The UT Libraries Diversity Committee hosts and participates in a number of campus-wide activities to promote civility and awareness of diversity issues.

Fall Semester 2019

Monday, September 16^th from noon – 1:30 for the Lunch and Learn on Financial Literacy

Bilqis Amatus-Salaam is the Wellness Coordinator for General Wellness Promotion at the Center for Health Education and Wellness. She completed her Master in Public Health in 2015 with a focus on sexual health and college student health. In her role at UT she focuses on cold and flu prevention, stress reduction, sleep promotion, nutrition, and sexual health.

John Nolan has represented SunTrust Bank in Knoxville since April 2014. Being named a SunTrust Purpose Ambassador in both 2018 and 2019, he delivers financial confidence through various non-profit organizations including the Knoxville Area Urban League and Junior Achievement throughout East Tennessee using Financial Literacy Education. When he is not teaching budgeting, saving and credit-building skills, he enjoys spending time with his wife of 15 years, Rebecca, their 11-year-old son, Alex, and their three year-old Golden Doodle, Penny.

Moderator: Philippa Satterwhite

Spring Semester 2019

Lunch and Learn

The UT Libraries Diversity Committee is hosting a series of facilitated lunchtime discussions on how to comfortably dialogue about diversity and inclusion. The discussions are open to all.

Difficult Conversations about Gender in the Workplace (co-hosted by the UT Libraries Diversity Committee and the Women’s Coordinating Council)

Thursday, March 7
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room, 258 Hodges Library

Panelists include Dr. Erin Darby, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Co-director of the ‘Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Project and Nanci Solomon, Owner of Rala: Regional and Local Artisans

Co-hosted by the UT Libraries Diversity Committee and the Women’s Coordinating Council, this panel discussion will focus on difficult conversations about gender in the workplace. Featuring a panel of professional women, the conversation will be about the empowerment of all genders in the workplace from a feminist point of view.

Conversations on Immigration
Monday, March 25
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room, 258 Hodges Library

Megan Austin is an Immigration Law Clerk with Torres Law Firm, PLLC. She will graduate from UT College of Law in May 2019 and after, will work full time for Torres. Prior to law school, she was a Peace Corps Volunteer serving 27 months in Togo, West Africa in 2014-2016. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Furman University in Spanish Language and Literature with a concentration in Poverty Studies. In Knoxville, Megan has worked with Great Schools Partnership and the Latino Student Success Coalition. Megan speaks Spanish and French and has enjoyed working with the immigrant population since middle school. When she’s not working, Megan teaches Zumba, dog sits, and plays in a bocce league.

Chris M. Mendoza is the Coordinator of Multicultural Student Life at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Chris advises the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) as well as provides direct support to the Asian-American Association (AAA) and Native American Student Association (NASA) on campus. His academic background is in sociolinguistics with an emphasis on Latinx masculinity and the linguistic expression of queer Latinidad. He earned a B.A. in Linguistics from Macalester College and is currently finishing his Master of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree from Southern Utah University. He is passionate about intersectional community justice including educational and social equity for undocumented queer folks and queer people of color.

Moderator: Andrea Stedman is a Graduate student intern with Centro Hispano de East TN, where she leads their College Access piece.  She earned her B.A. in Spanish and Hispanic Studies with a minor in French and Francophone studies from UT, and is currently finishing her Masters of Social Work with an emphasis on Organizational Leadership. Andrea spent 2 years serving as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Miami, aiming to improve the graduation rate for predominately Hispanic, ELL high school students via attendance, behavior, and coursework initiatives. She is passionate about intersectional feminism, global citizenship, and justice for immigrants.

This Lunch and Learn seeks to educate our campus community about the facts of immigration; dispelling myths, untruths and rumor. A panel of professionals working in various areas involved in immigration will present information specific to their fields of expertise and invite questions from attendees.

Past Events: 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 | 2012-2013

The UT Libraries Diversity Committee is hosting a series of facilitated lunchtime discussions on how to comfortably dialogue about diversity and inclusion. The discussions are open to all.

Fall 2018 Series

Lunch and Learn:”The Life of the Student Athlete: Perception versus Reality.”
Wednesday, September 19
12:00-1:30pm
Room 213 @ Hodges Library
Discussion Facilitated by Dr. Joe Scogin and Kayla Smith

Discussion will explore the challenges facing student athletes.

