ALL ABOUT

MENTORINGA PUBLICATION OF SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE Issue 54 • Autumn 2020 ALL ABOUT MENTORING

Issue 54 • Autumn 2020 ALL ABOUT MENTORING

ISSUE 54 AUTUMN 2020

Alan Mandell College Professor of Adult Learning and Mentoring Editor

Karen LaBarge Senior Staff Assistant for Faculty Development Associate Editor

PHOTOGRAPHY The quotes sprinkled throughout this issue of All Photos courtesy of Stock Studios, About Mentoring offer us a glimpse of the ideas and and faculty and staff of SUNY Empire State College, perspectives of Arthur Chickering, founding academic unless otherwise noted. vice president of SUNY Empire State College, whose contributions over decades and decades have left COVER ARTWORK such an indelible mark on so many individuals and By Donna Gaines Triune (Art on Neptune), 2015 institutions interested in students’ learning and their 32” H x 22.5” W, development. (Please see more information about Acrylic/spray paint/ dirt/found plywood Chickering’s work and impact on page 123.) Photo credit: James Graham

PRODUCTION Kirk Starczewski Director of Publications Janet Jones Office Assistant 2 (Keyboarding) College Print Shop

Send comments, articles or news to: All About Mentoring c/o Alan Mandell SUNY Empire State College 325 Hudson St., 5th Floor New York, NY 10013-1005 646-230-1255 [email protected]

Special thanks: Thanks, as always, to our whole SUNY Empire State College community for voices and ideas that make this publication, and so much else, possible. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editorial — Our World ...... 2 Art and Activism at SUNY Empire State College ...... 80 Alan Mandell, Manhattan and Saratoga Springs Menoukha Robin Case, Mentor Emerita, Saratoga Springs Connecting Community Scholarship and Service ...... 4 Rebecca Bonanno, Garden City and Manhattan Snow ...... 81 Zeeva Bukai, Brooklyn Running a College on the Side: Reflections on My Engagement With Coursera ...... 12 Universal Design for Learning for Mentors ...... 82 Valeri Chukhlomin, Saratoga Springs Allison Moreland, Instructional Designer, Rochester Pieces of My Life’s Journey: Some Reflections ...... 86 Now and Then: ESC — and Life After ...... 20 MaryNell Morgan-Brown, Mentor Emerita, Carole Ford, Mentor Emerita, New Paltz Saratoga Springs China Stories ...... 22 How Did We Get Here? ...... 94 Deborah Smith, Saratoga Springs Ian Reifowitz, Manhattan Finding Space to Breathe in a Volatile World ...... 26 Tales of My Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain ...... 96 Himanee Gupta-Carlson, Saratoga Springs Gohar Marikyan, Manhattan

A Fulbright Semester: The SUNY Empire State College Adirondack Building a Social Work Dream Together ...... 31 Environmental Studies Residency ...... 104 Susan McConnaughy, Hartsdale Drew Monthie, Saratoga Springs

My IMTL Project to the Rescue: Reflections of a Retiree ...... 108 Virtual Study Group Ahead of the Emergency ...... 33 Lear Matthews, Mentor Emeritus, Manhattan Diane Perilli, Manhattan Hand and Head: Reflections on a Four-Phase Life ...... 35 Making and Knowing in the Labor Studies Program ...... 109 Menoukha Robin Case, Mentor Emerita, Barrie Cline and Rebecca Fraser, Manhattan Saratoga Springs “Small, significant conversations” ...... 117 Care in the Age of a Pandemic ...... 44 Shantih E. Clemans, Brooklyn Colleagues from the School of Nursing and Allied Health A Review of: SoTL in Action: Illuminating Critical Moments of Practice How Do You Solve a Problem Like Reentry? ...... 47 Edited by Nancy L. Chick Sue Kastensen, Founder and Director, Fair Shake New Educational Technologies: Almost Out of Thin Air .....120 The Essays of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne and Jason Russell, Buffalo My Recollections of Times Past ...... 54 A Review of: Richard Bonnabeau, Mentor Emeritus and Volunteer 25 Years of Ed Tech Archivist, Saratoga Springs By Martin Weller

Lost Art ...... 67 From the Archives ...... 122 Donna Gaines, Garden City Anastasia Pratt, SUNY Empire Archivist, Plattsburgh

Revisiting The 1619 Project: Remembering Our Colleagues ...... 123 A Heartfelt Response During a Racialized Pandemic ...... 71 Rhianna C. Rogers, Buffalo Core Values of Empire State College ...... 126

Virtual Student Exchange: SUNY-Venezuela Higher Education Engagement Initiative ...... 76 Victoria Vernon, Manhattan 2806

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E D I T O R I A L Our World

“Oh, I think I understand just like it did not have to happen that difficult and disturbing, particularly as Fear is like a wilderland people don’t have shelter and could tuition-dependent institutions and those Stepping stones or sinking sand” be evicted from their homes and can’t whose very existence depends on public feed their families and have no work — funding are barely hanging in there. — Joni Mitchell, “I Think or are just full of fear. 2020: This is (They are — we are — in survival mode, I Understand” (1969) our world. not helped in the least by distorted budget priorities.) We can look at the miserable failure e are in a crisis. This is what of “systems” — economic, political, My sense is that it is possible, and it is a crisis looks like. This is not sociocultural — to function in the best absolutely necessary, to work together W only a crisis of “legitimacy” interest of the citizenry (look at our to change systems. We have to fight to (as the great social theorist Jrgen berserkly unequal economic system, or do that — to critically evaluate policies Habermas described such historical our health care system that too often and reimagine institutions of all kinds moments); it’s a crisis of all major social lacks the care). And, at the same time, that are not, and should be, responsive institutions that not only have lost their we can also think about the thinning out to the vast majority. (And this includes reliability and credibility but, particularly of our “lifeworld” — the quality of our changes at every level of educational now, have made us poignantly aware of daily lived experiences, the textures of systems to make them smarter, fairer, their cracks, their basic unfairness, their our subjectivity and shared meanings more flexible, more accessible — and to failure to provide what we feel — and (look at the alienation and depression demand that they be properly funded.) know — they need to provide. Too many so many feel, or the worry that parents But what some imagine can be a people in too many places are being have about what their kids are taking technical fix, a system correction, hurt; too many people cannot make it, in, or the belligerence that underlies so simply can’t rescue us. no matter how they try. Of course, there much communication). (This system/ It is thus also absolutely necessary to are degrees of pain and suffering (as I sit lifeworld discussion is one taken up work together to change values and at my desk in my home with August rent by Habermas and by many other dispositions. We have to fight to do paid and food on the table and health philosophers and social theorists.) that, too — to carefully and critically care in place and a full-time job, I am Of course, no institutional arena can reflect, at every turn, on the ideologies incredibly aware of my privileges — they escape this crisis. Its damage ripples and ethics that we too often just take are stunning), but, overall, the world is through every part of society. Education for granted or forget are never neutral. just out-of-kilter, startlingly askew. is smack dab in the middle of all of this. (And this includes changes in schools Honestly, I cannot get it out of my Parents and kids in preschool through at every level to make sure that we’re head that in a four-week period high school scramble to figure out not just reproducing the attitudes and between 11 March and 11 May, 33,500 what schools will (and should) look like ways of seeing each other that reflect a of my fellow New York City neighbors and whether those who are already competitive, mean-spirited anonymity, died of COVID-19 (and that’s the official vulnerable will have the supports they which is, horribly, the only thing too count!) and the numbers continue to need to learn. (It looks quite doubtful.) many people know.) Still, what some climb. This did not have to happen, The higher education scene is just as

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 3 wish can be a community and identity that originated in the ivory tower? the crisis, what concrete steps can we revolution, a lifeworld transformation, Why not just invite everyone in?). And take to question and rebuild this and can’t do it all. our lifeworld had to be revised (Why other institutions, their systems, and professors? Why podiums and even the their lifeworlds? However incredibly I think it’s both the system and most brilliant lectures? Why tell anyone hard and scary and often frustrating the lifeworld. what they need to know?). Yes, of and probably against the odds it is, it’s How incredible that our college (and, course, things change in a half-century, all worth it. We just can’t sink. We have of course, others too) was founded but wow: a radical vision and the search colleagues and students — it’s our to change both stifling institutional for systems to back it up. world — to try to support. structures and hierarchy-obsessed Where are we right now? What do we pedagogical attitudes. Systems had to really care about? What do we really be rethought (Why semesters? Why understand? Often feeling squashed by credits? Why only accept learning

“The major transformations required to reclaim our institutional soul will not be achieved unless our professional souls are similarly respected, supported, and celebrated. Significant institutional transformations cannot be achieved in the face of organizational cultures that view administrators, faculty members, and student affairs professionals only as instruments of production, deployed to achieve maximum competitive advantage in a competitive, market-driven enterprise. They cannot be achieved if students are viewed only as consumers, generating credit hours and credentials.”

— Arthur W. Chickering, January/February 2003 Reclaiming Our Soul: Democracy and Higher Education Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 35(1), p. 43

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Connecting Community Scholarship and Service

Rebecca Bonanno, Garden City and Manhattan

Human Services Mentor Rebecca which has been explored and expanded Bonanno is the recipient of the 2019 upon over the last few decades. I have Susan H. Turben Award for Excellence learned that what I have been doing in Scholarship. At the Fall Academic (along with many, many of our ESC Conference in October 2019, she colleagues) is called the Scholarship delivered the annual Susan H. Turben of Engagement, and that is what I Faculty Lecture. We thank Rebecca would like to talk with you about for providing and editing her talk for this afternoon. All About Mentoring. As many of you know, Ernest Boyer, the founder of SUNY Empire, authored a report for the Carnegie Foundation in t is an honor to be speaking today 1990 called “Scholarship Reconsidered: with all of you, my SUNY Empire Priorities of the Professoriate.” In it, he State College colleagues, as the I proposed that the academy begin to recipient of the Susan H. Turben Award

look beyond the traditional definition Photo credit: Sara Luckey for Excellence in Scholarship. It was of scholarship as “knowledge creation” an unexpected honor. As some of you Rebecca Bonanno (what we typically think of as basic may remember, back in March during research). Boyer acknowledged that the the awards dinner, I decided that the from all parts of the ecosystem. Here development of new knowledge — what announcement of the Turben Award is a quote from Lynton (1994) that I he called the scholarship of discovery — was a good time for me to go to the really love: “All scholarly teaching and was crucial; but he argued that students, ladies’ room. I figured I would be back in application constitute learning both for institutions, and society as a whole time to congratulate the winner — but it the scholar as well as for the client and would benefit from a broader view, turned out it was me. student. The learning of the scholar which had a number of features. arises out of his or her reflection on When I say that the award was They include: the situation-specific aspects of the unexpected, please believe that I am • Interdisciplinary work and activity, and on the details of the not just being modest or suffering interpretation (the scholarship transformational process by which from imposter syndrome. I did not of integration). students, clients, and readers are helped expect to be the recipient of an award to understand and to utilize knowledge” for scholarship, because I have never • The dissemination, transformation, (p. 10). Scholars must work with — or be thought scholarship was my greatest and extension of knowledge (the “engaged” with others. Lynton told us strength. What I have thought of as scholarship of teaching). not to work only with other scholars. We my greatest strength has been my • The application of theoretical should put thought into who we engage work with communities. So I was knowledge to consequential, real- with, and the sharing of knowledge must puzzled at first. Also, I had missed the world problems (the scholarship be reciprocal. entire introduction that explained why of application). I was being given the award, so that Donald Schn was another great didn’t help. Drawing and expanding upon Boyer’s thinker in this area who argued that work, another Ernest — Ernest Lynton the hierarchy of theory (up high) and But after learning what was said about — helped to conceptualize the transfer practice (beneath it), with practice my work and talking to some of my of knowledge in a more expansive way. seen as being derivative of theory, colleagues at the college, it became Instead of thinking of knowledge as ought to be realigned. Schn (1995) clearer to me why I was chosen. The flowing only from teacher to student, proposed a “new” scholarship steeped work that I have done in the community, or from scholar to society, Lynton in collaboration, and commitment to which is informed by my expertise, is described it as an ecosystem in which community, responsibility, and mutual real scholarship that is recognized and knowledge moves in many directions, concern for others. supported by SUNY Empire. It is part changing and expanding through of Ernest Boyer’s model of scholarship, interpretation and constant feedback

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Sometime in the early to mid-1990s, • Community-engaged creative learning, and reflecting. But a private Boyer’s “scholarship of application” activity. This can be performances, psychotherapy practice can feel like a expanded to become the concept of exhibitions, readings, and other different kind of bubble — I work with the “scholarship of engagement” or public sharing or creation of art the people who seek help and who are “engaged scholarship,” which includes that involves people outside of the able to pay for it, which leaves out a the new concepts of how we share academic institution. large portion of the population who knowledge that I have just discussed. do not. So over the last several years, I would like to give you a bit of Thinking and writing on this topic I have committed to expanding my background about myself. I come continue to the present day. The engagement with the community as from a family of educators and service scholarship of engagement is not the a scholar and a practitioner, to meet providers. I grew up doing service in technical and objective practice that the need I have both personally and my school, my church, my community, most of us had been taught to think professionally to stay connected to and receiving a lot of support for these of as “rigorous” research; instead, it what is happening beyond the college activities. Later, I was trained as a social is inherently a value-laden practice. It and beyond my immediate social and worker, I continue to practice, and it is a places social, political, and moral aims professional circles. major part of my professional identity. alongside academic and scientific aims, Social work and education were natural To help frame some of my activities, I as it involves others for the betterment and comfortable professional fits for am going to refer to parts of a typology of society. me. And here at Empire, service with of publicly engaged scholarship that was What does this actually mean in my community has been a natural developed by Doberneck, Glass, and practice? I will discuss my own practice extension of my teaching and academic Schweitzer in 2010. in engaged scholarship in a moment, interests. And as a social worker, I think but to give you a better sense of I feel compelled to venture beyond the Publicly Engaged Research what I’m talking about, here are a few academy and into the community at and Creative Activities examples with which you might already times, both to participate in social justice The first part of this typology that I will be familiar. ESC faculty, professionals, work and to stay connected to what is discuss is publicly engaged research and and students are engaged in many happening outside of “the bubble.” I creative activities. Doberneck, Glass, and of these: Schweitzer (2010) described publicly • Community-based research. The engaged research and creative activity Institute for Community and Civic “… I feel compelled to as being “associated with the discovery Engagement (n.d.) says this takes venture beyond the of new knowledge, the development of place in society and has community new insights and understanding, and members take part in designing academy and into the the creation of new artistic or literary research projects and putting community at times, performances and expressions — in them into action. It also overtly collaboration with community partners, respects the contributions made both to participate broadly defined” (p. 18). I am going to by our partners that lead to a in social justice work focus on the research aspect of this project’s success and abides by the type of engaged scholarship, as I am principle of “doing no harm” to the and to stay connected not at all qualified to discuss creative or communities involved. to what is happening artistic endeavors. So, some examples of community-engaged research would be • Service learning, which “integrates outside of ‘the bubble.’” community-based participatory or action community service with academic research; public policy analysis; and study to enrich learning, teach research conducted in collaboration with civic responsibility, and strengthen nonprofit organizations, government communities,” according to a report have a small clinical practice specializing agencies, or foundations. Research from the National Commission on in child and adolescent mental health. that is conducted solely to advance an Service-Learning (Fiske, 2002, p. 6). Having a license to practice clinical social academic field (what we think of as basic It typically includes: work means that I must participate in research) or that is shared only with continuing education activities, which 1) Service to others. academic audiences is not considered keeps me involved in formal learning. publicly engaged research. 2) Ties to academic content. And practicing in general — the very immediate pressure to help the people 3) Reflection on the service- that I have committed to helping — is learning experience. a great motivator to keep me reading,

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I conducted a research project in happening in the families nearest to me. followed by a community discussion my community of Huntington, New I also thought that, with low treatment and a mental health fair, which included York, about three years ago, after I rates for children and teens suffering representatives from local mental health became interested in a concept called from mental health disorders and highly and youth development organizations. mental health literacy. Mental health stigmatized attitudes about mental The Youth Bureau staff and I planned literacy is the knowledge and beliefs health problems and treatment, this the community forum to be held on that people hold that help them to study would be a good opportunity to National Children’s Mental Health recognize, prevent, and manage mental provide some outreach and education to Awareness Day, May 6. health disorders. Included in this the community. Recruiting participants for the study, knowledge and set of beliefs are (1) I decided to reach out to some folks which included an online survey and the ability to recognize the signs and in my community who might want to in-depth interviews with a subsample of symptoms of mental health disorders, collaborate with me on this. On Long parents, was a challenge that I could not (2) understanding of risk factors and Island, and throughout New York state, have managed without the Huntington causes, (3) knowledge about self-help our communities are parts of townships, Youth Bureau. With their gatekeeping strategies related to mental health, each with their own local governments. and assistance, I conducted outreach (4) knowledge and beliefs about So I began with a division of my town and recruitment for the study at health professional help, (5) non-stigmatized government, the Huntington Youth fairs, community meetings, and other attitudes and beliefs about mental Bureau, whose mission is to promote events. The Youth Bureau’s support and health disorders and treatment, and the growth, development, and well- “seal of approval” helped me to reach (6) the ability to find information about being of youth in the town. The Youth a more diverse sample of research mental health (Jorm, 2000). Bureau administrators and staff were participants than I might have with just While working with children with mental enthusiastic about my project and flyers and online recruitment. health disorders in my clinical practice we began a collaboration that helped Working with the Huntington Youth and helping their parents to understand inform the design of the study and gave Bureau staff to develop the study and the causes and treatments for these me access to community members the community forum helped provide disorders, I noticed that there was a who would participate in the research. me with richer context — their input wide range in knowledge among the We also discussed how we might gave me a better understanding of the families. Some parents were familiar disseminate the results of the study types of issues and barriers that families with terms and concepts related to and raise awareness about child and in our community were experiencing. psychological disorders and treatments adolescent mental health in our town. One conversation that really stands out while others were hearing about these I then applied for the Empire State in my memory was with a small group for the first time when their children College Foundation’s Arthur Imperatore of caseworkers at one of the Youth were in need. I’ve worked with families Community Forum Fellowship, which Bureau’s service-providing centers; who hold beliefs about the causes of provides a faculty member each a worker told me that she thought it mental health and behavioral disorders year with significant release time was great to learn about and increase that are not at all grounded in science, and generous funding for a yearlong parent’s knowledge about child mental yet are popular among groups of well- community-related research or artistic health, but she wondered what some educated, professional parents, such as project that culminates in a community parents would do with that knowledge if the purported but disproven connection forum and other forms of dissemination. they were not able to access services for between vaccines and autism. I began This is an amazing opportunity for their children when they needed them. to wonder how parents gain mental faculty who are interested in the What about paying for services? What health literacy and from what sources scholarship of engagement and is a about the uninsured and underinsured? they acquire their information. Former clear demonstration of our college’s What about the long waiting lists at ESC colleague Jordan Wright and I began commitment to faculty work of this the local mental health agencies? What digging into the literature to look for kind. I was thrilled to be chosen for the about transportation? What about more about these questions and found fellowship for the 2016–2017 academic language access? that the research on parental mental year and I began planning both the health literacy was fairly limited. Of course, as a social worker who study and the community forum. The had earlier provided services in an Jordan and I could have designed a basic forum was a screening of the film No agency for low-income families in research study that examined mental Letting Go (Bucari, Rush, & Silverman, this community, I was aware of all of health literacy broadly. But I wanted 2015), which followed a real-life family’s these issues. But this conversation to gear the research more toward my experiences with a child struggling reminded me that perhaps I had fallen own community, to find out what was with mental illness. The screening was

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 7 into a temporary state of “researcher informed the instruction that I do in pursue in my teaching, research, and tunnel vision.” In this conversation the community, in that reflective and other service activities. I am providing with caseworkers, I could not maintain cyclical way that is a signature of the a service but there is also reciprocity any credibility as a social worker by scholarship of engagement. in that I am gaining knowledge, saying, “Well, those issues are outside learning about various perspectives, the scope of this study.” Workers in the Publicly Engaged Instruction hearing from community members community, people in the community, who, in some cases, challenge the The next part of the typology I’d like to aren’t always interested in our narrow information that I am sharing — which discuss is publicly engaged instruction, research questions. They, of course, forces me to question and rethink which is “organized around sharing want to know, what does this really my own understandings. My evolving knowledge with various audiences mean for us? What will be the impact? understandings are then cycled through either formal or informal back into my teaching, research, The truth is that my project did not arrangements.” Basically, this means and future work with communities. address most of those questions and I giving talks outside of academic settings This is the reflective element of acknowledged that. But the caseworkers to share expertise. This is something engaged scholarship. and I did have a meaningful that I love to do and, as a mental health conversation about how negative provider with a specialty in child and parental (and societal) attitudes about adolescent mental health, there are a mental health can be a huge barrier to lot of opportunities for these types of “I am providing a treatment, along with all of the other presentations. I have presented at a service but there is also practical barriers like service scarcity Long Island-based girls empowerment and transportation. We agreed that all conference on topics including reciprocity in that I am of us who work with youth and families communication and social skills; in a gaining knowledge, are in a position to reduce mental high school’s freshman seminar about illness stigma by not being afraid to talk mental health in adolescence; and most learning about various about it, by sharing stories of treatment recently I have been tailoring workshops perspectives, hearing success, by directing young people and on self-care to specific groups of people their parents to reputable and reliable such as teen girls, college students, and from community sources of information about mental social justice activists. members who, in health, by correcting misinformation These presentations and workshops when we hear it. some cases, challenge bring scholarly information to a wider But when I reflect on this one meeting audience that might not ordinarily have the information that I where my research goals were access to it. Bringing knowledge out am sharing — which challenged — and I have many times — of the classroom and into the rest of I realize how this project would have the world is certainly a service. What forces me to question been different had it truly been also makes this activity valuable as and rethink my own participatory research. Certainly, it was scholarship, in my estimation, is that I community-engaged, as it involved am not simply providing information understandings.” collaboration with and dissemination found in other sources. Instead, in to the community. But had I begun collaboration with the community with research questions derived from organizations that invite me to speak, I I’d like to digress a bit to share one conversations with and outreach in must try to understand the educational especially memorable experience with the community, my questions would and informational needs of the you and it’s on the personal side, so probably have been very different. particular audience and synthesize bear with me. In 2014, I went back to This tells me that there are still so knowledge that will be meaningful, my high school to speak to a group many opportunities to expand on relevant, and most importantly useful to of students. As a high school student what I began during my Imperatore that audience. myself, I had been involved in a peer Fellowship. It’s a little overwhelming, The talks and workshops that I conduct support group, where we learned basic actually. But I continue to promote the are usually interactive so I’m able to helping skills like active listening, to causes of increasing parental mental learn from the audience members provide support for other students health literacy and reducing mental — often parents and young people who were struggling. The school social illness stigma through my presentations — about what they are experiencing, worker who ran this program developed throughout the community. Further, which provides me with ideas to a weekend-long retreat for students, to this community-engaged research has

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 8 help build unity and community, draw reconnection to Awareness Weekend, of creating an event that would bring on individual and group strengths, and my social worker-friend Katie and I together Long Island women of diverse develop a sense of shared responsibility decided that the world needed to know backgrounds to both share common for others. This program is called about Awareness Weekend. It had been experiences and celebrate differences — Awareness Weekend and it is still up and around for decades and other school a Women’s Diversity Summit, we running now, 30 years later. It was and districts had adopted the model but called it. still is a great experience for both the no one had ever written or published Some of you may not know much about kids and the adults who participate. One anything about it. Dr. Kelly and I (with Long Island; you may have associations of my former high school classmates the blessing of the program’s originator) with the wealthy lifestyle of the took the job of school social worker and wrote a practice-based article called Hamptons or maybe you have heard now runs Awareness Weekends twice a “Awareness Weekend: A Retreat-Based President Trump talk about the gang year. That social worker and friend, Dr. Positive Youth Development Program” MS13 that has a large presence on Long Katie Kelly, reached out to me in 2014 that was published in the social work Island. Both of these perceptions of and told me that she remembered an journal Children & Schools in 2016. Long Island are accurate; there is a deep Awareness Weekend when we were in This is not to say that peer-reviewed divide between communities separated high school at which I had spoken to publication is the only element that by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic our peers about my personal struggles constitutes scholarship in this example. status. Despite growth in the Latinx, with mental health issues. She said that As I hope I’ve been getting across in African, and Caribbean populations, it had made a big impact on her at the this talk, publication is not the most plenty of white Long Islanders rarely time and she wondered if I would come important result of community- interact with people who look different to Awareness Weekend and speak on engaged scholarship. But, in this case, than they do or speak languages other a panel with other alumni about those I was able to draw on my engagement than English. Discriminatory housing same struggles and experiences. I said with a community, to work with a policies have created many mostly yes but I was a nervous wreck! So there I professional outside of academia, to white and mostly black communities was, a social worker, a college professor, use my knowledge and skills to highlight with separate public schools (funded by standing in front of 150 high school something positive that has been geographic tax bases), often bordering students talking, not about the incidence happening in a community, and to put it one another. There are indigenous and prevalence rates of mental health out there for others to know about. And communities, some on reservations disorders among adolescents, but it all felt great for me personally and such as the Poospatuck in Mastic, about my own personal experiences. professionally, which is a bonus. New York, and the Shinnecock Nation Of course, I could have always used in Southampton, but most Long my professional expertise as a buffer Publicly Engaged Service Islanders know little about the surviving if the talk started to get rocky, but that cultures and communities of those is not what the students wanted to or The final example of my own engaged whose ancestors lived there before needed from me at the time. I was wary scholarship falls under the category anyone else. about how I — as an almost 40-year-old of Publicly Engaged Service. According person at the time — would be received to Doberneck, Glass, and Schweitzer Because of these deep divisions and the by the students. I must tell you — you (2010), this is “associated with the use of cultural and political climate we live in, all are a great audience — but that university expertise to address specific a Long Islander named Shanequa Levin, audience of 14- to 18-year-olds were the issues … identified by individuals, a professional advocate then with the warmest, most accepting, and receptive organizations, or communities” (p. 24). organization Every Child Matters, began audience that I have ever addressed. This type of work is not typically driven organizing to bring together women After the other panelists and I finished, by research questions, though research from different racial, ethnic, religious, there was a line of young people waiting can be a part of it. and other cultural backgrounds to plan to thank us and hug us. There’s a lot of this nonpolitical gathering, the Women’s My work in publicly engaged service hugging at Awareness Weekend and the Diversity Summit. has primarily been with a Long Island- kids are really into it. based organization called the Women’s I became involved as a volunteer OK, so, there’s obviously a lot of Diversity Network. The network’s early in the planning stages. I chaired engagement in that anecdote and purpose is to connect and mobilize the programming committee, which possibly some service. But you women of different backgrounds to put me in charge of leading a group may be wondering, where is the create positive changes through a that selected the presentations and scholarship? Well, I’ll tell you. Not long more unified sisterhood. The group workshops that would be offered at after I experienced this wonderful came together in 2017, with the goal the summit. As the size and scope of

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 9 the event became clearer to all of us is our community.” Instead, the process to those in positions of power. And I and we realized the amount of work of coming together has happened in fits have experienced the reciprocity that that needed to be done, roles began and starts, with many bumps and some characterizes engaged scholarship, to blur and soon I was also involved bruises, hellos as well as goodbyes. As as I have gained knowledge and in fundraising, outreach, marketing, women of all ages, of different religions deeper understanding from my fellow and many other activities that needed and races, sexual orientations and network members and from others doing in order to make the summit a gender identities, educational and family in the community. success. And it was a success — more backgrounds, and most significantly, Throughout my work with the Women’s than 300 people from across Long different personalities … many, many Diversity Network, a concept from my Island attended. In addition to the strong personalities … we do not fit social work training has often come to educational workshops that we offered, together smoothly. We have rough mind, and that is the conscious use of we served food from different cultures edges and we often brush up against self in professional helping. Conscious and brought together performers of one another uncomfortably. use of self describes the skill of South Asian and Native American dance, With this in mind, it sometimes amazes intentionally using one’s own abilities to African American spoken word, and me that we have been able to agree communicate and interact with others many other diverse creative endeavors. upon goals and create a clear advocacy in ways that facilitate change. The The feedback about the summit agenda — specifically, we have decided relationship between the social worker was amazing. to advocate for changes in policies and and the “client” (whether that is a My fellow volunteers and I did not practices related to gender violence, person sitting in a psychotherapy office realize it at the time, but the work had discrimination and systemic racism, or a member of the community working only just begun after the first summit. and maternal and infant health. in an organization) is paramount in After our initial success, Shanequa Notwithstanding the commitment of the helping process. The conscious and those of us working closely with time and energy that our members use of self means that the worker her decided to form a nonprofit made, we also had to commit to the is continuously reflecting and trying organization, the Women’s Diversity even harder endeavors of working to gain the self-awareness needed Network, with the goals of continuing through our disagreements, putting to create respectful and authentic to bring together and educate women aside ego, valuing all voices equally, and relationships with others. Once these of diverse backgrounds and advocating recognizing and checking our privilege. relationships are established, the social for social justice causes that were We do not do these things perfectly, worker herself becomes the medium important to women on Long Island. but the Women’s Diversity Network through which knowledge, attitudes, We did this while planning for a second members have agreed to be in ongoing and skills are transmitted to others. And Women’s Diversity Summit, providing reflection, both individually and as a from there, change happens. panel discussions and film screenings group, to advance our mission. In community work, the conscious use on a variety of topics, and carrying out Of course, you do not need to have of self becomes complicated, as I am a focused “Get Out the Vote” campaign a Ph.D. or be a social worker to do not present in a professional social work prior to the 2018 elections. We worked these things. I am one member among capacity per se, and yet I am acting hard those first two years and we many and we each bring our own as a social worker when I work with continue to work hard. strengths and insights to the group, community members to address social Underlying all of the tasks and activities, along with our weaknesses and blind problems. I am a volunteer just like all of behind the many discussions, texts, and spots. But I believe I have contributed the other volunteers, each with our own emails, however, is the real project that my expertise to the development needs and motivations for joining the we are immersed in. My sister members of the Women’s Diversity Network group. I both formed friendships and of the Women’s Diversity Network and in a way that includes the elements at times clashed with other members, I are committed to creating community of the scholarship of engagement. and yet I frequently felt my social work where it did not exist before. It began In discussions and meetings, I have training guiding me, telling me to walk with women of different backgrounds shared knowledge about oppressed and this volunteer/professional line in a meeting to plan an event and has grown underserved populations. I have helped way that was congruent with my values into a community in which we learn facilitate difficult conversations using and the group’s goals, even when it about one another’s experiences and my understanding of group dynamics was difficult. The challenge of this work reflect on our own. This has not been and power. I joined with my colleagues has been a huge source of professional an easy or smooth venture and we are in thinking critically about our advocacy and personal growth for me. I wrote nowhere near an endpoint, a place at issues so that we can make smart and about some of my experiences with which we can say, “We’re here and this thoughtful policy recommendations the Women’s Diversity Network and

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 10 was pleased to have it published in the engaged with the community. And the advocating for causes that I believe online publication Qualitative Inquiry in more participatory the scholarship, the in, making personal and professional Social Work (Bonanno, 2019.) more the hierarchy between scholars connections with others, and developing and all others breaks down to empower as an academic, as a social worker, Personal Reflections everyone to contribute to knowledge, and as a person. I don’t know if others understanding, and the alleviation experience engaged scholarship is this Now that you have learned about my of problems. same way (it’s certainly not part of any experiences in these different areas official definition of the scholarship of of engaged scholarship, I would like to Engaged Scholarship is Hard Work engagement) but I feel as if I am doing share a bit about what I have learned. it all the time — when I debate policy All scholarly work is taxing and requires issues with members of my network, I Engaged Scholarship is time, attention, and commitment. But am engaging as a scholar; when I listen Important to Society the scholarship of engagement adds to a podcast or read the news and then another level of “work” to the work. When we engage with the community in share my interpretations with students Engaging with communities requires a the ways that I have described, we are and members of the community and social presence that can be exhausting. making a variety of contributions. elicit theirs, I am engaging as a scholar; We are entering communities and when I participate in public forums on • We are making knowledge more spaces, some of which may be topics relevant to my community, I am accessible, beyond the scholarly unfamiliar to us, each with their own engaging as a scholar. I’m guessing journals that are out of most cultures, norms, and expectations. We that some of you can relate to this people’s reach. are sharing our expertise but must do experience; and if not, perhaps it’s so with sensitivity and awareness of • We are taking a stand for knowledge because we have not, as a community our privilege and any cultural mistrust itself. Knowledge may constitute ourselves, had enough discussions that may have been in existence long fact (a word that gets a lot of about the ways in which scholarship before we arrived. We must listen and attention these days) or subjective infuses our work and our lives. I would learn when it might feel easier and more experience, which is especially be interested to know what you all natural to talk and explain. And there important if we are to shine light think of this idea. For me, this sense are conflicts — in my experience, many, on the narratives of oppressed of interconnectedness of the personal, many conflicts — that must be explored, and disenfranchised people in professional, and academic is rewarding. understood, and worked through to society. Whether we are natural achieve common goals. Ernest Boyer and those who followed scientists, philosophers, artists, him in “reconsidering scholarship” over whatever — engaged scholars are Engaged scholars have to be up the past three decades have widened communicating to the world that for these challenges. And when the our view of what it means to contribute the development and dissemination pressures of academic responsibilities to the creation, dissemination, and of knowledge matters — and community engagement start to application of knowledge. Yet, the to everyone. overwhelm, we may need to take a step progressive scholarship of engagement back. I have very intentionally reduced • We are solving problems. Engaged is still not fully embraced in colleges my community work this academic year, scholars are addressing real-world and universities around the world, as it was taking a toll, and, as I have issues in ways that matter to people especially when it comes to faculty expressed, mental health and self-care and societies. member’s achievement of promotion are also important to me. For me, this and tenure. We are fortunate to work at · We are bridging the gap between the decision resulted from reflection on how an institution in which Boyer’s thinking “ivory tower” and the rest of the world. I could best contribute right now. As we interact with people outside is in our DNA. SUNY Empire embraces and encourages engaged scholarship of the academy, we are demystifying Engaged Scholarship is Professionally in many ways and I am so appreciative higher education, research, and and Personally Meaningful knowledge itself. I don’t know for a of that. Thank you to the college for fact that the work of academics in Being an engaged scholar has enabled acknowledging my work through this the community provides community me to intertwine various aspects award. Thank you to my colleagues and members with a different impression of of my life toward achieving goals mentors who have been so supportive higher education; but I know that I have and living my values. I am able to of my work; special thanks to my had the opportunity to talk to many, fulfill my academic responsibilities Associate Dean Dr. Desalyn De-Souza. many people about ESC, adult learning, of teaching and mentoring, service, And finally thanks to you all for listening and prior learning assessment as I have and scholarship while simultaneously to me today.

