERSITY TASK FORCE 9.15.2011

Diversity Task Force Meeting

September 15, 2011

9:30 am - 11:30 am

 A. We reviewed the Preliminary Report to the Strategic Planning Committee on the Campus Cultural Audit that was prepared by Dr. Anne F. Mattina on January 29, 2002

• ·         After reviewing the report, Jean Hamler will be contacted to review what questions are being asked in current surveys and based on her response the committee will decide whether we can used the remaining questions in future surveys.
• ·         For the next meeting the committee will thoroughly read through the narrative and determine whether we could send the same survey today. This will then provide comparative information to be used by the committee to determine what progress has been made, if any.
• ·         Another alternative is for the committee to use the questions in an open discussion format such as in focus groups.

B. We reviewed the Beyond the Diversity Crisis Model : Decentralized Diversity Planning and Implementation

By Damon A. Williams

• ·         The committee reviewed The Diversity Planning Process on page 28 and engaged in a conversation about where in the process Stonehill College stands. This model served as a discussion starter about what steps the committee has to take in order to move forward with the charge it has been assigned.

·         C. Action Items

• The committee decided that before action steps are designed, it is important for the committee to create a definition for what diversity means at Stonehill.

D. Human Resources and Diversity Hiring

• ·         The Department of Human Resources has started searching additional sites and organizations where faculty and staff positions can be posted.

• ·         Human Resources will be working with Academic Departments to create a list of additional websites, conferences and other avenues where we can post job announcements.

E. Sustainable Management and Measurement Institute (SUMMIT)   

• Sustainable Management and Measurement Institute (SUMMIT). SUMMIT provides an innovative approach to corporate social responsibility.  The outcomes of this collaboration will be the development of strategies, focus groups, and surveys.

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F. Agenda for the next meeting:

• 1.       Review Strategic Plan in depth
• 2.       Identify top 3-5 goals for the committee

SILENCE IS POWER

Silence is power. Silence is meaningful.

For a while, I never perceived silence as a form of communication. As an introvert, I tend to live up to the title given to me by my peers - “man of few words.” Like many people, I believed that to be silent was to be dumb, socially awkward, or even incompetent. In other cases, silence can be interpreted as apathy, patience, boredom, fear, or sadness. For a long time I felt ashamed of my inability to “speak up” or single-handedly command the attention of a lunch table. In some cases, I felt like I was being held hostage by my environment – That it was in control of me and I was at its mercy. However, over the years I was able to develop mechanisms to counter that self-defeating mentality. One such mechanism was my acknowledgement of silence as a powerful form on non-verbal communication, rather than the absence of sound or voice.

My silence is conflict management. I choose to think about what I say before I say it. I can recall many instances in which thinking in silence before acting has helped me prevent conflict. My silence is thoughtfulness. As a “man of few words,” I spend a lot of time thinking, re-structuring, and synthesizing my thoughts in my head before speaking. Even if it’s the one contribution I make for the day, it will be a meaningful one. My silence is sensitivity. It took me a while to develop good listening skills. In fact, I tended to hear what someone said rather than actively listen. By being very intentional about developing my ability to listen, I have found that silence is important in many regards. For example, not speaking while the other person is speaking, or even turning off your TV will limit distractions from what is being communicated to you. As a result, you will be better able to meet the needs of the individual you are conversing with. My silence is confidence. I prefer to let my actions do the talking. In other words, I perceive my behavior as being the most immediate indicator of my character. Therefore, I try to carry myself in a manner that aligns with my values which are sincerity, genuineness, courtesy, and humility. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have to say a word in order to be admired and respected. Finally, my silence is power. Sometimes when faced with injustice, bias, hate, or even ignorance simply walking away and not engaging the perpetrator can communicate a strong message.  For example, not laughing can demonstrate your disapproval of the racist joke that your friend made. 

No matter how you choose to communicate, know that you do have the power to successfully navigate your environment.  Never compromise who you are. Instead, be intentional about the environments you put yourself in, focus on your strengths, and use those strengths to better yourself and others. 

- Randall     

COMMUNITY

We all can recall particular moments in our lives that have impacted us. We can remember different moments that have brought us peace, joy, sadness, or loss. Many times these moments define who we are, who we want to be, or what we want to do in the future. For some of these moments, we can find others who have experienced the same thing, and instantly a connection is formed. As a community we have all been marked by the events that took place on September 11, 2001.

Today, September 11, 2011, ten years later, I stand in the presence of students, faculty, and staff united for one purpose. We stand together to remember what happened that day and to remember and honor the lives that were lost. As time passes, the memories are not erased; the pain has not diminished, but we stand as a community, a community united by one purpose.

As I look out into the crowd you can see the pain, but you can also see the power of community. The act of standing together provides support, comfort, and hope. Seeing students embrace one another, provide tissues for those crying, and joining together as one was extremely powerful. This is one of those moments I will never forget; a moment where we believed in the power of community.

-Jacqueline

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE -- an introduction

Welcome to the relaunch of the blog "Intercultural Happenings" hosted by the members of the Office of Intercultural Affairs at Stonehill College.

For the past few years, this blog has served a number of different purposes:

• a way to learn and engage in the comfort of your own personal laptop, phone, or mobile device
• a review of our programs and events
• an opportunity to hear from our students and members of the community
• a resource for learning about other blogs, ideas, and thought provoking questions

In September 2011, after finally feeling settled in our new office (a swanky new suite!), we are relaunching the blog to be a more current platform.

Each week, a staff member in our office will blog about something .... anything. After all, our office staff represents a really dynamic and diverse cross section of the population!

So, stay tuned! Each week you'll see a blog post from one of us.

Glad you are joining us!

Peace,
Liza