UT Libraries Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes: Diversity Roundtable
March 15, 2012
1:00 PM
Hodges Library 605
In attendance:
Michelle Brannen (UT Libraries), Earnest Brothers (Graduate School),
Travis Griffin (Diversity Programs), RJ Hinde (College of Arts & Sciences), Anne Hulse (Center for International Education) Matt Jordan (UT Libraries), Thura Mack (UT Libraries), Demetrius Richmond (Recruitment and Retention), Allison Roberts (UT Libraries), Marva Rudolph (Office of Equity & Diversity)

Roundtable Discussion:

Campus Diversity initiatives

Dr. Brother’s “UT is wired, but not connected”

Improve communication and collaboration within colleges and departments.

How can our group help to improve communication within colleges and departments?

Group focus on Recruitment and Retention:

How do we keep students in Knoxville? Intro to Knoxville (Library Course?)
Knowing the community helps retain and recruits future faculty to stay in Knoxville.

Outlay opportunities for engagement:
The Chancellor is focusing on STEM – how does that help the community- teachers.

How can our group support the campus STEM movement?

What can we do at UT to keep graduates here?
Community involvement – employers – Career services – More open houses – Job fairs focused on STEM opportunities – Oak Ridge

Celebrate small successes – Communications – Sell UT/Knoxville as a total package –
Joint Recruitment – future faculty – weekend visits
Money matters – Graduate student competitive funding –

Resources and solution

Recruitment collaborations – Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education (CIRE)
Resources for each department/college are limited. Collaboration of resources and sharing opportunity maximizes impact.
Library packets focused on STEM – lure future students and faculty with what our resources can offer – how they support your research – online resources – online help.
One stop shop – packets and people available with all the available resources and information at retention avenues (STEM) – conferences – Campus meet and greet STEM departments and librarians.
Professional Development – Graduate orientation – social engagement.

Life of the Mind programming – Bringing it home – collaboration with Ready for the World -sense of place -create packets with local information – place model

Next Meeting April 19: Bring STEM library resources and invite Donna and Jeanine.

UT Libraries Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes: Diversity Roundtable
January 19, 2012
1:00 PM
Hodges Library 605
In attendance:
Michelle Brannen (UT Libraries), Trisha Brady (UT Libraries), Earnest Brothers
(Graduate School), Travis Griffin (Diversity Programs), RJ Hinde (College of Arts
& Sciences), Annazette Houston (UT Disability Services), Anne Hulse (Center for International Education) Matt Jordan (UT Libraries), Thura Mack (UT Libraries), Katrice Morgan (School of Law), Demetrius Richmond (Recruitment and Retention), Laurie Roberson (School of Architecture), Allison Roberts (UT Libraries), Marva Rudolph (Office of Equity & Diversity) Allison Sharp (UT Libraries), Elizabeth Young (UT Libraries)

Updates and announcements
Kynita’s last meeting is today.
Trish will leave in 2 weeks

Roundtable Discussion:
Diversity Definition brought to us by Dr. Earnest Brothers
“Diversity in higher education is a systematic blending of academic programs, recruitment, retention, policies, and curriculum that provide college students with an enriched multicultural environment for learning”
Erwin, K. S. (2001). Multiculturalism, diversity, and African-American college students: receptive, yet skeptical? Journal of Black Studies, 31(6), 764-776.

We had a lively discussion of campus diversity initiatives but did not get to resources and solutions.
• I wish that we had gotten to the point where we discussed ways to collaborate.
• Can we take some of the issues discussed and use those for collaboration?
• The issues discussed were university wide. Suggested that we send the agenda again since we didn’t finish the agenda. Trust was established quickly and we learned about what each department is doing.
• Were there other who wanted to attend and couldn’t? Vern Granger.

They really embraced the committee and the round table group.

• Discussion about Intro to Knoxville course- some students feel lonely and isolate when they first get to campus.

• Interesting that we are having dialog with groups of diverse academics. Each has unique agendas. Try to establish regular meeting times. (for the roundtable group)

Resolved: Start where we left off. Recap 1st part then start with Resources and solutions. Send a follow up to all invitees not just those who could attend this gathering. Suggested same Thursday meeting in 150 – have greeters and signs. Doodle poll for next roundtable gathering and let the group decide how often to meet.

Upcoming events for Diversity
Culture Corner – Global Beauty
Spring international Festival April 20th – display and books
Black issues conference Feb 19th – Music Resources – use clickers to survey students – ask students about diversity issue-. Assessment- Digital Sign