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References Doberneck, D. M., Glass, C. R., & differences-between-community- Schweitzer, J. (2010). From rhetoric based-research-community-based- Bonanno, R. (2019, January.). Reflective to reality: A typology of publically particpatory-research-and inquiry and practice in diversity on engaged scholarship. Journal of Long Island. Qualitative Inquiry in Jorm, A. F. (2000). Mental health literacy: Higher Education Outreach and Social Work: Global Perspectives, 2(1), Public knowledge and beliefs about Engagement, 14(4), 5–35. Retrieved 17–18. mental disorders. The British Journal from https://files.eric.ed.gov/ of Psychiatry, 177(5), 396–401. Bonanno, R., & Kelly, K. (2016, July). fulltext/EJ910047.pdf Awareness Weekend: A retreat- Lynton, E. A. (1994). Knowledge Fiske, E. B. (2002). Learning in deed: The based positive youth development and scholarship. Metropolitan power of service-learning for American program. Children & Schools, 38(3), Universities, 5(1), 9–17. schools. Retrieved from https://files. 187–189. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED465829.pdf Schn, D. A. (1995). Knowing-in-action: Boyer, E. L. (1990). Scholarship The new scholarship requires a new Institute for Community and Civic reconsidered: Priorities of the epistemology. Change, 27(6), 27–34. Engagement (San Francisco State professoriate. Lawrenceville, NJ: University). (n.d.). Differences Princeton University Press. between community-based Bucari, J .D. (Director, Producer), Research, community-based Rush, C. (Producer), & Silverman, participatory research, and R. (Producer). (2015). No Letting action research. Retrieved from Go [DVD]. United States: Demian https://icce.sfsu.edu/content/ Pictures, Illness Productions.

“Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.”

— Arthur W. Chickering and Stephen C. Ehrmann, October 1996 “Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever” American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), pp. 3–6

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Running a College on the Side: Reflections on My Engagement With Coursera

Valeri Chukhlomin, Saratoga Springs

In recent years, massive open online planet, to create and launch the courses. courses (MOOCs) have become one of Since then, more than 120,000 learners the most important innovations in global from around the globe enrolled in higher education. Another important trend them. In April 2020, one of the courses, is the rise of online content aggregators, How to Get Skilled, was selected as such as Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn. part of the massive Coursera COVID- Coursera, the leading aggregator, by May 19 response to be delivered for free 2020, had surpassed 56 million subscribed for the global audience. This effort is learners globally offering 4,500 online currently bringing to the course 3,000 courses, 300 specializations, and 20 entire new learners per week! Overall, it is a degrees. Since 2015, through membership great honor to represent SUNY and the in Open SUNY (online courses and entire college to many thousands of learners, degree programs offered through the alongside prominent colleagues from SUNY system), SUNY Empire State College Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UCLA, and has obtained a unique opportunity to join other leading universities. At the same Coursera and reach out to the world’s time, there is a very significant personal largest community of online learners. One cost for me to be on Coursera, as I am Valeri Chukhlomin of the college’s pioneers on Coursera, Val the only one who voluntarily and with Chukhlomin, has led the development no release time is carrying the burden experience at the same conference, it of seven Coursera MOOCs. In just four of sustaining the effort. So, the theme occurred to me that there was possibly years, his MOOCs have enrolled more than of this article is to make a case for a hidden meaning behind the phonetic 120,000 learners from more than 200 Coursera MOOCs and to describe how similarity between the Russian word countries. In this essay, Chukhlomin shares I have managed to run a college on the «Мука» (pronounced M-oo-kh-ah) and his observations and insights into the side. Also, there is a call for possible the English, made-up word “MOOC,” Coursera world and discusses some of the collaborators in the near future. the acronym for a massive open online pertinent problems. Please note that quite course. In Russian, which is my mother recently, Open SUNY merged with SUNY Is There Something Shakespearean tongue, «Мука» means suffering, Online. The two entities are now called About MOOCs? self-inflicted torture, or even getting SUNY Online. pleasure from the pain. For example, My MOOC-making journey started Boris Pasternak used «Мука» to back in 2013, which was one year An Invisible College translate “the dangers” in his beautiful after Coursera was created. By that translation of Shakespearean: “She hinking retrospectively, I must time, the college’s Center for Distance loved me for the dangers I had passed, / confess that a few years ago Learning (CDL) had already been playing And I loved her that she did pity them” when I entered the world of around with so-called “connectivist” or T (Shakespeare, 1899, 3.3.269). MOOCs, I could not have imagined that cMOOCs. That year George Siemens, a I would soon be totally obsessed and leading researcher and the renowned Can it be that MOOC-making is enslaved by them. Since 2014, Coursera cMOOC pioneer, conducted a keynote supposed to be that way? I cannot stop has adopted all seven courses that I presentation at the annual CDL thinking about it, as currently, MOOC- proposed for development. Through Conference in Saratoga Springs. The making is happening in the parallel SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology famous Canadian shared his brilliance universe that is not connected to Grants (IITG) and Coursera loans, I was with us and, if I recall correctly, was a either the college’s strategy or current able to raise more than $180,000 to little surprised to learn that some CDL business, and, therefore, remains mostly pay for the course development. Then, folks were also doing cMOOCs — and invisible for the college community. I was privileged to lead the efforts of quite successfully (Yeager, Hurley- Once launched, on-demand MOOCs three college teams, the most tireless Dasgupta, & Bliss, 2013). When my live pretty much on their own. Like and devoted professionals on this colleagues discussed their cMOOC unmanned spacecraft traveling the

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 13 interstellar roads, the MOOCs slowly seeing how quickly MOOCs are evolving. moved it to Coursera. The resultant deteriorate. They still enroll remote While it is probably too early to tell online program is fully accredited by learners and collect data, although there how disruptive MOOCs are going to AACSB and is less expensive than almost is no one on the receiving end. The real be for higher education at large, it is any online MBA in state universities Shakespearean question is whether too risky for any institution, particularly including SUNY Empire. As of 2020, two we as a college need Coursera MOOCs one like SUNY Empire that heavily dozen new master-level programs have or is it time to put the plug on them? relies on tuition dollars from online been added to the Coursera portfolio. Here are some arguments to keep the programs, to pay little attention to One may think that there is no direct MOOCs alive. MOOCs. MOOCs are the future, and competition between our college and among other things, they are well Coursera. Well, not exactly so. In the Why MOOCs? adapted to the coronavirus world. fall of 2020, Coursera is launching its There has been nothing more important first undergraduate degree completion Why Do We Need to Pay in the online learning marketplace in the program for adult learners where Attention to Coursera? last decade than the advent of MOOCs. students will be able to bring up to For a nontraditional college receiving Coursera is a Silicon Valley company, 90 credits (out of 120). In 2018, when 70% of its revenues from online courses, still very much in a start-up phase, Coursera was discussing its intent with ignoring MOOCs is not an option. What which is trying to make MOOCs state universities including Open SUNY, we are facing is a paradigm shift. Online profitable. Initially, Coursera was we did not use our chance, but the learning as we know it has evolved as a formed as a consortium of 10 research University of North Texas did. Now, they technology-enhanced version of old-age universities and positioned itself as a are launching this program at a massive correspondence courses. As such, it was top-quality, online learning platform. scale. This was a really close call. largely ignored by the world’s leading Gradually, Coursera has expanded by universities. The situation had started embracing new corporate and academic What Do They Do Differently? to dramatically change in 2012 when partners, including a limited number of MOOCs have completely changed our Andrew Ng, a distinguished computer international and U.S. state universities, perspective on scale. For a Coursera scientist from Stanford University, such as those within Open SUNY. MOOC, it is not rare to enroll learners launched his first, massively open Currently, with close to 200 partners, by hundreds of thousands, and some online course on artificial intelligence Coursera has created the world’s largest courses have attracted millions of (Pérez-Pea, 2012). That course enrolled pool of subscribed learners (currently, learners. With scale, Coursera MOOCs 130,000 learners. Since then, the idea of more than 56 million, with plans for have enabled a massive use of learning massively open online courses, in which expansion up to 300 million learners). analytics to inform course design. the best professors from the top schools Coursera products include stand-alone On Coursera, learning analysts keep deliver their lectures to learners from courses, specializations, and degree track of learning behaviors of millions all over the world, has become widely programs. Starting with free MOOCs, of learners and translate it into popular and resulted in a huge wave of Coursera has moved to offering fee- recommendations regarding course MOOCs. What happened after that is based certificates of their own. Most design. Coursera courses use a lot that the majority of Ivy League schools recently, Coursera has started offering of short, engaging videos and keep and top research universities finally for-credit courses, graduate certificates, track of user preferences. Coursera discovered online learning. Then, they and accredited degrees vetted by their pioneered the use of peer reviews and started changing the way online learning partner institutions. is making huge progress on the way is designed, delivered, and promoted. It Here is an example of the disruptive to automate it. When done, this will be is only a matter of time until Coursera power of Coursera. In 2016, the a game changer in online education. and edX will find an efficient way to University of Illinois pioneered an Most recently, Coursera has created massively promote their MOOC-based AACSB-accredited [Association to computer labs that can be added to any credentials to take over the online Advance Collegiate Schools of Business course. Coursera courses are expensive learning market, especially for working International] MBA on Coursera with in production, but scaling does help professionals. What is going to happen more than 20,000 enrolled learners. a lot in covering the costs. Coursera after that? I do not have a crystal ball In 2018, there were more than 800 programs are stackable where short but, after all, there is only one Facebook graduates of that program. They courses are combined into certificates and one Amazon in a previously paid close to $20,000 in comparison and then to degrees. Learners on crowded place. As a coordinator of with $80,000 paid by campus-based Coursera can preview courses before “traditional” online courses for adult students. In 2019, the university closed they enroll. What is most remarkable learners, I am absolutely fascinated by its on-campus MBA program and fully is that Coursera has moved to position

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 14 itself as a skills management company. Like consumer polling on Amazon or and Jane Greiner), a videographer They allow learners to use their platform Facebook, Coursera learners publicly (John Hughes), and an assessment to evaluate their readiness for particular evaluate “products” by rating courses professional (Amy Giaculli). We called careers, and identify their existing skills and stand-alone learning objects and the project “iMOOC” where “i” stands for and skill-building needs; then, they help sharing their opinions. When doing so, international or intercultural. learners to develop individual pathways they compare the course they are taking to get skilled. This functionality is now with other courses on the platform. used by more than 1,000 businesses From the educator’s point of view, this and many governments worldwide is a very high level of transparency, to upskill their workforce. In addition and the competitive pressure is high as to Coursera for Business, Coursera your “product” quality and “delivery” are has launched new initiatives such openly benchmarked against the highest as Coursera for Campus, where any standards in the industry. university can adopt Coursera courses

to quickly build their own online Round One: My First the author. by Image provided program. Basically, any university can Engagement With Coursera: iMOOC101: Mastering American eLearning now use 4,500 Coursera courses to The iMOOC (2014–2016) course logo on Coursera. build a foundation for their own online Since joining the college in 2006, I have Back in 2015, Coursera courses were program and use their own campus, been working closely with Professor taught live, very much like online Zoom, Skype, or whatever teaching Bidhan Chandra on the theme of virtual courses at SUNY Empire. We envisioned technology to connect instructors with acculturation. Virtual acculturation our course as a competency-based, students without the need to build their is what happens when international cross-cultural training, aimed at foreign- own courses from scratch. online learners get accustomed to and born or remotely located students and learn how to succeed in a small, all- professionals who were interested in What is a Coursera MOOC? American, online class. Earlier, I had overcoming cross-cultural barriers in In a nutshell, a Coursera MOOC is an studied this phenomenon in Russia virtual work and learning environments online course template divided into (Chukhlomin, 2010), and it appeared in the U.S. The course was built as weeks. Typically, there are four to five that my colleague, Bidhan, had done the a series of explanatory lectures and weeks (modules) per course, with six same in the U.S. Around 2011, Associate exercises helping students better to 10 video lectures, quizzes, readings, Professor Anant Deshpande joined our understand and eventually overcome forums, and exercises. Coursera has research team. After co-authoring a the barriers preventing them from developed a set of best practices based journal article in which we described successfully integrating into the all- on learning analytics. For example, our findings (Chukhlomin, Deshpande, American classroom or workplace. Coursera recommends that each & Chandra, 2013), our team moved The conceptual competency map learning week needs to consist of 40 to develop a bridging online course for the course is presented in to 60 minutes of viewing time and all aimed at helping international students Chukhlomin (2016). lectures must be delivered in six-minute and foreign-born professionals freely To participate in the course, we invited episodes. All recommendations are navigate U.S. virtual environments and students from SUNY Empire locations supported by very extensive data sets online courses. Initially, we wanted in Europe and Central America. that include millions of observations. to develop a MOOC on the Canvas Actually, we took advantage of our Overall, Coursera pedagogy is reflective Network. Thanks to advice from Tom experience in conducting online classes of quantitative courses used in many Mackey, at the time dean of CDL, the for students in Lebanon and filmed a research-intensive universities. three of us applied for and received a series of interviews with them during Technically, the platform does allow $57,000 IITG grant and switched the summer residencies in Cyprus. We also me to create courses that follow the course development to Coursera. To interviewed a number of foreign-born SUNY Empire philosophy of inquiry work on the project, we invited two SUNY Empire faculty and asked them to and guided independent study; what I mentors from the college’s International explain how they managed to identify have found is that for most Coursera Education program (Lecturer Lori and overcome cross-cultural barriers. learners, the SUNY Empire way of Calix and Visiting Associate Professor The interviews were edited and included teaching and learning is not familiar. Jeannine Mercer), two non-business in the course as case studies. Also, we Coursera videos are short (five to six faculty (Associate Professors Michele reached out to the U.S. Department of minutes) and concrete, with embedded Forte and Dana Gliserman Kopans), two State, and their staff helped us connect (so-called “in-video”) questions and polls. instructional designers (Tonka Jokelova with more than 400 U.S. education

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centers and posts abroad. Most are not very useful in the MOOC world. universities at the U.S. Consulate (2015). remarkably, a nationwide network of 30 According to MOOC researchers, an In addition, I presented our iMOOC centers in Indonesia actively participated average completion rate in free MOOCs experience in three conferences in in the course when it was first delivered is 3–5% (Jordan, 2014). At the same time, Australia, two SUNY CIT (Conference on in March–May 2015. The overall the self-reported level of satisfaction of Instruction & Technology) conferences enrollment in the course was close both completers and non-completers and during the Open SUNY Distance to 5,000 students from 139 countries is practically on the same (and very Learning Week. (Deshpande & Chukhlomin, 2017). high) level of 70–80% (according to The goal of these activities was not to Coursera’s internal annual reports). To produce the course, we prepared just share our experience; we also tried The paradox is explained if we begin video lectures, self-assessments, to find a way to sustain the course and thinking about MOOCs as a different quizzes, and case studies. A novel to make it part of an ongoing learning beast. I usually use an analogy with element in the course was presented by process. To do so, we presented the a party where there is no need for a cross-cultural animations. Animations course to international education participant to talk with every guest and are case studies that are illustrated advisors at the annual SUNY Global taste every dish to consider the party with the use of software (we used meeting in Albany (2016), traveled to a success. One may be highly satisfied GoAnimate, now known as Vyond). What several SUNY campuses, and presented with a party even if all communications we discovered is that going public and at SUNY COIL (Collaborative Online and all the activities the person has reaching a worldwide audience with International Learning) conferences. had at the party were reduced to just cross-cultural training is a risky business, Unfortunately, the effort to find partners a couple of conversations — as long as as it is extremely difficult to illustrate for sustaining the course has so far not those conversations were important or cultural misunderstandings neutrally. been successful. But — similar to the planned. But the advantage of MOOCs is Voyager — the course is still alive and is that you can always return to get more continuing its mission. — as long as the party never stops. In 2017, Anant Deshpande and I Soon after we piloted iMOOC101, summarized the results of the iMOOC Coursera announced a transition of research in a prestigious, peer-reviewed live MOOCs to the on-demand mode. journal, The American Journal of Thanks to another $20,000 IITG grant Distance Learning, published by Taylor that I was able to obtain in 2015, & Francis (Deshpande & Chukhlomin, our team converted iMOOC101 into 2017). The article focused on exploring iMOOC102. Since then, the updated Image provided by the author. by Image provided how various factors such as content, course has been continuously running Alex (an international online student) in an navigation, consistency with design, in an on-demand mode, and by May all-American virtual work (or online learning) self-assessment, interactivity, and 2020, it had enrolled close to 3,000 environment (an animated case study accessibility impact student motivation developed for iMOOC101 and iMOOC102 new learners. Interestingly, 20% of to learn in a MOOC environment. and used on Coursera). new learners are educators from Asia, many with Ph.D.s. Using IITG Yet another thing that we learned in the funds, we attempted to engage more first Coursera course is that MOOCs are participants and collaborators several not exactly online courses as we tend to times. For example, Bidhan and I think about them. A Coursera MOOC is delivered presentations at the Online a new educational tool, very much like Learning Consortium (OLC) Annual a televised, interactive textbook where

Conference in Orlando (2015), the the author. by Photo provided learners come in huge crowds — and NAFSA: Association of International not necessarily to watch all lectures and The iMOOC101 production team (l-r): Tonka Educators Annual Conference in Jokelova, John Hughes, Jeannine Mercer, do all exercises. What we observed is Denver (2016), and the regional NAFSA Anant Deshpande, Lori Calix, Val Chukhlomin, that Coursera learners, particularly in Conference at Skidmore College (2016). Bidhan Chandra, and Amy Giaculli (Saratoga free MOOCs, behave differently than Springs, November 2014). Anant presented at the annual AACE students in our college’s for-credit (Association for the Advancement of Here is what some of the learners have online courses. Coursera learners come Computing in Education) Conference in said about the course (excerpts from an in huge crowds to sample a course, Honolulu (2016). Once I even traveled to IRB-approved survey): get an idea or two, and then quickly Hong Kong to deliver a MOOC-making move to another course. That is why • “I learned a lot about American masterclass that was conducted for local the usual metrics like retention rates culture through the video

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lectures as well as the reading financial incentives (loans) to partially and women in Elton John glasses. The and interviews.” cover the costs of course development. training itself was a military-style, three- From my perspective, having personal day, early morning to late night exercise. • “It has opened my eyes to the growth as a subject area was particularly I think that the camp was intended to important contributions e-learning important because this was one of the help us digest the idea that the task we is providing to narrow that gap few niche areas where a comprehensive were given was impossible to achieve between what I know and the college like SUNY Empire could at but we still were expected to do it. This many things I’m learning through least theoretically compete with Ivy is exactly what I told Ronnie upon my the iMOOC.” League universities. Competing in other return home. • “I took delight in the varied areas, for example, computer science instructors and their cultural or artificial intelligence, was hardly and ethnic diversity.” possible. But personal development • “The link to professional studies and is exactly what we teach in the college application to the work environment and do it well! Coincidentally, in 2014, beyond the diploma was needed, I had completed a textbook and with and excellently done.” a small group of CDL faculty, piloted a new online course in career self- • “I better understand the low context management and self-marketing culture of and the general academic (Beckem, Benno, & Chukhlomin, 2015). the author. by Image provided systems of the U.S.” From the moment of its launch, the Career Brand Management Specialization on course was well accepted and highly Coursera (homepage). Round Two: The Career Brand regarded by the college students, and Management Specialization (2016) Now, why the task was impossible I thought that because of its proven to achieve. To get things ready, we What I personally learned from the usefulness, success, and innovation, this had only two months (December and iMOOC experience is that Coursera course could have been an excellent January). Starting in February 2016, MOOC-making is a team sport that candidate for the RFP. With support and we were expected to launch one new requires a highly coordinated effort — encouragement from Ronnie Mather, course each month and to finish the very much like a movie production. at the time interim dean of CDL, I development in May. Altogether, we After that, I undertook a small learning responded to the RFP and — miracles needed to produce, with studio quality, journey by taking a movie production happen! — the proposal was accepted, 150 to 200 new video lectures. Also, class to find out more about the work with an addition of a $40,000 loan and prepare 60 to 80 exercises, 50 quizzes, of an executive producer. I realized that course development support including and lots of reading materials. On top of producing Coursera MOOCs was similar intensive Coursera training in Mountain that, we were required to comply with to filming an independent movie where View, California. Coursera requirements (edited closed- each of the participants wears several Attending a Coursera specialization captions, in-video quizzes in all lectures, hats, and for each of the hats there is training camp was one of the most and peer-reviewed assignments) and actually a well-defined job description! interesting undertakings in my entire life to keep an eye on the courses we were I was eager to try it one more time, in the U.S. Though I had visited Silicon launching at the same time as we were and soon a new exciting opportunity Valley before, I had never been inside a developing new ones. This was four presented itself. fast-growing start-up company. It started times more work than the iMOOC, six At the end of 2015, Coursera came up with a parking lot shared with Firefox months for four courses vs. nine months with a new idea to combine stand-alone, and LinkedIn. I immediately recalled a for the original iMOOC, and 50% of the short courses into MOOC specializations. joke that I heard from a Russian-born budget with the difference that this A specialization is a series of four to Jewish engineer in New York City: “We time we were supposed to return the seven courses that cover a certain live so close to America but never see money from the royalties obtained from content area. Usually, this is an it.” While there are many Americas, Coursera learners. Was it possible to do equivalent of a large university course the innovative America is definitely in it? Absolutely not! This is what I said to or even several courses. To support Silicon Valley! What I found inside the Ronnie. I also said that I had assembled the development of specializations, Coursera building was young boys and an absolutely, unimaginably fantastic Coursera conducted a highly competitive girls of all colors sitting in their cubicles, team and we’d do it anyway. Even now, request for proposals (RFP) in several riding bikes, chatting in free ice cream four years later, I sometimes wake up content areas, including personal rooms, and getting in groups with few, in the middle of the night and cannot growth, and offered support and much older looking, egg-headed men believe that we did it.

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The team included Associate Professors self, work on skill-building and self- planning. I like the idea of viewing Michele Forte, Dana Gliserman Kopans, promotion, and develop techniques for ourselves as an organization and and John Beckem. In two courses, we ongoing self-coaching. Of those enrolled, thinking strategically for further were joined by Associate Professor 40% of students have a master’s degree, development. Thanks for creating Kymn Rutigliano. The technical team and 38% have a bachelor’s degree. and sharing this course.” included instructional designer Tonka Ninety-four percent of the participants • “This course is fantastic in Jokelova, videographer John Hughes, report that taking the specialization was helping job seekers learn to view and assessment specialist Amy Giaculli. useful for their career development. themselves and the jobs they are None of us had release time; the In all courses we have detailed, IRB- interested in, from the perspective work was conducted day and night, approved surveys were used to keep of the hiring authority. Also, will in two parallel video studios working track of the student progress. In 2019, provide skills to be successful on simultaneously. I can only compare it with the help of Associate Professors your career path.” to the Japanese practice of “Ultra C for Victoria Vernon and Ajay Das, I posted a a handful of rice” in the 1970s where detailed report about the results of the Round Three: How to Olympic athletes were striving to achieve specialization (Chukhlomin, Vernon, & Get Skilled (2018) super excellence in gymnastics far Das, 2019). beyond the standard, with practically no After overextending myself and Here is what students say about the monetary compensation. It did work for exhausting the production team in 2015– specialization (Coursera, n.d.): the Japanese in competitive gymnastics, 2016, I really needed a break to focus on and it worked for us. But I honestly do • “This course had a profound impact my ongoing college work and personal not know whether it can be repeated — on my personal and professional life. When working on the specialization, even with decent pay! Later, I described development. It was instrumental I developed a habit of getting up around the experience in my presentation at the in helping me make important 4 a.m. and working into the night, Coursera annual conference in Denver career choices and increasing my seven days a week. My wife was not (2017). I called it “Guerilla MOOCmaking” confidence in moving forward.” very happy with that. At the same time, (Chukhlomin, 2017) and got an ovation I got a feeling that both Coursera and • “If you’re looking to revitalize or in a full room. Kudos for the team! Open SUNY were very satisfied with the advance your career, this course results and they might be interested in will help you become a self-directed The Career Brand Management getting a new MOOC proposal from me. learner and seek out opportunities specialization is a series of four In early 2017, Coursera launched a new to enhance your portfolio.” courses that were fully launched initiative proposing the development in May 2016. Since then, it has • “I really appreciate highly the efforts of short, practical, hands-on MOOCs enrolled 82,000 learners worldwide. of my respected dynamic and called “project-based courses.” I liked Organizations like the United Nations competent Instructors Dr. Valeri the idea and came up with a proposal agencies have adopted it for corporate Chukhlomin, Dr. Michele Forte, Dr. to create an application for skills training. The specialization is aimed Kymn Harvin Rutigliano, Dr. John M. management. My idea was that by using at working professionals looking to Beckem II, Dr. Tonka Jokelova and the application, career builders could enhance or change their careers. In Amy Giaculli and enjoyed the course organize and monitor their skill-building the specialization, students develop a material and video presentations work and develop tangible outcomes, strategic vision for their future work of this course. Mind-blowing such as data-driven and evidence-based conceptual approach was adopted selection criteria statements. To work especially in the areas of basic on the idea, I obtained a new, $45,000 “In the specialization, conceptual knowledge of Strategic IITG grant. In the rest of 2017, I worked students develop a Career Self-Management in depth. on the application and the underpinning Overall it was a superb experience competency model. I also needed to strategic vision for their of learning.” come up with a very realistic case study. I am very grateful to my daughter, future work self, work on • “I really enjoyed the Strategic Career Marina, and her husband, Steven, a Self-Management course. I have an skill-building and self- graduate of SUNY Empire, who joined interest in strategic management me in this effort. By 2018, I was ready to promotion, and develop and thinking and am interested create a new, project-based MOOC. techniques for ongoing in how the instructors connected these with career development. It’s The production team included Dana self-coaching.” a different approach than using Gliserman Kopans, Amy Giaculli, and traditional goal-setting and career John Hughes. In all of my MOOCs, Dana

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 18 did a wonderful job by translating and explain what to do to increase I think that SUNY Online should have editing my poor English into well-written my skills.” proposed to do the bachelor’s degree and easy-to-understand prose. John is a completion program here, in New York • “The course helped me to see rare kind of all-in-one professional who state. Another opportunity is to think clearly where I have to improve to proves to be indispensable in producing about participating in the Coursera for get an enhancement in my career.” the highest-quality videos, mixing Business program. To do so, in 2019, I sounds, and video editing. Amy was not • “The JAFAR [Job Analysis, Full proposed to IITG to fund a new project only the movie star in our homemade mastery, Assessment, and skillset aimed at converting the specialization serials; she also did the work of an Review — a computer application into a corporate training tool. For this assistant producer, which is basically created by Chukhlomin (2018) purpose, I have developed a new piece doing all sorts of things. Instructional for individual skills management] of software and called it Career Fitness Designer Alena Rodick was the new template is a very thoroughly SMART Lab. The proposal received member of the team. With the arrival of designed spreadsheet that does a very high scores in the competition but Alena, we moved from creating rather good job helping to visualize my eventually was not supported. Now, I static, talking-head-over-PPT style video skills. It’s also helpful to mix and am thinking about how to get $150,000 lectures to a more cinematographic match new skills to see how they to $250,000 in grant money to do the production combining homemade video would affect my qualifications for job. I am sure that we can get 1,000,000 lectures with imported, professionally- different jobs.” fee-paying learners on Coursera. There made clips, animation, and music. are also tons of unpublished data in the Alena was also highly instrumental surveys and megatons of clickstream in developing the application. Marina data for further research. Any ideas or and Steven were not officially on the collaborators are welcome! team, but we would not have been able to produce this MOOC without their help. Marina created a storyline for the main case study and populated it with real-life materials; Steven created two companion websites to host the the author. by Image provided application. Time and again, we were How to Get Skilled on Coursera (2018). relying on assistance by the SUNY Empire people and we always received Can We Attract 1,000,000 it! My wife, Irina, who is an adjunct with Fee-Paying Learners? the college and a Ph.D. and formerly In my experience, Coursera is a big boy’s Photo provided by the author. by Photo provided department chair back in Russia, once game. A course from Stanford University again tolerated, fed, and supported Coursera production presentation at All College usually attracts 100 to 200 times Conference, 2019 (l-r): Amy Giaculli, Alena me during yet another MOOC year. In more learners than any SUNY course. Rodick, Val Chukhlomin, and John Hughes. addition, for this new course, I wrote a Oftentimes, this is because the subject- companion text. matter expertise at Stanford is higher, This Work Never Stops: A Postscript The course launched in late 2018 for example, in artificial intelligence. But The importance of MOOCs cannot be and had attracted 16,000 learners. I there are courses like Stanford Cooking overemphasized in the coronavirus expected that the number of learners that are also 100 times more popular world. In May 2020, I relaunched the would soon significantly increase, as than comparable courses from other iMOOC under the new title: Mastering in March 2020, Coursera selected the universities. This brings us to the point Remote Work and Online Learning in course for their COVID-19 response; of the real value of the SUNY brand. the U.S. in the Post-COVID Era. With indeed, from April–August 2020, the On Coursera, we do not present our Bidhan Chandra and Amy Giaculli, course’s enrollment doubled (more than courses as SUNY Empire State College. we presented the new course during 32,000). This is what Coursera learners On Coursera, all SUNY campuses the virtual NAFSA conference in June– have said about the new MOOC: are part of SUNY Online, which, July 2020. The course can be very theoretically, has a stronger brand than instrumental in helping international • “With this course, I have learned SUNY Empire. Still, learners’ preferences students and working professionals how to improve on my skills and are strongly associated with brands. navigate American virtual environments. accomplish desired goals.” If so, we must be satisfied with simply • “The course shows skills that I am being on Coursera in good company. At not ready to work in, also helps the same time, Coursera is here to grow;

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References valtch/valeri-chukhlomin-guerilla- motivation to learn. The American moocmaking-a-stone-soup- Journal of Distance Learning, 31(4), Beckem, J., Benno, S., & Chukhlomin, V. approach 275–293. (2015). Teaching for employability skills: A competency-based Chukhlomin, V. (2018). Downloads: Jordan, K. (2014). Initial trends in approach to educational JAFAR. Retrieved from https://www. enrollment and completion of planning. All About Mentoring, skillsmanager.pro/items.html massive open online courses. 47, 27–31. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.irrodl. Chukhlomin, V., Deshpande, A., & https://www.esc.edu/media/ocgr/ org/index.php/irrodl/article/ Chandra, B. (2013). Strategies for publications-presentations/all- view/1651 bridging cross-cultural barriers for about-mentoring/2015/All-About- international students’ success in Pérez-Pea, R. (2012, July 17). Top Mentoring-Issue-47.pdf American asynchronous on-line universities test online appeal of Chukhlomin, V. (2010). A laboratory of degree programs. South African free. Retrieved from https://www. culture shock: Delivering American Journal of Higher Education, 27(6). nytimes.com/2012/07/18/education/ education in Siberia. All About top-universities-test-the-online- Chukhlomin, V., Vernon, V., & Das, A. Mentoring, 37, 47–51. Retrieved appeal-of-free.html. (2019, January 3). A preliminary from https://www.esc.edu/media/ assessment of SUNY Empire State Shakespeare, W. (1899). Othello, ocgr/publications-presentations/ College’s Career Brand Management Venetian moor. Tragedy in five all-about-mentoring/2010/Issue-37- MOOC specialization on Coursera, acts (P. Veinberg, Trans.). In D. AAM-Spring-2010.pdf 2016–2017 and 2017–2018. Retrieved Mikhalovsky (Ed.), Complete works of Chukhlomin, V. (2016). How non-U.S. from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/ William Shakespeare. Translated by business students can overcome papers.cfm?abstract_id=3642730 Russian writers (Vol. 3) (pp. 255–319). barriers and succeed in American St. Petersburg, Russia: n.p. Coursera. (n.d.). Career brand virtual environments: Lessons management specialization. Yeager, C., Hurley-Dasgupta, B., & Bliss, from teaching a Coursera MOOC. Retrieved from https://www. C. (2013). cMOOCs and global Journal of Economics, Business and coursera.org/specializations/career- learning: An authentic alternative. Management, 4 (12), 669–676. brand-management Journal of Asynchronous Learning Chukhlomin, V. (2017). Guerilla Networks, 17(2), 133–147. Retrieved Deshpande, A., & Chukhlomin, V. (2017). MOOCmaking: A stone soup from https://files.eric.ed.gov/ What makes a good MOOC: A field approach [PDF file]. Retrieved fulltext/EJ1018269.pdf study of factors impacting student from https://www.slideshare.net/

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Now and Then: ESC — and Life After

Carole Ford, Mentor Emerita, New Paltz

es, there is life, albeit very When we returned to the states, we changed, after SUNY Empire settled in New Paltz where I earned Y State College. my master’s degree as well as an advanced certificate in educational Actually, my life as a SUNY Empire administration and supervision at the mentor began as a tutor back in 1976. SUNY college in town. I’d also taken In fact, I will never forget visiting my first some courses in guidance counseling student who was incarcerated at Wallkill but finally decided to pursue my Correctional Facility and was enrolled doctorate in curriculum and teaching in SUNY Empire through an initiative at Columbia’s Teachers College. You called Extended Programs. I distinctly can see why I say SUNY Empire was a remember approaching a huge wooden perfect fit; my responsibilities combined door which, unsurprisingly, refused to teaching, advisement, and even some open until I rang a bell and introduced administrative work. myself through a speaker. I later, much less naively, managed prison-based Life at SUNY Empire State College the author. by Photo provided programs at the Otisville federal prison, Carole Ford and the state prisons in Woodbourne In SUNY Empire’s early days, we had and Napanoch. a lot of discretion in what we taught next Sunday, they all gathered at my and were able to help students design About 10 years after I’d joined house — for a potluck dinner. It was, unique, innovative programs. We always the faculty, I became the mentor- you can imagine, quite a culinary event. had internal requirements for breadth coordinator of the New Paltz Unit, and depth of study, as well as for a The program was ongoing for more than subsequently the Highland Unit, of the coherent concentration. But there were 10 years, by which time it was phased Hudson Valley Center. If I’d designed a no distributive requirements, no grades, out as the CIA hired faculty who already job for myself, it couldn’t have been a and, in fact, no credits; we counted had their degrees. Around that time, better fit. months of study. That, however, didn’t in 1998, I took on my last assignment prove to be practical. It was difficult to before I retired. I was asked to direct Beginnings match our concept with credits when the unit in Athens, Greece, for SUNY My professional life began as a students wanted to transfer to other Empire’s International Programs. My secondary school social studies teacher colleges or apply to graduate schools. husband taught math and ESL at New in Bushwick, a Brooklyn neighborhood. Grades were less problematic since York College where our program was It was a new school, progressive and at the end of an evaluation, as some located. As we got over our culture forward-thinking, where I was able to of you will remember, we could write shock and came to know it, we fell in try out a number of alternative and something like, “If I were to give a grade love with Athens, and with Greece. We experimental programs. (And it’s where I for the student’s work in this contract it never got over the thrill of seeing the met my husband, Steve.) Unfortunately, would be an A. …” Parthenon from the window of the bus our school district, adjacent to Ocean that took us to work in the morning. Around 1990, SUNY Empire was asked Hill-Brownsville, was caught up in the When we returned to Athens for the to develop an onsite program at the bitter dispute over community control. spring semester in 2001, it felt like a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) The long teachers’ strike of 1968 led homecoming. We’ve returned many in Hyde Park so that their faculty, to extreme polarization among our times since then. Only a few years including some of the finest chefs in interracial faculty, who had been quite ago, we spent Greek Easter in the the country, would be able to earn their cohesive before. Our school, in fact, Peloponnese at the vacation home bachelor’s degrees. To my great delight, the entire New York City school system, of friends we’d met in Athens some supervising the program became part never was the same afterward. Several 20 years earlier. of my responsibilities. When the first of years later, we left the city; we’d gotten our CIA students earned his degree, we teaching jobs in England. agreed that we should celebrate. The

