Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes January 21 2010

Meetings:
The committee resolved to meet every four weeks on Thursday at 1 pm unless notified otherwise.

February 2nd All Staff:
The plan is to notify the attendees of upcoming events and programs, ideas for enriching the Library,  and ask for staff to send information about their needs from the Diversity Committee.

Black Issues Conference:
The committee discussed program layout who would open,  present and close.
Facets of presenting the information were discussed. Calling on Carreer services for support of the the various diciplines requirements for resume/vita layout and content.  Advertising avenues were highlighted (Deans newsletter, Student Success Center ) and plans to post the finished presentation were hatched.

Culture Corner/ Common Ground Collaboration Opening:
A tea and cookie event is in planning. The committee is waiting on setting a date.

Residents Reception:
Feb 16th @ 3:00.  Welcome gift basket was discussed each member is bringing items to include.  The committee will solicit non members for help with the reception.

Let’s Talk About It Ideas:

Iran in the 21 century:
Correlate with the Persian New Year in March
Highlight the election and the use of social media and the news.

News wars:
Show Wag the Dog and have a panel of journalism and communication professors and grad students offer insight, comments and take questions.

Haiti:
Committee discussed launching an effort with a sister library in Haiti and respond to their needs.

-MAR

2010 Black Issues Conference

UT Libraries Diversity Committee joins the 5th Annual Black Issues Conference with Making a Good Virtual First Impression: Using Google Sites to Get a Job, Saturday February 6, 2010

Using current technologies can instill excellent leadership practices that can bridge communication across all cultures. Using eportfolios is a cool strategy for students to establish their virtual presence. There are many options for presenting a portfolio to prospective employers; but creating your own web portfolio brings you online visibility and creates an avenue for sharing your body of work quickly and easily with the professional world. Google sites are a simple straightforward interface for creating a free professional web site. This program will provide a demonstration of the set-up of a free web site, teaching attendees how they can design a glowing custom portfolio. The attendees will learn skills that are transferable throughout the professional world as they continue to build their leadership presence.

Co-presenters:

Laurie Roberson, Director, Student Service

Trisha Brady, Media Specialist II

Allison Bolorizadeh, Assistant Professor

Erin Moore, Assistant Professor

Presentation Materials are here:

https://sites.google.com/site/diversresume/

New Library Diversity Residents Chosen

Rabia Gibbs and Kynita Stringer-Stanback join the UT Libraries on Monday, February 1.
Rabia received her MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh in August 2009. She also holds a BA in Philosophy from Evergreen State College and a M.Ed from Arcadia University in Elementary Education.
Kynita received her MS in Library Science from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in May 2009. She has a Bachelor’s degree in African and Afro-American Studies from UNC,CH and has international travel experience.

Explore Diveristy with 129 Seminars

Sign up for a seminar and expand your diversity awareness.
Classes are designed to fit your busy schedule, requiring a reasonable amount of work for a one-hour course. But the academic and social skills you’ll gain from Freshman Seminar will benefit you throughout your time at the University of Tennessee—and beyond.

See the list of Seminars @ http://web.utk.edu/~froshsem/seminars/

Diversity Committee Meeting Notes 11/12/09


Spring 2010 Culture Corner

The new Culture Corner Display is set for December 14th.  We will present a poster in the big cabinet on the first floor and books by or about the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. Book wrangling is still in the planning stage.

We plan to have a ceremony to celebrate the collaboration of the Common Ground Book Club and the Culture Corner Jan 11th.

Diversifi-  Planning

Hodges Auditorium is booked after 6 pm every Thursday for Spring Semester.  I there are sporadic Tuesday’s available. Feb 2 nd 4-6,  Feb 16th 4-6, Feb 23rd from 6-8.

We discussed finding an out of the library location.  The Music Auditorium may be a good choice.  I will check with the Music department and see what we have.  After we have a location and date we can recruit sponsors and start publicity.

Native American Student Association

Disscussion about having a NASA panel speak to student services about issues Native students have on campus.

Laurie mentioned events planned for next semester

WWII Code Talker, Keith Little?, is coming in January

April is Native American Heritage month

Discussion  about having another NASA panel in the spring maybe March.

Meeting with Dean Dewey

December 3rd we are meeting with the Dean. Thura asks that we bring questions. The Dean has received our Annual Report.

Questions for the Dean

Shout out for the diversity committee at All Staff

Pertinent

Restructure

Library Staff Participation

The committee discussed options for more inclusion of the Library staff in the events produced by the committee.  The committee considered employing instruction components in the Library All staff meetings to broaden the awareness of diversity issues to the Library staff.

Ideas Shared

Take 20 style diversity talks

Ambassadors for diversity issues

5 to 10 min hot points at all staff

Video programming and post on the Diversity site

Committee Professional Opportunities

Send any conference information that is pertinent to the Diversity Committee.

BIC 2010- “Black in America: How Far We Have Come…Yet, So Far to Go”.

See Attached Information: http://omsa.utk.edu/files/Black%20Issues%20Call%20for%20Programs%202009%20Interactive.docx

We can brainstorm by email on the issues

MAR 11/17/09

Diversity Committee Notes 10/15/2009

Present: Thura Mack, Allison Roberts, Jerry Roberson, Laurie Roberson, Trisha Brady, Allison Sharp Bolorizadeh

1.      Announcements

Powwow at Crutch Park October 17, 2009

2.      Reflection on Let’s Talk About It programs

Hensley talk Oct. 13- Laurie and Jerry attended: it was a good group, but small.  The presentation went well. It was very interesting.

What’s Offensive panel Oct 1st: also a small crowd, but extremely intriguing.  We want to do this again.

AR: what can we do to increase attendance to our events.  We currently post at Tennessee Today, @Tennessee, Beacon, Metro Pulse, WUTK, Knoxville News.  – Maybe more lead time to events. – More posters – White board directing to event

3.      Upcoming Culture Corner  (ideas, suggestions, etc.)

Highlight Nobel Piece Prize winners

Ideas for speakers? http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/index.html

4.      Brainstorm on Spring Let’s Talk About It programs

  • Appalshop speaker: highlight services they perform and opportunities they provide http://appalshop.org/
  • Food and Culture: involve the new Culinary School, Ready for the World. Link with speakers focus on the culture of food.
  • Diversifī: student  talent competition – contact student groups for support – cool prizes – sponsor ideas – Fresh Market, UT Bookstore, Square Room, Catalist, Glowing Body, Knoxville Visitor’s Center, Black Culture Center.
  1. Plan for FEB – check calendars
  2. round up sponsors
  3. publicize
  4. round up food
  5. t shirts (need money?, make our own, donated)

5.      Other

  • Welcome new member Allison Bolorizadeh
  • Schedule Meeting with Dean Dewey

Concluded

“Let’s Talk About it” What’s Offensive to an Indian?

Join us Oct 1st at 1:30 in the Hodges Library Mary Greer Room (second floor entrance) for a panel discussion on issues facing Native American’s today.  What do natives consider offensive?….. What do “natives” prefer to be called? …. What about team mascots?

The goal is simply to gain a better understanding of the native, Indian, indigenous American culture.