UT Libraries Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes: Thursday, September 19th 2013, 1:00pm, Room 150

1.   Announcements
Diversity Dialogues: Human Libraries, Nov 5, 2013 at 7pm Multicultural Student Center

2.  Upcoming programs
VolAware Street Fair: Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 10:00-4:30pm
9:30 Set up – Tentative Theme: De-Stress Program
POCs: Michelle and Thura

Race for the Cure Salad Bar/ Raffle Fundraiser Thursday,
October 3, 2013 11:30-1:30pm, 6th Floor Staff Room
Committee Setup at 10:45 and Breakdown 1:30pm
POCs: Sojourna, Megan, and Thura

Social Justice Common Ground Read for Spring 2014
Thura and Allison recently met with new Vice Chancellor of Diversity
Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, was suggested
– other suggestions are welcome

Black Issues Conference Proposal upcoming for Spring
The Committee will continue to check for a call for proposals
Possible proposal: “I hate it when, I would like it if…”

Possible program for Spring collaboration with Employee and Organizational
Development (HR)
POC Sojourna Cunningham

International Festival in April
We are seeking a request for theme suggestion

3. Diversity Committee webpage
Pictures are needed for the page
Cookie Bake off and International Fair pictures (Sojourna)

Web team:
Judy Li
Rabia Gibbs
Seth Jordan (New)
Michelle Brannen (New)
Suggestions for content and linked information are needed

4.  Diversity Committee Annual Report
Thura is currently working on the annual report. Once it is
approved by library administration, it will be shared with the
Diversity Committee and posted on the website.

5.  Diversity Program Evaluation
Explore options for program attendees feedback for the Diversity programs
POCs: Regina and Thura

Look at ways to increase program attendance and improve program marketing
POCs: All Committee members

6. Upcoming meeting dates
October 24, 2013, 1-2pm Room 150
November 21, 2013, 1-2pm Room 150

7. Suggested Agenda Items
Debrief on the Race for the Cure and the VolAware Street Fair outcomes
Discuss progress for upcoming programs

September 19th Attendees:
Megan Venable
Vicki Palmer
Elizabeth Young
Seth Jordan
Sojourna Cunningham
Steve Thomas
Michelle Brannen
Ingrid Ruffin
Thura Mack
Regina Mays

Diversity Minutes February 28

• Next Diversity Committee meeting
  • Will be held March 21 1-2 p.m., Hodges Library Room 150

• Dr. Brothers
  • April 18 Dr. Laura Lundsford, University of Arizona
  • Workshop for faculty morning and students afternoon more information to come

• International Festival April 19 10-2 p.m.
  • Discuss possible themes via email

• Thura Mack’s new title, Coordinator for Community Services and Diversity Programs

• Confucius Institute (Ann Hulse)
  • Book donation ceremony April 12
  • Speaker series and movie series in the Fall Anne Hulse will provide more information

• April 1st -8th graduate education week
  • Digital signage, organizational support of week; display

• Thura volunteered to email Dr. Ricky Hall, Vice Chancellor of Diversity

• Diversity Committee Tool Box (Sojourna Cunningham scunni16@utk.edu)
  • Creating a survey instrument for the Southeastern region to create best practices as well as dialogue
• Assessment focus group in the Fall (Sojourna Cunningham scunni16@utk.edu)
  • Library partnering with Disability Services

• LibQual lite assessment of library services, this year Summer/Fall
  • Climate Qual Survey internal survey in the Spring of next year
  • 3 weeks faculty/staff 15 questions
  • IRB next Spring

• Common Ground Book Club Update (Ingrid Ruffin)
  • Discussion led by Dean of the University Libraries Steve Smith, with 20 attendees

• Webpage Update for http://www.lib.utk.edu/diversity/ (Judy Li and Rabia Gibbs)
  • Judy and Rabia highlighted new changes i.e. Word cloud, Culture Corner, Library residency program
  • New Deadline for the webpage: April during National Library Week April 14-20
  • Email Judy and Rabia with suggested changes

• Alliance of Women Philanthropists 2012 Giving Circle Grant Update (Sojourna)
  • Grant to bring Half the Sky book and film to campus along with a scholarship is submitted
  • The Grant was not approved. The committee will continue to look for other funding opportunities.

Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes November 15th, 2012, 1:00pm, Room 150

Announcements

•  If you are interested in participating in, volunteering for, or donating auction items for the Race Against Racism weekend (MLK weekend), please contact Marva Rudolph
• Need volunteers at the race site

Webpage Update and Discussion

•  There was discussion on the webpage format and which elements to keep
•  The Committee agreed to have an open house event to celebrate our new webpage once it is  completed
•  Continue to send comments to Judy and Rabia

Human Libraries Presentation for the Black Issue Conference

• The Human Libraries’ subcommittee is scheduled to meet November 28, 2012
•  Conference proposal will be shared at the next meeting

Discuss Library Diversity Plan

• The Committee decided to discuss the diversity plan at a later date in 2013

New Business

• The Diversity Committee has been invited to participate in the Alliance of Women Philanthropists 2012 Giving Circle Grant
• The project will include writing a grant on the “Half the Sky” film and also offering a scholarship to successful student proposals
• The Standing Grant Committee includes:  Brian Broyles, Sojourna Cunningham, Thura Mack, Rachel Radom, and Ingrid Ruffin

Other Action Items

• Ingrid is monitoring social networking media (Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress)
• She will spearhead a social media drive (giveaway contests for t-shirts, stickers) and work with Robin Bedenbaugh
• Sojourna volunteered to update LibGuides on the Diversity website.  She will work with Rabia  and Judy in this effort.  Megan and Martha are contacts for website pictures

New Business

• Dean Steve Smith is planning a 10 year anniversary reunion for the Diversity Residency Program
• He has asked for our support to (Help) organize this reunion
• The veteran display and activities were a highly complimented by Dean Smith
•  The Committee discussed providing the new Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Ricky Hall, a welcome goodie bag when he arrives in July 2013
•   The Committee will discuss whether or not to request a Committee budget in a future meeting

Tentative Agenda Items for Next Meeting

• Announcements
• Webpage Committee
•  “Half the Sky” Grant Committee
•  Common Ground Book Club
•   Race Against Racism
•   Black Issue Conference Proposal – Human Libraries
•   Year End Wrap-up

Diversity Committee Meeting December 15, 2011

Present:
Thura Mack, Trish Brady, Allison (Bolorizadeh) Sharp, Laurie Robertson, Matt Jordan, Rabia Gibbs, Anne Hulsey, Marva Collins

Announcements:
Trish’s last day will be January 30th. She is becoming a full time musician.

January 5 Diversity Roundtable

RSVPs (so far):
Ernest Brothers, Asst. Dean, The Graduate School;
Vern Granger, Enrollment Services;
Katrice Morgan, Asst Dean for Student Affairs, UT School of Law;
Travis Griffin, Director, Ofc of Diversity Programs, College of
Engineering
Location: Hodges Library rm. 605
Time: 1:00-3:00 PM
Details:
Have the webpage on the large screen showing the charge of the
Committee
Have a contact sheet
Have a form that will allow people to post anonymous diversity
topics that they would like to see discussed (Allison w/ Trish
will have ready by next week for Rabia’s invitation email)
Resend invitation emails next week- Rabia
We want to make sure to respond to comments in a current
and timely manner.
Agenda:
Welcome from Thura
Introductions from everyone
Discussion Topics
1. The types of diversity issues they address within their respective units
2. The resources that they use for programming and outreach
3. Ideas for partnership and collaboration
a. Have a post it note activity to encourage discussion and collaboration (Anne)
4. End with our action points.

Other Issues:
Rabia asked, “Will the Discussion Forum be a regular event?”
Others thought maybe 2 times per year, or every couple of months would be a good way to repeat the roundtable discussions.
Thura suggested that we put the big ideas that come from the
discussion on our website so people can come back to the page to see progress or revisit the ideas.
BCC (Black Culture Conference 2012)
If you are interested in participating then email Thura
Culture Corner Ideas
Veterans:
Protests/ Protestors: Occupy, Arab Spring, etc…
Beauty Ideals Worldwide and Historically

Thanks to all for a productive Diversity Meeting On Thursday July 28
The meeting took place in the location Hodges Library 2nd floor Mary E. Greer room
Announcements were as following:
News of the Dean of Libraries Steve Smith inviting the committee to be guests on September 23 for a gala dinner and evening at the Knoxville Convention Center
The committee is charged with inviting 6 additional guests
Members who would like to attend please notify Patty @ boling00@utk.edu asap the deadline is August 12 but the sooner the better!
The event is September 23 with reception starting@ 5:30 and dinner at 6:30 the event will be held at the Convention Center
September 8 Showcase program discussion:
Budget request;
Radio Station $200-$300
Cookies/punch/water $150
Door Prizes $120
Balloons$
Buttons$$
Potential participates are;
WUTK Radio Station (there is a $200-$300 cost)
Black Cultural Center
African –American 50th Achievement
Chris Durman representing the Music Library
Native American Student Association (NASA)
Spoken Word participants
Library Common Ground Book club
Connie Steigenga ( make balloon animals)
Michelle Brannen ( civility videos contest entries)
Student Health Center (providing HPV awareness education)
Martha Rudolph is creating digital signs to announce the September 8 program & she is putting together a hall of fame slide show with photos from the Black Cultural Center
Much more…..
New membership:
Allison B. and Thura will work on getting the announcement out for a call for new members on Monday August 1
The fall Culture Corner:
Allie R. is creating posters for the LOTM displays & Cultural Corner
Thura is working on updating the Cultural Corner (volunteers are welcome)
50th Celebration:
Annazette met with me after the meeting and the 50th committee has offered to provide 50th buttons for the September 8 program (email me and let me know if this will take of our button needs)