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A New Career it tells the story of orphaned, teenage We were planning a trip to Holocaust survivors who made new lives Newfoundland when everything came to I continued working for Empire on a for themselves in America. My essay a screeching halt with the coronavirus. part-time basis for several years after “Letters from Riverside,” based upon Being home so much of the time I retired. I led some study groups and letters written by a young, mid-19th enabled me to get On and Off ready for continued to supervise our program at century feminist, was included in the publication, but otherwise, like everyone the CIA as it was winding down. When 2013 award-winning anthology of works else here in the Northeast, I’ve pretty the Highland Unit was incorporated by women writers of the Hudson Valley, much been on lockdown. into the new unit at Newburgh, I turned A Slant of Light.5 my attention to offering courses for Whenever it happens, I’m very much seniors who were enrolled in the My latest book, On and Off the Beaten looking forward to getting back to Lifelong Learning Institute, a program Path,6 about the best road trips my life after. … supported by SUNY New Paltz. But, quite husband Steve and I have taken in the unexpectedly, with the publication of past 20 years in the U.S. and Canada, is Notes my first book, The Girls,1 my retirement a radical departure from my previous 1 The Girls: Jewish Women of coincided with the start of a second work. It’s my first travel book, although Brownsville, Brooklyn, 1940–1995, career as a writer (as Carole Bell Ford some of my travel journals as well as SUNY Press, 2000. [Bell is my family name]). my articles, “Postcards from Greece,” have been published in local papers 2 “Nice Jewish Girls: Growing Up in While working on my doctoral thesis, and magazines. A number of my essays Brownsville, 1930s-1950s,” in I. I’d become interested in the education on overseas travels appeared in the Abramovitch, & S. Galvin (Eds.), Jews of women in the late 19th and early e-magazine, New Paltz Nation, and, most of Brooklyn (pp. 129–136), Brandeis 20th centuries. That led me to the, then recently, my essay on Campobello Island University Press, 2002. relatively new, field of women’s studies, appears in Lightwood,7 an online art and later gender studies, which remained 3 The Women of CourtWatch: Reforming literature magazine (lightwoodpress. one of my primary areas of scholarship. a Corrupt Family Court System, com). On and Off is the natural extension The Girls, an oral history, was an University of Texas Press, 2005. of my principal nonacademic interests: examination of the life chances of Jewish travel and cookery, particularly in ethnic 4 After the Girls Club: How Teenaged women growing up in Brownsville, cuisines (the book includes an appendix Holocaust Survivors Built New Lives in Brooklyn, when it was still an immigrant with a small number of recipes I’ve America, Lexington Books, 2010. ghetto. It was also personal; it’s where I adapted). grew up. A few years, later an excerpt, 5 “Letters from Riverside,” in L Carr, & “Nice Jewish Girls,” was included in Jews Our travels have not only taken us all J. Z. Schmidt (Eds.), A Slant of Light: of Brooklyn,2 published for the Museum over the U.S. and much of Canada. Contemporary Women Writers of the of Jewish Heritage. Since our first trip to England in 1970, Hudson Valley, SUNY Press, 2013. we’ve traveled extensively in China and In 2005, my book, The Women of 6 On and Off the Beaten Path: The Best throughout Europe. And, aside from CourtWatch,3 the account of a successful Road Trips in Twenty Years of Travel travel, other interests keep me busy. grassroots women’s movement to in the U.S. and Canada, Lightwood I’ve recently become more actively unseat entrenched judges in what had Press, 2020. involved with the League of Women become a corrupted family court system Voters, serving on the board of the 7 Available at https://lightwoodpress. (in Houston, Texas) was selected by the Mid-Hudson Region of this venerable com/2020/02/25/carole-bell-ford- national organization Justice for Children organization whose origins go back to travel-on-and-off-the-beaten-track- as an outstanding work. My book, After the suffragist movement. lubec-to-campobello/. the Girls Club,4 was published in 2010;

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China Stories

Deborah Smith, Saratoga Springs

What follows are three essays, one for found me incredibly interesting. Was each of the three cities that Deborah Smith it the silver streak in my hair? The visited in China as a Zhi-Xing China Fellow, Western face? If our eyes met, I’d nod sponsored by the American Association of and say hello in Chinese. This often State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). began a rapid Chinese monologue. This work also formed the basis for her If our escort, Li, wasn’t around to participation as a 2019–2020 Scholar translate, I quickly got lost in the rapid- Across the College. fire pace of the language. The major issue with my Chinese Beijing phrasebook was its organization. It Doing Sixty and Seventy … and Eighty wasn’t grouped by categories familiar to me like Getting Around, Menu Decoder, t’s Sunday in Beijing on the Dragon Arriving at Your Hotel, and that all- Boat Festival weekend. Despite important page, Chatting. It didn’t even light showers, visitors from across have a complete list of colors if you I the author. by Photo provided China and the globe flowed through the were shopping. My YouTube language Deborah Smith (left) with woman in Beijing. Meridian Gate to see the Forbidden City, videos were not allowed in China. The the largest palace in the world. result was a crater-sized hole in my After several tries to communicate in ability to understand what I heard or Along with my colleague, Joy, I marveled Chinese, I turned to the young man: how to pronounce Chinese words. I had at the sheer scale of the place. I’m sure “Tell them I’m 63. It’s OK, you can tell only crib notes from my friend, Jianhao, you could have taken the population of them please.” my hometown of Troy, New York, put and the few language pages in the back everyone inside the Forbidden City and of my guidebook. Once he announced my age, the two women lit up with excitement. have room left over for the towns across These older women were talking, the river, too. If the hutong were China’s gesticulating, and pointing, clearly “I’m 70!” one declared. She pointed at cozy single-story residences for imperial at me. I looked around quickly for the other woman, “And she’s 80!” They artists (and later, ordinary families) the someone younger who might speak both smiled broadly. Forbidden City was an imperial surround Chinese and English. A young man “Yep, 63 here.” for those rare few who ruled China. One with a child sat nearby. could live their entire life within these “You don’t look that old.” walls. It’s said the emperor got around “Hi. Can you tell me what these ladies the place in sedan chairs. His people are asking me?” On this, we all agreed. Neither of my parents looked their age either. After I lifted and hauled him. “I’m telling them Westerners don’t passed 40 and didn’t fall apart on the answer such things,” he said. Today, we mere mortals walked. spot, stating my age never bothered Inside the grounds was an exhibition “But what are they asking me?” me. Many women never appear their age until they are quite frail. (Somehow on the royal jewels of India. Sparkling “They want to know how old you are.” precious stones, gold, and gems were frailty can define an age range like lit up to show off their stellar qualities. This was familiar. In Shanghai, near nothing else.) But that afternoon at the I’ll look at nice jewelry anytime. Priceless Xintiandi, we met two elder women who Summer Palace, drifting over the lake on items, artfully polished and illuminated, happily told us they were in their 80s a dragon boat, the question I always ask can take my breath away. Sometimes and 90s. It seemed to be a point of pride myself popped up once again: What do these beautiful pieces are ones I’d pick with them. By those standards, I’m just 80 and 90 look like anyway? a kid. for myself … if I were the empress. Because in China, one’s age is a badge Now and then, I sat down to watch of honor. the people. Often, there was an elder woman nearby. These older women

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These elders are women who survived want every tourist taking a piece back It might be a craft show or a farmers all that came before them: space flight, home either. Her comeback was short market since it was Saturday. This is the Cultural Revolution, microwave and typical. what happens on American Saturdays in dinners, Chairman Mao, 3D printing, my hometown. Why not have a look? “OK just bring me a man.” and 12 different kinds of Oreos in the No earrings or crafts were on offer supermarkets. They made it through; Hang onto that thought. … and no vegetables for sale either. Each they are proud to reach the great Age Once I arrived in Shanghai, I visited umbrella — and sometimes the people of Wisdom. People’s Park and the exhibit at the walking near them — had a sign in I surely admired them and their Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai. Chinese clipped to it, accompanied by enthusiasm. Let’s hope when we get As all modern art exhibits do, it a phone number. The people chatted there, we all feel the same. challenges me with what is trying to be amicably with anyone who stopped to said and it’s always interesting. Later, inquire about their sign. They always On my last day in China, I got lost in back out in the park, I listened to some smiled at me. I assumed this wasn’t a the hutongs near the Lama Temple. folks playing music while I marveled sad occasion, like a memorial service for Wandering aimlessly, I ran across a at how many giant-size lotus leaves someone deceased. As I neared the park couple of elders, this time a man and actually grow in a small pond. exit, I buttonholed a Western couple to a woman. They were visiting with one assail with my ignorance. Teresa would another, as people in the close-knit want to know, after all. neighborhoods of the hutong do. When I showed up, they began asking me “What’s going on? Why all questions in Chinese. the umbrellas?” Rifling through my phrasebook, I had “It’s a marriage market,” they replied. no idea what they meant. They laughed “People looking for a spouse, or their watching me. Looking up, I said I was parents, come here on the weekends. American. Their eyes twinkled as they They set up an umbrella and clip on a got giddier. When I tried to introduce card to advertise the eligible person. It’s myself in my rough Chinese, they asked kind of like an old-fashioned Tinder.” me whatever-it-was yet again. Now they giggled out loud. Pointing left and right, I asked how to get to the main street. They laughed harder. I walked off, slowly waving, as they waved back. If nothing else, I was amusing. I’ve done worse things for a laugh, trust me. Around the next corner, I stumbled onto a young artist with his bicycle, who mercifully spoke English and accompanied me to the main road. Looking back, I am certain what those two elders back at the hutong were

thinking: “Wacky American. She doesn’t the author. by Photo provided even know her age.” Lotus pond in People’s Park, Shanghai. Chinese folks use their green spaces. - - - - - Whether for walking, dancing, singing, or just enjoying the weather, there are Shanghai always people out in the city parks. On The Marriage Market this beautiful day, People’s Park was no As I left for China, my friend, Teresa, exception. The sky was azure blue, the asked for a rock from the Great Wall. I trees surrounding me emerald green … replied that the wall might not be made and why, I wondered, were there

of stone, but if it is, I’m sure they don’t hundreds of umbrellas on the sidewalk the author. by Photo provided up ahead? Marriage market, Shanghai.

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This certainly wasn’t in my guidebook. But don’t ask me. Look, folks, I’m not the sweets resembling flowers and animals. I looked back at the footpath, lined on one to be smiling at; I’m almost 40 years Cleverly sculpted, on one cake the both sides with umbrellas. It was 3 p.m. into a marriage with the same man, so I strawberries seemed to burst from the in Shanghai. I am sure if I called Teresa really shouldn’t have an opinion on this center and then cascade down the sides. now at 3 a.m. American time, her trip at all. What do I — a dinosaur from the Oh, yum. Best of all, they had coffee. to China would be booked about 10 last century — really know? With sign language and my rudimentary minutes ago. Instead, ask Teresa: “Hey, what about Chinese, I ordered and paid. Settling China’s former one-child policy, those marriage markets?” after she into a window table, sipping my iced instituted to control overpopulation, returns from her trip to China. Right coffee, I watched Xi’an go by on this had its downsides. These only children now, she’s on her way to the airport. warm June morning. — nearly two generation’s worth and It’s solid proof that hope really does People hurried by, carrying papers and mostly men — are now grown and spring eternal. cases important to their jobs. A woman finding it difficult to meet and marry. stopped on the sidewalk to search in It’s pretty much a “vertical family.” - - - - - her handbag. Others rushed onward When you are a single child, there’s no to somewhere they needed to be. I brothers or sisters to introduce you to Xi’an marveled at the pedestrian nature of their friends, who might have another Day and Night, Night and Day it all — whether Eastern or Western, brother or sister around your age to sometimes we aren’t that different from get to know. There’s no group of kids to In China, exploring is easy if you one another. hang out with and learn from, like I did simply walk around the block. I did as a child with my seven cousins. Mom this routinely in the mornings in Xi’an. My days were packed, too, including and dad dote on you, but otherwise, A block in China is much larger than a visit to the University of Chinese there are no instant buddies. one in America or Europe. It reveals Medicine, a walk in the park below everyday Xi’an at its best, alive with the the walls of Old Xi’an, and a Chinese Hence the marriage market, where I activities of the day. classical dance performance. Tomorrow found myself today. Marriage markets held a visit to the Terracotta Warriors are as much about taking a chance In very official cars, government leaders and the evening fountain show at the as online dating, except here you pulled into their offices, while campus All Day Mall. See? Busy. could meet the real person — or your security guards guided folks on foot or potential in-laws — beneath the trees in in autos to the correct places in their A student at my college created a People’s Park. Just look for the smiles. journey. Gardeners and grounds people pixelated portrait of several of the tidied up a landscape already so clean Terracotta Warriors. It hangs in our These events aren’t unique to Shanghai, it nearly shined. Small children wearing building, taunting me, as though I either. They occur all over China every light pink school shirts walked with their should know all the warriors by name. weekend as single people try to meet parents to the elementary school on the (Yes, you should, we’re here every day. …) one another. Seems to me Teresa could other side of the block, backpacks at the do well to book her next vacation trip to Yet, the sheer scale of the Terracotta ready. Mothers carried their tiny tots on China. Tour the country and include as Pits — funerary sculptures buried with a morning stroll. many weekends as possible. China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang — Some adults and older kids detoured is remarkable in real life. Equally so is But this could be an imperfect solution through the store a few doors away meeting one of the farmers who found for Teresa, too. She comes from a from the elementary school. I went in this wonder of the world. While trying large Lebanese family. Hummus or to investigate one morning. The shop to dig a well, instead of reaching water, labneh or shawarma are not Chinese was loaded with cute stuff: pencils, he dug up the first warrior. Imagine food, as wonderful as they do taste. sharpeners, carrying cases, binders, uncovering that in your backyard. But a willingness to compromise on art supplies. All decorated with fun the dumplings, noodles, and breakfast The next evening, a small group of us cartoon characters in pastels and soup now and then? Isn’t that the roamed the Grand Boulevard of the primary colors. It was easy to see the compromise we ask of two cultures who Great Tang All Day Mall. Strolling the Chinese penchant for “cute” playing out marry and become a family anyway? brightly lit streets, one can see how right before my eyes. And successfully married couples Xi’an spends a Wednesday night. Small actually do mingle their cultures, One morning on my stroll I entered a children and their parents delighted however imperfectly. Taiwanese bakery. Among the goods in neon lights hanging in the trees, for sale were prepackaged pastries (for or chased soap bubbles their parents lunches and picnics), lovely cakes and blew for them. Large plastic cartoon

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 25 characters stood in the boulevard; carried large fans made of hot pink broadcast the falling water to the crowd narrow water pools burbled and or lime green fabric, or parasols that behind. My colleague, Sandy, and I provided a straightaway where you glittered with ribbons and sparkles. positioned ourselves near someone with could see the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Sometimes two or three folks broke an iPad. The screen’s bigger. in the distance. Music groups played on off together and did a pirouette. The fountain spray and the colored the ends of the boulevard. Neon signs Swirling their fans, participants stepped lights changed in time to the music. on lampposts declared “2018: Happy to the beat; pumping parasols as the Minute after minute ticked by. Like Every Day” as people enjoyed their line wound up and down and around Moses at the Red Sea, I knew people’s evening and the illusion of slightly itself, changing directions every few arms would tire. Soon, they lowered cooler air. minutes to the sound of the cymbals. their phones, looked for their families, No one seemed winded. Tonight, We crossed into a park where a long and left the line. Bit by bit, Sandy and everyone was happy to dance with line of people snaked along in time I edged slowly forward. As a fine end exuberance. It seemed like they could to cymbal players with a regular to our day in Xi’an, we now found almost take flight. but occasionally changing beat. ourselves at the front — watching the It was fascinating. Eventually, we headed to the fountains real shimmering brilliance of falling for the evening show. The crowd was water and beautiful music. Because … Almost everyone was an adult, from five people deep, but thanks to modern as a Chinese philosopher undoubtedly younger people to the very old, women technology, many recorded the action noted, here in the Land of Harmony, and men alike. The dancers were on their smartphones or iPads. Little “Patience is a virtue.” dressed casually (lots of T-shirts) and screens everywhere inadvertently

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Finding Space to Breathe in a Volatile World

Himanee Gupta-Carlson, Saratoga Springs

reathing” defined the in 2010; and yoga and other physical past year that I spent on activities that stretch and strengthen my “B sabbatical, as metaphor and body and ensure my breath is strong. reality. Breathing deeply creates a state For many writers, myself among of calm. It lubricates muscle joints, them, writing is breathing. I write and tissues, and nerves. Breathing easily I breathe. In yoga class, I breathe full is a sign of good health, the capability ujjayi breaths where the inhale begins to live. at the belly, expands through the rib Symptoms of the novel coronavirus cage and travels up through the chest include shortness of breath. In COVID- and throat, and then exhales in reverse 19 sufferers, difficulties with breathing order with a slight “tss” sound at the indicate a worsening state. Respirators back of the throat. Through ujjayi plunged into bodies serve almost like breaths, I let go of physical tension life support, and for those who survive that often results from insecurities and this deathly disease, such devices leave uncertainties about my sense of self- Photo credit: Jim Gupta-Carlson lasting scars. worth. I recognize the racialization of Himanee Gupta-Carlson and her cat, Pepper, my body in the predominantly white George Floyd’s dying words “I can’t on the farm. world I live in and how it affects the breathe” came as a white police officer grip in my jaw, constrictions in my held his neck down on the pavement conferences that undergird this odd shoulders and hips. I use the positions with a knee for the alleged crime of thing I call “my discipline”: American of virabhadrasana — warrior — to being a Black man using a counterfeit studies, religion, autoethnography, and release those grips, and in doing so gain bill to buy cigarettes. Floyd’s phrase now Asian American studies. The proposals the physical strength and emotional represents brute force among police dealt with different strands of my stability to stay calm. When I write, I and has legitimized finally the truth that work: liberation through farming with clear the clutter of external critique and Black lives must matter if we are to ever a hip-hop-based storytelling sensibility start to breathe deep into my inner attain anti-racism justice. Yet, in public for a panel at the American Studies subconscious that helps me formulate spaces, those who choose to breathe Association; spirituality through hip- the language to communicate lucidly while wearing face masks that have hop and working the land for food for with my conscious self and the wider been shown to slow coronavirus spread the American Academy of Religion; world. The feisty utterance of the sound and those who choose to breathe freely narrativity and self for the International “ha” in the yogic breath of joy signifies without them at the expense of others’ Conference on Doing Autoethnography; the release of fear and a willingness to safety expose deep societal divides. and food and self-embodiment for take on the world. Asian American Studies. Good fortune In yoga, breath is life, a source of in scheduling allowed all but one strength, clarity, and calm. I turned Public Scholarship of these conferences to take place to yoga often during my sabbatical, a My sabbatical allowed me a chance to face-to-face before the coronavirus period of time in which I found myself do yoga on an almost daily basis, as I spread turned into a global pandemic. learning how to be an activist-scholar engaged simultaneously in writing and Attending these conferences without who could think, write, and act in service farming. It also helped me clarify what the worries of meeting student and to others amid chaotic times. I think a scholar is. It is someone who mentee needs gave me the chance to I love my work as a teacher and mentor shows gratitude for knowledge gained meet scholars from November 2019 for SUNY Empire State College. Yet, from mentors to serve others: people to early January 2020 in such lovely beneath these roles are a few things I first, institutions like one’s employer and locations as Honolulu, San Diego, and love even more: writing, which has been the academy at large after. St. Petersburg (Florida). my vocation for nearly four decades; Early on, I submitted proposals — all of At these conferences, we often spoke farming, which has centered my life which were accepted — for papers and/ of how the academy appeared “sick,” since I moved to upstate New York or presentations to several academic and of how so many co-panelists could

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 27 not attend the gatherings due to illness. think of people like these students daughter of Indian immigrants in a I swam in the ocean in Honolulu at as my audience and began trying to white supremacist world. During my beaches that were my refuge during reach them in an expanding array of sabbatical, when I was allowed to graduate school and did yoga atop a ways: Facebook and Instagram posts, let lie fallow the fields of my faculty paddleboard. I went for long walks and contributions to public-facing academic obligations, I started to find the means discussed yoga with others in panels blogs, conversations about healthy to put these connections into words. at the American Academy of Religion. foods at farmers markets, as well as Like the pioneers of hip-hop who At the International Conference on farming itself. cultivated an oppositional consciousness Doing Autoethnography, I engaged through the creation of music, dance, with others in a hip-hop dance workout Hip-Hop and Farming and the often illegal visual installations based on the curative powers of known as graffiti, I was troubling the My husband and I began farming as Beyonce’s Lemonade album, which landscape of the status quo by being a means to produce our own food, delivers a powerful message of female a farmer. Whiteness and maleness partly for personal health and pleasure, self-empowerment to her husband set the contours for how we tend to and sometimes, in periodic waves of Jay-Z in the wake of his infidelity. With see farmland, farms, and spaces like economic hardship we have experienced colleagues, I shared meals and talked farmers markets. Ownership of farms over the years, for sustenance. Over about public scholarship and of moving is predominantly male and white, even the years that we learned how to grow our work outside peer-reviewed journals as much of the labor (when a farmer vegetables and raise animals and use toward more publicly accessible sites. can afford to hire others) is not. I as regenerative practices to put nutrients When one speaker at the American co-owner with my white, male husband back into the soil, I was writing my first Academy of Religion defined the made our farm at least half not that. book, Muncie, India(na): Middletown and audience for his writings as people like Asian America (2018, University of Illinois As our farm grew, we began first his students, I found myself thinking of Press), and nurturing slowly a second donating food and then, at the invitation my students: middle-aged, multiracial, project about community-based hip-hop of others, selling it via egg subscriptions often working-class, first-generation as a grassroots practice of social change. and farmers markets. My writing college students seeking a better life in and growing network of community a world that was increasingly coming I sensed there were connections connections made my brown female to be defined by political violence, between the creating of food in soil, body increasingly the farm’s outward economic insecurity, and the destructive the innovating of change in hip-hop, face. As my husband turned soil with forces of climate change. I began to and my presence as a woman of color/ hand tools and managed our increasing numbers of animals, I planted, weeded, and harvested. In the summers of 2019 and 2020, three times a week, I hauled a tent, 120 pounds of weights to secure the tent from wind, tables, coolers, and bins of vegetables from our farm to markets in Saratoga and Schenectady counties. I reveled in the energy of connecting with marketgoers; in the marathon hours of harvest, prep, travel, set up, sales, and takedown rituals of the market; and in the sheer physicality of the work. Like the breath of joy, being a farmer was teaching me how to shed uncertainty and take on the world. We began calling ourselves “graffiti farmers” in the spirit of one of hip-hop’s foundational arts. We were creating what graffiti artists call ’pieces (short perhaps for masterpieces), only our canvas was soil, not a train or a wall and Photo credit: Yoga Floats our media was nature, not aerosol paint. Himanee Gupta-Carlson in Warrior Two pose during a paddleboard yoga class at Ala Moana Beach Park, Honolulu, HI.

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These days, the audacity of our In years past, I have asked students to through as we built the farm, of the art shows up on our lawn, which consider how graffiti is defined. Is it baby goats that would soon be born, we stopped mowing after learning art? Or is it vandalism? Is it a statement and what we had gained in the process. that such practices as mowing stifle of free expression that is protected by “We can work this out,” I remember ecological growth. Nature blows in the First Amendment? Or is it an illegal telling her. “We have to.” flowering weeds, which attract bees, act? Documentaries such as Henry butterflies, and hummingbirds. Amid Chalfant’s acclaimed Style Wars suggest “Or,” she continued, “you could sell unruly unmoved grasses, we have been the buffing — or ugly, shaded paint your place and move where you’ll harvesting greens, broccoli, tomatoes, put up to whitewash illegal graffiti in be welcomed.” potatoes, and other vegetables while public spaces — is more vandalism than raising chickens, ducks, geese, and goats the graffiti itself, and that perhaps the Build, Destroy, Build for eggs, poultry, and meat. Our yard graffiti was the art that called attention I often invoke an ’ism from my hip-hop stands out for its vibrant unruliness to the vandalism inherent in urban mentor Robert Jackson (also known amid others mowed to lifeless stubs. development that has denied life to as Blue Black of the Washington D.C.- the land underneath and has led to the based emcee duo The Unspoken Vandalism or Life-Giving Breath structural inequities of society laid bare Heard) to describe hip-hop philosophy in such developments as the housing Against this backdrop came major shifts. in practice as “build, destroy, build.” projects where many of hip-hop’s A complaint from a neighbor in April Blue Black attributes the term to the pioneering artists grew up. The land on 2019 snowballed into a visit from the Five Percenters, a Muslim-influenced which we farm is not urban. But it was town codes enforcement officer and movement based in Harlem in the lifeless when we bought it. Regenerative threats to shut down our farm. As we 1960s. Build, destroy, build refers agricultural practices had breathed life worked with the town to resolve the to a continuum by which one gains into it. Life that was joyous and, like complaints, the neighbor rallied others wisdom — when what you’ve built is hip-hop, a bit rebellious. Our neighbors on our road against us. We entered into destroyed, you build again. Sometimes, — predominantly white, predominantly an agreement to buy vacant land up destruction is the result of external conservative — responded by trying to the road, drew up a site plan, and wrote forces, and sometimes when it is time squelch its life-giving breath. up a Statement of Farming Philosophy to leave behind what no longer serves, that mirrored Statements of Teaching “How can you live with so much hate destruction is carried out by the self. Philosophy that I had written in the around you?” Through the month of February, my past. Customers, other farmers, and A farmer who also happened to be a husband and I worked with a land use friends wrote letters on our behalf. yogi asked me this question after the attorney and an engineering consultant The neighbors took pictures of our public hearing. In her testimony, she to make a case for why one should want nonconforming yard and circulated called the neighbors hateful, bigoted, a farm in the background. I researched rumors of children seeing chickens killed and selfish. present land uses in the three-mile with butter knives. radius where we lived and documented The zoning board had voted to continue A public hearing that took place on the number of farms. We gathered data the hearing the following month. February 4, 2020, the same night that on living arrangements and foraging Afterward, I went to the farmer to thank Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy needs for goats, ducks, geese, and her for her support. Pelosi tore up her copy of President chickens, and documented how our Trump’s State of the Union address, “Why don’t you move?” she asked. proposed site plan exceeded those drew a crowd. While many testified in needs. More of our farmer friends and Inwardly, I thought, “We cannot move. our favor and others entered written an increasing number of yogis started You cannot move a farm, and 10 years statements of support, the opposing preparing letters on our behalf, while of work of building topsoil. Plus, we can’t neighbors spoke loudly and forcefully others started to hint subtly that it might afford to move.” against having a farm in their backyard. be more beneficial long term to move. They created a specter of fear about Outwardly, I spoke of the spirituality We had planned to bring our new smells, rats, and disease. These images of putting my hands into soil, and how materials to a town hearing in March. subtly linked our farm activities to when I was out in the fields working or But our purchase agreement on the racist language that nativists used walking through the wild weeds of our land we hoped to buy was expiring. The to describe eastern and southern backyard, everything else was forgotten. sellers received a new offer and refused European and Asian immigrants in I talked about the struggles we had gone the early 20th century.

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 29 to extend ours. As the coronavirus was conflation of the words “roots” and into spring plantings and into ensuring spreading through New York, I realized “routes,” a new route to establishing that farmers market customers could we had lost. roots started to make sense. still get food from us in a safe manner. I continued to sell at the farmers market I found myself taking more deep breaths We created a profile on the Hudson itself but also made home deliveries to ease the heaviness in my stomach. Valley Farmland Finder site, and within an option. With friends, I worked We had been farming for eight years but two weeks, found a new space — an out systems where they would leave despite the town’s self-description as a empty farm with a barn, historic house, money in envelopes and I would make right-to-farm community, we no longer and 48.5 acres, at a price within reach deliveries. I would drive up, don a face had a right to farm. of what we could afford. We bought mask, squirt sanitizer on my hands, the farm. By the end of 2020, we will The farm had begun as a backyard deliver the eggs, pick up the cash, send have moved. garden and had grown into the heart a text message that the delivery had and soul of my research and of our been done, and depart. Reinventing Scholarship lives. I had marveled at the growth of I listened to public radio reports as I okra, cried over failed crops, woken COVID-19 pushed social life online. I drove that relayed information about up to roosters crowing, and held baby began attending yoga classes that were the worsening health of COVID-19 goats in my arms. I had walked through live-streamed via Facebook and threw suffers and the lack of leadership golden, purple, and red flowering myself into spring planting. A one-day, from the U.S. president. I listened to weeds to harvest pumpkins, corn, preconference writing workshop that reports about food shortages that and beans. I delivered eggs weekly to the Association for Asian American were resulting from shutdowns in the friends as part of our CSA (community- Studies Feminisms Caucus had planned corporate supply chain, and of farmers supported agriculture) and created new went online and became not just a having to dump their products because relationships with customers who visited conference gathering but an ongoing they could not reach wholesalers in our stall at the farmers markets where weekly meeting. time. This news surprised me because we sold produce. I wondered what life At the same time, colleagues in my Asian our farm was thriving as a result of would be like if we no longer could farm. American and religious studies circles the relationships we had established Then the pandemic hit. In one fast who had never taught online suddenly with those who knew us. It highlighted week, a cheese-making workshop I found themselves panicking as their the vitality of farm work. As a faculty had planned to attend in Vermont was institutions moved all instruction out member — and especially a faculty canceled, as was the Association for of classrooms and into what, for them, member on sabbatical — I was Asian American Studies Conference. I felt like a cold asynchronous world. nonessential to the day-to-day life in canceled plans to drive to Indiana to Having lived in that world for 10 years, a pandemic. But as a farmer, I was visit my parents. My office, the yoga I started creating posts on Facebook essential in helping to alleviate food studio, and all the coffee shops where I about how to warm it up. I described shortages. The pandemic also shut would hole up to write closed. icebreaker questions, scaffolded down many government meetings, discussion forums, and creative writing giving us time to continue farming at The speed by which we were shutting assignments I had devised. our present home while making moves down the economy — and our social toward our new locale. lives — was stunning, frightening, and at In Asian American studies, scholars have the same time, reassuring. This suddenly an informal practice of recognizing the Earlier in my sabbatical, I traveled and constricted space created room to greatness of colleagues by introducing attended many academic conferences. breathe differently. Many yoga poses them with an accolade such as “The A running theme, as noted earlier, was consist of gentle twists or compressions astute and amazing [Name of Person].” the unhealthy state of the academy that restrict breath momentarily to I grinned as Facebook posts that shared and the toll that this state of sickness allow tight spaces in the body to loosen my tips started describing me in such was having on the physical and mental up. In the constricted space that the ways as “The creative and online- state of the professoriate. For many pandemic created, I found room to experienced Himanee Gupta-Carlson.” friends, emotional health further breathe differently. While I had believed The kudos helped me see that I had weakened amid demands of learning to I could not move, I remembered that I something to offer those who were teach online while also home schooling had been moving for most of my life. struggling to grasp something new. children and being unable to rely on Before I came to Saratoga, I had had 40 restaurants for meals. I felt the toll, too, My farm life also changed. I was home different addresses. The last nine years in my writing. at the farm more than I had ever been at one address had been an anomaly. before so I began pouring my energy Recalling anthropologist James Clifford’s

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Since 1998, I have maintained a daily sabbatical was to put that mission to the stories and share them via social media, practice of writing three pages a day, test through writings that would bring and record them for later use by me as usually longhand but sometimes via together hip-hop as a community-based well as others. It has turned out to be such websites as https://750words.com. practice dedicated to social change quite enjoyable. The words are not supposed to be with my ventures in farming as my own As my Asian American Herald work meaningful or significant, and it is mission of building community and developed, I also started receiving perhaps telling that in my first few working for change. emails from friends and colleagues months at SUNY Empire State College, Not leaving home except to do basic in my various scholarly circles, with I heard a speaker call this well- errands and farm work might have suggestions to write for academic blogs established practice of morning pages created conditions for some to self- and other public media outlets. Those “a waste of time.” The idea is to use the isolate and find life in words. That projects often involved collaborating process as an opportunity to dump out was how my dissertation adviser had with others, which in turn created whatever is happening internally onto described his method of overcoming fodder for the talk show. As an example, the paper (or the screen) before getting such issues as loneliness and writer’s I was asked if I’d like to write a short to the day’s projects. By breathing out block. He would go to his books and piece with three others about the words in such a fashion, for me, the enter into dialogue with those thinkers. Netflix series Never Have I Ever. I am dust clears and clarity comes. I have come to see that as much as I not an avid film or teleserial viewer During the pandemic, the daily practice admire this practice, it is not mine. My and was probably the only person on withered and nearly died. Like the plants community does not reside in books. It the planet who had not heard of this that I brought home from my office that lives and breathes in the world. series. But I agreed, signed on for a I tried to keep alive, I tried periodically Netflix account, watched the series and to revive the practice, and periodically New Life loved it, and wrote up my piece. I then I did have success in doing so. But the invited the collaborators to join me as In April, I got a phone call from an external conditions that unfolded in guests on the Asian American Herald Indian émigré who works as an the world around me made writing talk show. We now are planning future information technology consultant and the emotional decluttering that projects together. and lives in Colonie, New York. He had enables writing hard to sustain. That’s attended a book discussion I had led in This kind of work has taken my writing not to say that I did not write at all. But I late February at an Indian restaurant out of my notebooks and peer- found myself realizing that as the world in Schenectady and had recalled me reviewed journals and into spaces like changed, I could not hide out from mentioning that I had once been a the Political Theology Network, Zocalo those changes. I had to immerse myself journalist. He was trying to invigorate a Public Square, the South Asian American in those changes on a deeply visceral social media outlet for Asian Americans, Digital Archive’s magazine Tides, and the level in an effort to make sense of what the Asian American Herald, in the Capital religions history blog called “The Anxious was happening — to me, to others Region by creating a weekly talk show. Bench.” It also is leading now to a immediately around me, in the country, Would I be willing to help? project for an Oregon-based immigrant and around the world. That created project titled “1965” and articles for a circumstances that often felt constricted, I began conducting weekly interviews grassroots news outlet called Weave as if I could not breathe. with local elected officials, religious News. It is reviving my writing and leaders, teachers, artists, and activists I think my desire to immerse myself in changing my view of the world. in the area. The interviews took place such a way has something to do with via Zoom initially and were livestreamed Before my sabbatical, I had a plan to my race and ethnicity, my gender, my via Facebook. I found out quickly write daily and to present papers-in- age, and how I use these attributes to that this weekly show — a half-hour progress at conferences across several define myself as a scholar. Ever since in length — was a great means of disciplines. As I have learned through the mid-1990s when I left my first career connecting with persons of Asian farming, however, elements beyond as a newspaper staff writer to enter a ancestry in the area where I lived, and one’s control have a way of turning all more uncertain one of fighting racism of creating information about their plans to dust. When that occurs, you’re via teaching and social justice-centered lives and experiences. It also has been left with three choices: Seclude yourself research and writing, I have wanted reshaping my sense of how I might do from the world at large and write, no to write in a manner so that anyone scholarship. Instead of proving one’s matter what; give up entirely; or learn who picked up my publications would expertise through long hours of reading, to adapt. be able to say, “Wow, that was great. interpretation, and analysis, why not It was thoughtful, incisive. I learned talk to those on the ground? Gather the something from it.” My plan during my