Dr. Joe Scogin joined the Tennessee family in May 2013 as Senior Associate Athletic Director and Assistant Provost. Dr. Scogin provides leadership to the Thornton Center, which delivers comprehensive support services to UT student-athletes, including academic support, career and professional development, character and leadership development, and community outreach programming. During his time at UT, student-athletes have achieved record results in the classroom and in the community. UT has seen all-time records in Graduation Success Rates (GSR), Academic Progress Rates (APR), Grade Point Averages (GPA), and community involvement during this time.

Prior to his arrival at UT, Dr. Scogin spent 12 years at the University of Missouri where he ultimately held the position of Associate Athletic Director, where he had oversight of the Academic Support component of the Total Person Program, the Sport and Counseling Psychology Program, and was the Sport Administrator for Women’s Soccer. During his tenure at Missouri, Dr. Scogin oversaw a run of tremendous academic success as Missouri student-athletes achieved record Graduation Rates, Academic Progress Rates, and Grade Point Averages. Since 2006, Missouri was consistently at the top of the Big 12 and SEC in Academic Progress Rates and Graduation Rates and also led all public BCS institutions in Academic Progress Rate.

Dr. Scogin is a member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) where he has served in multiple positions on the Board of Directors and on the NCAA/N4A Consulting Project.

Originally from Tucson, Ariz., Dr. Scogin graduated from Fort Hays State University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology in 1999 and a Masters in Sports Administration in 2001. In May 2007, Dr. Scogin earned his Ph.D. in Education, School, and Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri.

Scogin was a member of the Fort Hays State baseball team. At Fort Hays, Scogin was named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic Team and helped Fort Hays to Conference Championships in 1998 and 2000. The team earned regional bids in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and was the National Runner-up in 2000 finishing the season with a 54-12 record.

Scogin is the proud father of two children, daughter Sienna Piper and son Cannon Pierce.

Kayla Smith is an Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Engagement. Her role allows her to work directly with student-athletes and administrators to find innovative ways to ensure that the program is at the forefront when it comes to community outreach, career discovery and preparing young men and women for the next phases of life. Prior to this position, she was the Director of Student-Athlete Development, also at the University of Tennessee.

She came to the University from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she was Director of Academic Success, Eligibility, and Retention. Her duties involved overseeing student-athlete support services, academic mentoring, and student-athlete development programs. Smith holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Sociology as well as Master’s in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

While an undergraduate student, she was a member of the Track and Field team and currently holds the school record in the shot put. A native of Orange, CA., Smith enjoys to travel, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.

Lunch and Learn: Coming Out
Thursday, October 11
12:00-1:30pm
International House Great Room

Organized by the UT Libraries Diversity Committee and the UT Pride Center, a panel of individuals will share their experiences on National Coming Out Day.

Spring 2018 Series

Lunch and Learn: Having Difficult Conversations on Gender and Politics
Thursday, March 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room @ Hodges Library (2nd floor)
Panel discussion co-hosted by the Women’s Coordinating Council & the UT Libraries Diversity Committee.

Panel will feature political scientists, politicians, and activists discussing the interactions between identity and politics.

Lunch and Learn: Having Difficult Conversations on Consent
Thursday, April 5 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room @ Hodges Library (2nd floor)
Conversation facilitated by Fletcher Haverkamp and Bilqis Amatus-Salaam

Fletcher Haverkamp serves as the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Health Education & Wellness. Fletcher was a co-author of the OVW Campus Grant and serves as the Project Coordinator for the grant. Prior to his current role, Fletcher worked at Catholic Charities Columbus Home Group Home for Boys and as Graduate Assistant for the Center for Health Education & Wellness where he facilitated alcohol & other drug programs, sexual violence prevention programs, and conducted data assessment.

Bilqis Amatus-Salaam is the Wellness Coordinator for General Wellness Promotion at the Center for Health Education and Wellness. She completed her Master in Public Health in 2015 with a focus on sexual health and college student health. In her role at UT she focuses on cold and flu prevention, stress reduction, sleep promotion, nutrition, and sexual health.