Thura Mack
Professor
Coordinator, Community Learning Services
tmack@utk.edu
865-974-6381

Planning for the Life of the Mind Mountain Beyond Mountains collaboration with Tahirah. Molly ordered copies. Tahirah is making a Ning site for the Libraries Life of the Mind.

Other ideas

Art Contest based on the subject of the book (TB and TM)

International Festival Table

Schedule sent out on email

Butcher Paper to write about the Library in your language.

World Poster

Swag for visitors

Taking a short brake after the Festival.

-MAR

Welcome Diversity Residents Rabia Gibbs and Kynita Stringer-Stanback to the Diversity Committee

Committee discussed options for a sister library connection in Haiti. The resource Allie was given was not clear and seemed targeted for individual professionals.
Haïti 2010:
http://haiti2010.blueshield-international.org/node/3
All members will help in finding resources.

Diversity Opportunities

Rabia Gibbs and Kynita Stringer-Stanback are exploring options with the ALA diversity grant and the Diversity Fair.

Upcoming Let’s Talk About It Options

Feminine Self Esteem

Food

Freedom of Speech: speaking out in other counties

Meeting adjourned to Erin’s going away party

-MAR

Diversity Committee

I. Membership

List of ppl applying for our committee – we accept all of the applicants. Barbara will be informed.

Allison Sharp Bolorizadeh

Erin Moore

Dan Green

Ppl returning

Thura

Allison Roberts

Annazette McCane Houston

Laurie & Jerry Roberson

Rotating off

Jeanine Williamson

Marielle Veve

Sandy Allen

II. Volaware updates

a. JW has contact Connie Briscoe – director of Volaware – mental health awareness group. Distressed/distressing student helpline. Will come talk to us about Volaware in September…this will be a “Let’s Talk About It”

b. Future volaware events

1. Volaware street fare 11/7

2. Concert – 10/6

a. JW will probably attend the above functions. The theme is Poverty.

b. She can have posters rdy for the event.

ii. The library usually has presence at these functions.

III. We’ll host a welcome back thing in August

a. We usually pass out ice water and literature – last time we used cases of water.

1. We can pass out water during lunch….Tuesday the 25^th of August and the August 27^th

2. Allison will bring a banner we already have prepared.

3. Thura and Trisha will each bring two cases of water. Allison will supply an ice chest. Jeanine will make a financial contribution. Thura will accept it. Jerry will bring water (and has volunteered Laurie)

4. We’ll set up right on Melrose

5. If we can set a date on the volaware “Let’s Talk About It”, we can have promotional materials for that at our table at the welcome back.

IV. Let’s Talk About It – feat. Beverly Watts

V. Conflict – the timing of this allows us an hour…but there’s a retirement function at around the same time as the let’s talk about it.

a. Allison will get the let’s talk about it in the beacon, metropulse, and sentinel.

i. Trisha has created flyers, and some of them will go to the display that Shantrie is creating on the1st floor

ii. Allison will bring in some old child’s shoes…these can be part of the display (tossed over a phone line).

iii. Trisha has some other images of poverty Shantrie might use form when she was working on the posters.

1. We’ll eschew movies in favour of the welcome back activity – the movies will be depressing.

2. Advertising – hang flyers in Sociology, Poli Sci, the Golden Roast? TM and JW will help with hanging flyers.

VI. Reception for residents program completion

a. 8/24/09 – 10:30am in 605

b. There’s a committee planning the party

i. Gail Watson

ii. Sharon Boring

iii. Wanda Rosinski

iv. Melanie Feltner-Reichert

v. Sara Foster

vi. JoAnne Deeken

vii. Thura Mack

c. The theme is – “Sail away…but welcome to sail back!”

d. Trisha may be photographing the festivities

e. It’ll be a brunch – we can bring food.