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A Fulbright Semester: Building a Social Work Dream Together

Susan McConnaughy, Hartsdale

found that teaching a course reflective learning, and the strengths- with social work students and based approach. For example, we did I collaborating closely with faculty formative evaluation at four points in the social work department were during this semester. Students filled the most meaningful experiences in out 3 x 5 index cards anonymously my semester as a Fulbright Scholar in answering the questions: What is the Vietnam at Da Lat University (DLU) in most important thing you learned fall 2019. I also found that struggling today? What important questions do you to learn how to speak Vietnamese was still have? My DLU colleagues translated salutary even though my ability to hold the students’ feedback to me, and then my own in conversations in Vietnamese we discussed it. In every instance, we remained very limited indeed. and the dean of social work were thrilled with the sophisticated and thoughtful My teaching began by offering a questions students posed. new course in the DLU social work curriculum, Foundations of Social Work Applied learning activities were also met Photo provided by the author. by Photo provided Practice, to 43 second-year social work with generous responses from both Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hien (right, standing), undergraduates. This core course students and faculty. It was thrilling lecturer of the social work department, Da Lat covers the conceptual frameworks to see so many students buzzing with University, and Dr. Susan McConnaughy (left, and values that underline social work discussion in their pairs and groups. A standing) working with undergraduate students practice, and so it was a wonderful typical DLU classroom is a quiet place. to apply the strengths perspective to their practice of social work. opportunity for me to engage in Students later reported that they had discussions that brought to light our gotten more confident sharing their also explained the concepts in her own cultural differences. The students own ideas, sharing their own stories, way. We then became true coteachers were enthusiastic in comparing the and discussing them with a group. of the course. Mrs. Hien was also able similarities and differences in the Faculty in their other courses told me to “read the room” at times in ways that contexts of our practice (U.S. and VN these students had become much more were supremely useful to our teaching. [Vietnam]) and in the values we brought confident than previous groups of When we debriefed after each class, to our practice. I was able to draw from students. Faculty shared with me that she would give me her sense of what my decades of practice experience in they began to understand better what students understood and what they the U.S. and yet find it so useful to this their students were thinking and how needed more help with. We could then new generation of professionals in much they were truly capable of. reset our course. Vietnam. To be valued and “fully used”: I was so fortunate that Nguyen Huu Tan, this is what every older person wants Teaching this core course quickly made the dean of the social work department as a capstone to a life’s work! At the me part of a working university. DLU at DLU, chose to support me fully by same time, the chance to question the students and faculty were creating giving me the services of an experienced centrality of my U.S. experience in the professional social work training in the faculty member, Nguyen Thi Minh Hien, context of practice in Vietnam was a specific context of Vietnam, where the to translate my slides and interpret refreshing tonic! Every day, I left the profession had lain fallow during the for me in the classroom. When Mrs. classroom recharged by growing my early decades of the Socialist Republic Hien translated my slides, she would outlook and my commitment to our of Vietnam from 1979 to 2010. Students ask for clarification of concepts shared profession. at DLU were gaining skills they saw as when needed. I then had a chance to valuable to themselves and to their In the classroom, I drew heavily from explain them to her more clearly, and local communities. Their passion gave the teaching methods I had honed at sometimes introduce her to new ideas. buoyancy to us all! SUNY Empire State College: formative In the classroom, she then not only evaluation, active applied learning, self- interpreted what I was saying, but she

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The second part of my charge as a faculty and students. Mr. Tan would Vietnamese language forced me to listen Fulbright Scholar at DLU was to provide like to offer these slides to social work — to listen closely to my colleagues’ training seminars and consultations to faculty he knows in other VN universities spoken and unspoken communications. nine resident social work faculty. At the because there is a dearth of social work I believe my struggles learning beginning of the semester, I sat down material in Vietnamese. (These slides Vietnamese “leveled the field” in my with Dean Tan and the social work would be improved if more local case relationships with my Vietnamese faculty to brainstorm topics they wanted examples replaced many of my U.S. colleagues and students, who in recent to cover in our weekly 90-minute faculty examples.) He hopes this will be the years have been pressured by the seminars. In all, we met six times: two beginning of an active email list that can central government to immediately sessions on the strengths perspective support more robust networking among acquire facility in English. English can (an alternative to a pathology-focused these institutions. be a difficult language to learn because approach), and four sessions on how to Mr. Tan also has the vision that it, too, requires the production of new publish in international journals. Faculty certain sets of the slides, or a booklet sounds, new forms of emphasis rather were forthcoming in our meetings about version of them, could be published than tones, bewildering pronunciation the obstacles they faced in publishing in on Academia.edu, where many rules, etc., etc. My colleagues and I were international journals, so we were able Vietnamese scholars turn for able to laugh at ourselves as we took to problem-solve issues such as finding unpublished material in Vietnamese. more risks in our new languages. the right journal to publish in; accessing He would also like to create a website English-language literature for the I think that for all of us at DLU’s social to host a broad array of social work literature review; referencing and citing work department, our semester materials and out-of-print Vietnamese sources in APA, etc. together provided us with an experience publications on related topics. of being part of an international I also sat down with individual faculty DLU faculty continue to engage me in professional community with an members, sometimes with Dean Tan the process of developmental editing important mission: to extend the reach interpreting, to discuss their syllabi of their articles or presentations. I of social work values so dear to us in core social work courses, and have also offered to arrange English and to extend the understanding and later to discuss their research topics translation and submission of their acceptance of our knowledge and skills. for dissertations or articles. Several articles to English-language international Social work means more to many of us faculty engaged me further in the journals. We have two fully completed than a profession: it is a vocation. We process of defining their research articles in the queue at this time. The had this in common from the beginning, questions, finding relevant English- first is an article by Mr. Tan, Mrs. Hien, and by the end of the semester, we language literature, and offering Mrs. Phuong and I in which we share had so many shared experiences of developmental editing on their articles our (often contrary!) reflections on our enrichment together, as well. or presentations. In this way, I was able work together. to have deeper discussions on a variety of topics in VN social work, such as Lastly, another very meaningful part social work interventions with gender- of my time in Dalat was my experience based violence; formal and informal struggling to learn the Vietnamese services for the elderly in Dalat City; language. It was a challenge for me to improving access for women workers defy the odds (or a tired stereotype in the informal economy to needed about the older brain) and learn a new “Vietnamese is an services in Dalat City; family therapy language at the age of 69. Vietnamese for families in the rural areas; and a is an intriguing and beautiful language intriguing and beautiful comparative historical study on the with its melodious flat tones, its new language with its rise of authoritarian states. It was a sounds that my throat had to learn to mutually satisfying exchange of skills make, and its softer and more fluid melodious flat tones, and knowledge in every case. use of the mouth. I love the logic of its new sounds that my the language and its imaginative Mr. Tan, Mrs. Hien, Mrs. Phuong and compound nouns! Attempting to learn throat had to learn to I produced detailed slides/lectures this language was a distinct pleasure for a number of topics in social work make, and its softer and a workout! Maybe most important during our semester together. These of all, learning the sounds of the and more fluid use slides have been translated into Vietnamese, vetted by our team, and of the mouth.” used at least once with Vietnamese

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My IMTL Project to the Rescue: Virtual Study Group Ahead of the Emergency

Diane Perilli, Manhattan

had no idea that March 2, 2020, wanted to reach the independent study would be my last day in my students as a group, thus reducing the I Manhattan office. Because of the need to explain foundational concepts lengthy and costly commute to New to each individual student. This was York City, I was already teaching my accomplished through scheduled independent studies and mentoring group meetings via Skype for Business, a fair amount from home. Therefore, the technology that was supported with the resources I had in place, I by SUNY Empire State College at that was comfortable with the thought of time. The virtual meetings followed the working at home full time. However, same format as my face-to-face study the emergent need to move my weekly group meetings. In our synchronous Monday night, two-hour study group online group meetings, I would discuss to distance learning became my focus. and explain the topics and then we Little did I know that the Institute on would solve problems together while Mentoring, Teaching and Learning I shared my screen. We would “go (IMTL) project I had worked on with around the room” taking turns as we Lead Educational Technologist Carolina worked through the problems. I have Diane Perilli Kim de Salamanca (currently interim been holding these synchronous online assistant director of educational group meetings for the past six fall how to use Skype for Business, and technologies) at the IMTL residency and spring terms. This model allowed additional resources on how to get more in June 2017 would come to my aid. me to effectively enrich the students’ help, if needed. My goal for that project was to enrich independent studies, strengthen I regularly use the smart TV in the my collegewide independent study their learning, expand their course study group room in our Manhattan in Introductory Accounting I with engagement, and increase student office to display PowerPoint slides and the use of technology. Through connectedness to me, each other, and to accounting problems. Therefore, all of this collaboration, I began holding the college. Moreover, my hope was that my course materials are maintained in synchronous group meetings with my the students who had this experience digital formats. I’ve learned to save all independent study students, which with the synchronous group meetings of my work on OneDrive cloud storage we now call Virtual Study Groups. As had a smoother and less stressful and a portable flash drive. Having a result, needing to quickly move my transition to learning in a virtual the experience of teaching groups study group from 325 Hudson Street environment when the pandemic hit. of students virtually and having my to a virtual format was manageable. course materials digitally and accessible Having the experience and a system Preparedness for Virtual Study through OneDrive, I didn’t skip a beat. in place, it was a smooth transition. Group Meetings From Home One of the key aspects of our IMTL In communicating with my study group Leveraging Synchronous and collaboration was creating opportunities students about the switch from face- Asynchronous Technology to enhance the students’ experiences to-face to virtual in the midst of the One of the benefits of the flexibility and and embedding a strategic technical spring term, I was already prepared technical support provided by SUNY support plan that would cater to the with an email that I had used for my Empire is that not only do I teach an flexible nature of independent studies. independent study students. The email asynchronous group with synchronous Specifically, my goals were to deliver contained detailed information about components, as discussed, but I also instruction and clarify the foundational the virtual format and included the link teach a synchronous group with course material in real time, providing to Microsoft Office 365 for students asynchronous components. Because, an opportunity for students to connect who didn’t have Skype for Business. I as earlier mentioned, the study group with me and each other. An additional also attached a job aid: an informational room I use at 325 Hudson Street has goal was to limit repetitive instruction: I sheet Carolina developed that explained

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 34 a smart TV, I record my study group The Power of a Learning smooth transition under this otherwise meetings via Kaltura CaptureSpace Management System stressful crisis. Nonetheless, the change Desktop Recorder for students to view in group dynamics from in-person to I use our current learning management later. This requires me to have all virtual is noteworthy. Many of my spring system (Moodle) for my face-to-face material in a digital format, including 2020 students had been in my fall study study groups to help organize the materials that we use in real time group; therefore, they were familiar students, the course, and myself! For so that they can be displayed on the with each other when the new term every meeting, I post the concepts TV screen and hence, be included in began. We already had a comfortable that were discussed, which problems the recordings. (Work done on the and friendly face-to-face environment. we completed together, and the whiteboard in the room is not be shown Once we moved to virtual, however, homework assignment. I also post in the recording.) the exchange among the students resources, such as recordings of our shifted. Even though I used the same Synchronous time together, whether study group meetings, worksheets, format to which they were accustomed face-to-face or virtual, creates a space and the problems’ solutions. This as well as the same materials, the for the students to be a little social with use of Moodle to supplement the students were quiet and seemed a each other and with me, adding a layer study group allows for coordination bit apprehensive. That is, while it was of familiarity and comfort that is helpful between the students and me, and an easy transition for me, it wasn’t so in teaching accounting. Using this form, reduces misinformation. Also, sending easy for the students. This experience I am able to model the engagement out announcements through Moodle contrasts with the synchronous virtual that I’d like to see: dynamic learning allows for streamlined communication group meetings I was holding all along and organic conversations. With the to the students via an email that is with my independent study students. competing priorities of adult students, automatically generated through the These students only knew the virtual there is no question that asynchronous Moodle “announcement” feature. group dynamic; they had established components are invaluable. connections with me and with each Asynchronous tools offer independence “The Bottom Line” other in that mode. Now, as I prepare and flexibility; students can work at their The experience I gained by to teach my future virtual study groups own convenience and review material implementing my IMTL project to enrich using MS Teams, I am optimistic that when needed and, importantly, as often my independent studies, together with the students, now having had this as needed. organizing my course materials in digital experience, will adapt to the aspects of a form and using the Moodle platform for remote environment from the start and disseminating information, provided a that the learning community of those studying accounting will prosper.

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Art and Activism at SUNY Empire State College

Menoukha Robin Case, Mentor Emerita, Saratoga Springs

Fall 2020 Sustainability VRs are planned for spring 2021, Virtual Residency including Anti-Racism, and Year of Faith, Spirituality and World Religions. ccording to Dr. Rhianna Rogers (n.d.), “Virtual Residencies (VRs) at Context SUNY Empire State College began A Sustainability wholly involves us, body, as a partnership between [the college’s] International Education [program] heart, mind, and spirit. We can consider and the Buffalo Project.1 The goal of sustainability as a lens that reveals how VRs were to connect undergraduate, every aspect of life — how we think, graduate, and international education feel, and act — affects our long-term courses via a three-week collaborative, relationships with each other. “Each cross-disciplinary online module” (What other” includes all that is physically part are International Education Virtual of this Earth: air, water, soil, plants, Residencies section, para. 1). animals (including humans) — all that we as beings create, destroy, create Photo provided by the author. by Photo provided A VR designed by Dr. Linda Jones and — and those intangibles that existed Menoukha Robin Case Dr. Mark Abendroth for fall 2020 is before and/or persist beyond our lives underway as of this writing with the and creations: ideas, beliefs, Spirit — as According to recent science, the topic of Learning for a Sustainable co-created threads that weave past, desire for fairness is biological. Future. It began with “... two weeks present, future into the seamed and Primatologist Frans de Waal studied of constructing a problem with social, patchworked, or, perhaps, the seamless how some animals empathize political, and economic elements. unity of Life. The third week will highlight cases in with one another, cooperate to which groups of people ranging from We humans approach sustainability via achieve goals, and value reciprocity local communities to international sciences, social sciences, economics, and fairness. They even protest organizations have made important health, politics, and many other ways when witnessing inequity that progress toward solutions. A highlight of parsing human endeavor. Multiple doesn’t affect them directly, as did of this exchange will be an international approaches best reflect Natural Laws Capuchin monkeys who refused panel of speakers discussing the topic of such as bio-diversity: We need diverse their favorite food, grapes, when sustainability in a synchronous session, perspectives, concepts, beliefs, and their partners were given bland which will be recorded and reused ideas, often found in cultural diversity. cucumbers. Evolution was once as an Open Educational Resource For example, IK (Indigenous Knowledge) thought to be driven by competition … [and help meet] the goal of ESC’s has slowly been coming to the forefront (survival of the fittest), but scientists Sustainability Committee to include of popular consciousness; it has always now understand cooperation is students in its academic and community been at the forefront of ecological the key drive. Humans, like other projects. ... Our theoretical scope ... [is] protection, such as the Standing Rock animals, respond to caring. Our 2 intentionally broad, drawing from the Water Protectors. Diverse approaches compassion-based biology floods U.N. Sustainable Development Goals to relating our perspectives are also key the body with chemicals that offer and the interdisciplinary concepts of to sustainability. a sense of well-being. It seems reasonable, then, that humans environmental anti-racism, ecofeminism, That’s where Arts come in. Arts are are driven more by reciprocity and sustainability in political economy. stories — visual, verbal, and so on — (fairness), empathy (compassion), Our hope is that ... [this] will serve as designed to reach across differences and cooperation (sharing) than an example of effective interdisciplinary to touch our hearts, minds, and spirits. violence, threats, and conflict. instruction as educators across the They have always worked because of (Case & Craig, 2019, pp. 3–4) world strive to foster informed action our innate bio-wiring: for sustainable development” (Rogers, We also have innate bio-wiring to deal Abendroth, & Jones, 2020). Additional with fear, the well-known fight/flight/ freeze mechanism. It is meant for

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 36 emergencies, not a way of life. Whereas unattended. The following selections the noise. Rolling over carefully, they originally Arts worked to heal and from/notes for my novel in progress had stayed on bare ground so the tree harmonize communities, they have been descend from that genre. babies could continue to grow along hijacked in the service of fear, [such as with the daughter they’d dreamed. crafting advertisements]. When fear 2081: Sar and Stone Baby Once she was conceived, they tenderly becomes a cultural norm, it leads to caressed the new shoots with sated It was a time of coastal and mid- self-destructive, unquenchable greed: fingertips: “The trees are still here!” They continental floods, of waters released Anishinaabe stories tell of Wiindigo, only spoke this way when they were from over a century of melting ice: a cannibal who’s never satisfied: the alone. In town, “still here” would be Tsunamis roared as Mother Ocean rose, more s/he eats, the more s/he wants. coded as “sar.” This is how they agreed her vomiting revolt layering a barrage of S/he’s so hungry that s/he chews her/ to name their child. trash back on the shores where it came his own lips, and her/his face drips with from. Rivers and streams stretched long By 2079, the trees, like Sar, were gangly, blood. Advertisements are based on the hands to touch their sisters’ fingertips thin fingers and toes entangled, glad for notion that whatever we are or have is for comfort. They trickled when it was all company yet straining for space. Just not good enough: We need to buy this they could do and then they too roared, like her people in the hovel-towns. Only or that product. People can become flooding banks as they were able in the she broke free, run jus fas. The deeper so consumed with fear that they bleed rush of their joint journey. they entwine their roots, the further she themselves dry with credit card debt. runs, till she is at the heart of their Some leaders bleed us dry, and some It was a time of primordial diseases, deep communion. industries bleed the Earth dry. There’s released from that melted ice. a direct link-up between misuse of Now Sar lets her arms hang loose, It was a time of inland droughts and art, consumerism, and challenges to dangles her fingers, splays her toes. Her shriveled crops, of free-flaming forest sustainability such as poverty, pollution, pupils widen until all she sees is space, fires and stinking smoke from city fires, and climate change. lean and dark like her, there between of disappointing too-brief rains that slid her namesakes, space she can flow Artists in many mediums, including dry dust down scorched-bare mountain through with elongated attenuation. the written art of the storyteller, are backs, of tender winds that swirled the By giving up her shape she’s bound reclaiming art to address sustainability rain and dust together into sheets of to sustain her survivor lineage: Jusbar: issues. Speculative fiction in particular mud that buried settlements in their Just Barely; Nadejet: Not Dead Yet; Sar: offers “what if” scenarios that unfold our roiling brown paths. Still Here. current conditions and decisions into But it is also the year Stone Baby came possible futures. Peering from where they’d tracked her, home to Sar. They stood shoulder to the pale men could only see young Some stellar prescient novels that shoulder in the mud on the edge of a trees in the dusk, narrow 15-year-olds have already partly “come true”: N.K. stand of teenage trees. pushing sparse-leafed branches upward Jemisin’s The Broken Earth Trilogy; Leslie against the mutual web of their own Marmon Silko’s Almanac of the Dead; 2079: Sar darkening canopy. They heard an Owl, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale; “Sar run jus fas” they’d told her and she then another, then the whole damn Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower; had, tire-clad feet skimming potholes parliament conferring over what they Nnedi Okorafor’s Lagoon; and Marge until she reached a spindly choke of knew could only be that runaway’s Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time. growth that had sprung up after The presence. “They got her.” They scowled These authors are among a host of Cutting of the Last Old Ones in 2064. at the trees, turned on their heels writers who unfurled the what-is into 2064, the year she’d been born, had toward Lecric Town, concluded “Jusbar the what’s-gonna-be-if-we-don’t-change- never been silent, always the whine, and Nadejet will pay.” it-up. All took an artifact of what-is and roar, crashes in guttural syncopation extended it to what-if; Butler (1991) of trees downed, sawed, limbed, split, 2017–2081: The Raptures especially was a self-proclaimed hauled over broken ground. People news junkie. The Raptures was an American group told how oily smoke had drenched their that had recruited a cadre of financiers To spark imaginations, we begin with bodies all that year. from among the One-Percenters. They an excerpt from a futuristic story During The Cutting, Jusbar and Nadejet believed themselves to be holy. It was a I’ve written for the residency of how stole away through seedlings scattered sunbaked and cheerful belief like the dry today’s problems might unfold if left among stumps. Hopeful and heartened side of a raft floating on water-logged by the sight of tiny green hands bright in rotting timbers of doubt. Incapable of gray air, they conceived a child against perceiving paradox or irony, they had,

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 37 since inception, denied the very doubt Christofascism4 by news articles back Education after twenty was a privilege that floated their boat while expressing in the day. Most people should be left reserved for the top tier of graduates it through intensive surveillance of behind, they agreed, to die with the who became the next generation of any subversives who challenged their planet that had spawned them. Yes, they One-Percenters. These were mostly blessedness. Scanning inside and out, were celebrating Greed, and the sicker already One-Percenter boys since they happened upon Stone Baby3 they got, the more they rejoiced. Wannabe boys had lacked tutors and in 2032. Ultimately, their fanciful were too busy to study much. The same Since each and every person who construction of Stone Baby was what was true of all girls — they’d been kept made it onto the Father Ship wanted to bolstered their sense of sanctity. busy according to class, either with believe he was crème de la crème, they diapers, pots, and pans, or hosting, By 2032, they had remade America instituted a new version of the hierarchy décor, and household management. as New Governance, Inc. (NGI). Again, they were addicted to, devising a class Theoretically, anyone could become they were incapable of perceiving system all would-be travelers had to a One-Percenter, and, with the right the irony they spewed. Astoundingly, accept. Since everyone was white, alliances and sharp managerial skills, a ignoring that one author was Canadian, the initial divisions were according One-Percent-Head. But not The Head; another Black, and all women, NGI was to gender and age. Everyone with a that role was passed directly from one modeled on banned books that had penis was considered a boy or man; man to the next. warned against its very existence. They everyone with a vagina was considered called their revision of Atwood’s The a girl or woman. Intersex infants were At age 20, most men moved into Handmaid’s Tale “America’s Handbook,” killed at birth. Infants were tenderly service roles in municipal systems and organized a hierarchy according coddled by their mothers for three such as water, sewage, or policing. to its pages. Slaves were fitted with years. Between ages three and 15, all Those who had scored just short electric shock collars, an idea sourced attended school together, learning rules of the top were trained for support from Butler’s Parable of the Talents. of good citizenship (mainly consisting positions in governance or populace Since they modeled poverty on history, of a complicated web of behaviors surveillance. A handful of top-tier boys there was never a shortage of slaves: that maintained hierarchy), as well as and the occasional exceptional girl Industry-slave, sex-slave, house-slave, basic information and skills. During this were sequestered to study physics, farm-slave, or road-slave was the fate period, One-Percenters with identified engineering, psychology. of those like Jusbar and Nadejet whose talents had tutors. Between 15 and Laws specific to females included: generations had been systematically 20 all of them in the group, including robbed of prosperity since 1619. As in the One-Percenters, were housed in a 1. All women are to be married to “Parable,” as the Raptures called it, NGI’s section of the starship known as the a man of their age or an elder goal was an elitist escape from an Earth Workhouse. Modeled on “America’s who has lost his wife. Elders have already ruined by centuries of people Handbook,” it consisted of dimly lit preference in choosing wives among emotionally and politically deployed in a quarters furnished with bunks and those to turn 20 in any given year. war against Her. communal bathrooms. There, these A joint marriage ceremony is to be youngsters joined older Workhouse held on the first day of the year for They had the Greed Disease that residents whose presence spurred them all women who are to turn 20 that Anishinaabeg called Wiindigo; had had to excel and rejoin domicile quarters. year. Those privileged with further it so long and bone-deep that they study are not exempt. thought it was healthy. They believed There was Education from 8 a.m. to Stone Baby’s discovery meant the time 1 p.m., and Apprenticeship from 2 2. Women who remain barren after to get off Earth was nigh. They believed p.m. to 7 p.m. One-Percenters were five years of marriage and women the Lord was the One who had helped assigned according to their talents, while whose husbands predecease them help themselves to the belongings Wannabe boys assisted their fathers at them are to be returned to the of true and nonbelievers alike; to NGI their jobs. They could work before and Workhouse regardless of skills “criminals”; to the vitality of slaves. Their after hours to acquire more amenities or status. starship was ready and their roster was for their families, and most did. Families Top-tiers who survived these in place. Along with One-Percenters, with more than one boy often sent requirements became the next a few Wealthy-White-Wannabes their sons to relatives who only had generation of One-Percent-Techies who were welcomed aboard. They did not daughters. All daughters including generated inventions and systems and welcome people whose skin was any One-Percenters assisted their mothers, answered directly to the One-Percent- shade of Brown, slaves of any color, or training for marriage. Heads; such were those who surveilled those of any other religion. They clung to their rapturous sweet-spot, called

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Stone Baby. Everyone retired at 45, but its chemical flux, and gushed over hoarded barrels of used oil and aside from One-Percenters, few ever its electronic registrations. Exegesis spools of patched-together wire, they saw that age. of these processes spun out as did had no idea how to use them. Since proclamations about nature/nurture, 2021, all information had been stored Way back in 2017, long before all of God/Devil, and everything in between. in The Cloud, as they called it, but that, Joy was born to one of the most Stone Baby never failed to pronounce no one knew how to reach it. Both elite One-Percenter families. As they politically astute Revelations. For groups believed The Cloud was still scanned her, they were shocked to example, starting in 2077, The Raptures up there, though they differed about discover a twin in a semi-calcified shell niftily Columbused Earth. Stone its substance and potential methods folded deep in her tiny baby womb.5 Baby, they said, had led them there for access. Progressives wanted to When they discovered Stone Baby and proclaimed it as their very own rebuild computers; New Raptures Jesus, as they named the fetus, they God-given home. The science books wanted to build a starship. Seeking shouted Hallelujah. Since Joy’s infant described it as an uninhabited planet bygone knowledge and new ideas, both womb contained an infant and she had with all the resources they would journeyed to defunct universities where not conceived through sexual congress, need once its toxins dispersed. Stone skirmishes over the slim archives of she was pronounced Virgin Mother Baby had told them to wait for it to archaic rotting books left library of the Second Coming. Through well- become habitable. aisles bloody. managed surveillance, Stone Baby made proclamations from its Uterine Throne, There were other groups, too, unnamed 2037–2084: Lecric Town where it ruled without exposure to and arcane. Sometimes they slipped the risk of crucifixion. As Jesus had The Raptures had left in 2037 because a new book into the library. Although saved them, so they would save Stone NGI had finally declared Earth officially slaves were forbidden books, Nadejet Baby Jesus. ruined. There might’ve been pockets of had secretly taught Sar to read. Her clean air in places nobody wanted to enslaver had brought home one of As Joy’s puberty progressed, her live; if there was clean water that hadn’t those new books, a slim publication tenderly growing flesh pressed painfully been siphoned into Rapture hoards, no called Heart of the Ancestors, thinking against the unyielding shell that machine could get near it. But all over he’d find lost knowledge; after a few protected the fetus, who also kicked and Earth, there were remote places where paragraphs, he threw it in the trash. punched to protest confinement. Praise a person could survive, and Lecric Town, After Nadejet read it, she thoughtfully the pain, Joy: You are blessed to carry founded near the headwaters of the tucked it into Sar’s “runny-sack,” a Stone Baby. Each kick is a revelation. Mississippi in 2039, was one of them. useful term provided by one of her Literally: Revelation 14: All women are to Fog that hung heavy west of what had grandmother’s favorite authors.6 She be married to a man of their age or an once been the Great Lakes filtered the was sure that Sar would meet the elder who has lost his wife; Revelation air, and there were minuscule clean people described in the book. 15: Elders have preference in choosing springs and sloughs. their wives among those to turn 20 in 2082: Story Time any given year. And so on. By 2044, Lecric Town’s broke-down buildings full of bickering people had On winter nights, Sar and Stone Baby Joy denounced them: Your so-called coalesced into factions that were took turns telling stories. Sar read parts revelations are wacked! Quit spying on entrenched by 2052. of Heart of the Ancestors out loud. an infant that has no opinions and can never answer back! She tried to remove There were the Progressives, a group Cabin: 2021–2052 the surveillance devices. They repaired that ran infirmaries, maintained them. She tried again. They restrained windmills, planted community gardens; … Seven of us human beings live in a her. She cursed and spat at them from and their opponents, the New Raptures, small cabin on a pond where Robin used her prone position, buckled down, and who believed they had been accidentally to squat. Kids, bugs, grandkids, dogs, laced tight with probes. left behind and were intent on following nieces, cats, nephews, mice, and cousins the Raptures to the stars. come and go between the cabin and In 2037, when Joy was 20, the Raptures neighboring lodges. fulfilled the prophecy of the “Parable,” Both sides fought for what they truly leaving Earth behind. They took believed they needed: electricity. We’d moved here in 2021 when the laws Joy along despite her troublesome Both were running out of metals, of physics had melted down like Robin tongue. They couldn’t bear to part wires, grease, of all the mined and said they would. In some ways, we were with Stone Baby. They loved tracking manufactured substances that they able to work the fluidity: We learned to its tiny heartbeat, deciphering its understood as crucial to that need. bend light so the cabin with all of us in neurological activity, were awed by But even when they fought for and it went invisible. Eventually, no one from

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Bartleby entered the woods anymore; with their unearthly mating screams, squatter; they’re all still trying to take those who had made it back to town burly strong-smelling makwag — all ownership, can’t seem to get the hang told the others how they’d starved with of them. of sharing. They’re still trying to “make full bellies, shivered in the heat, lost things work” according to a set of laws The dense, spindly backwoods around their own selves in broad daylight … that seemed to apply for the slimmest the pond are too tight even for those confusions we’d learned how to spin, skim off the skin of our recent history. small deer and bears, but we’re finally shaking our heads at the necessity. Some of the people who live there are home, brought the place to peace after We did try sharing first, salving their my cousins. When I left, they were in long hard years. Gijigaaneshiinzhag sun soreness, and feeding them — Why do factions, split against each other, and on the bridge, sing chicka-dee-dee-dee. you think their bellies were full? But they from what I hear, nothing’s changed. Waaboozoog flash their cottontails as just couldn’t make the change. Whatever they scramble through the underbrush. Wilfredo’s a Progressive — he’s one of they saw, they wanted to own, not out We’re upstream from amikwag, beavers my father’s cousins and they call him of need but from fear. Robin told me had once left in despair: Juice Director — is in charge of keeping In some ways, we stayed stuck in old Their cattails are growing strong, their the windmills going because everyone habits, too. We got tired, stubborn, or lodge is alive with amikoonsag. As family, truly believes they need electricity, and even just plain liked some dying ways we eat a share of those cattails, too. men like Fredo who love their people — food, for instance. We like to eat, and Mikinaakwag, snapper turtles, insist that will go to any lengths to provide it. It’s for a season or two, we still thought since they’d never abused the law, they a tall order because they’re running of food as something you grow, dig, have no reason to change, and they out of mined and manufactured pick, or catch, then cook up and put keep growing in the old way. They’re substances of every kind: wires, metals, in your bowl. And then, too, when we enormous now, ancient. They remind but most especially, grease to keep the first got here, the land didn’t remember us that beneath all the changes, history wheels spinning. Robin, never knew the rest of us. lives: The Aazhoomog Crossroads On the other side, there’s my aunt’s Before we learned to listen, to talk, to Anishinaabeg lived here before the great second cousin, Tom: Some people call respectfully cooperate with the plants migration to the Great Lakes, and the him Gran Jefe, Big Boss Man, which is and animals here, we’d almost starved: land itself is a crossroads where old funny because before it all came down, nearly decimated the butternuts by and new met eons ago, shale and iron he couldn’t hold a job. Basically, he can’t harvesting in their off-year; gotten thin deposits to one hand; granite, sand, stand anyone telling him what to do. and weak on needle soup from a sole and deep-buried African migiis shells Well, I never liked it either way — being pine too early in sorrow to give; gotten to the other. told, or telling — but I do like working nauseated on polluted water. We went Robin’s always liked the marshy pond with people, so I’ve learned to listen. back to town looking for an easier way, and underbrush, and Waabanikwe Tom, on the other hand, does not have where some of us were ravaged helpless says it reminds her of the sloughs back “with” in his vocabulary: he likes working with anger, with rapes, beatings, with home. We eat more fish and rabbit than people, period. He’s a bully, one of those murders escaped but witnessed. deer. Robin tells us time to time about old-school men who can only feel good At first, people had wandered far and one day back in the 20th when makwa about himself by feeling better than wide for food. It was hard; areas that’d had broken down the cabin door, tore somebody else, which means getting been clear-cut had grown back so tight up the cupboard, and got honey all over them to do things for him. and thick with short, thin trees that her hungry black snout. We have an Both sides are into mastery, each in even though most of the animals are agreement with the bears, and Ernesto its own way: Fredo’s side is trying to much smaller now, too, they’d mostly brings one home from time to time. “master” nature into a tame paradise, moved down what used to be the road The women tan the hide and render the while each person on Tom’s side works to more spacious forests that used to fat the way Sandy taught Waabanikwe to “master” all the other people because be landscaping around houses that back in Minnesota. They make medicine they believe that’s natural: survival had caved in on their own weighty with it and it heals us. Is it a great life, of the fittest, nature red in tooth and grandeur. Waabanikwe showed those or what? claw. So, you have the Fredos hovering who survived how to put down asemaa around their idealization of nature, and thin the saplings to build lodges Underbrush: 2023–2028 the Toms living out their vicious idea near the creeks that flow into this pond. I don’t know. Because back in Bartleby, of nature, and they endlessly clash. Animals came back to live among these or what’s left of it, well, that’s another Regardless, they both do want grease neighbors — waawaashkeshiwag with story: broken-down buildings full of for the machinery. After we left for the their flag tails and antlers, mishi-bizhiwag bickering people who call each other second time, the factions got together

