November 8, 2007 Diversity Committee Meeting Minutes
• Members Present:
Sandy Allen, Trisha Brady, Damon Campbell, Shantrie Collins, Jeff French, Sara Green, Thura Mack, Hannah Powell, Allison Roberts, Marielle Veve, and Jeanine Williamson
1. Updates:
• The meeting began with three updates from Sara:
• Michelle Brannen’s Proposal ‘Digitizing SLA’s Study Abroad Experience’ is on hold, as per Dean Dewey, until she hears from Mary Papke and the new head of International Studies.
• Native American Culture Corner—It is mostly completed; a call for volunteers was extended to help with creating bibliographies for Native American Literature. It is to include children’s books. Allison has agreed to create the bibliography.
• LEA has agreed to work with the Diversity Committee this year as partners with the Student Recognition event, and next year they would take a leadership role in sponsoring this program.
2. Announcements:
• Jeff has not received a definitive acknowledgment for the Diversity Committee to work with the orphanage. He will continue to try and contact the person who will be able to make the decision.
• Trisha updated the committee on the Native American film series that started the week of November 5th. The Native American Association requested the film series to be extended till the 1st of December. She reported that the Native American Association is not responding to many of her questions.
• The committee recognized and welcomed the Library Residents, Shantrie Collins and Damon Campbell, as new members of the committee.
• Hannah Powell suggested to the committee to consider programming ideas/concepts to address the organizational change that is currently taking place in our libraries. After this announcement, members divided into the sub-committee groups, Outreach and Staff-Enrichment.
Meeting highlights from Outreach:
The committee discussed three topics for the “Lets Talk About It” series:
I. A panel of 4 participants to discuss change in the workplace.
The suggested participants are Jeanine Williamson as
moderator, Marielle Veve as a panelist, Rosa Thomas as a panelist,
and an instructor from HR as a panelist. This program will be
scheduled for December 3rd. Damon will help with the PR for this
program.
II. Disability is a Matter of Family- Possible dates- January 9th or January 23rd. These are both Wednesday dates. Jeanine will be facilitating this program. The committee will assist as needed.
III. The final program discussed was inviting Rita Geier. We would like to hear about her role and priorities within the UT organization. This program is slated for early March 2008. Thura is putting together an invitation letter to Rita, with the help of the sub-committee.
4. Meeting highlights from Staff Enrichment:
The committee discussed three topics dealing with Hannah’s proposal for change,
films for the new Culture Corner, and a multicultural spring event:
I. A stress-free day/week, possibly the first week in December, where
multi-cultural stress relief events would be offered. Examples are:
aroma therapy, massage therapy, tai chi, meditation, yoga, Feng Shui, nutrition, and acupressure or acupuncture. Staff, faculty and student workers could participate in learning/experiencing the different methods made available during the event.
II. Start looking for films for the Disability is a Matter of Family
event, and the next Cultural Corner- The Melungeons.
III. It was agreed to sponsor a Cultural Potluck near the end of March.
This event will incorporate volunteers from library faculty and staff
to offer food dishes from around the country as well as around the world to celebrate our own unique cultural heritage as a library family.
The meeting then convened.