VII. Allison Roberts will be the new co-chair of the committee – hopefully. TM will ask Barbara if it’s okay.

VIII. Volunteering Rocks – see the AgVet facebook and youtube..see Allison Roberts for details.

2/19/2009

Diversity Committee Meeting Notes

Announcements:

1. Debrief for the Black Issues Conference

2. Culture Corner (Completed)

3. Let’s Talk About It

4. Updates (Jerry Roberson)

5. International Festival

Announcements

I. Debrief for the black issues conference

a. TM: It was what I had hoped for, in that it created some unity and a different level of us getting to know one another on the diversity committee

i. Teresa Walker came and supported and brought drinks

ii. Shantrie and Damon attended

iii. Audience was small, but they asked a lot of questions

iv. Good experience overall

b. Jeanine feels the audience was receptive and asked a lot of questions

c. A lot of the questions were about ebooks and kindle (ebook reader) units

d. Quite a few people attended the conference overall

i. Diversity committee members that participated and/or attended and people from the library have been presented with plaques by Thura

e. We got invited to present at a conference on the 28^th (I-LEAD conference)

i. This has hopefully lead to another partnership

II. Student Recognition, Wed, 3/25/09 @ 2pm, probably in the staff room

a. Students that have worked here for two years or more.

i. They get to pick a book to be plated in their honor

ii. We try to get pictures of the students so that people will know who they are

1. This has sometimes been displayed @ the Melrose entrance

b. Diversity committee will help decorate

i. We’ll raid the closet and see if we’ve decorations from past occasions

ii. Trisha will see what kind of decorations they have in the Studio

c. We got $ for cake and punch from Barbara

III. Culture Corner is done and in alphabetical order

a. Usually in order by subject, but done in alpha due to time constraints

IV. Let’s Talk About it program ideas (Jerry isn’t here to do updates)

a. He talked to the Native American Students about a panel discussion, and they were receptive

b. We might be involved with a Ready for the World initiative in Albuquerque, as Trisha will be helping to teach people how to make a documentary

c. Anazette ideas for let’s talk about it

i. No burning issues

ii. There’s a dialog on campus about dealing with bias:

1. Gender

2. Sexual Orientation

3. Hate Speech

a. Do we have someone come in and talk about bias protocols?

iii. We are moving into Women’s (issues? History? Rights?) month, so this may be a pertinent topic

1. We’ll need to find a resource/person to come in and educate us on the topic

2. We will keep this in our thoughts and get in touch will Jerry and see what he can do

a. What kind of support will we need to pull this off?

i. PR

ii. Location

b. Bob Eldridge should be accessible to us

iv. Our Let’s Talk About It RE Melungeons (Wayne Winkle) was relatively easy to pull together

1. He was approachable, local, and did not charge

v. Appalachian film screening at the Tomato Head (Trisha Brady knows about this) – Appalachian Film Series Monday, March 2nd 7pm @ The Tomato Head Market Square,

1. Rural Appalachian poverty might be a good topic

vi. Campus Diversity and Intercultural meeting yesterday 2-18-09 touched on this as an issue

vii. The Heartland Series is in danger of being cancelled – there is a group forming to keep it going – Trisha Brady

1. Bill Landry could come. We have the entire series, and he would probably come in and speak.

2. There’s a Facebook group created for this, so we’d probably have an instant audience

3. Publicity would probably be easy

a. If we’re raising awareness, he’d probably come

4. We won’t necessarily take a stand, but we can provide a platform for Bill to educate people on the series

viii. We could use the Heartland Series as a let’s talk about it and use Jerry’s as the “other” LTAI

V. International Fair – Friday, 4/24/09

a. The Diversity Committee traditionally participates in this

i. We get a table and take turns staffing the table

ii. Took turns staffing, usually in pairs

iii. Only people on the committee can staff the table

1. Would we be willing to have the committee have a table for this year?

2. We can talk about this later, but it seems like most of us are interested in staffing the table.

a. Annazette can bring literature from disability services

b. Laurie can bring literature from her interests

c. We had a board and pins so people could come by and place a pin in their geographic region of origin

i. We should repeat this

3. The way Let’s Talk About It is going now, we’ve not gotten a flurry of people offering topics

iv. Annazette suggests letting people know that we exist as a committee

1. Are we on anyone’s radar?

a. Yes – a lot of the colleges use us as a model

2. How do regular people find out about us?

a. We’re a library committee – We’re linked under the UT page under diversity.