Fall 2017 Series

Lunch and Learn: Having Difficult Conversations on Oppression vs. Privilege
Tuesday, September 26 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room @ Hodges Library (2nd floor)
Conversation facilitated by Michelle Christian and Jioni Lewis

Michelle Christian is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Tennessee. She has been at the University of Tennessee since fall 2013. She teaches and conducts research on race, racism and global inequalities. Most recently, she co-created the curriculum for the Department of Sociology’s new concentration are in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies.

Dr. Jioni A. Lewis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research is focused on the influence of subtle forms of racism and sexism on the mental and physical health of women of color. Dr. Lewis teaches courses on topics including: African American psychology, multicultural psychology, and social justice theory and practice. Dr. Lewis’s university service includes serving on the Chancellor’s Council on Diversity and Interculturalism and the Commission for Blacks. Dr. Lewis and Dr. Christian co-founded the Critical Race Collective in Fall 2013, which is an interdisciplinary research group focused on critical race studies in research, teaching, and service to the university.

Lunch and Learn: Having Difficult Conversations on Stress Management
Thursday, October 26 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Mary Greer Room @ Hodges Library (2nd floor)
Conversation facilitated by Bilqis Amatus-Salaam and Clay Culp

Bilqis Amatus-Salaam is the Wellness Coordinator for General Wellness Promotion at the Center for Health Education and Wellness. She completed her Master in Public Health in 2015 with a focus on sexual health and college student health. In her role at UT she focuses on cold and flu prevention, stress reduction, sleep promotion, nutrition, and sexual health.

Clay Culp is a clinical social worker and therapist at the Student Counseling Center. He earned his master’s in social work at UT and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Social Work degree at UT. His doctoral research is about suicide prevention.

Spring 2017 Series

Lunch and Learn:Intersectionality: A Workshop on Theory and Practice
1 – 3 p.m., Monday, April 24, 605 Hodges Library

Nora Berenstain
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Affiliated Faculty, Women, Gender & Sexuality Program

Patrick Grzanka
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Core Faculty, Women, Gender & Sexuality Program
Associate Editor, Journal of Counseling Psychology

In this two-hour, interactive workshop, Intersectionality Community of Scholars Co-Directors Nora Berenstain (Philosophy) and Patrick Grzanka (Psychology) will introduce key tenets of intersectionality theory and guide participants through exercises that illustrate the insights of this important framework for studying and challenging intersecting systems of inequality — such as racism, sexism, classism, xenophobia, ableism, and heterosexism. The workshop will focus on applying intersectionality responsibly and in a variety of practices, including teaching, scholarship, activism, and community partnerships.

Fall 2016 Series

Intersectionality: From Scholarship to Action – October 19, 2016 (12:00-1:00 pm in Hodges Library, Room 605)

Patrick Grzanka, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Nora Berenstain, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

The directors of the Intersectionality Community of Scholars at UT will facilitate a conversation about the origins of intersectionality theory in U.S. Black feminism, current directions in the field, and the relationship between interdisciplinary scholarship, activism, and social justice.

Practical Tips for “Keeping Calm and Carrying On” Difficult Conversations – November 9, 2016 (12:00-1:00 pm in Hodges Library, Room 605)

Becky Jacobs, Waller Lansden Distinguished Professor of Law, UT College of Law

Most of us probably have struggled at one time or another with sensitive or difficult conversations, i.e., raising workplace concerns; confronting an unreliable partner or co-worker; or apologizing, or seeking an apology for, inappropriate behavior. This session will focus on practical tips for preparing for, initiating, and handling potentially unpleasant exchanges in a way that hopefully will minimize negative consequences, improve understanding, and strengthen relationships.

The spring topics and facilitators are yet to be determined but will align with the Lunch and Learn’s theme of encouraging inclusivity and respect during difficult conversations. Because of the thematic focus of the “Lunch and Learn” series, the Libraries Diversity Committee will address inclusivity, diversity, dialogue, collegiality, respect, knowledge, learning, awareness, and response—nine of the university’s ten principles for civility and community. To make these conversations more inclusive we will identify campus faculty members with the specific expertise and interest in our topical areas to facilitate the discussion. Should the success of the Lunch and Learn program series continue, we would consider expanding our program to include community leaders to facilitate future discussions.