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 40 and tried to steal or beat our bear Town were heavily infected with the 2040–2069: Stone Baby fat out of us. I already told you what continually mutating Greed Disease, and Helplessly orbiting in the Raptures’ ship, happened to them. their clash could have been endless. Joy was married in 2040 and required to But by 2064, when Sar was born to It’s a living hell, either way you slice it. become, like every other wife: a mother, Jusbar and Nadejet, New Raptures not the Mother. Her lawsuit to liberate Why steal our fat? Why not hunt bears? had enslaved or driven everyone else Stone Baby began in 2041. Though she Hah — they’ve never seen any bears, from Lecric Town. Sar was born into hadn’t conceived the child, removing and some don’t even believe in them slavery, and those Progressives who had it from her womb was still considered anymore; they think they’re mythical escaped were hampered by the need abortion which had been outlawed creatures. But it’s simple: They’ve never to keep their towns veiled, “like “Robin’s in 2021. Her first suit failed and that called the bears by name. They’ve cabin,” she added. sacrosanct law remained unbroken. never asked, and the bears never gave This dynamic was replicated elsewhere permission. Things no longer answer or But she eventually got her wish. In on the continent, in each locale even appear unless they’re respected. 2044, Joy was impregnated as required according to mutation. Some, with more As to the healing fat we’re graced with: of all females between 20 and 30 per fuel and technology than Lecric Town, Robin did ask, and she got her answer. “America’s Handbook.” Her twin gushed were close to completing starships, out of her body in the birth throes, The sun was setting and we could and some Progressive towns had destroying Joy’s baby in the process. She smell the soup Jodie and Ernesto booted up computers, hooking them to had one year left to conceive again. were cooking. crumbling dams and otherwise working to reinstitute the workings of the Age of The twin stayed in cryogenic limbo while That’s the way it was, or the way it will Greed, as we call it, that slim skin on the its case continued to move through happen, or the way Robin told it to me. body of history that lasted a seemingly the courts. Technology to fully vivify it Or maybe I died in that fire and I’m interminable 7,000 years or so. did exist, and motions for and against dreaming this. Maybe Dennis is alive, swung through the years. Concern was Robin never died of old age, and she’s I say “we” because there was a third the tangled multidirectional web of sitting with him and they’re dreaming group on Earth: The People. After a surveillance between child and host. me. Maybe that old pine and all her half-century of struggle, in the spring Joy had kept a constant inner eye on children are dreaming you hearing me of 2084, masses of us, following stories the enfolded infant, and the child had tell you all this, and it is all yet to come. from another banned book by Leslie observed every second of Joy’s life even Maybe we all dream together. If you’re Marmon Silko called Almanac of the while being surveilled. Such recursion hearing this, part of what happens is Dead, demolished the last hydroelectric was illegal; it clearly undermines up to you. dams, imploded nascent electronic hierarchy. Joy’s lawyers argued that the communications, incapacitated traumatic shift from waters of the womb machinery, terminated every intrusion to air erases prenatal memory; that and surveillance that had plagued our much more so, then, from water to ice “That’s the way it was, or Mother Earth. One woman had even to air. Permission to vivify was granted been able to “[develop] a protovirus the way it will happen, in 2064 when an uncommon spate of to subvert all emergency switching conscience temporarily struck the Judge, or the way Robin told programs in the computers of regional her own grandfather, on the occasion of power-relay stations” (p. 730) so that it to me. Or maybe I Joy’s death. utter liberation was accomplished in died in that fire and I’m just one day. We welcomed anyone who Upon vivification, Stone Baby was dreaming this.” felt relief at liberation, willingly teaching stripped of her sacred status, title, and them the skills and kindness necessary her name. She was renamed Elation. to a Good Life. But not everyone Accompanying adjudication decreed appreciated our generosity, much as that all records of the Second Coming, When Sar finished, she looked at each they hadn’t half a millennium ago. We mental and otherwise, be utterly person in turn, silently asking them to didn’t repeat the unfolding of those wiped. Well versed in historical erasure, consider the book’s final challenge. Then times. Any attempt to stem the tide of the Raptures found it easy, since all she explained that the book she’d just freedom was crushed by the Army of information was internally linked via read had made it to Lakes University the Homeless. bio-kenners,7 a technology they had library from the East. It was written lifted from yet another banned book long ago but everything had played published way back in 1976. out just like it said. Both sides of Lecric

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Elation unfolded from her calcified parts. They are relegated to daydreams, long, warm greens with golden seed confines with the same ease as did that occupying liminal moments between heads. That’s where she saw it, head murder of extinct Hawaiian crows whose sleep and work. turned over its furred brown shoulder DNA had been discovered in a mosquito looking right at her. When it saw that It’s 2079, and she has five years left fossilized in Mauna Loa lava when they she’d seen, it made the creaky sound before marriage. As a master of were finally vivified in 2024.8 This first again, lowering its head to chew on surveillance, she’s an expert at veiling successful vivification had been the last the juicy grass. A little one just like it what’s she’s building. on Earth; the Raptures left shortly after bounded over and butted the bigger they jubilantly blackened the skies. one’s belly. “She nursin, thas she!” It 2079: Song must be. Elation was fostered by Joy’s sibling, Sar glided through the thicket that Serenity. Since Serenity couldn’t have “Dar,” she called gently. obliterated the sky, body curving this children, she doted on the baby who way and that with the elegance of an No response. saved her from the Workhouse. otter. She knew she wasn’t the first Serenity never required Elation to “Deer,” she tried. to escape Lecric Town, but not one help with housewife tasks. Elation whisper had ever come back. There was No response. excelled at studies and became a no quilted map, no star to guide her, One-Percent-Head. “Waawaashkeshi,” a human voice said. no direction home; only the song from There was something strange about dreams. It was Nadejet who received the Sar wanted to jump backward but was her: As a child, she had once asked to song, prompting her to send her only lulled by the softness of the word. She walk on Earth. Serenity ignored this surviving child into the wilderness: turned toward the voice. It came from because it would mean the lawyers had a woman who was older than anyone Run jus fas, Run jus fas been wrong; that Joy’s experiences were she’d ever seen. Owl gan help if ya run jus fas. available to her twin. That’s the only Hang n dangle, splay n flow “Waawaashkeshi,” the Old One said. way she could have come to that desire: Dar gan show ya war ta go. “Call them by the name they told us. no one spoke of Earth yet; Elation had Waawaashkeshi.” never been there; images of Earth were No one knew whether Deer existed not widely available. Stopped by the anymore. No one knew what Owl looked “Waawaashkeshi,” Sar repeated. terror in Serenity’s eyes, Elation never like, but everyone heard them hooting The deer lifted her head and blinked asked again. She later understood the in the woods. Inspired by the book she’d and the woman’s smile grew wide. litigation that had preceded her birth. retrieved from the trash, it had been the Sun dappling through branches shone entirety of Nadejet’s plan: Since there As a One-Percent-Head, Elation off her teeth and the soft curves of are Owls, there must be Deer, so go to understands that no one can ever know flesh around her mouth webbed with the woods, Sar, n run jus fas. that she secretly carries 27 years of wrinkles. She pulled something from a Joy’s memories, 20 of those on Earth. Once in the woods, Sar followed the bag slung across her chest and hanging That she wakes daily longing to feel Owls’ calls until her strength wore out. at her hip, and reached toward Sar. the scent of flower-strewn breezes Tired, she fell down and slept. When “Gibakade ina, n’daanis. Are you hungry, between bare toes. That she dreams of she awakened, she ran some more. It my daughter?” breeze-sweetened feet and a dear friend was days, maybe weeks before the Owls whispering in her ear, feels her toes curl stopped hooting. She heard a sound Sar didn’t have to be asked twice. The at the words and sees shiny mud oozing like a creaky door and froze in fear that woman squatted at the base of a tree, between them, sloshing to cover her she had somehow circled back toward watching her eat. ankles. She wants this desperately, even Lecric Town. Scanning the woods, “N Between bites, Sar asked, “War ya? while knowing every single thing that … no doors here,” she calmed herself. They mar?” The woman looked puzzled. makes it impossible. The sound circled her slowly then moved north, and repeated insistently. “Oh, OK. I speak two languages, and Since contention over surveillance “Doors don move,” she encouraged I’ll learn a third: waawaashkeshi, dar, had birthed her, Elation makes its herself. With fear allayed, she was left deer,” Sar smiled. “But you … you don’t techniques her specialty; that, and with curiosity. As she followed the speak Code?” interstellar transportation. No one intermittent creaks, the trees thinned knows her hidden desire. No one knows “Code?” out. Sky showed above sun-warmed about Elation’s hidden cache of spare ground. Unlike the thin, gray grass in Lecric Town, here was a lush tangle of

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“We speak English perfectly, but they simmering on fires. People sit circled them, looking for all the world like don’t know. They think they understand around them, listening to the crackling stars, but the People knew, and they us, but they don’t. We speak Code. Like exclamations of Old Ones, waiting for knew how to bend the light so they my name, Sar, means Still Here. My storytellers to unfurl history. were invisible. Mom, Nadejet, Not Dead Yet. This says Some will witness it for the first time; Secure in this knowledge, Stone Baby we’re from a line of Survivors. War ya, others, having heard it since they were takes the time to savor each sip of soup. they think that’s where are you; they children at one fire or another, never She is the last one to empty her bowl. think we’re that stupid, we don’t see you tire of this rippling stream of stories right before our eyes. It means where “Go on then, n’daanis,” Sar says to that, like the days after that moon, are your people hidden … they mar, the storyteller, “The impenetrably continue to lengthen, spinning out are there more of you, and when you mysterious Greed Disease that every longer and longer each year. answer, you code in how many, your teller explains in a different way, each situation, your resources. Within a few They hunger for the story. They enjoy of them true! Humans split into far- words, we both know how we can help the luxury of this hunger since there’s flung branches! The surveillance of each other. You’re Brown, I thought plenty of soup. Stone Baby! Sar’s escape! The Crimes, you’d know Code for sure. How do you the Criminals, the Balance! 2084! And The story, like the spoons moving get along without it? Are you … did you Restoration of the Original Instructions!” between mouths and bowl, will describe … are you the one who sent my mother circles that dance together as spirals. They always start this way; next will the Owl and Deer Song?” It always begins with the dear Elder of come the pivotal moment for each fire’s “Eyah, n’daanis, been singing since the each fire. Elder as the telling begins from their Raptures left, and some of you hear own locale before winding its way back The Elder of this particular fire is Sar me. They thought we’d all died. Many to the thread that connects them all. To herself. The warmth of her brown face did, but in some of us, the Disease died hear what they impart, you’ll have to sit is so wrinkled that they can no longer instead. If you knew it was a disease, at a fire yourself. tell when she’s smiling, except that her you had the will to heal. Others didn’t, eyes light up. At her side is Stone Baby, took up the whip, and built Lecric Town. Notes even more wrinkled but pale as the Their dreams … build starships, invade moon. Stone Baby no longer speaks, 1 The Buffalo Project’s mission is Rapture colonies, have revenge. So is but she can still open her mouth for the “to develop action-based diversity that ina where you come from.” soup a great-grandchild spoons with initiatives that focus on utilizing “Yes’m. But there’s not only those gentle patience. participant observations of New Raptures, slavers who want to culture to inform solution-making As Sar looks upon her friend’s moon build starships as you say: there’s efforts in college and community face, she recalls the day Stone Baby also Progressives. And my folks, environments” (Rogers, n.d.). spontaneously appeared at her side Black Greens.”9 when she was tracking moose in the 2 “... Standing Rock Sioux Reservation “Some of you are People by blood. Any warm mud of a slough on a sunny in North Dakota, U.S. ... [is a who felt this ran when we couldn’t stop fall day in 2081. Sar hadn’t jumped hub of] the No Dakota Access The Cutting. So to your question: Many backward or even blinked an eye. Pipeline (#NODAPL), an ongoing ... of us have been here all along, and “Stay still and be quiet, sister,” she’d coalition of people from the U.S. some made their way through the trees whispered. She’d pointed her chin at the and across the world ... to stop like you. Help me up now n’daanis.” moose and her new friend had nodded. the oil pipeline being constructed They’d been together ever since. across sacred burial grounds Sar took the woman’s arm. They moved And Stone Baby, she fit right in. The and under the Missouri River through widening spaces to gardens brainwashing they’d used on everyone against the express wishes of the planted in open meadows between aboard the Father Ship hadn’t worked Standing Rock Sioux. ... At its peak, thicker and thicker trees until they on her because she always recalls her [encampment] estimates were as came to a village. mother/twin’s memories of Earth. So high as 10,000 people ... [with] a when she decided to leave the ship continuous presence of protectors 2144: Sar and Stone Baby where she had remained an insider/ that lasted well over a year. ... It’s winter, it’s story time! They gather outsider, she’d come to Earth where she The originators clearly stated: we in the bright night of that last full is an outsider/insider whose knowledge are not protestors, we are water moon before days begin to lengthen. helps the People protect themselves protectors ... [in] peaceful prayer, Throughout the forest, soup is from the ships. Some blinked above

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but DAPL employees and police we get here? #WhosThatFeminist Neal, M. A. (2013, December 8). Black took a combative approach” (Case & #WhatsThatFeminism. New York, folk don’t: Go green [Blog post]. Craig, 2019, p. 193). NY: Routledge. Retrieved from https://www. newblackmaninexile.net/2013/12/ 3 See Castillo (2013) for a story about Castillo, M. (2013, December 13). black-folk-dont-go-green.html?q=bla a modern-day “stone baby” or 40-year-old calcified fetus found in ck+folk+don%27t+go+green lithopedion (calcified fetus). Colombian woman. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/40- Piercy, M. (1976). Woman on the edge of 4 See an insider’s view of year-old-calcified-fetus-found-in- time. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf Christofascism in Darkwater (2017). colombian-woman/ Rogers, R. (n.d.). Dr. Rhianna C. Rogers’ 5 “Fetus-in-fetu” occurs in one out Darkwater, K. (2017, January 26). I was faculty webpage: The Buffalo of every 500,000 births. See Gann trained for the culture wars in home Project. Retrieved from https:// (2012) for one story. school, awaiting someone like Mike rrogers.sunyempirefaculty.net/ 6 N.K. Jemisin (2015), who coined Pence as a messiah. Retrieved the-buffalo-project-an-ethnographic- the term “runny-sack” (disaster from https://www.autostraddle. study-of-western-new-york/ preparedness kit) in The Fifth Season. com/i-was-trained-for-the-culture- Rogers, R., Abendroth, M., & Jones, L. wars-in-home-school-awaiting- 7 Bio-kenners, referred to in Piercy (2020, September 21–22). Using someone-like-mike-pence-as-a- (1976), are personal computers technological innovations and messiah-367057/ worn on the wrist that link to all interdisciplinary approaches to databases and information. Gann, C. (2012, January 30). Boy has teach sustainable development: twin’s body in stomach. Retrieved A virtual residency case study 8 See Main (2013) for an example of a from https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/ [Conference presentation abstract]. fossilized mosquito. health/2012/01/30/boy-has-twins- International Conference on 9 See Neal (2013) and ShareAmerica body-in-his-stomach/ Sustainable Development 2020, (2010) for videos on the Black Green Online. Retrieved from https://ic-sd. Jemisin, N. K. (2015). The fifth season. movement in the early 21st century. org/2020-program/#day1parallel The broken earth: Book one. London, UK: Orbit Books. ShareAmerica. (2010, October 3). References Growing power — A model for urban Main, D. (2013, October 14). Rare Butler, O. E. (1991, Spring). An interview agriculture [Video file]. Retrieved blood-engorged mosquito fossil with Octavia E. Butler [Interview by from https://www.youtube.com/ found. Retrieved from https:// R. Kenan]. Callaloo, 14(2), 495–504. watch?v=vs7BG4lH3m4 www.livescience.com/40402-fossil- Case, M. R., & Craig, A. V. (2019). mosquito-blood-meal.html Introduction to feminist thought and action: #WTF and how did

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Care in the Age of a Pandemic

Colleagues from the School of Nursing and Allied Health

ince the start of the COVID-19 have on a nurse, and to offer pandemic, first responders — support and guidance to facilitate S doctors, EMTs, paramedics, moral resilience. nurses, and many others have been vital to responding to medical emergencies Lynn McNall everywhere around us. Indeed, here at The role of the registered nurse is SUNY Empire State College, we have many complicated and, coupled with the students and colleagues who have been effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, intimately connected and devoted to the the RN’s responsibilities have grown care for those who have been ill. to unimaginable proportions. They are So many questions have arisen: Can any now coordinating one of the biggest caregiver really learn to prepare for this health care challenges that the nursing situation? How can our nursing and allied profession has ever encountered. health students even begin to tackle the Nurses have demonstrated how they the author. by Photo provided issues, the questions — the realities — unconditionally care, both physically Rebecca Hegel in her PPE. they have had to confront? How can and emotionally, for very seriously ill one communicate this incredible array patients and their concerned families. Rebecca Hegel of challenges? Nurses are standing tirelessly at the Preparing in the Midst side of their patients as they face their We asked our colleagues in the School of of a Pandemic … fears of dying alone, ensuring their Nursing and Allied Health to reflect on patients are provided an opportunity For those of you who work in these kinds of questions. Thanks so much to say their last goodbyes to their loved healthcare, you can recall how volatile to those whose thoughts we include here. ones. An alarming realization occurred March, April, and May were for both as the guidelines for safe patient care the hospital and community. There Dianne White changed when it became apparent that was no way to prepare for the days Among the many challenges nurses there was an inadequate amount of that laid before us when death tolls have faced during the global pandemic personal protective equipment (PPE) were as much as 800-plus in one day is that of moral distress related to caring and ventilators available to meet the in one region. I am not simply referring for dying patients whose loved ones are needs of the rapidly rising number of to policies or procedures; rather, I not allowed to visit. One former dialysis critically ill patients. As educators, it am bringing to light the emotional nurse, now working in the intensive is our commitment to provide nurses devastation that blindsided each and care unit, became an integral part of with the tools needed for assessing every one of us. the dying process for a former dialysis and managing these challenges. As our So what have we learned in a time of patient. Having an established rapport students advance their broader nursing mourning and rapid change? How do with the patient and family, the nurse knowledge, they build their confidence we stay connected when our very way created time to be with the patient, and develop improved critical thinking of interaction has become broken? We singing his favorite hymns, praying, and skills and enhanced decision-making are social distancing, wearing masks, providing comfort during his final hours. abilities. The nurses of tomorrow must and wearing gloves, but how do we best Her presence brought the family great be prepared to assume leadership stay connected when so many societal comfort as they were not allowed to positions and have a strong voice when restrictions are in place? visit, to say goodbye, or to be a part of crucial legislative decisions are needed the patient’s passing. to ensure that our country is poised and I believe that we embrace the ways prepared for the next health care crisis that we can stay connected via our As faculty in the School of Nursing and that overwhelms our health care system. electronic devices. We have so many Allied Health, it is important to recognize technological advances at our disposal the impact these circumstances can that we can use for communicating with

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 45 one another. This is our time to create appointments. Some of our students health care system for all of us. We must a new normal. While we may never be face illness and loss of loved ones and/ remember that our current students are prepared for what lies ahead, we are or colleagues, and all suffer fear and our future leaders. certainly equipped to stay connected anxiety related to the situation. Our and engaged. But mostly, we have learned students are working on the front lines Bridget Nettleton the critical value of caring for each other. while enrolled in courses needed to Ironically, COVID-19 took over our lives complete an educational degree. It in March 2020 while 2020 was declared Norine Masella goes without saying that support and by the World Health Organization (WHO) Mentoring Health Professionals flexibility for our students is a must. as the year of the nurse and midwife in Through a Pandemic Lending an ear during a phone call to honor of Florence Nightingale’s 200th discuss options for completing courses, I am a faculty member privileged to birthday. The principles of Nightingale making them aware of support and work with students who are registered were never more applicable than now resources, and encouraging them to nurses and allied health professionals. including good hygiene, ventilation, and advocate for themselves by letting Like everyone else, back in March, isolation as needed. others know what they need are some I began to see dedicated health things I can provide. I had the wonderful opportunity in professionals on the news voicing summer 2020 to serve as a preceptor challenges in obtaining knowledge I find myself looking to professional (mentor) for an RN to Bachelor of and resources to care for patients organizations to seek resources Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and families, and it struck me that I others have developed that might student completing her capstone have never seen this kind of situation help, and then directing our students experience. She had chosen a preceptor before. Even now, as “the numbers” to those that are appropriate. Our previously, but due to the pandemic, ebb and flow, I find myself seeking students represent a variety of health that experience was canceled and she information that might help support professions, so organizations such as wanted to finish her degree as soon as current students, and also provide the American Nurses Association, the possible. The student was a mother with future students with the knowledge American Association of Colleges of two adult daughters and a 2-year-old and skills needed to practice effectively Nursing, the American Association for son. One of her daughters was home during this pandemic. I try to remember Respiratory Care, and the American from college and this summer was that “the numbers” are people — loved Dental Hygienists’ Association have her best opportunity to complete her ones, family members, and friends. The reliable information and quality capstone experience. She successfully skills needed to care for our people resources. There are sections of their completed her capstone and is now a include the ability to triage and work websites devoted to self-care and well- graduate. Yeah! with limited resources. Unfortunately, being, and some of my own students grief management and even grief have utilized mental health resources The student described how her leadership are needed, since our health from their professional organizations. telemetry unit had been converted to a professionals are providing end-of-life These organizations also offer reliable unit to care for COVID-19 patients. She care to patients and families who are information about novel coronavirus, said it was scary, not only for herself unprepared and facing unexpected including new knowledge as it is but for her family, but said “That’s death. Additionally, specific self-care generated and recommendations based what we do — we are nurses.” This skills such as resiliency and advocacy on the available science. Additionally, unwavering commitment to her patients are required. Knowing what services organizations have developed webinars is a hallmark of nurses everywhere. are available through our college and offer education, some with Yes, 2020 is the year of the nurse and student services, employee assistance continuing education units (CEUs) to midwife, and nurses once again sprang services, and how to find resources assist health professionals who need into action when called. I am proud to to aid their practice from professional to maintain continuing education as a be a nurse. organizations so that they may continue licensure requirement. their professional development are Jacqueline Michaels Even as time passes, and “the numbers” all important. Checking In Through My Virtual Door in New York state have improved, Talking with students, I became aware we face the challenges of providing When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, of the specific situations they were knowledge and support for our our world was turned upside down. facing. For example, while some were students. As a mentor, encouraging My heart ached for those on the front working many extra hours, others them on their journey does help ensure lines battling this unknown disease. I were furloughed because patients their success and promotes a stronger couldn’t even begin to imagine this new were not going to more routine office world that nurses and first responders

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I mentor, advise, and teach were living support them on their academic journey As nurses, we know that empathy, active in. Several students reached out to especially during these unprecedented listening, and therapeutic conversation me and shared their tremendous and times of COVID. are essential components of holistic unimaginable personal and professional care. I have found that offering my challenges. I wondered, how does a Lisa Schulte nursing students an opportunity to mentor even begin to offer the support Finding the Strength to Carry share their experiences, thoughts, and and guidance they need through these On: Reflections on Teaching fears in a supportive environment is troubling times? I reflected on the years During the COVID Crisis extremely helpful. By establishing a I spent working as a nurse and educator “student lounge” in Moodle as a safe The coronavirus pandemic has given all in the intensive care unit and emergency place for students to support and first responders a rare moment in global department. My everyday work-life- connect with one another, they are able history. They are being recognized for world was composed of instability, to receive the same level of emotional the heroic work that they do on the unpredictability, and uncertainty. support from their colleagues as they front lines of the pandemic. The COVID- Shadows of death and dying loomed give their patients. 19 challenge is indeed a team effort, in the background. I quickly learned but nurses have a unique role because Nurses are bound by a code of ethics how to listen for underlying meanings of the deeply intimate relationship they and standards of the profession. of questions and provide answers to form with their patients — establishing Reinforcing in our students these questions people were afraid to ask. trust, sharing, and caring for critically principles and their personal calling as I found that no one ever really had ill patients and their families. Early a nurse have helped renew their deep exact answers to situations we faced in our education, we learn as nurses sense of pride for being a member of regarding patients’ clinical conditions, about death and dying. We learn that this noble profession. Reminding my death, and dying. Most times there was death is a natural part of the human students that nurses have long enjoyed not a simple answer for such situations. life cycle. We learn how to care for a the reputation of being voted the It was in this world of the intensive care dying patient’s physical, spiritual, and number one most trusted profession in unit and emergency department where emotional needs, and that throughout the United States (Gallup, 2020) helps I learned how to navigate the unknown this process, the family is an integral strengthen their professional dedication and read between the lines of life. and essential partner in the plan of and drive to keep going. In my small I use these skills when mentoring, care. We learn that no one wants to die way, this is how I support my nursing advising, and teaching students alone. How then, do nurses working students through this difficult time, especially when they face challenges on the front lines reconcile these core helping them to find the strength to in balancing work-life-family values with the reality of how patients carry on — at work, at home, and then responsibilities. I have always checked in diagnosed with COVID are dying? to pursue their education. with my students by sending messages Reports of nurses assisting as many and letting them know my virtual door as four to five deaths a day are not References is always open for support or guidance. unusual. No amount of training could Gallup. (2020). Nurses continue to rate As the pandemic unfolded, I kept the have prepared our nurses for this. The highest in honesty, ethics. Retrieved lines of communication open. I reached effects of working on the front line have from https://news.gallup.com/ out more frequently to check in. I let been devastating for nurses. Nurses poll/274673/nurses-continue-rate- my students know I understood their caring for COVID patients experience highest-honesty-ethics.aspx challenges and that I would be here higher levels of stress, exhaustion, if and when they needed to talk. The and psychological burden compared Zerbini, G., Ebigbo, A., Reicherts, P., values of caring, compassion, and to nurses working on a regular floor Kunz, M., & Messman, H. (2020). keeping in touch are needed ever so (Zerbini, Ebigbo, Reicherts, Kunz, & Psychosocial burden of healthcare much more now during the pandemic. Messman, 2020). My student’s reflective professionals in times of COVID- It is easy for one to feel isolated and journals support this finding. How then 19 — A survey conducted at the overwhelmed. I found that “checking do they find the strength to carry on — University Hospital Augsburg. in” and “keeping my virtual door open” at work, at home, and then to pursue German Medical Science. Retrieved were two tools in my mentoring toolkit their education? How do we, as nurse from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ that helped me to keep students educators, support our nursing students pmc/articles/PMC7314868/ engaged in and complete coursework. during this crisis? These tools also helped students know I cared about them and was here to

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How Do You Solve a Problem Like Reentry?

Sue Kastensen, Founder and Director, Fair Shake

magine, if you can, being snuggly guide people to build successful lives stuck in a building with 1,600 other in a busy world once the exit door is I people, all of whom share your opened to them. Where does one start physical gender; never leaving, eating to offer information about an ever- in the cafeteria that offers no choices, changing society when it is difficult and sleeping in a room that is the size to keep up, even for those who are of your current bathroom, which, by fully engaged? the way, you share with one or two At least one building, full of the people “roommates” not of your choosing. in the thought exercise, opens its doors Imagine, also, that you have no internet to release the inhabitants each day; 7 access, no cell phone, and no computer. days per week (Carson, 2020). There Your phone calls, on an old-school pay are approximately 1.4 million prisoners phone, will be conducted in a large currently serving time in state and room filled with boisterous people. You federal prisons (Carson, 2020), and 95% are restricted to one 15-minute call after of them will be returning to society which you must wait one hour before Photo credit: Federal Bureau of Prisons (Hughes & Wilson, 2020). They are all you are permitted to make another. Sue Kastensen presenting Fair Shake in a excited to experience freedom again, Finally, you are only offered short federal prison. but many are also extremely fearful intervals of time in the exercise room But it is a surprise. It’s shocking. A of failure. and library, and you receive few, if any, 17% success rate for an organization very short visits from family or friends. Very few prisons offer resources, of any kind is ridiculous! How is this Oh, and you’ll share the bathroom with support, or information to the even possible? It’s embarrassing, 50 people. incarcerated that will help them make unacceptable, maddening, and, vital connections for housing, medical for me, motivating. Can you imagine this for even one full support, or clothing prior to release. day? How about one week? A month? A No prisons allow those who have Minding My Own Business year? People in U.S. prisons are serving recently come home to share their sentences that exceed 1 year … so let’s Prior to 1999, I — like most of my fellow experience with those who are imagine five, 10, 20 or even 30 years. Americans — was not aware of the preparing for the transition. formidable and terrifying gauntlet of The crowded picture in your head, Incarcerated people, when they can challenges waiting for those who are however, doesn’t come close to the work, make less than 30 cents per returning to society from prison. reality of life in prison. I have omitted hour, on average (Sawyer, 2017). the suffering, the sadness, and the I was also not aware of the extremely It’s nearly impossible to save up for loss of loved ones; the manipulations, long sentences and collateral today’s cost of living on that wage, the disrespect, and lack of trust; the consequences imposed by our war and the difficulty is exacerbated when fear, the censorship, and the razor- on drugs, or that people convicted of landlords or employers refuse to wire fence. And the heavy gates with committing burglary were much more consider leasing to or hiring formerly electronic locks. likely to commit another crime than incarcerated applicants after running people convicted of committing murder, Today there is an added threat of a a background check. or that many people convicted of sex potentially deadly virus running wild With such a steep hill to climb, it should offenses would be listed on a national within the building. The virus, by the come as no surprise that less than 10 registry for the rest of their lives. way, can only enter the building with the years after release from prison, 83% people who come and go for work, but I had never thought about the of those who have been released will who do not live there. psychological hurdles to reengagement: find themselves back in prison (Alper, building the courage and confidence Finally, I want you to imagine how Durose, & Markman, 2018). to apply for a job, the frustrations of anyone who does not have personal learning to use technology, needing experience in this process could possibly strong boundaries to resist the

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 48 lure of using shortcuts to acquire Unique Qualifications Lifewide Learning money, finding and building healthy Since before I can remember, I have Between selling my business and relationships (including reconnecting been a risk-tolerant, extremely curious, organizing a nonprofit, I worked in fair with children, parents and partners); self-determined, anti-fragile, and trade for a few years. During that time, or the intense tenacity and dedication somewhat courageous individual. My I learned about stakeholders in the to stay committed to goals made approach to life did not bode well with food chain: the farmworkers, farmers, while incarcerated. authorities and by 8th grade, I felt I was processors, distributors, retailers, and I never thought about any of that being developmentally stunted at home consumers (we did not include the because in 1999, I — like most and in school. In order to survive my waste process at that time). My mind Americans — was focused on myself and teens, I had to find my own path. opened; I realized that the onus for my future. I was an enthusiastic 36-year- reentry success did not solely fall on the After getting kicked out of my parents’ old business owner, manufacturing person coming home from prison — home at 13 — and after five high products that were in high demand that person also needed to be accepted schools, four foster homes, several stays in a rapidly growing market. I needed for employment, housing, higher in group homes, a couple of jail visits machines, and the employees to build education, in places of worship, and and a few years in a Catholic reform and run them. Amid the growth and more. In short, their success depended school — in 1979, when I was 16 years excitement, an employee took me aside on all of us! I realized that I had to offer old, I wanted to drop out of school and one day and quietly asked if I might support to other stakeholders, too. I become an emancipated adult. I felt I consider hiring her friend who would be started thinking about ways to support was serving a sentence that had no end coming home from prison soon. and encourage family and friends, and no purpose. Authorities wanted employers, landlords, corrections, and Entrepreneurs are often courageous to me to stay in school, so I said I would citizens to participate in this common try new and different things, but this continue with high school if I could goal for reintegration. question put me in a difficult position. attend Walden III, an alternative high I wanted to protect the loyal team that school (which still exists today).1 This By creating, and listening, and creating was cranking out our products every was my last opportunity for a formal some more, amazing things started day, and I also wanted to give this education and, thankfully, I flourished. to happen. person a “second chance.” Besides, if I The school engaged in very little top- In 2014, I received a call from a reentry did not say I’d consider this question in down pedagogy and primarily worked affairs coordinator in a federal prison my small community of 2,000 people, from a framework of student-centered, in Colorado. She contacted me because who do I think should? constructive, and problem-solving the resource-selection tool on the I said “yes.” perspectives. Even the students were Fair Shake website2 was not working teaching classes! Some of my most properly. After we talked for some I learned a lot about reentry challenges cherished and important lessons time, she invited me to present Fair from Rick, the applicant who became were not taught in the classrooms; Shake at the prison complex. She said our new employee. He and I continued they were felt within the care of the I would speak with hundreds of men our conversation while I brainstormed community, for which I had yearned in institutions that covered three levels on building a tool that could help people for so many years. The comradery, of security. This would be my first find needed resources. I knew that, at respect, interactions, support, and opportunity to present Fair Shake the very least, I could contribute an cooperative learning — unheard of to the incarcerated! online reentry resource library! I called it in public or private schools in 1979 — “Fair Shake.” After I nervously introduced myself gave me a deep understanding of and provided an overview of Fair Wanting to connect with professionals authenticity, freedom, ownership, Shake, I asked the group if they would who help prisoners prepare for release, agency, interdependence, and even tell me what information and resources in 2002 I joined the Correctional the importance of history. they were looking for that would Education Association and started At the start of my junior year, I detested help them find success after release. searching for a mentor. I found one, school but at the end of the year, Once we started talking, I relaxed and by 2005, I had sold my business, I found myself deeply in love with and they, too, became increasingly eager to create a nonprofit that would learning. I know now that we can find comfortable with our conversation. help people transition from prison to life this love no matter where, or when, By the end of the presentation, I felt after prison. we find ourselves. like we had an energizing reentry brainstorming session!

