13.07.2015 Views

questions posed in advance of and during the listening session

questions posed in advance of and during the listening session

questions posed in advance of and during the listening session

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Color Blocks–Horizontal<strong>the</strong>re is no mechanism to hold <strong>the</strong>m accountable across <strong>the</strong> board. It is only permissible for<strong>the</strong>m to seek <strong>in</strong>tercultural competence <strong>and</strong> knowledge <strong>of</strong> how to foster success <strong>in</strong> a diversesett<strong>in</strong>g (staff, students, colleagues, etc.). Institutionaliz<strong>in</strong>g welcom<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusiveenvironments is <strong>of</strong> great <strong>in</strong>terest to many constituents.What is <strong>the</strong> University's plan to improve <strong>the</strong> retention <strong>of</strong> faculty <strong>and</strong> staff <strong>of</strong> color? When willwe see a strong commitment to diversity <strong>in</strong> every college?What k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> resources are you prepared to commit to <strong>the</strong> recruitment <strong>and</strong> retention <strong>of</strong> adiverse staff at <strong>the</strong> University?For susta<strong>in</strong>ability, diversity <strong>in</strong>itiatives seem to need to be managed <strong>and</strong> resourced with somecont<strong>in</strong>uity (permanent staff, faculty). Often it is students who might be around for only a yearor two who are <strong>the</strong> most energetic about this work. How do we effectively br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>consistent <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> transient members <strong>of</strong> our community toge<strong>the</strong>r to work towards sharedgoals?How will <strong>the</strong> University make it clear that work<strong>in</strong>g on issues related to equity <strong>and</strong> diversity iseveryone's responsibility?How do we create/obta<strong>in</strong> longevity with regards to equity <strong>and</strong> diversity? How do we keep iton <strong>the</strong> front burner?Why does <strong>the</strong> College <strong>of</strong> Ed <strong>and</strong> Human Dev. refuse to orchestrate a concerted effort to takeon relevant issues <strong>in</strong> urban education, like <strong>the</strong> under education <strong>of</strong> students (particularlystudents <strong>of</strong> color, English language learners <strong>and</strong> low <strong>in</strong>come students), <strong>and</strong> diversify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>teacher pool? What will be <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutional consequence for such complacency?This is very complex because (1) by its very nature as a 150-year-old <strong>in</strong>stitution, certa<strong>in</strong>privileges <strong>and</strong> assumptions are deeply entw<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> structure <strong>and</strong> operations <strong>and</strong> tend toperpetuate <strong>the</strong> status quo. (2) Genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>clusion takes a large <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>of</strong> time <strong>and</strong> awill<strong>in</strong>gness to change some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rules <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> game. It takes real <strong>and</strong> ongo<strong>in</strong>g conversationthat facilitates underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> valu<strong>in</strong>g across differences, <strong>and</strong> it takes side-by-side worktoward shared objectives. (3) All aspects <strong>of</strong> diversity need to be recognized <strong>and</strong> valued,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g disability. (4) To really do this, you have to th<strong>in</strong>k differently about time, getcomfortable with discomfort, <strong>and</strong> figure out how to reward people for <strong>the</strong>ir hard work along<strong>the</strong> way, even when <strong>the</strong>re is no money. So my <strong>questions</strong> are, (1) how can youcompassionately dismantle <strong>and</strong> reassemble an <strong>in</strong>stitution to work <strong>in</strong> this new age? <strong>and</strong> (2)who can you br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> who is <strong>in</strong> it for <strong>the</strong> long haul to get <strong>the</strong> process started?OutreachHow can <strong>the</strong> UMN engage <strong>the</strong> University community to participate <strong>in</strong> work such as thatgo<strong>in</strong>g on at UROC? The University needs to be a provider <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se resources <strong>and</strong> notnecessarily <strong>the</strong> leader <strong>of</strong> that whole process or <strong>the</strong> guide to it, which sometimes has ru<strong>in</strong>edrelationships.Many communities <strong>in</strong> TC area have a lack <strong>of</strong> trust <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UMN -- <strong>the</strong> clos<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> GeneralCollege, Comm<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g English program that outreached <strong>and</strong> served a great number <strong>of</strong> highschool students, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> move to close <strong>the</strong> MA program <strong>in</strong> Teach<strong>in</strong>g English as a SecondLanguage. I feel <strong>the</strong>se k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> moves on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istration create a sense <strong>of</strong>distrust among communities that UMN is try<strong>in</strong>g to reach.I have been at UMN s<strong>in</strong>ce 1999 <strong>and</strong> have seen a lot <strong>of</strong> changes. I feel that <strong>the</strong> UMN brokesome trust with <strong>the</strong> native <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>digenous communities around <strong>the</strong> state. I underst<strong>and</strong> UMNis driv<strong>in</strong>g to be one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> top three research <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world but I'm very concernedabout <strong>the</strong> telescope on Mount Graham, which is sacred to <strong>the</strong> Apache People. And UMN<strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong> wild rice issues that are also sacred to Ojibwa people. I feel that <strong>the</strong>se <strong>and</strong>o<strong>the</strong>r past experiences contribute greatly to native peoples lack <strong>of</strong> trust <strong>in</strong> UMN. I want tostress <strong>the</strong> benefits <strong>of</strong> MN be<strong>in</strong>g home to 11 tribal nations, though less than 1% <strong>of</strong> overall MNCOLOR BLOCKSIrregular shapes <strong>in</strong> multiplpalette add movement an10

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