3. When we first made ourselves known 5 years ago, people helped us define diversity thru input. We get questions nationally even now.

a. We could probably shoot our upcoming events to interested parties if we email people that are affiliated with other diversity efforts (use the contacts from the people sharing the diversity page with us – we can use their contacts as our own).

b. Allison could search for contacts

c. This could be shown as outreach on our annual report

v. How aware are we of incidents of hate speech/graffiti?

1. Here, we take pictures of things prior to erasures, repaints

2. Some places record this data and make sure that the incident is public

3. The dean might come and speak to us about protocol for this kind of thing

vi. Protocol for stressed students?

1. How to deal with students dealing with distress/stress

a. Things should be reported, not simply observed

2. We might be able to make this a LTAI or a staff-only talk (as per JW). Others might want to attend and offer input, however (as per TB).

vii. How do we initiate this?

1. Contact Dean Thompson-Davis, have her explain it to us

2. We should be aware of these things, as people might look to us for information about these things

a. PR-wise, the university does not want to sweep things under the rug. From a diversity and equal-opportunity standpoint, we should be aware and make others aware.

3. As a committee, should we have Dean Davis talk to us? Do we have a role here? Can we be part of a solution?

a. Annazette feels like this could be a good first step.

i. Using our position to inform others and raise awareness of issues and the protocol is a good decision.

4. We could have an open meeting, Annazette’s staff could attend

a. Could tell us how to be a responsible citizen in these situations

i. Annazette feels that we should start within our group, then we could discuss it in a LTAI. The dean of student affairs could talk at the LTAI

b. Who will contact the dean of student affairs?

i. We’ve got nothing for March

ii. JW will contact her and see if she can talk to our committee at the next meeting.

viii. A LTAI featuring people that attended the inauguration and played a role could be viable as well.

Diversity Committee meeting – August 14, 2008

 

Introductions/Committee Roster

 

Members Present:

Thura Mack – Diversity Co-chair and Training Coordinator for UT Libraries

Jeanine Williamson – Diversity Co-chair and Engineering and Art & Architecture Librarian in Research Services & Collections, UT Hodges Library

Trisha Brady – Supervisor for Media Center/Studio, at Hodges

Shantrie Collins – Diversity Resident, UT Libraries

Damon Campbell – Diversity Resident, UT Libraries

Laurie Roberson – Director of Student Services in the school of architecture and design.

Jerry Roberson – Professor at the Veterinary school and adviser to the Native American Student Organization.

George Hoemann – Chair of LGBT, Assistant Dean of Distance Education

Sandy Allen – Technical Services & Digital Access, at Hodges

Allison Roberts – Supervisor at Ag/Vet library, Diversity Committee web mistress

 

Members Absent:

Marielle Veve – Cataloging & Metadata Librarian, UT Libraries

Jane Row – Head, Research Services at UT Libraries and Ready for the World library point person

Jill Keally – Diversity ex-officio and Executive Associate Dean of UT Libraries

Donna Braquet – Diversity ex-officio and Librarian in Research Services & Collections

Annazette McCane – Director, UT Disability Services

 

Overview of the committee

Diversity definition and mission statement were included to provide in-depth background for new members (if you were not at the meeting, please attached Agenda document with these descriptions). We’ve been criticized about past programs’ validity. We are striving to be more accountable to the diversity definition. However, we do leave ourselves room to take risks.

 

Annual Report

Report was in draft form and shared to get feedback from members, and review types of programming that this committee is committed to.

Suggestion to add titles of the films and some specific hot topics that we feature for display. It was agreed that these changes will be incorporated.

Committee agreed to get card for Sarah Green, former co-chair of the Diversity Committee, for a job well done.

 

Calendars for best meeting dates

Members agreed that Thursdays at 1 p.m. is the best time for the committee to meet.

In the beginning of the Fall semester, we will meet twice a month. Once our projects are underway, we will meet once a month. Meetings are scheduled for an hour and a half.

The next meeting date is August 28 at 1 p.m. in Room 605.

Allison Roberts will get the committee an outlook account and set us up for shared calendars.

 

Announcements

There was an invitation from Roger Weaver to host LGBT program on October 16.

Evening presentation is about the book Courting Equality: Gay & Lesbian Marriage by Patricia A. Gozemba and Karen Kahn.

The committee’s role would be to create a day-time program about the digital history project these authors have launched and to help with advertising of the overall program.

 

Agenda Items for Next Meeting

Discuss significant diversity dates and create Diversity Committee calendar. Collaborate with Erik Bledsoe to submit calendar to UT’s Diversity and Intercultural page.

We will do one or two getting-to-know-you exercises.