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In addition to gaining insight from and that most people who commit a the responses to my question, I also crime must vigilantly “desist” from crime discovered that most of the people in for many years, and possibly the rest that room were corresponding with of their lives because the needs are so family and friends through a secure strong. These people are put into groups email server called CorrLinks and that according to their “risk of recidivism,” I could continue to communicate with their propensity to commit a new crime them through that service by creating a and return to prison.

newsletter and sharing best practices. the author. by Photo provided To ensure that most prisoners from I also learned an even more important Sue Kastensen with her bubble truck. powerful and influential backgrounds lesson: A lot of incarcerated people go My truck, with a camper on the back, will not be included in medium- or to great lengths to help one another. made my travels possible. It was vital to high-risk groups, the criminologists have devised a way for the majority of In early 2016, I started writing a monthly have my kitchen, office, and bedroom white-collar criminals to be excluded newsletter and by the end of the year, with me at all times. from having these “needs” (e.g., Jeffrey 250 readers had signed on. (Today there My travels are on hold for now, but Epstein, Martha Stewart). The high- are more than 4,000 subscribers.) It is prison reentry and education staff profile prisoners can often skip the not a broadcast newsletter, either. It is around the country have been staying dehumanizing, behaviorism-based a place to share and build ideas. The in touch. Some check-in to make sure I programming and lengthy stretches of readers know more than I do, so we will still be coming to their institutions time in higher security prisons, where advise and inform one another. when they open their doors again to “assigning low-risk offenders to intensive Once that door was opened, I volunteers, and others contact me to ask programs designed for high-risk committed myself to spend as much when the new software will be released. offenders” … “can make things worse,” time as I could to engage in in-person Robert Cialdini’s (1984) “Scarcity according to the National Institute of conversations with incarcerated people. Principle” is working in my favor, and Justice (2012, p. 109). For the next three years, I traveled all suddenly Fair Shake is in high demand! Considering the amount of time, around the country: north to south and So, who comes to the presentations, and effort, money, and research invested, coast to coast, presenting Fair Shake in who signs up for the newsletters? I find it very disappointing that the many types of prisons and all levels criminologists have not created of security. One can make almost no assumptions at all about who is in prison. As you instruments that allow them to observe For each trip, I created a route that put have likely seen in the news, lawyers, how people change. Many people grow, me on the road for up to one month. CEOs, entertainers, and elected officials learn, feel deep remorse, and develop a I had to drive to the institutions can be found in prisons; along with world view that will lead to a law-abiding because it made no sense to fly. mothers, fathers, young people, and life, even without programming. Prisons are mostly located far away elders — many of whom have been in It is no wonder people are mystified from airports and amenities and prison most of their lives and may have about corrections, reentry, and how can get locked down without notice. entered prison before they turned 18. they can get involved to improve the I learned to be very flexible! The people serving time inside prison corrections system or support the When I would arrive at an institution are as diverse as the people outside lives of those who have been released. where the myriad of presentation of prison, and many who have been National corrections associations, participants — incarcerated people, convicted of committing crimes have academics and elected representatives prison staff, and public servant visitors also been victims themselves. — the self-proclaimed “experts” — — had seen the Fair Shake Reentry Criminologists, correctional discourage others from getting involved 3 Packet, or the free Fair Shake software administrators, elected officials, many in attending to the “broken system,” as application or even the website (in academics, and, of course, the media, President Obama referred to it. They a staff office; prisoners do not have attempt to impress upon us that there want us to trust them and leave the access to the internet), someone would is a specific type of person who commits “reform” to them. After all, they will 4 5 inevitably ask me how my bubble truck a crime. They want us to believe that assert, they are informed by “evidence.” was running and if I had new stories this “type” has “needs” that are unlike These experts have been asking the from meeting people along the way our usual human needs and they call question “What works?” to reduce (I always did). them “criminogenic needs.” They believe recidivism for 50 years. In 1974, Robert that these needs are like an addiction Martinson answered their question.

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After vising many prisons and looking have the opportunity to demonstrate It was a crazy idea that was fairly at the programming available in their knowledge of, and commitment to, difficult to execute but we pulled it off. each one, he concluded that not one them! In fact, many of our incarcerated We were even able to include recorded program worked for everyone. He have become far more prosocial than presentations by Mike, the incarcerated found that some people benefited the people who determine them to be a member, and also the voices of the from one type, and others benefited high-risk for recidivism. Fair Shake newsletter subscribers who from another, but no perfect program shared their thoughts in writing. that applies to all had been created; What You Focus on Grows The conference organizers greatly there was no silver bullet. His findings Since I have been presenting in several underestimated the interest in this liberated corrections from their duty institutions annually, the prisons topic: they gave us a small room for our of rehabilitation, creating a gap for that have reentry councils, or think presentation that we filled to more than the criminologists, with their medical tanks, or other groups dedicated to 250% of capacity, while we had to watch model of interventions, dosages, and problem-solving, often invite me to many interested attendees walk away. programming, to step in. join their groups for an hour or two of Unfortunately, like so many things, After more than 20 years of their conversation after my presentation. the conference has been canceled this studies, “evidence” and best practices, Over the course of a few meetings, we year, so we will not able to rekindle and the criminogenic approach has only gain a deeper understanding of the continue the conversation in person. increased recidivism and failed to unique qualities that each of us brings The idea, however, will persist. address the issues that it accuses the separately — and together — to the incarcerated population of engaging in solution of the reentry problem. The Fair Shake Operating System in the first place: anti-social thinking and It was through one of these Creating a web and technology-based behavior. (See the Criminogenic Need opportunities that I was able to create a prisoner-reentry nonprofit organization Factors chart [National Parole Resource workshop for a National Conference on that serves millions of people, Center, 2014].) on-demand, is a huge undertaking. Antisocial attitudes, beliefs and Attitudes, values, beliefs, and rationalizations supportive of crime; Many of my toughest lessons were values cognitive emotional states of anger, resentment, and defiance Antisocial behavior patterns Early and continuing involvement in a number and variety of antisocial learned simply by deciding to take this acts and a variety of settings on! I had to learn to manage the daily Antisocial peers and associates Close association with criminal others and relative isolation from website development by myself, to anticriminal others; immediate social support for crime Antisocial personality and Adventurous, pleasure seeking, weak self-control, restlessly aggressive communicate with several stakeholders temperamental factors using a variety of tools, and to grasp Family/marital stressors Two key elements are 1) nurturance and/or caring, and 2) monitoring several software tricks and tools

and/or supervision involving Office, Adobe and Windows Substance abuse Abuse of alcohol and/or other drugs Lack of education, employment Low levels of performance and satisfaction in school and/or work OS. And I have to keep on learning those stability or achievement tricks and tools, too, because software Lack of pro-social activities in leisure Low levels of involvement and satisfaction in anticriminal leisure pursuits makers often change them when

Image credit: National Parole Research Center time they update. Criminogenic Need Factors It was during one of these updates that Fancy (and expensive!) assessments, Higher Education in Prison with three I became very frustrated. I felt that no algorithms, and programming have men; two of whom I had met several matter how hard I tried to keep up, been built to disregard the attributes, times in the same prison and had been Microsoft et al., were not interested in characteristics, and qualities they say released; and one I met in a different having me get my work done, they were criminals lack, which include building prison and was still incarcerated. We mainly interested in making me learn capabilities, perspective change, wanted to find out if the academic things that served their interests. I felt prosocial studies, engagements attendees would help us think about like I was working for them! (such as mentoring), ownership, self- how we could switch the reentry goal My son calmly offered me an alternative determination, critical thinking, and from being a negative one (reducing to the commercial “matrix.” He asked commitment to community. We want recidivism) to a positive one (building a me to consider learning to use an our nation’s citizens — as parents, satisfying and successful life) since it is operating system called Ubuntu, which employees, friends, and community far easier (and much more sensible!) to was constantly and seamlessly updated members — to embrace these pursue a positive goal. and improved by developers who ask empowering and liberating qualities; for input from the users. He said it and incarcerated people would like to

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 51 was a little harder to get started, but Education for Democracy future leaders by withholding the he assured me that once I got the very tools they must use to develop Understanding and effectively running hang of it — like driving with a manual their capabilities, at our nation’s a large democracy is an enormous transmission — it would become easy. collective peril. undertaking and proper preparation I wasn’t ready for it when he offered, should begin at an early age. We In 2007, just one month after receiving but I very much liked the idea of the must nurture care in our youth and my bachelor’s degree (at 44 years of operating system and how it was demonstrate ways they can think age), I read an article in the Journal of created. It reminded me of what I was about themselves as individuals-within- Correctional Education that offered doing with Fair Shake. Fair Shake, too, community. Their education must a new lens for me to use as I think was a little harder, and people had to include how to express — and listen about “correctional education.” In it “do it themselves,” but in the end they to — a wide variety of perspectives in the author, Cormac Behan (2007), would be more informed, and Fair problem-solving debates about how to argued: “[T]he current penal orthodoxy Shake would continue to become more achieve social goals. It will take all of must be challenged and alternative relevant and supportive. I promised to the formative years of schooling to discourses explored within and without look it up later. develop these crucial and necessary of correctional settings” (p. 158). I thinking, reflection, communication, agreed! I read on, and found myself Later came hard. It was when I was and feeling skills. weaving these considerations into being forced to abandon Windows XP, my perspective: which I loved so much, that I decided I’d Rather than provide powerful tools for had enough; it was time to try Ubuntu. ownership, engagement, and intellectual Educators need to create an I searched online to download it and expansion in a vibrant democracy, alternative discourse about how we the search results provided not only however, today’s foundational define our progress. It could shift the computer operating system, but pedagogy, with its attendant testing the focus of the argument from more importantly, they provided a link and comparisons, conditions our a defensive position to a positive to a vital philosophy for our human children to passively receive and believe one. This might be achieved by operating system! information. The unspoken argument arguing for a different approach (unless you ask, like I always have) is to education than what the prison I was like a kid in a candy store as that if we just rely on experts, follow the authorities or politicians may want. I explored the information online rules, and pursue employment, we will Mezirow’s theory of Transformative about Ubuntu! I was so excited to create the means to achieve happiness, Learning has a lot to offer prison read and hear and learn about this security, and satisfaction in our lives. educators. It encourages individuals traditional, sub-Saharan African to challenge the way they make philosophy, founded on the idea of We need not look further than the front meaning in the world. This requires interdependence. Ubuntu can be page of the newspaper on any given transforming frames of reference understood through the Zulu maxim, day to see the devastating suffering which begins with critical reflection, “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu,” or and failure of this approach: increased i.e., assessing one’s assumptions “a person is a person through other polarization and authoritarianism across and presuppositions. It begins with persons.” It means, according to civil society, increased mental illness, encouraging students to engage in Desmond Tutu (2015), that it is the very suicide, anxiety, depression, addiction critical thinking which, according essence of being human that we belong and opiate use in individuals; and the to Stephen Brookfield, is what in a bundle of life, and that the solitary enormous loss of meaning and control one should strive for in an adult individual is a contradiction in terms. in our lives. education process. …This is the I couldn’t believe my eyes. I recognized Our citizens are waiting for a beginning of liberating learning. this as Fair Shake’s operating system courageous and benevolent leader to do (Behan, 2007, p. 160) and since then I have been weaving the the heavy lifting of leading civil society. I had just finished school, but I wanted philosophy into all of the information I We want to believe that reform is to head straight back to the library to share. I also close the newsletter with happening and that infusing money into find out more about transformative “Ubuntu” to remind the subscribers that bad systems is making them better. We learning theory! After all, wouldn’t we are in this together. are waiting for the white knight to come we all benefit from taking the time to and save us, but we can’t yet see her on think critically, reflect, question our the horizon. The education system we assumptions, biases and beliefs, and count on to properly prepare our youth discuss our thoughts with others? to recognize and solve social, regional, and global problems is failing our

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After 10 years of self-study, I gathered I was extremely fortunate to have been heutagogy (self-determined learning), all my savings and returned to diverted from dropping out of school ubuntugogy (teaching and learning school to pursue a master’s degree to finding a reason to love learning. In undergirded by humanity toward in education. I needed to learn about the halls of Walden III, at the age of 16, others), and transformative learning education theory, curriculum-building I was able to experience the process theory (critical reflection and potential and evaluation, so I could build a place and value of transformative learning. for perspective change). where all people — regardless of their I am deeply grateful and, like many Looking through the heutagogical lens educational attainment or relationship believers, I feel a responsibility to offer (Glassner & Back, 2020), learners will — could freely learn how to learn. We this opportunity to others. understand that they are the captains have the right, as citizens and humans, of their learning adventure and they will to know how to think deeply, how to The Fair Shake Free School “make the road by walking” (Machado, find information that is not offered So now, while I am not able to get into 1912). They will learn how they can through the “news,” to consider other the prisons to talk with people face- discern the value of the information perspectives, build agency, and expand to-face, but while the interest rises in they entertain, ask relevant questions our capacity for complexity, caring, and newsletter subscriptions, creating think for proper reflection, and construct knowledge. We deserve to have a place tanks, exploring biases, and more, I knowledge to build their life to its fullest. to break free from the limitations of am pushing the creative side of my other people’s educational norms, goals By applying the lens of ubuntugogy mind to its limits (which will, thankfully, and expectations, and think outside of (Bangura, 2005), learners will be able to expand even more) to figure out how the social or tribal bubble. A place think deeply about what is at the core of one person can maintain and even build where learners of any age and any being a human: relationship! They will a lifelong learning “community center” educational attainment level could be able to remember that we learned that not only offers information, but continue freely on their personal path how to be human from other humans, asks visitors to contribute. of acquiring wisdom. and that we can build information The Fair Shake Free School will more in a way that honors, accepts, and Where I once thought a certificate was deeply investigate these areas: encourages others. Ubuntu is such an the answer, I grew to understand that important philosophy for democracy employers et al. were understandably • Philosophy — to explore that, in 1997, the South African cynical about the value of certificates epistemology, purpose, morality, Department of Welfare stated that that cannot show commitment, moral care for humanity, values, etc. Ubuntu “acknowledges both the rights fortitude, team building or critical • Psychology — to explore the feeling/ and the responsibilities of every citizen thinking. They want to judge the person thinking problem, our needs and in promoting individual and societal for themselves, which makes sense. wants, uniqueness, dropping well-being” (p. 12). After all, a driver’s license does not verify unwanted baggage, motivation, etc. a willingness to use turn signals, only Finally, the transformative learning lens that the driver knows how to use them. • Sociology — to explore TV and (Mezirow, 1990) will equip learners with media and it’s impacts, how ways to foster critical self-reflection, It takes courage to face an employer authority impacts groups, challenge social norms, engage in dialog in an interview following many years how being in groups impacts with greater confidence, and consider of incarceration. It also takes courage individuals, etc. other perspectives, including changing to say “no” to a powerfully persuasive our own. These tools will support family member or close friend. It takes • Citizenship — building community compassion as well as capacity-building great bravery to do the right thing and capabilities together, education, in a world of constant change and when our group is doing the wrong democracy, global village, etc. emerging truth. thing. We can muster the strength that • “Swellness” — where our physical we need to create good boundaries, health meets our mental health. Our Opportunity expand our capabilities, and reduce We now live in a world of constant our suffering. From there, we can Let us think again about those who are change; where lifelong learning is no feel strong enough to reach out to stuck in the building: longer just a good idea, it is vital for help others …. and discover that security, satisfaction, meaning-making, The monolith of correctional helping them helps us even more. No and building trust. bureaucracy and its supporters — the certificate shows this level of growth, current managers of the building — determination, or commitment. Fair Shake will not engage in top- have no incentive or desire to improve down pedagogy but will, instead, rely their performance. In accordance with on a learning foundation based in

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 53 our current contract, they can keep Desk” page of the website and scroll Hughes, T., & Wilson, D. J. (2020). us out, but they cannot stop us from down until you see Bubble Truck Reentry trends in the U.S. Retrieved reaching in to connect, to listen, and to Philosophy (https://www.fairshake. from https://www.bjs.gov/content/ share time, learning opportunities, and net/suesdesk/). reentry/reentry.cfm humanity. They can also not stop us 5 To see the survey that the Federal Machado, A. (1912). Campos de castilla. from changing our contract with them in Bureau of Prisons use to assess the Madrid, Spain: Ediciones Cátedra. the future. “risk of recidivism,” please find the Martinson, R. (1974). What works? — We can change the building; for Measures of Criminal Attitudes and Questions and answers about prison instance, we can create a campus with Associates (MCAA) survey on the reform. Retrieved from https:// choices. We can continue to include Fair Shake website: (https://www. www.nationalaffairs.com/storage/ limitations and restrictions, while we fairshake.net/risk-assessments/.), app/uploads/public/58e/1a4/ also include decency, respect, and or on the Research and Practice in ba7/58e1a4ba7354b822028275.pdf opportunities. We can remind those Corrections Lab website: https:// inside that we know they are bringing sites.google.com/a/siu.edu/ Mezirow, J. (1990). Fostering critical unique and important contributions to corrections-and-research_lab/ reflection in adulthood. San our communities. Downloads. See the “Measures of Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Criminal Attitudes and Associates The management of the building, and National Institution of Justice. (2012, (MCAA)” questionnaire (please scroll the welfare of those being held within it, January). Lessons learned from 30 down to find it) and the “Measures is OUR business; we have a right and a years of prison programs. Retrieved of Criminal and Antisocial duty to build possibilities with our fellow from https://www.ncjrs.gov/ Desistance (MCAD)” survey — worth citizens. As we now properly recognize pdffiles1/nij/239775.pdf a moment while you’re there! ourselves as the owners, and see our National Parole Resource Center. neighbors inside as co-creators, we can References (2014). Action guide series: Use experiment with new ways of thinking of valid actuarial assessments of about how to help them prepare to Alper, M., Durose, M. R., & Markman, risk and needs: Understanding the leave the building and find success in J. (2018, May 23). 2018 update on evidence and its implications for our dynamic, technology-based world. prisoner recidivism: A 9-Year follow- using risk and needs assessment up period (2005–2014). Retrieved Remember, more than 1,600 of our tools. Retrieved from https:// from https://www.bjs.gov/index. fellow citizens will walk out of those nationalparoleresourcecenter.org/ cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6266 doors full of hope and determination action-guide-use-of-valid-actuarial- each day. With our eyes and hearts Bangura, A. K. (2005). Ubuntugogy: An assessments-of-risks-and-needs/ open, I am certain that we can switch African educational paradigm that determining-risk-of-recidivism.htm the 83% failure rate to an 83% transcends pedagogy, andragogy, Republic of South Africa Department success rate. ergonagy and heutagogy. Journal of of Welfare. (1997). White paper Third World Studies, 22(2), 13–53. What works to improve reentry success? for social welfare. Retrieved from We do. Together. Behan, C. (2007). Context, creativity http://www.kzndsd.gov.za/ and critical reflection: Education Documents/2015/August/ Notes in correctional institutions. Journal documents/WhitePaperfor of Correctional Education, 58(2), SocialWelfare1997.pdf 1 Walden III, Racine, Wisconsin: 157–169. https://www.rusd.org/district/ Sawyer, W. (2017, April 10). How much walden-iii-middle-high-school Carson, E. A. (2020). Prisoners in 2018. do incarcerated people earn in Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov/ each state? Retrieved from 2 Fair Shake website: https://www. index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6846 https://www.prisonpolicy.org/ fairshake.net/. blog/2017/04/10/wages/ Cialdini, R. B. (1984). Influence: The 3 Fair Shake Reentry Packet: https:// psychology of persuasion. New York, Tutu, D. (2015, October 6). Striving www.fairshake.net/reentry- NY: Harper Business. for Ubuntu. Retrieved from resources/reentry-packet/. http://www.tutufoundationusa. Glassner, A, & Back, S. (2020). Exploring 4 If you’d like to learn about the org/2015/10/06/striving-for-ubuntu/ heutagogy in higher education: philosophy behind the bubbles, Academia meets the zeitgeist. please check out the “On Sue’s Singapore, Asia: Springer.

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The Essays of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne and My Recollections of Times Past

Richard Bonnabeau, Mentor Emeritus and Volunteer Archivist, Saratoga Springs

Introduction hole of lovemaking, emerging at the other end a married couple, but not he following essay, or I should for long. Montaigne was a showman, use the French essai, was inspired a P.T. Barnum, leading us to the next by the 16th-century humanist, T exhibit, the famous egress, a bottomless Michel Eyquem de Montaigne. He wrote existential pit of doubt. many essays, some less than a page long, others substantially longer, and One cannot — at least I cannot — read one book length, all connecting, often in his essays for a time with any kind circuitous ways, to the human condition. of intensity and not surface deeply After reading Montaigne’s “On the questioning the very mental architecture Education of Children,” which I will treat of how I view existence. The closest in detail, I purchased a complete set of analogy to this experience would be if I his opus edited by Stanford University’s were to find myself on an out-of-control Donald Frame. I began reading merry-go-round, going faster and faster Montaigne’s essays in earnest, and along — watching the outside world whipping the author. by Photo provided came Sarah Bakewell who became very around me — then jumping off, and Richard Bonnabeau reminisces about Christmas. much a part of my conversation — trying to walk in a straight line without another “I” with Montaigne. She is crashing headlong into strongly held Immortality Versus Eternity the connective tissue that makes my beliefs. Montaigne, in my estimation, is topsy-turvy journey through the mind much the measure of great philosophers In paraphrasing Ernie Pyle as he of Montaigne possible. As Bakewell of his era and other times past — walked among the dead American (2010) noted in her book, How to Live, steadfast in questioning assumptions, soldiers at Normandy, only the dead Or, A Life of Montaigne in One Question abandoning his own strongly held don’t know they’re dead. We could and Twenty Attempts at an Answer, over beliefs, and being quite delighted with say the very same about Montaigne. the centuries, Montaigne developed freely doing so. We see in his essays, But for me, right now, trapped at this a quite personal relationship with his therefore, the seeds of empiricism very moment in time, Montaigne is readers. It’s as if one’s own life and — evidence-based statements. He very much alive. Aren’t we all just like times are played out in Montaigne’s just piled on examples to support his wanderers searching for meaning amid discourses. They are filled with his observations but was avowedly willing to the melting clocks in Salvador Dali’s personal anecdotes, observations by disgorge them if proven wrong. bone-dry surrealistic landscape, The his contemporaries, contradictions, and Persistence of Memory? The clocks project Virtually everything that touches human words of wisdom from ancient sages. an ominous outcome. There are no behavior, no matter how ordinary or His subjects range from profane to straight lines, just twists, bends, spirals, extraordinary, is game for Montaigne’s profound, from humorous to tragic, turns, backward flips, and nothing solid inexhaustible curiosity. Montaigne, providing all sorts of tidbits, oddities, enough to hold onto. Memory itself in sum, had an intellect of amazing and abnormalities to inform, entertain, is melting. dimensions. One could invest a lifetime, mystify, shock, and educate his as some have, devoting to his study. Montaigne, I believe, desired the readers. He even plumbed the depths I am literally just starting, or ending, immortality of remembrance sustained of human sexuality — a one-person perhaps both, probably having been in the living memory of his readers. “Masters and Johnson” with himself bumped into the River of Now in his He lives within me, for me, and in the as the subject, sharing what he had “stream of consciousness” (Bakewell, minds of countless others, distorted by learned, often in graphic terms. He 2010, pp. 33–38). the course of time and the changing interviewed prostitutes to learn the constructs of subsequent generations — techniques of the trade, as did those but still Montaigne. He believed in famous aforementioned researchers the foreverness of his individual who fell down the technical rabbit achievement, but most likely not in

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 55 some spiritual afterlife that he could was no religion here for Montaigne, father Pierre’s life in 1568. Pierre was posit with any sort of blissful eternality. just a philosophical perspective to view a robust man capable of remarkable Religion for him, it seems to me, was dispassionately the apocalyptic madness acrobatic feats that Montaigne could more about politics and power, not of his times. No wonder Montaigne only admire but not possibly replicate about love. seemed to hold animals in higher (Bakewell, 2010, pp. 47–48). In his era, esteem than his own species: for their it was probably the most gruesome of Perhaps his pragmatic view of religion intelligence, their inherent goodness, deaths — unless one was interrogated was best illustrated by Bakewell. their faultless abeyance to the laws and/or executed by secular authorities She recounted in detail Montaigne’s of “Mother Nature” — a term he used or the Inquisition. Montaigne’s own audience in Rome kissing Pope Gregory frequently and with reverence. He even delicate condition probably hastened his XIII’s bright red right velvet bootie recounted Plutarch’s miraculous drama decision to retire a few years later and emblazoned with a white cross. The of Androcles and the Lion. Most of us dedicate his life to scholarship. meeting was arranged by the French know how it ended — with the Roman ambassador to the Papal States. This In concluding my introduction, I ought emperor’s decision to free man and lion. occurred during Montaigne’s journey not fail to mention that I have read most But there is “a rest of the story” that is after the publication of the first edition of Montaigne’s essays (often more than worth reading, as recounted in “Apology of his essays in 1580 — his first journey once). I covered them with marginalia for Raymond Sebond” (Montaigne, 2019, beyond French territory. Montaigne, and reached a conclusion, tentatively, pp. 350–351). joined by a member of his large that he was a quasi-nihilist but absent entourage, approached the pope in a Bakewell (2010), in observing the ethical presumption to justify choreographed stop-and-go cadence of Montaigne’s practical strategies to live human suffering of any sort in the cause kneeling and papal benedictions as they life, noted that he used skepticism of social and economic justice. Think got closer and closer to His Holiness. as a guide: “The essays are suffused of Pol Pot and so many others before After a brief chat upon their arrival, the with it: he filled his pages with words him. Some of those mountains of skulls kowtow was repeated in reverse, taking such as ‘perhaps,’ ‘to some extent,’ ‘I included individuals whose only crime care not to expose their backsides think,’ ‘it seems to me’ and so on — was wearing corrective eyeglasses. while in retreat. During his chat with words which Montaigne said himself, Montaigne, Pope Gregory expressed ‘soften and moderate the rashness My Inspiring Connection to Montaigne his gratitude for the latter’s support for of our propositions …’” (p. 128). From It begins in Turkey, now the heart of the Catholic Church in France. This was the Stoics and Epicureans, he learned what is left of the Ottoman Empire. I the same pope who had commissioned about living in the moment. Montaigne was at a fair one night, which in the medals and paintings commemorating composed his essays during troubled United States one might call a farmers the Saint Bartholomew’s Day massacre times much like ours — pandemics, market cum crafts with a play area for of French Calvinists. It began in Paris urban riots, massacres, religious children. The fairgrounds are located (1572) and spread quickly throughout wars, political turmoil. He lived in a the realm, lasting much more than society and economy upended by one day. But it resulted in religious incompetent and insecure autocratic differences that, once negotiable, king-of-the-French wannabees — a transformed into unimaginable recipe muddled in theological discord, barbarity by Catholic hordes and those wrapped tightly in religious pretense Protestants who were able to defend as much as conviction. It was a whole themselves (Bakewell, 2010, p. 240). weltanschauung of impedimenta undermining the stability of what Montaigne remained aloof from religion, remained of a divided society. secure in his psychological armor, which according to Bakewell (2010), Montaigne was not well known beyond derived from the fusion of three related Aquitaine, the southwest region of philosophies: Pyrrhonism, Epicureanism, France, before his first set of essays and Stoicism. They saved him from the was published. But then fame followed stygian descent into unbridled passions and even preceded him, so he traveled that so consumed the lives of ordinarily incognito with a large entourage befitting gentle souls, even some people he his status. Visiting warm mineral baths knew, who became enraged by the was of particular interest to him. He had Image credit: Wikimedia Commons Image credit: Wikimedia existence of and paranoid about the suffered kidney stone attacks two years Portrait of Michel de Montaigne circa 1570s unpredictability of the “other.” There before, the same malady that took his (artist unknown).

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 56 in the province of Muğla-Datça just 19th century as extreme nationalism the Ottoman Empire until the late 18th on the outskirts of where the waters from Europe swept over the Ottoman century. In fact, there was no equivalent of the Aegean and Mediterranean Empire’s borders. of a moveable-type Quran to rival the seas converge — actually converging Gutenberg Bible and for that matter To continue — by the way, Montaigne ever since the end of the last ice age. anything not produced by a hand-held was the master of digression: As Vendors displayed handcrafted jewelry, stylus. It was the magic of the printing Bakewell (2010) observed, “A typical bowls, and utensils carved out ancient press to turn a manuscript into the page of his Essays is a sequence of olive wood (from trees uprooted to clear printed word relatively cheaply and meanders, bends, and divergences. space for seaside residences), battery- quickly that made Montaigne almost an You have to let yourself be carried operated toys illuminated by colorful instant success; but not the overnight along, hoping not to capsize each time LED lights, and T-shirts embossed by global success enjoyed by Albert a change of direction throws you off the almost sacred image of Atatürk, the Einstein once a total eclipse of the balance” (p. 35). At the night market, founder of modern Turkey. A nearby sun supported the math behind his I discovered a merchant’s bookstall. Turkish tea garden with heady amounts general theory of relativity — light Amongst the hundreds of books, I of conversation was the order for rays bending in the gravitational field found a freshly printed selection of the night. There were no free tables, of the sun’s corona. Montaigne’s essays: not a voluminous however. So, I strolled among the edition by any stretch, but just enough “Now I am become Death, stalls while I waited for the crowd to to whet my appetite as I peeked the destroyer of worlds” thin out. An electronic clock, flashing between the covers. When I came (Bhagavad-Gita 11:32 as cited by bright red numbers, edged the time across his essay, “Of the Education Oppenheimer [PlenilunePictures, 2011]) toward midnight. I should probably of Children” (Montaigne, 2019, pp. mention that tea is brought out piping By the way, Einstein journeyed with 106–131), it was one of those eureka hot. The cups, made of thin glass, have his spouse to Japan in 1922 as part moments, and I bought it! The print no handles, but flute out toward the of a world tour. He was perhaps was small, and the price was low — top to secure the cups between two the most famous man in the world. the two inextricably linked. fingers, the thumb and the index. Filled The receptions they received were to the brim, it is quite a trick not to be extraordinary. Einstein had great scalded taking that first sip. Culturally- “Culturally-based habits admiration for the Japanese and based habits are hard to break, which their culture. But years later, he was Montaigne would probably second. It is are hard to break, convinced by kindred scientists to send my guess that teacups are so difficult which Montaigne would a letter to President Franklin Delano to manage that they have remained Roosevelt urging the United States to unchanged for perhaps as long as a probably second.” develop an atomic bomb before Nazi sizeable chunk of Europe was within Germany. Einstein’s letter was his only the borders of the Ottoman Empire, It got me thinking about Gutenberg’s contribution to the Manhattan Project. long a safe haven for Jews escaping the invention of moveable type — not so The test of the prototype, Trinity, was so Inquisition and others seeking refuge much an invention, but the application otherworldly powerful it was reasoned from political and religious persecution. of existing technologies, as was that informing Japan of the super The Armenians, for example, greeted paper, invented by the Chinese and bomb would suffice to end the war, the Ottomans as liberators for freeing perfected with cotton by the Arabs; which Japan would lose with or without them from the oppression of Byzantine and let us not forget the winepress. employing the bomb. By this time, Japan Greeks, just as the Greeks had greeted (Montaigne’s wealth, by the way, was was bereft of fuel, munitions, well- the Ottomans as liberators when they based on the vineyards and winery of provisioned armies, planes, and ships conquered Greece, ending Venetian his chateau. You can still purchase a to wage war. All it had to continue was rule and the dominion by the Church of bottle of wine, but this would be post- a populace willing to sacrifice their lives Rome. Under the Ottomans, these new phylloxera.) Gutenberg’s genius, like for Emperor Hirohito. The emperor did subjects worshiped as they pleased, that of Steve Jobs’ in the 21st century, not wish to make a sacrifice of such a chose their own religious leaders, and was in modifying and merging existing magnitude and wanted to surrender, had their own courts of law and schools; technologies. We might say that the which went against the wishes of the and, like the Jews and other non- iPhone had its origins in the Gutenberg military leadership. This caused a tragic Moslems, they paid a poll tax instead of printing press — humankind’s first delay, which played into the hands of serving in armies of the sultan. The long effort at mass communication. The President Harry Truman and Lieutenant epoch of good feelings ended in the late printing press spread rapidly across General Leslie Groves, the director Christian Europe but was banned in of the Manhattan Project, to use the

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A-bomb. But the U.S. military chose to (Schofield, 2014, paras. 27–28). Had failed effort by the French to establish use the first bomb on a real target and President Roosevelt not died suddenly a foothold in Brazil. The king was a boy real people, not the imagined victims of (April 12, 1945) before the A-bombs of 12 years and subject to the regency the Trinity test. Hiroshima was chosen were ready, which were initially planned oversight by his mother, Catherine as the first target because of its military for use on Germany, he might have de Medici. In Montaigne’s (2019) “Of importance. Nagasaki was included in a chosen a different path, saved hundreds Cannibals,” far from being mortified by long list of potential targets for a second of thousands of lives and the suffering the presence of cannibals, he celebrated bomb (Townsend, 1985, pp. 53–55). beyond words to capture — many of their living in a golden age and “ruled Nagasaki had been the battleground them Catholics who endured centuries by the laws of nature” (p. 153) rather between Jesuits and the Franciscan of persecution. We may have split than governed by corrupt human centuries before vying for converts. the atom, but we divided the world institutions. Someone asked the The Jesuits were there first and papal between East and West, between the Tupinambá what they found “most support kept the Franciscans from Soviet Union and China on one side amazing” about their visit to meet the proselytizing in Japan. With a change in of the globe, and Western Europe and boy king. They responded: popes, the Franciscans got access. But the United States on the other. And so, … [In] the first place they thought eventually, they antagonized the shogun the world remains today, somewhat it very strange that so many grown who crucified the Franciscans and their different on both sides — President Xi men, bearded, strong, and armed, Japanese acolytes — a dramatic history in place of Mao and President Putin in who were around the king … should recounted in Charles R. Boxer’s (1951) the stead of Stalin — of the dividing line submit to obey a child, and that The Christian Century in Japan, 1549–1650. but perhaps very much more dangerous one of them was not chosen to There is more to this story, but suffice it than ever. Back to Montaigne! command instead. Second (they to say, Nagasaki was a Catholic city, with For Montaigne, his love to shock and to have a way in their language of a large cathedral. One of the victims was be shocked were all game for his quill. speaking of men as halves of one a statue of the Virgin Mary, the Jewish He would have been mesmerized by the another), they had noticed that mother of Jesus of Nazareth — what a gathering of tea drinkers at the night there were among us men full and testament to the inability of religious market illuminated by a phantasmagoria gorged with all sorts of good things, values to overcome humankind’s of multicolored electric light bulbs, LEDs, and that the other halves were inhumanity to man! It was thought to be light lasers streaming advertisements beggars at their doors, emaciated totally destroyed, but a Japanese soldier, along the ground. But then again, the with hunger and poverty; and that at the time also a Trappist monk, Turkish millennials in skimpy bathing they thought it strange that these discovered her head in the radioactive suits dancing in their own light show needy halves could endure such carnage of the second atomic bomb, Fat might have been even more exotic than injustice, and did not take the Boy, a miracle in its own right. his meeting with Tupinambá cannibals others by the throat, or set fire to As our technology becomes more and the French child king, Charles IX. their houses. (p. 159) sophisticated, more dangerous, and It might have been difficult to choose more dependent on algorithms to between the two fantastic light shows, “… [W]e have changed — make the big decisions relating to “real but perhaps he would have been people,” the likelihood of our species saddened as I was by the full moon, and so much so after hurtling back to the Stone Age looms making its solitary transit across the hundreds of thousands large. Imagine, just a sliver of our global night sky, despondent and abandoned population left to figure out how to pick amid the blaze of artificial lights. As of years, that in our up the pieces. Such a dismal fate seems Homo sapiens — the apex predator — encounters of distant like an inevitability as in the Planet of traversed deserts, snowpacks, seas, the Apes, the 1968 cinematic version of oceans and gradually circling the Earth, cousins, 5,000 or more Pierre Boulle’s novel. Pierre Clement, we have changed — and so much so generations removed, we who cataloged Boulle’s manuscripts after hundreds of thousands of years, for the French National Library, that in our encounters of distant failed to recognize them commented, “It is man [in the film] who cousins, 5,000 or more generations as extended family but has led to the destruction of the planet. removed, we failed to recognize them But the book is more a reflection that all as extended family but eyed them — eyed them — and they civilisations are doomed to die. There is and they eyed us suspiciously — as eyed us suspiciously — no human fault. It is just that the return the “other.” The Tupinambá had been to savagery will come about anyway” brought from Brazil to France after a as the ‘other.’”

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Earlier in his essay, Montaigne (2019) Two centuries later, the “Citizen of color. Eventually, some demonstrators stated emphatically, “So we may well call Geneva,” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, would turned into rioters, tearing down statues these people barbarians, in respect to add his voice to “the sweet freedom” of famous Americans who had any the rules of reason, but not in respect of the primitive state. His treatise, association with slavery or racism that to ourselves, who surpass them in The Social Contract, Or Principles of impacted not just Blacks but American every kind of barbarity” (p. 156). In Political Right, began with his cry for Indians (called First Nation tribes fact, Montaigne, in his “To the Reader” the sovereignty of the people: “Man in Canada), and Latinos (Goodbye, section of the first edition (1580), stated, is born free, and he is everywhere in Columbus!). It devolved into looting in “Had I been placed among those nations chains” (Rousseau, 1968, p. 49). (As an a number of cities, including Macy’s in which are said to live still in the sweet aside, I wish to mention that I applied Manhattan, the iconic setting of the freedom of nature’s first laws, I should this phrase to students in my Lilly 1947 Christmas movie, Miracle on very gladly portrayed myself here entire Foundation post-doctoral mentoring 34th Street. and wholly naked” (p. 2). fellowship report for SUNY Empire State I attended a family funeral in North College in 1974–1975: “Students are born In his essay “Of Coaches,” Montaigne Carolina just before George Floyd’s free and are everywhere in chains.”) (2019) recounted quite articulately the senseless death. I was emotionally Then Rousseau went on to verbally cut barbarity of the conquest of the Aztecs moved by two family members, one out the beating heart from absolute and Incas by the Spanish, driven by an in-law and another a blood relative, monarchy with the surgical precision of the lust for gold, but failed to mention bragging about African ancestry — an obsidian knife, as well as the heart of Aztec priests sacrificing Spanish soldiers identified by DNA tests. Wow! After two every other form of government that did during the siege of Tenochtitlan, its terms of a charismatic African American not reflect the will of its people. He gave ruins now buried under Mexico City. The president, I had discovered relatives no credence to the primitive state as beating hearts of their Spanish captives proud of their genetic heritage and the having any relevance to more complex were cut quickly from their chests with person with the highest percentage societies. Eventually, Rousseau’s treatise obsidian knives. The victim was held was a conservative Republican. It fanned the ideological flames of the separately by each limb with the chest brought to mind James Watson’s (the French Revolution, which morphed into arched upward for quick incision. The Nobel laureate and co-discoverer of the logic that the founder of modern still-beating heart of the victim was the double helix) laudable reaction to chemistry, Antoine Lavoisier, should be shown to the sacrificial victim, then learning that he had African ancestry. executed by guillotine because of his raised to the sun, and the body tossed Watson had been quite vocal about service to Louis XVI as a tax collector. His from the altar to roll down the sides of linking intelligence to race. Personally, innovative recommendations regarding the stairs of the pyramid. Montaigne I do not believe that intelligence tests education and prison reform did not also failed to note that the flesh was are worth the paper they are written on. weigh the scales of justice in his favor if shared according to social status. They were invented by the descendants one assumes collecting taxes warranted Human blood, by the way, was mixed of the people whose claim to fame was the death penalty. But Lavoisier erred with ground-up cocoa beans to enhance the invention of the Christmas tree, in growing rich. With the rise of the flavor — so much for his message “To the very same people who classified Industrial Revolution and the cold heart the Reader” extolling the lives of those Italian immigrants from Southern of unbridled capitalism, ideological living “in the sweet freedom of nature’s Italy, including Sicily, as a subspecies solutions to end the exploitation of first laws….” (pp. 693–696). My guess is of Homo sapiens. Imagine, the people labor inspired Utopianism, Marxism, that he had the Tupinambá cannibals who populated what was once Magna Leninism, and Maoism. During the more in mind than the Aztecs. The idea Graecia, who lived among ancestral Liberté-Égalité-Fraternité phase of of sacrifice, however, was common to Greek and Roman ruins, suddenly the French Revolution, statues were both cultures. For Catholics, receiving finding themselves toward the bottom thrown to the ground, decapitated, and communion of bread and wine was of the chart of human evolution. Oy! buried. We saw analogous actions in consuming the actual body and blood of the United States after the very public In regard to my family gathering in Jesus. For Protestants it was symbolic. and brutal execution-style murder North Carolina, I wondered why none Nevertheless, both groups took turns of George Floyd. It sparked protests of us knew of this heritage. It got me burning each other at the stake over this throughout the country and all over thinking that there was no place for theological divide. Along the way, did the world to finally, and for all time, put babies born white to Black parents to be they forget the Sermon on the Mount, or an end to institutional racism. African raised in the South prior to the Civil War even to ask the question, “What would American demonstrations calling for — at best, perhaps an orphanage would Jesus say?” racial justice were hugely populated by take them where racial origins could white Americans and other people of be disregarded. One possible prospect

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 59 as more Americans take DNA tests is school, which I will discuss after students told him that they shared the emergence of a large percentage of providing the account of Montaigne’s nothing in common with him or white Americans with African ancestry own experience as a child. His message with their professors, stressing after 400 years of slavery. If so, we might is about what education should not be that their education was not begin to think of the United States as but what it could be. relevant to their lives and saying another Brazil, much of whose character the curriculum was too rigid, too Pierre Montaigne, Michel’s father, was was forged in slavery but without a soul- directed ... [and they were] angry the architect of his son’s education. wrenching civil war. Can we conceive of about tuition costs. Ernie was a His military career in Italy in support American patriotism as expressions of good listener, and agreed with of French dynastic ambitions provided an emerging cosmic race and nation? As many of their complaints, and high-level connections of the first order. President Kennedy exclaimed, “We are together they found they had many These combined with the fortune built a nation of immigrants,” and now, more commonalities based on a shared by Pierre’s grandfather made it possible than ever, we have immigrants from human experience … a major theme to provide Michel with a title of nobility, every nook and cranny of the world, as in Ernie’s later writings. Ironically, though of low rank. The Chateau de well as Native Americans. Consider the that long night that students Montaigne was more to reinforce his millions of American veterans and those held him captive, he also had the status as a noble than to serve as an military women and men yet serving, students as his captive audience. impregnable fortress. In fact, during and their families representing every (K. Boyer, 2014, p. 136) the wars of religion, Montaigne made aspect of the complex ethnic and racial no effort at its defense and even kept In that night’s captivity, we can perhaps tapestry that comprises these United the gates of the chateau unlocked! see the nucleus for the creation of SUNY States to realize that love of nation goes Montaigne (2019) observed in his Empire State College taking shape. beyond the individual. It truly is about essay, “That Our Desire is Increased by union, “one nation, under God [as we as As a youth, Montaigne might have Difficulty,” “I have weakened the intent individuals define our cosmic connection enjoyed being one of Boyer’s captives, of the soldiers by taking from their to the Being of Light and Love — if not in the role of Boyer himself. enterprise the elements of risk and through Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Boyer put his approach to students military glory, which customarily served Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.], indivisible, into practice during the middle of a them as pretext and excuse. … I make with liberty, and justice for all.” Back SUNY board of trustees meeting at the the conquest of my house cowardly and to Montaigne! Lincoln Building in Manhattan, opposite treacherous for them. It is closed to no the Grand Central Terminal. There was What I find endearing about Montaigne one who knocks” (p. 467). a large, angry student demonstration is his constant litany about the The cordiality and trust expressed below. Boyer was advised not to go insufficiency and inaccuracy of his by Montaigne, even with potentially down by a guard, but he went anyway. recollections. It makes him quite dangerous visitors, reminds me of SUNY He moved through the crowd asking engaging, even loveable, although Empire’s founder, Chancellor Ernest L. individual students for “… their names the drone of self-deprecation may Boyer, and his wife Kathryn, during his and questioned them about their become wearisome at times. Of tenure at the State University of New families and hometowns. Taking the course, neuroscience is completely in York. He joined SUNY in 1965 as its first time to quietly move among many of the league with Montaigne’s misgivings executive dean. Three years later, Boyer students, Ernie showed them respect, about memory. Montaigne is drawn to became vice chancellor for university- looking into their eyes and chatting. He entertaining his readers with the bizarre wide services and then acting chancellor did not tell them his name, but word customs of other lands that are quite in 1970. These were tumultuous times spread throughout the crowd that there normal in cultural context. He does aim of student unrest. Institutions of was someone among them posing as to entertain, but he also wants readers learning became the locus for deep- Chancellor Boyer” (K. Boyer, 2014, p. to question their own perceptions of seated distrust about the Vietnam 138). Andy Hugos, the student leader, what constitutes “normal” behavior and War, civil rights abuses of Blacks, other recognized Boyer and turned over his to realize that their reality is essentially minorities, and women. Boyer was once stand and bullhorn for the chancellor constructed cultural ephemera. Reading held captive in his office overnight by to address the crowd. Boyer asked the Montaigne’s (2019) “Of the Education student dissidents. students to choose representatives and of Children” (pp. 106–131), which he then brought them up to the meeting of dedicated to Madame de Foix, Comtesse Those hours with the students the trustees. At another demonstration, de Gurson, was inspiring, but it brought helped lay the groundwork for Boyer even promised a meeting with back some unpleasant memories of the agenda that shaped his my four years of Catholic elementary leadership as chancellor. …The

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Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, not to do well in school. Latin, at the time The Niagara Frontier Regional Learning knowing that the governor would agree being a dead language, consumed much Center was housed at the SUNY to it. He did (pp. 138–139). of schoolwork that could be devoted Buffalo State campus and evolved to other studies. So, as Montaigne from outreach efforts (one might say Kathryn Boyer (2014) had her own (2019) put it, while he was still nursing proof of concept explorations) by the encounter with students. When she “… and before the first loosening of Genesee Valley Regional Learning was alone one day at Chancellor House, my tongue” (p. 128), his father hired Center headquartered in Rochester, the residence in which the Boyers were a famous German Latin scholar who established in the early part of 1972. forced to reside when taxpayers’ money could not speak French. He, in turn, The center in its first years, much like became a major issue with the media, hired two Latin-speaking assistants to its counterpart in Rochester, entered she answered the doorbell and found a make Latin Montaigne’s mother tongue. a period of rapid growth, creating ragtag group of students ready to call it Moreover, Pierre and Montaigne’s specialized regional units and a program home and make it the people’s mansion. mother, Antoinette, had to learn enough serving Latino students in Buffalo. In She remained cordial, holding the door Latin to converse with Michel; and some September of 1971, a center for New firmly as they were trying to force their of the staff at the chateau had to learn York City, technically the first, was way in. Holding the door and sustaining some, as well. Speaking French to the launched with the highly publicized the conversation, Mrs. Boyer agreed that young Montaigne became absolument opening inauguration and with the state residence belonged to them forbidden. In his essay on education, political potentates in attendance. The as much as to the Boyer’s but could not Montaigne marveled at how Latin spilled Metropolitan Regional Learning Center accommodate such a large group (p. over into the villages on either side 137). Discouraged, they beat a retreat. of the chateau as it applied to artisan Both Boyer and his wife — subsequently crafts and tools. It reminds me of how “It reminds me of how a graduate of SUNY Empire State College the word “mentor” and its grammatical — were deeply religious and were active the word ‘mentor’ and its derivations have spread about the members of Quaker meetings held world from SUNY Empire State College grammatical derivations Sundays in downtown Albany (pp. 106– since our first year, 1971, when Boyer 107). It seems to me, that because Boyer have spread about the asked Jim Hall, our founding president, was the acting chancellor of SUNY in “to bring this unusual institution to life” world from SUNY Empire 1970, that tragedies like that of the Kent (SUNY Empire State College, 1972, p. State killings by the Ohio National Guard State College since our 4). The term mentor relates not only to on May 4, as well as the deadly May 15 the pedagogy of mentoring but to all first year, 1971, when shootings of two Black Jackson State sorts of coaching relationships where a College students by Mississippi police, Boyer asked Jim Hall, mentor is key to a neophyte’s success. did not, could not, would not happen at our founding president, SUNY. Boyer steadfastly refused to take A mentor intern fellowship from the actions that were contrary to his deeply Lilly Foundation in December of 1974 ‘to bring this unusual held religious values. During World War made it possible for me to join the institution to life.’” II, as a student and too young to serve college as part of the Niagara Frontier as a medic, he refused to participate in Learning Center. It began enrolling drives supporting the war. He took a lot students in the fall of that year and excited high-level political interest of flak — no pun intended — from his was the last of the regional learning because of its major commitment classmates. Immediately after the war, centers. Prior to that time, the college to serving labor union members. he was able to join other Brethren in had already established a solid footing To separate themselves from the Christ members in bringing war relief throughout New York state and even broader mission of the new center to supplies to Poland, which included farm had a highly innovative unit in London, serve all kinds of adult students, the animals to replenish lost stock. started Christmas Eve of 1971. It labor students erected a handsome featured prestigious internships and In Pierre Montaigne’s thinking, a first- but not official sign to celebrate individualized contract learning — rate education for his son, heir to a title the creation of the Labor College. the first of its kind epitomizing the of nobility, the chateau and fortune, was The faculty of the center, however, pedagogical spirit of the college’s perhaps just as important, if not more served students in both programs. innovative learning approaches — so. Pierre investigated ways of providing Eventually, those programs became unique among 26 other SUNY programs. him the best education possible. He separate administrative divisions, the It succumbed to budget cuts in 1974 but discovered that proficiency in Latin was Labor College becoming the Harry clearly warranted preservation. a major stumbling block for students Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor

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Studies. The other division developed to suit the needs of adult learners. their centers and colleagues across the special programs for Black and Latino This remarkable flexibility, however, college, the better. In those early years, students in Manhattan and the Bronx. caused headaches for the Offices of there was widespread concern that In October of 1971, the Northeast Admissions, Registrar, and Financial centers would become so isolated that Regional Learning Center, located at Aid, until a system of longer enrollment they might, in effect, become too insular SUNY University at Albany’s Draper periods could be devised. The Long and not benefit holistically by staying Hall in downtown Albany, became the Island Center grew rapidly, establishing engaged with the rest of the college. second regional learning center. It programs throughout Long Island In 1972, to ensure consistency in reached out beyond the confines of the with state, county, municipal, and academic practices, Academic Vice city to develop programs in the Capital private enterprises. President Arthur Chickering brought Region, including a program for the staff It is one thing to provide a quick sketch together taskforce committees of the Oswald D. Heck Developmental about the remarkable growth of the composed of faculty and academic Center in Schenectady dedicated to college in its formative years, but much administrators to draft policies and deinstitutionalizing individuals with was happening in threshing out the procedures that were intimately developmental disabilities. The staff academic programs and their underlying connected to contract learning and needed nontraditional access to college principles and practices. My own assessment of prior learning. These degrees to satisfy state requirements. experience is a quick demonstration two dimensions, especially, were at the Also, the Northeast Center created a of how much there was to learn about very heart of why prospective students unit at Rockland Community College mentoring, even after being part of wanted to enroll. The committees in Suffern to serve graduates who a program supported by the Lilly benefited from the experience of wanted to apply experiential learning Foundation designed for that very faculty working with students one-on- credits to time-shorten their completion purpose. As the last mentor (intern) one, who first enrolled in September of bachelor’s degrees. The unit grew to join the Niagara Frontier Regional and October of 1971 and those who exponentially after receiving a major Learning Center for the 1974–1975 enrolled in subsequent months. By grant to launch New Models for Careers. academic year, I quickly learned to this time, mentors had a good deal The success of this program morphed value the practical experience of the of experience serving on committees, into the unit becoming the Lower mentors who came before me. There preparing degree programs and learning Hudson Regional Learning Center. was a good deal of conferring among contracts for students. As new centers The Division for Statewide Programs, mentors regarding complicated degree came on board, handbooks became established in the latter part of 1972, programs (study plans), conducting widely available and a new central consisted of a network of small units prior learning assessment, tutoring of office of assessment kept adding vital throughout the state and headquartered each other’s students, and serving on information to what became known as in Saratoga Springs, the administrative center and collegewide committees. the Resources and Criteria Handbook. headquarters of SUNY Empire State Much learning was acquired in a short Another dimension of our institutional College. Its first unit was at SUNY period of time. At the Niagara Frontier, glue was the Office of Research and Plattsburg, and within a few years, we had also the advantage of having a Evaluation (ORE). They conducted a programs had been established in few mentors and staff from the Genesee steady battery of research, a significant Binghamton, New Paltz, Oneonta, Valley Center, and access to the policies way of monitoring the strengths and Queensbury, Saratoga Springs, the and procedures developed by the weaknesses of our programs. Because London Unit, Extended Programs college in its first three and a half years we had such a strong research arm, (merged with the Independent Study of operational existence. Many were the we were able to win major grants at a Program in 1979 as the Center for important mechanical processes, such time of shrinking state revenues to float Distance Learning), and specialized as filling out course registration forms, programs until tuition revenues could urban studies programs in Manhattan advising students about financial aid, support them. — Arts in the City, Religion in the City, and cross registration. The academic Because of the newness of SUNY Empire Media and Communications in the dimensions were most important for State College, the complexity of the City. The Long Island Regional Learning mentors. The academic guidelines and faculty and administrative roles had Center, headquartered at the SUNY policies were exacting and had pitfalls. professional pressures that were unique Stony Brook campus, came on board So, it made sense for new mentors to to American public higher education. for the fall 1972 semester, though the either connect with a buddy mentor New mentors who thought they might college did not have semesters, just formally or informally to double-check be teaching at a Shangri-La campus extremely flexible periods of enrollment their work with students. The more when they began their graduate studies like the rest of the centers and units connections a mentor could make within in the early 1960s entered a totally

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 62 different kind of world: Teaching and private tutors, have often told me that bold ideas and opinions beyond my administrative positions were virtually in my childhood I had that language years.” Pierre then sent Michel off to the nonexistent, and the national economy so ready and handy that they were college but kept control over the choice had turned decidedly down. Those afraid to accost me” (p. 129). Montaigne of his son’s tutors and barred the use who were fortunate enough to hear boasted again when he spoke about of physical punishment. As a reward about SUNY Empire State College and his great acting ability, performing in for being a native speaker of Latin, very much tuned in to what students Latin tragedies produced by the three Montaigne was advanced to classes found wrong with American higher Latinist faculty. There is more to this with much older students. He also had education, even education in general, story: Montaigne’s educational journey a private tutor who gave him free rein were instantly attracted to this new was beyond mastering Latin and its to read Latin literary classics that he and very promising entity. Some schoolboy benefits. It was education found of particular interest and even even surrendered tenured positions. in his words “without the whip and Italian comedies, so long as he kept it The college benefited enormously without tears” (p. 128). During the years a secret and did not ignore his other by attracting top graduates from of tutoring, before his son entered the studies. Montaigne observed, “If he had the best universities. Ultimately, the Collège de Guyenne, Pierre made certain been foolish enough to break me of this implementation of what was sketched that his child’s learning was to be joyful habit, I think I should have got nothing out for students created a highly and motivated by curiosity, another out of school but a hatred of books, as stressed work world for mentors and outcome of his father’s research. By the do nearly all our noblemen” (p. 130). administrators; some endured this in way, such principles were echoed in One can only imagine how Montaigne silence, others did not. Now, in looking Ernest Boyer’s (1997) “The Basic School” was treated by other students, but he backward in time, I remember a number address to the National Association remained silent. No lifelong friendships of stress-related incidents and behaviors of Elementary School Principals in emerged from his schoolboy days as far that fit a pattern. In the meantime, 1995. At the time, Boyer was president as I could discover. This might explain President Hall continued negotiating of the Carnegie Foundation for why he bonded so quickly with Étienne with SUNY System Administration to the Advancement of Teaching. For de La Boétie, a fellow scholar whom he lower full-time enrollment requirements Montaigne’s study of Greek, Pierre met while serving in the formal affairs of for faculty and to increase the amount arranged for the tutor to “teach in a new the Bordeaux parlement, after studying of funding for auxiliary instruction. At way, in the form of amusement and law. They only knew each other for a the same time, he reduced funding of exercise. We volleyed our conjugations handful of years before the plague took the learning modules program, originally back and forth, like those who learn La Boétie’s life. Montaigne’s regard for implemented to reduce the workload of arithmetic and geometry by such games him, often defined as love, was so great, mentors, but failed to catch on except as checkers and chess” (p. 129). that he risked his own life remaining in the Division of Statewide Programs. with Étienne, his wife, and other family In its stead, the college moved forward members while he struggled to live until with the creation of the Center for “‘We volleyed our he took his last breath. Montaigne never Distance Learning, a major objective conjugations back and recovered emotionally from this great being the reduction of the workload. loss (Bakewell, 2010, pp. 102–106). All these years later, workload is still an forth, like those who There was most likely an additional issue because mentors are steadfast learn arithmetic and psychological toll regarding Pierre’s in their commitment to personal educational experiment. This may engagement with students — in all of geometry by such games explain Montaigne’s emotional our professed modalities of learning. as checkers and chess.’” attachment to Étienne. In Montaigne’s Yes, back to Montaigne! formative years, his relationship to By age six, Montaigne became, in effect, his parents lacked the spontaneity a native speaker of Latin, and this gave Montaigne (2019) went on to say that of speaking in French, especially so him an extraordinary advantage over his father should not be blamed for his in regard to his mother. She did not other students and even his instructors own failure to reap the benefits of this breastfeed him, a common practice at the Collège de Guyenne in Bordeaux, early education, claiming that he was among the elite women, but it may some 30 miles west of his home. Three so overcome by laziness that “… they have prevented both from bonding as of the instructors were prominent could not tear me from my sloth, not mother and child. His wet nurse was Latinist in this era of Humanism. even to make me play” (p. 129). But then from one of the villages. Moreover, Montaigne (2019), who was rarely he opined, “What I saw, I saw well, and Pierre chose two peasants to serve as (obviously) boastful, recounted: “… my beneath this inert appearance nourished his godparents, which most likely further

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 63 restricted his familial ties to others. It a graybeard, I have always thought and that periodically swept through France. seems that in addition to not having judged them the same way. But, among He remained aloof for the most part and French permeate Michel’s world, Pierre other things, I have always disliked the was a trusted mediator, but bloodthirsty wanted his son connected to the life discipline of most of our schools. …. passions and deeply embedded of ordinary people, the peasants, who They are a real jail of captive youth. … insecurities between the factions made the chateau come alive with their Go in at lesson time: you hear nothing overruled reason (Bakewell, 2010, toil. Montaigne would hold them in high but cries, both from tortured boys and pp. 79–89). regard and exclaimed that they were the from masters drunk with rage. What a In regard to my own early education, it true philosophers. Both mother and son way to arouse zest for their lesson in began in a Catholic elementary school. emotionally continued to drift apart. She these tender and timid souls, to guide The rod was a 12-inch ruler. It was a spent her time managing the business them to it with a horrible scowl and cattle prod of sorts. Though not used to affairs of the estate, even after kidney hands armed with rods!” (pp. 122–123). draw blood, it stung and was just used stones ended the life of Pierre and Montaigne’s accounts of cruelty fill his to corral us boys. It was rumored that then Montaigne’s. Antoinette was the essays. He even considered it a vice, the principal’s office had a “spanking daughter of a wealthy family, most likely an addiction. In 1548, and just in his machine,” but the mention of an Iron descendants of Jewish refugees escaping early teens, he witnessed a frenzied Maiden, it seems to me now, would the Spanish Inquisition. France had its mob protesting King Enri II’s salt tax have worked wonders in keeping us on version, but the French had forced the on Bordeaux. The mob brutally killed the straight and narrow. The ruler was invading Moslems to the other side of the city’s military governor, recounted mostly used for talking in class, arriving the Pyrenees over 800 years before, and in Montaigne’s (2019) essay, “Various late after lunch (because there were Jews were not as reviled by the French Outcomes of the Same Plan.” This more interesting things to do beyond as they were in Spain where religiosity “tempestuous sea of madmen” (p. the classroom) — pranks, and such. and ethnicity were fused into a form of 96) made an indelible impression on extreme nationalism. Among the pranks I witnessed, one the young Montaigne. He provided was particularly ingenious: Johnny, who Montaigne (2019) began his essay “Of strategies on how his response to the sat one desk ahead of me, in the row the Education of Children” by exclaiming mob could have resulted in a different on my right, scraped old chewing gum how little he knew, even less than school outcome, for him and for the citizens of off the dirt-encrusted wooden floor, children weighed down by Aristotle, the Bordeaux, who consequently endured enough to create a small number of “monarch of modern learning” (p. 107). three months of a brutal occupation dark gray balls, which he rolled between He complained loudly about tutors who by the king’s army, aptly called a “reign his fingers, and spaced them in a line “… never stop bawling into our ears, as of terror” (Bakewell, 2010, pp. 62–63). across the top of his desk, right above though they were pouring water into A decade and a half later, French the slot for a long-abandoned inkwell an empty funnel; and our task is only Catholics became concerned about (once used to dip pigtails). The smell to repeat what was told to us. ... I don’t the growing dissatisfaction among of “fresh” chewing gum hovered over want him [the tutor] to think and talk Protestants. The half measures granted his desk and headed my way. I was alone; I want him to listen to his pupil to them to practice their faith were not puzzled. What next? Is he going to chew speaking in his turn. … Let him be made enough. Even Montaigne was attracted his gooey confection? Yuk! I was wrong. to show what he has just learned in a to this new Christian religion stripped He began chewing, however, quite hundred aspects …” (pp.110–111). He of iconography and the requirement noticeably but with an empty mouth went on to say, “Let the tutor make his to do good deeds for salvation. But and for the benefit of Billie, the student charge pass everything through a sieve Montaigne drew back on the advice in front of him. Nobody liked Billie for and lodge nothing in his head based of his close friend, Étienne de La all the good reasons. Between Johnny’s on mere authority and trust — let not Boétie. One massacre, triggered by fake chewing, the smacking of his lips, Aristotle’s principles be principles to the Catholic Duke de Guise in 1562, and the delicious aroma of what smelled him any more than the Stoics and the was followed by a series of uprisings like fresh gum, the trap was ready to be Epicureans. Let this variety be sent and battles, and one peace accord sprung. Billie turned around, and seeing before him; he will choose if he cannot; after another to almost the end of the the perfect alignment of gray balls, if not, he will remain in doubt. … For, century. Montaigne’s family included asked to have one. “OK, came the reply, if he embraces Xenophon’s and Plato’s Protestant dissidents; he associated with but just one.” Of course, it immediately opinions by his own reasoning, they Protestants; he even had a brother who increased its value. Then, the real will no longer be theirs, they will be his” fought in their ranks. But Montaigne chewing started, and the ultimate test of (p. 111). Later in his essay, referring to remained a Catholic, stoically refusing this new confection scraped off the floor schools, he stated, “As a boy, a man, and to be caught in the religious firestorms of a school well along in years. Billie’s

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 64 reaction was astonishing. It was as if he generation immigrant families. Women saw, he recorded the following for his were having a grand mal seizure. He entering the sisterhood participated in broadcast: “Death had already marked could not say anything that made sense. a lengthy process of spiritual steps of many of them, but they were smiling He spat the concoction on the floor. ascendancy in which, if successful, they with their eyes. I looked out over His face produced more contortions became Brides of Christ to dedicate the the mass of men to the green fields than Lon Chaney becoming a werewolf rest of their lives to teaching and other beyond, where well-fed Germans were in a 1940s B-movie — but a heck of endeavors of self-sacrifice throughout plowing” (Kendrick, 1969, p. 313). They a lot faster and without a full moon. the world as exemplified by the Albanian were slaves of the Third Reich and the Johnny could not constrain his laughter nun, Mother Teresa, now canonized as parallels to Black slavery in Colonial and most of the boys, enjoying a cruel St. Teresa of Calcutta. America and the American Republic trick, joined in. Sister Agnitha, a Blessed are unmistakable, except slaves in I was born in 1943, which seems now an Sacrament nun, rushed to Billie’s side America were fed. Nazis wanted Jews, impossibly long time ago. But my first and hurried him to a restroom to wash Roma, political dissidents, as well as all memory of life goes back to the year out his mouth with lots of soap, not others who did not fit the Aryan norm of the Battle of the Bulge. I remember for foul language but for a truly foul if not exterminated immediately, to be walking down a long hallway, still mouth. Mark Twain probably could not slowly consumed by hard labor, and wobbly on my feet, looking way up, think of such a joke, even for such a eventually starved to death. I know of and seeing something beautiful beyond deserving character. But why it smelled one inspiring case of a German family words, my family Christmas tree. It must so enticing — such a promising treat — who immigrated to Brooklyn after have been the evening of December shall remain a mystery. Billie became the war. While in Germany, the father 24, 1944. I was totally consumed by a better person for the experience, would walk pass one of the death this extraordinary vision. It was not however, and enjoyed some increasing camps on his way to work and throw a until having an undergraduate theology popularity. I believe it was because he paper bag that held his lunch over the course that I was able to resurrect this became one of us, something like a barbed-wire fencing. Eventually, soldiers image from my bank of lost memories. fraternity induction. Other than dragging guarding the camp discovered what The tree was a perfect metaphor for the the gagging, expectorating, whining, and he was doing and beat him with their beatific vision — when a soul becomes coughing Billie out of the classroom for rifle butts. His daughter, by the way, one with God. Imagine, my tree (!) an emergency cleansing, Sister Agnitha became a nun. Murrow, by the end of remains my first recollection of life, a did not conduct an investigation, which the war, had earned an extraordinary memory of ineffable beauty! I still have the incident clearly deserved. Perhaps reputation, gained from broadcasting Christmas decorations from that night. she saw it as a mills-of-God-justice in live from London rooftops during the The balls, instead of having a metal action and lectured Billie about being Blitz, often risking his life. He even flew cap at the top, had cardboard strips cordial to other students. on 25 bombing missions, which for the below the openings to hold a string American crews was the magic number This was in the late 1940s. Classrooms with which to fasten them to trees. The to return home. The loss of life among were crowded, desks often shared, and cardboard, which was folded like an these crews was staggering. I believe the nuns had their hands full; and gum accordion, replaced metal for the war Murrow wanted to share the danger was plastered everywhere, including effort. That Christmas Eve was the time with them, to risk his life. His first flight the desks bolted to the floors. I think when American soldiers were engaged unloaded a bellyful of incendiary bombs Sister Agnitha was the exception in not in the Battle of the Bulge. Many went to over Berlin. By the end of the war, dolling out, especially in Billie’s case, midnight mass on the 24th not knowing Murrow’s standing among Americans quick snaps of the ruler. At times, the if they would live to see the sun set on was such that he was able to take a sisters employed antediluvian teaching the 25th. Many did not. I am grateful strong stand years later against Joseph methods, which in retrospect may for their sacrifice and to my parents for McCarthy, a World War II veteran. have reflected a degree of personal giving me this burst of dazzling light As a junior senator from Wisconsin, frustration. Perhaps some of them during one of the darkest moments of McCarthy greatly exaggerated the had lost their husbands or fiancés in human history. internal threat of Soviet communism. the Second World War, even the First Not long after that, Edward R. Murrow, In so doing, he trampled on the Bill of World War, and turned to a life devoted the co-creator of broadcast radio Rights and destroyed people’s lives to to religion but sacrificing one of the journalism with William Shirer, followed promote his political objectives. Murrow most basic of human needs. Also, General Patton’s sweep across western delivered a “knockout blow” on his some families encouraged daughters Germany and entered the Buchenwald See it Now television broadcast, which to enter the sisterhood and sons the concentration camp with American occurred during the McCarthy hearings priesthood, especially first- and second- troops. Among the many horrors he supposedly to expose communist

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 65 infiltration in the U.S. Army. His closing the emotional torment was deep. This, I remote places where former Japanese commentary is one of the finest must confess, is in the context of having soldiers were still in uniform. He was speeches ever waged against a tyrant. an older brother in the same school who never threatened. My brother, however, The following is just a telling fragment: was promoted two full years beyond saw Japan in ruins, and he witnessed We proclaim ourselves, as indeed his grade level and won every available American soldiers taking their hatred we are, defenders of freedom — academic award when he graduated, out on Japanese civilians, themselves what’s left of it — but we cannot save one that was unfairly denied him horrific victims of a military-controlled defend freedom abroad by and given to another student. He just regime, infamous for committing deserting it at home. The actions of felt cheated. I was punished, though atrocities throughout China and much the junior senator from Wisconsin the intentions were good, because of of Asia. He, of course, did not condone have caused alarm and dismay a learning disability. We both suffered, such behavior. The Emperor-worship amongst our allies abroad and but I suffered a heck of a lot more. I was ethos of the military drove Japan given considerable aid and comfort determined, however, to take control of to almost absolute ruin. When my to our enemies. (Edwards, 2004, my education. brother arrived in Tokyo, starvation was rampant, as was prostitution. Not pp. 115–116) For me, Catholic school was a prison. surprisingly, the two are intimately I was in the sixth grade of public school I was a free spirit. I wanted to spend connected. One of the great miracles during the hearings and made the my time exploring the world beyond of the post-war era, in addition to time to watch many of them. I found the classroom. There was so much I having the second-largest economy McCarthy frightening, and I did not need wanted to learn. The one subject that in the world — until recent times — Murrow to tell me. But his speech made interested me when I attended The was the resurrection of the country the difference for countless Americans Blessed Sacrament was the missionary as a constitutional monarchy and its and the Senate to take a stand in history of the Catholic Church, mostly complete rejection of militarism. defense of freedom. about the Jesuits converting Iroquois For the sisters of The Blessed Sacrament and Mohawk Indians in what was not By the beginning of the fifth grade, I School in Brooklyn, I am obliged for yet upstate New York. The Jesuits made did manage to convince my parents the sacrifices they made to educate extraordinary sacrifices, which today that Catholic elementary school was me. I am not grateful, however, for the are viewed as part of the long process not the place for me. I hit Public School technique they used to motivate me to of destroying native cultures. The Jesuit 171 just at the right time. The fifth read. I was a “tender and timid” soul like St. Isaac Jogues remains, nevertheless, grade and then especially the sixth the ones Montaigne (2019) referenced in an exemplar in my thinking of a priest was my emancipation. My sixth grade his essay “Of the Education of Children” willing to make extraordinary sacrifices, teacher, Miss Tomao, an American of and probably afflicted with a learning motivated by love and by the best of Portuguese descent, was amazing. She disability. Humiliation was certainly intentions to do good as defined by St. introduced us to the Portuguese and not a cure. When I could not read a Ignatius Loyola. There is a chapel named Spanish languages, which I subsequently word, I was taken to a lower grade. in the honor Father Jogues on the studied years later in great depth, and The word was written in chalk on the eastern edge of Saratoga Lake. she provided all kinds of activities for creative outlets. In her class, I gave blackboard and read by a student. The Like Montaigne, I did participate in two presentations, one on evolution, process seems quite mechanical, but a play. My oldest brother, Eugene, which was quite detailed with no notes, attended. He had recently completed and the other on volcanism. The later his military tour in Japan, having “For the sisters of The garnered more interest. I included volunteered right out of high school. exhibits. In regard to the former, I am Blessed Sacrament He took me for a treat at an ice cream not sure how I got away with it — in parlor, which I believe no longer exists School in Brooklyn, terms of it being controversial, though in Brooklyn, like hundreds of others. I I did not believe that it contradicted I am obliged for the learned before my brother passed that my religious beliefs. By that time, I one of his duties in Japan was locating sacrifices they made to was doing a good deal of independent the bodies of American flyers, often reading, including reading my uncle’s educate me. I am not found decapitated next to their aircraft. medical school texts. In retrospect, I find He had no hatred for the Japanese grateful, however, for this all rather amazing. and admired much about their culture, the technique they used learned some of their language, taught The progressive spirit of public education to motivate me to read.” me some, and traveled in Japan when elevated my spirit for learning and a he had free time. He often went to sense of self-worth — exactly what

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 66 education should do. Like Montaigne, of women. As Bakewell (2010) noted, Boyer, E. L. (1997) “The Basic School” I read Plutarch, Cicero, and Marcus Montaigne, however, did meet a young (National Association of Elementary Aurelius. Eventually, I excelled in public woman, Marie Le Jars de Gournay, School Principals, April 11, 1995). high school, received an academic who had lost her father at a young In E. L. Boyer (Ed.). Ernest L. Boyer: scholarship to attend a Catholic college age. She was determined to learn Latin Selected speeches 1979–1995 (pp. — believe it or not. By my junior year, by studying books with their French 19–32). Princeton, New Jersey: my college academic advisor wanted me translations side by side. When she came The Carnegie Foundation for the to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship, but across a tome of Montaigne’s essays, Advancement of Teaching. my heart was set on a Fulbright in Latin Marie was so enthralled that she insisted Boyer, K. (2014). Many mansions: Lessons America. After the Fulbright, I was offered that her mother arrange for a meeting in faith, family, and public service. fellowships for various graduate schools, with Montaigne when he was in Paris. He Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian and finally, I decided to attend Indiana was so impressed by her enthusiasm for University Press. University, which had the best program his work that he invited her to become Edwards, B. (2004). Edward R. Murrow in my field (Latin American history and his adopted daughter, and she soon and the birth of broadcast journalism. cultural anthropology). Eventually, I began assisting him in editing the 1588 Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. found my way to SUNY Empire State edition of his essays. His relationship Farber, M. A. (1971, July 9). State will College. When I first read about the with her had deep meaning for open college without a campus in college in a New York Times article (Farber, Montaigne (pp. 293–295). It was as if she the fall. Retrieved from https://www. 1971), I was still in graduate school. But filled some of the void left by La Boétie’s nytimes.com/1971/07/09/archives/ I was over the top with excitement! This passing. Eventually, her connection state-will-open-college-without-a- was a sentiment expressed by thousands to Montaigne even after his death campus-in-fall-state-will-open.html of readers, mostly adults who wanted continued. She edited the 1595 edition a second or a first chance at earning of his essays, and she was even invited Kendrick, A. (1970). Prime time: The life a college degree. I could not possibly to live at the chateau with Montaigne’s of Edward R. Murrow. New York, NY: imagine, however, that someday I would mother Antoinette, his daughter Léonor, Avon Books. become part of SUNY Empire State and his widow Françoise (p. 301). Marie Montaigne, M. de. (2019). The complete College. I believe that my first encounter gained fame not only as Montaigne’s essays of Montaigne. (D. Frame, with education made me a much better editor but as a novelist in her own right. Trans.; Intro.). Stanford, CA: mentor by being more sensitive to the Gournay became one of the founders Stanford University Press. (Original needs of my students, many of whom of the Académie Française, but being a work published 1958) had their own struggles with self-doubt, woman, she was banned from attending PlenilunePictures. (2011, August 6). which, I must admit, never left me and meetings (pp. 301–302). Sacre bleu! J. Robert Oppenheimer: “I am become have caused me to deeply question the Gournay’s devotion to Montaigne was Death, the destroyer of worlds” [Video academic achievements I share with you. dismissed, even scorned by subsequent file]. Retrieved from https://www. For this reason, students have been my generations of scholars. But as Sarah youtube.com/watch?v=lb13ynu3Iac first priority. One of the extraordinary Bakewell (2010) observed, “In recent Rousseau, J.-J. (1968). The social contract, developments in our institutional years much has changed, mainly because or principles of political right. (M. history is that graduates have become of the rise of feminism, which recognizes Cranston, Trans. & Intro). London, employees, which gives them a ready- her as a pioneer. Her first great modern England: Penguin Books. (Original made enthusiasm and an insider’s view champion was a man, Mario Schiff, work published 1762) of the college. This happened within who wrote a full biographical study in the first years of our existence and 1910 and published new editions of her Schofield, H. (2014, August 4). The continues unabated. feminist works. Since then the journey French spy who wrote The Planet has been ever upwards” (pp. 301–303). of the Apes. Retrieved from In closing, my enthusiasm for https://www.bbc.com/news/ Montaigne’s views on education, now References magazine-28610124 approaching 500 years since he first Bakewell, S. (2010). How to live, or, a life SUNY Empire State College. (1972). began composing his essays, is not of Montaigne in one question and Seeking alternatives I: Empire State because it is a formula to cure all ills. twenty attempts at an answer. New College annual report 1971–1972. In regard to women, for example, York, NY: Other Press. Saratoga Springs, NY: Author. his patriarchal views fall far short of Townsend, P. (1985). The postman of his fellow humanists, Thomas Moore Boxer, C. R. (1951). The Christian century Nagasaki: The true story of a nuclear and Desiderius Erasmus. Both were in Japan, 1549–1650. Berkeley and survivor. Middlesex, England: advocates for the formal schooling Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. Penguin Books.

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 Lost Art

Donna Gaines, Garden City

was an art school dropout. Although I had apprenticed with local artists I as a teen, had work exhibited as part of a youth show at the Lever House in Manhattan, and was praised by my teachers for a vibrant color sense and freedom of expression, by age 19, painting left me feeling increasingly dark, alienated and adrift. I eventually located a stronger voice and greater passion in writing. Formal training in sociology and social work offered much-needed discipline, and direction. A lengthy career in journalism provided connection and community. By 1970, I stopped painting. I never thought The 2020, 2020, Acrylic/spray paint/oil pastel/found plywood, 18” H x 24” W about it again. Photo credit: Allan Nafte Inspired by a lifelong collaboration with my junko partner, Nick, a Teamster-artist-musician, I believed creativity was best expressed as lived experience. We called our self-styled project “Artlife.” Deeply immersed in the late 1970’s NYC music scene, energized by a multidimensional explosion of subculture and style, the DIY ethic was epitomized in punk’s seminal band the Ramones. Unwashed, untrained, the punk eruption incited fans to create their own music, art, clothing, hair, and literature. Drawing from every available resource, local, global, and punk was rude, raw, and anarchistic — the antithesis of the dominant corporate music industry and the blue-chip “art world” order of the day.

Lost Art: In fall 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated Long Island including my barrier island City of Long Beach. During long, cold, dark, and dirty months of storm recovery, the garage was the only useable space. There, in my grungy command post, desperate to maintain my sanity (and my sobriety), I started painting again. “Civitas Ad Mare” [City by the Sea], my first painting was an ode to my precious community — that’s on our official seal. A plywood shelf I grabbed off the garage wall in a panic became my first canvas — a hapless barricade against the angry black waters of Sandy. Dried, sanitized, I threw randomly found materials at it — house paint, candle wax, spray paint, nail polish, mascara, sand, dirt, and acrylics, anything salvaged from the storm. I used Q-tips, fingers, razor blades, knives, glue, industrial paintbrushes, working in blues, greens, and darker tones under a grim but hopeful sun, it expressed the deep love, sorrow, and connection I felt to our battered community-in-exile. I aimed to reclaim whatever survived because everything (and everyone) deserves a second chance.

That Christmas, Nick bought me a set of art supplies — acrylic paints, watercolors, oil crayons, and brushes. For their birthdays, friends began requesting paintings. I continued to collect discarded wood on the street, celebrating the cracks and crooked dimensions, the diversity of size, a spirituality of imperfection. I’ll never sketch out a plan; I start from wherever I am, working with whatever I’ve got that day, organically, intuitively. There’s no right or wrong, no good or bad here, and only when it’s done can I grasp my intention — what it means, what to call it. The sea, garden, faith, regeneration, joy, hope, light, the body, and the power of community are reoccurring themes.

In recent years my work has been displayed as part of group shows in the lobby of our City Hall. In 2019 Artists in Partnership and the Long Beach Arts Council granted me a “Women in the Arts” award for my creative contributions to my community. Today my studio, “Art on Neptune” is a gathering place for friends to mess around and have fun, open to the street like the garage bands of yore. The Ramones believed rock ’n’ roll belonged to everyone.

Well, so does art, and poetry, spirituality, dance, the ocean, and everything wonderful and true under the sun.

*Special love and thanks to Nick, Allan Nafte, James Graham, Barbara Kantz, and Barbarie Rothstein. Lost Art, 2016, Acrylic/oil crayon/nail polish/found plywood, 9.5” H x 4.5” W Photo credits (this page): James Graham

(l–r) Eyes of May, 2020, Acrylic/oil crayon/nail polish/found plywood, 14.5” H x 9” W; Discipleship, 2014, Acrylic/spray paint/nail polish/ house paint/found plywood, 17.75” H x 21.5” W

Venus in Taurus, 2013, Acrylic/house paint/oil crayon/gesso/varnish, 11.75” H x 37.5” W Porch Art (Jazz), 2016, Acrylic/spray paint/nail polish/ found plywood, 11.5” H x 24.25” W Photo credits (this page): James Graham

(l–r) Gardiner’s Bay (Triple Immersion), 2016, Acrylic/house paint/found plywood, 9” H X 12.75” W; Somali Pirates (LBSA), 2013, Acrylic/canvas, 24” H x 36” W

Civitas Ad Mare, 2013, Acrylic/spray paint/oil crayons/sand/dirt/found plywood, 10” H x 28.25” W Mambo Son Rise, 2018, Acrylic/spray paint/oil crayon, 10.25“ H x 23.5” W Photo credit: Allan Nafte

I’ll never sketch out a plan; I start from wherever I am, working with whatever I’ve got that day, organically, intuitively.

(above left) The Culture (Wisdom), 2020, Acrylic/oil paint/chalk, 13.5” H x 11” W

(left) Two Kittens in the Bramble, He Said, 2013, Enamel/acrylic/ spray paint/nail polish, 11.5” H x 23.25” W

Photo credits: James Graham 71

Revisiting The 1619 Project: A Heartfelt Response During a Racialized Pandemic

Rhianna C. Rogers, Buffalo

eading the article titled, “America Even though I grew up in a progressive Wasn’t a Democracy, Until Black part of California, an hour north of R Americans Made it One,” written Los Angeles, my racially pluralistic by Nikole Hannah-Jones (2019), creator upbringing was quite unique in the of The 1619 Project on the legacy of early 1980s. Very few people had openly slavery in America and winner of the identified themselves at multiracial at 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, the time. Because my approach to race helped me put into perspective much of and ethnicity was so unique, I too faced my own lived experiences. The events a lot of adversity from different groups of the past few months, including the of people. For example, because my deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George physical features and behaviors cannot Floyd and many others, have brought clearly be distinguished as belonging to back into focus the ways that African a particular racial group, I regularly got Americans/Blacks in the U.S. sit on asked “Where are you from?” or “Where the fringes of its culture. The complex are your people from?” In most cases, intersections, conflicted histories, and no one was looking for Los Angeles, Wenglowskyj Photo credit: Andrea marginalization of diverse historical California. When Hannah-Jones wrote Rhianna C. Rogers narratives are things that have not about her school project instructor always been at the forefront of historical asking her to pick out an African country research or highlighted as an important to discuss her ancestry, that scenario we can choose to have an open part of national conversation. As I spoke volumes to me. I am many and honest discussion about what reflected on this, I remember when I cultures and made up of many races. our relationship is today (para. 3). was a 3-year-old child in kindergarten: If I were put in that same situation, a [Much] of our history is not pretty. We were playing with crayons and the “simple” report could take an entire year At many points in American history, teacher asked us to draw a picture of to write … if not more. law enforcement enforced the our families. I wanted my picture to look To frame this paper, I wanted to call status quo, a status quo that was like my family, so I chose a white crayon back to a 2015 Diversity Forum I often brutally unfair to disfavored for my mom, a black crayon for my moderated on “Race and Policing in the groups. (The Hard Truths section, dad, a white crayon for my sister, and U.S.”1 As part of my framing speech at para. 2) a burnt sienna crayon for me and my the forum, I read a quote from former brother. I remember a student asking It is sad to say that five years later, we FBI Director James B. Comey where me why I chose the burnt sienna crayon are still grappling with the same issues, he addressed the “hard truths” about and not black one and I responded, though not surprisingly. Throughout policing, including his acknowledgment “Obviously, because I am not black, I Hannah-Jones’ narrative, this became of racial bias among law enforcement am burnt sienna.” The complexities painfully clear as hundreds of years of officers and a “disconnect” between of race are easily misunderstood and racialized mistreatments and ignored police agencies’ interactions with deeply connected to each person’s traumas were discussed in detail. From communities of color. As Comey understanding of culture and identity. Lincoln’s notion of racialized separation (2015) stated: Hannah-Jones’ work has spoken to me to the legacy of slavery and historical not only on an academic level, but a [W]e are at a crossroads. As a trauma on Black and brown peoples, the personal one. This paper will interweave society, we can choose to live our tensions within U.S. culture have always my research and lived experiences everyday lives, raising our families been present, though not always openly as a response to the Hannah-Jones’ and going to work, hoping that discussed (Hannah-Jones, 2019). 1619 article. someone, somewhere will do It is important to note that not all white something to ease the tension — U.S. citizens, police, or law enforcement to smooth over the conflict. … [O]r contribute to these tensions. Nor

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 72 would it be fair to state that all police and Latin/Hispanic Americans that the if they felt they could take on the world, encounters with people of color criminal justice system deserves neither the outside world was still adjusting to (POC) are abusive. Case in point, look their trust nor support. The result is the new notion of legally married mixed- at the case of former Buffalo police that a vicious cycle has evolved into a race couples. On quite a few occasions, officer Cariol Horne who, in 2006, self-fulfilling prophecy — more POC the police harassed my parents; both stopped a white police officer from arrests and convictions perpetuate the before and after I was born, my dad killing a suspect, which has led to the assumption that POC commit more was pulled over without provocation discussion of a nationwide ban on police crimes, and more POC feel that police many times, handcuffed by the police, chokeholds (Ross, 2020); but these are a threat, which in turn leads to more and thrown on the ground, many times stereotypes tend to dictate current fear and support for racial profiling in in front of my mom. Yet, my father is discussions about police and POC the media and, ultimately, leads to more one of the proudest Americans I know. interactions and are often reinforced in POC arrests (Weatherspoon, 2004). He and his entire family have dedicated our media, local communities, families their lives to military work and service So how can we deal with such a complex and everyday lives. and are some of the first people I know issue? There are many answers to this to hang a flag in their lawns, much the So how can we contend against these question, but in my own worldview, same as Hannah-Jones’ own father. broad generalizations of people? First, I believe that identity should not be we have to acknowledge that a double dictated by our skin tone, but rather Confronting difficult topics like this at a standard exists between white and the cultures that are a part of our young age allowed me to look deeper at POC assailants, and that these racial upbringing and surrounding. I am myself, society, and understanding how disparities affect both innocent and multiracial. I am American. I am Black. and why racist behaviors were believed guilty citizens. Case in point, in 1992, I am white. Being raised this way made by those around me. Many times these during the Rodney King and Reginald me better understand all my ancestors, behaviors were based on a general Denny cases/LA riots, much the same as Nikole Hannah- lack of knowledge of people of color’s Jones’ father had pride in being an lived experiences, and other times a as part of a report by the ABC American and a citizen of the U.S. My complete denial of POC mistreatments. news program ‘20/20,’ two cars, parents encouraged me to learn the The feeling of othering and the lack of one filled with young black men, “truths” about history (e.g., slavery, acknowledgment of historical traumas the other with young white men, racism, limitations on gender roles), related to racial injustice is not unique navigated the same route, in the which allowed me to confront difficult to my experience. Case in point, seven same car, at the same speed concepts at a very young age, like why years ago (Rogers & Tripi, 2013), I through Los Angeles streets on some of my ancestors enslaved others co-wrote a report for the Buffalo Project, successive nights. The car filled or why others were enslaved. a 10-year action-research project I with young black men was stopped created to study diversity, equity, and by the police several times; the When I read Hannah-Jones’ historical inclusion in Buffalo, NY. The data set white group was not stopped retelling of the last 400 years of African included the following statement: once, despite observing police American history, I was drawn to my cars in their immediate area on no own parents’ firsthand reminder of As more students expressed less than 16 separate occasions racial tensions existing in the U.S. Case their experiences in [the study], it during the evening. (Leadership in point, my parents married in 1974, became apparent that many Buffalo Conference on Civil Rights as cited just seven years after the landmark students were uninformed about in Weatherspoon, 2004, p. 444) 1967 Supreme Court repeal of the anti- other cultures and understood each miscegenation laws banning people of other [only] through their limited The unequal treatment of POC in our different races from marrying (see the exposure in media, textbooks, criminal justice system, due to biases 1967 Loving v. Virginia case in Lombardo, personal experiences, and and racial profiling, manifests itself in 1988). Both of my parents were first- commentaries conveyed to them by a mushrooming prison population that generation Californians whose parents someone else. (p. 7) is overwhelmingly Black and Hispanic. had moved to CA just a generation Additionally, the systemic criminalization Seven years later and as a direct result earlier looking for new opportunities of these communities has resulted in of the Floyd/#BLM protests, we are only after WWII, not much different from the decay of communities of color that now starting to see institutions seriously Hannah-Jones’ family. Both grew up near have given up an entire generation of consider the impacts of historical each other in different neighborhoods young men to prison. Ultimately, the inaccuracies and “whitewashed” of Venice Beach, CA. Having met in high alienation of POC’s experiences has led histories of POC experiences. A perfect school, my parents married soon after to the widely held belief among Black example is the student-led protest at and made plans to begin a family. Even

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 73

Princeton University over the ongoing manage with it a global business story I just recited earlier about my glorification of known segregationist, model for 400 years, the greatest family and parents … but there was a former President Woodrow Wilson. ‘financial juggernaut’ of world long pause and the colleague eventually Though these complaints have been history, humanity was poisoned said, “You have to choose if you are ongoing since 2015/2016, Princeton just with the toxic pandemic of race white or black here.” I was insulted and I decided in 2020 to remove his name hatred. (para. 11) said in response, “Never in my life have from buildings (Tomlinson & Spike, I been asked to choose between my It is this culture of centuries upon 2020.) Other industries have followed mother and my father. I won’t do that which the American nation is built suit, including the Washington NFL team here.” It was the last time that faculty that continues to choke the air from and food manufacturing companies member spoke to me (we continued to black lungs. (para. 13) (Sanchez, 2020; Valinsky, 2020). Though work together for five more years until these are movements in the right Learning these “hard truths” can be they retired.) Recently, a white colleague direction, the lack of cultural awareness difficult. When we have been trained at the college informed a group of or concern of these long-standing in one historical narrative, being faculty across the state that he doubted offenses prior to the recent social exposed to another can sometimes systemic racism existed in the university unrest is disconcerting, to say the least. feel like an emotional challenge system and that POC (he focused on As stated in another Buffalo Project and/or confrontation of your own me at this point in the conversation) publication (Rogers & Woznick, 2015): “truths,” beliefs, and ideals. But these would have to prove to him that it did. acknowledgments must happen if we are In both cases, my colleagues indicated One of the key barriers to cultural to heal as a society. their lack of understanding around openness in higher education my identity and, more broadly, the has long been the discrepancy in As I have mentioned in multiple settings, historical narratives, years of peer- equity and access experienced by much of the current racial climate in reviewed research, varied identities, and students who have been historically the U.S. is a trigger for many POC. beliefs of POC. Additionally, I have had underrepresented in higher Having had our histories ignored for colleagues say that they were surprised education. (p. 52) generations only to now have many that I was so collegial and articulate, of the atrocities exposed and brought [O]ne of the most significant as if highlighting the inaccuracies of up on the news and in the media on a barriers is the lack of cultural their biases and stereotypes should daily basis is exhausting. It is because awareness that diverse students be a shock to me. A few told me as we of many researchers like Hannah- encounter upon entering the became friends that they had heard I Jones and her 1619 Project that many (physical or virtual) classroom. had a bad attitude. As a person of color of these hidden narratives have been (p. 49) in the U.S., this was not something made visible to mainstream U.S. culture. new to me. I face constant stereotypes, Reading the 1619 article gave me Though many are tired, what we are “the Jezebel: a sexualized, aggressive a frame for contextualizing why so seeing right now is a call to action black woman whose goal is to conquer many people still feel so disconnected from the people, POC and allies alike. men; the Mammy: a lovable, non- to racialized histories. It has only We no longer want to see inaccurate threatening, unattractive black woman been 56 years since the civil rights U.S. histories or POC ignored for their who was meant to comfort others; movement, which marked the first time contributions to our society; rather, we and the Headstrong Black Woman: a African Americans were able to legally want to learn, even if it is painful, about loud, sassy, argumentative woman who participate in many things taken for the good and bad of the U.S. culture and does what she wants and is there for granted by others, including voting. As how we have built this country together. entertainment,” which I wrote more Sir Hilary Beckles (2020), vice-chancellor As Hannah-Jones highlights throughout about in another publication (Rogers, of the University of the West Indies, The 1619 Project, the confrontation of 2019, p. 171). As the examples highlight, president of Universities Caribbean, and diverse histories requires that people the danger of trivializing a person’s chairman of the CARICOM Reparations recognize the legacy of traumas within lived experiences and speaking about a Commission recently stated: certain groups, and the repercussions subject in which you may have limited From that moment, when the of being exposed to a sanitized view of knowledge leads to further othering British government in 1636, took history and exclusions. Let me illustrate and the intentional and unintentional the first step to legally classify all this through my own example … after a exclusion of diverse voices. As I blacks in their colonies as non- week of living in Buffalo and joining my mentioned on the Asian American Herald human, chattel, property, and real college in 2010, a colleague approached talk show, we need to do better. People estate and proceeded with their me and asked me questions about my of color are not interested in tolerance European partners to build and identity. I told them much of the same (nobody wants to be tolerated); rather,

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 74 people of color want an equitable seat Empire Connects,2 the Annual Diversity 1. Develop a mentoring process at the table to contextualize racism, Forum series, and others). The network and DEI training models that express their own histories, and of individuals that has formed around utilize cultural sensitivity, and that create spaces for growth and healing this work has helped me to develop develop intercultural competencies (Rogers, 2020). the community feel I longed for (as and values diversity, voices, did others). positionalities, and learning styles. In my own life, experiences of othering and racism pushed me to long for a safe So, where do we go from here? First, 2. Develop more brave and safe space to discuss my worldviews and we need to recognize and respond spaces for constituents to voice learn about others. Since I could not find to the fact that American colleges their opinions, concerns, and to one, I had to create one, which has now and universities are experiencing a develop their own ideas. grown into the Buffalo Project. dramatic shift in learner demographics 3. Diversify leadership opportunities (i.e., the rise of adult, so-called The Buffalo Project Mission: To for marginalized groups and POC “nontraditional” students and the develop action-based diversity (e.g., in corporate America vis- rise of underrepresented minorities initiatives that focus on utilizing a-vis roles in the C-Suite, middle (URM) and POC in college and participant observations of management, and academia). university settings) and that students culture to inform solution-making are demanding more representation 4. Recommend up-skilling training efforts in college and community in their curriculum. Works like Nikole and technological funding for environments. (Rogers, 2020) Hannah-Jones’ 1619 Project and those marginalized people and create I knew that if I felt alone and was from other Black and brown scholars pipelining for professional forced to conform to the assumptions should be staples in K-12 and college- development and growth. and biases around me, then others level learning. Scholars have pointed 5. Create a strategic plan of action to may be feeling the same pressures. to the necessity of “mapping diversity make real change and document Based on the data I have collected efforts” (Halualani, Haiker, & Lancaster, results (closing the loop). from colleagues, students, and the 2010); that is, the need for institutions community, I realized I was right: of higher education to engage in self- The change needs to start here with Community members could feel inquiry around the issues of diversity us. On June 30, 2020, Hannah-Jones the impacts of racism and forms of and inclusion, and “close the loop” on wrote a new article in The New York alienation inflicted on them just like I implementation processes. Times Magazine highlighting additional did. In an odd way, hearing that others ways to bridge the racial gap in the To really meet the needs of our learners, were facing these obstacles helped me U.S. As she argued, one way is to offer 21st-century academics need to to feel less alone. Creating a sense of reparations, two is to acknowledge reconsider how they envision curriculum community and belonging is one of the the need for deeper understandings development, history, and the impacts main reasons why I have so passionately of historical context, and three is to of inclusion practices on the learners pursued this research for over 10 years. review the data indicating the bleak themselves. We need to do better. A colleague in Florida once asked me state of Black America today. I would why I made such a drastic change in the So how can we create a SUNY Empire challenge you all to read this latest article focus of my work in New York, given environment that encourages inclusion, and some of the literature she pulled that I had spent most of my academic cultural pluralization, the diversification of together. It is the responsibility of all research in Florida working on Latin voice, and call to action? of us to prepare culturally competent American archaeology and history members of the 21st-century globalized I would like to pull a few points from the projects. I told him that it was a form of community and workforce. As in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work cultural and psychological preservation Buffalo Project, the development of I have been engaged with, including and a way for me to take negative more data-driven, participatory action- the SUNY Empire State College (2020) feelings and build toward something research projects across the U.S. can Presidential Town Hall on Racial Justice positive; not only was I there to help offer one way to re-envision appropriate that I co-moderated with Dr. David myself, but the Buffalo Project could responses to retaining and building Fullard, and my recent work with the also be a way to help those around environments that are more inclusive organization #BlackandBrilliant. Here me. I have been fortunate to win quite and welcoming. By doing so, institutions are a few tangible action items to move a few awards for this project and help can raise the educational attainment forward this conversation: co-develop some important programs of diverse populations and increase at the college (e.g., Deliberative institutional retention rates, ultimately Conversations, virtual residencies, SUNY empowering individuals to impact their

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 75 own communities. Privilege will never Lombardo, P. A. (1988). Miscegenation, Rogers, R. C., & Woznick, A. M. (2015). disappear, but it is all of our responsibility eugenics, and racism: Historical How to cultivate “cultural openness” to make sure that it does not dictate access. footnotes to Loving v. Virginia. among adult learners: Practical University of California, Davis Law examples from the Buffalo Project. Notes Review, 21(2), 421–452. All About Mentoring, 46, 49–54. Retrieved from https://www.esc. 1 For more information about SUNY Halualani, R. T., Haiker, H., & Lancaster, edu/media/ocgr/publications- Empire’s Collegewide Cultural C. (2010). Mapping diversity presentations/all-about- Diversity and Inclusion Forum efforts as inquiry. Journal of Higher mentoring/2015/Issue-46-AAM- series, please visit https://www.esc. Education Policy and Management, Winter-2015.pdf edu/diversity-forum/ (the recording 32(2), 127–136. of the “Race and Policing” session is Ross, P. (2020). “Cariol’s Law” expected Hannah-Jones, N. (2019, August 14). available at the bottom of the page). to be introduced at Buffalo America wasn’t a democracy, Common Council Tuesday. 2 In response to the COVID-19 crises, until Black Americans made Retrieved from https://www.wkbw. SUNY Empire Connects emerged it one. The New York Times com/news/local-news/cariols-law- as a virtual series of synchronous, Magazine. Retrieved from expected-to-be-introduced-at- responsive programming sessions https://www.nytimes.com/ buffalo-common-council-tuesday designed to reduce social isolation interactive/2019/08/14/ and build a positive community magazine/black-history- Sanchez, R. (2020, July 13). NFL among students, staff, and faculty. american-democracy.html Washington Redskins to What began as an isolated series change name following years of Hannah-Jones, N. (2020, June 30). of conversations within the college backlash. Retrieved from https:// What is owed. The New York and connected communities abcnews.go.com/US/washington- Times Magazine. Retrieved from merged into a collaborative Office redskins-change-years-backlash/ https://www.nytimes.com/ of Academic Affairs initiative story?id=71744369 interactive/2020/06/24/magazine/ coordinated by Student Success reparations-slavery.html SUNY Empire State College. (2020, June with lead partners from faculty 18). Virtual town hall: Racial justice member, Dr. Rhianna Rogers, and Rogers, R. (2019). “What are you?” [Video file]. Retrieved from https:// members of the Student Success Living as a multiracial woman. learn.esc.edu/media/1_ft95jrs7 team, Seana Logsdon and Ashley In M. R. Case, & A. V. Craig, Mason. SUNY Empire Connects Introduction to feminist thought Tomlinson, B., & Spike, C. (2020, June collaborates with other successful and action: #WTF and how did 27). Princeton renames Wilson college programming (e.g., the we get here? #WhosThatFeminist School and Residential College, Buffalo Project, Deliberative #WhatsThatFeminism (pp. 169–172). citing former president’s racism. Conversations, academic support New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from https://paw. workshops) to offer adaptive princeton.edu/article/princeton- Rogers, R. C. (2020, June 25). Studying programming in response to renames-wilson-school-and- anti-racism at SUNY Empire State emerging needs. Programming is residential-college-citing-former- College [Interviewed by H. Gupta- open to students, faculty, and staff presidents-racism Carlson]. Asian American Herald. as both participants and presenters. Retrieved from https://www. Valinsky, J. (2020, June 17). The Aunt This program is now permanently facebook.com/151248688853062/ Jemima brand, acknowledging housed in Student Life. videos/269756824333965/ its racist past, will be retired. Retrieved from https://www.cnn. References Rogers, R. C., & Tripi, M. L. (2013). com/2020/06/17/business/aunt- Fostering an “open” culture at Empire Beckles, H. (2020, June 1). Marcus, jemima-logo-change/index.html State College: An ethnographic study Martin, and Minneapolis. Retrieved of Niagara Frontier Center participant Weatherspoon, F. D. (2004). Racial from https://www.afuwi.org/press/ observations (Report AY 2012–2013). profiling of African-American males: page2.html Saratoga Springs, NY: SUNY Empire Stopped, searched, and stripped of Comey, J. B. (2015, February 12). Hard State College. constitutional protection. The John truths: Law enforcement and race. Marshall Law Review, 38(2), 439–468. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/ news/speeches/hard-truths-law- enforcement-and-race

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Virtual Student Exchange: SUNY-Venezuela Higher Education Engagement Initiative

Victoria Vernon, Manhattan

Last fall, 12 of my SUNY Empire State measurable learning goals, and creating College students participated in a six-week joint assignments. Advice was well virtual exchange project with students appreciated and needed because from Venezuela as part of their economics instructors within most collaborating courses. Through dialogue with peers pairs taught different courses, often in abroad, they drew lessons from the different disciplines. One set of pairs current situation in Venezuela, analyzed in my group included a professor of the impact of economic policies on the international politics and a professor daily lives of Venezuelans, and practiced of nutrition. Other pairs included intercultural communication skills. Below, I instructors of Spanish and chemistry, will provide a short description of how this fashion and marketing. These partners project evolved. I will also share some of successfully found intersections in their my course resources and my reflections on corresponding sciences by, for example, the experience. focusing their modules on international food policy and GMOs, Spanish for science, and high-fashion marketing. shiny tourist bus screeched to a My partner, Eddy Bravo, was a Victoria Vernon stop near a gated community in professor of human resource A Cuernavaca, Mexico. A cheerful management from Universidad de group of 40 university professors Oriente, a public university located in most of the population into poverty. For spilled onto the sidewalk, admiring their the beautiful coastal area of eastern a decade, the country rode the wave tropical surroundings. I was among Venezuela. Her field was only a step of bullish oil markets — it exported oil this group of people who represented away from my field of economics. and imported consumer goods such various SUNY colleges at the three-day We decided to focus our module on as electronics, chemicals, cars, food, intensive training seminar organized economic policies that influence work, and medicine, which were sold to by the SUNY Collaborative Online wages, and labor markets. consumers at subsidized prices. The International Learning (COIL) Center. government tried to redistribute the The meetings in Mexico were followed The goal of this COIL project was to country’s wealth by taking over private by a six-week COIL Academy training bring together 20 pairs of instructors to companies and land, and by imposing online, peppered with synchronous brainstorm and create six-week virtual regulations on private businesses. Zoom meetings, during which we exchange modules to be offered the But these policies failed: seized assets gave each other feedback on module following term within their existing were poorly managed and increasing design. Within weeks, rough drafts of courses, and to consider continued regulations stifled domestic production. our joint modules were churned into collaboration for another year or two. Government policies included currency detailed syllabi. exchange controls, which made the COIL provided this project with world- Starting with the bus ride from the dollar unavailable for companies that class support. Joining us as mentors airport, and the following days over needed to import raw materials and were five veterans of the COIL meals of tacos, refried beans, and machinery to produce goods locally. movement. Among this star team of guacamole, we learned from our Government price regulations made experienced COILers was our own Venezuelan colleagues about the dire many companies unprofitable, causing SUNY Empire State College superstar of straits of their existence. Two decades them to stop producing and worsening international education, Lorette Calix. ago, Venezuela was the richest country shortages. When oil prices went south, Mentors shared their own experiences in South America, but now it is the revenues fell, and the country further with virtual exchange, offered poorest. The attempts of Presidents slashed imports. Combined with the technologies and tools for remote Chávez (1999–2013) and Maduro (2013– hyperinflation of several thousand collaboration, and assisted in writing present) to reduce inequality drove percent a year, basic necessities joint module descriptions, developing

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 77 became scarce and significantly more My Venezuelan partner, Eddy, and I of delivery in our next round of virtual expensive than they are in the U.S. set up student collaboration through exchange by offering it in Moodle. Now Meanwhile, wages fell below $100/ a private Facebook group decorated that most if not all students in the world month and unemployment increased with logos of both universities. Despite are familiar with online learning, access to levels higher than we have ever my worries, none of the U.S. students to an online platform shouldn’t present seen under the Great Depression objected to using social media; on challenges, but, as instructors, we would or the coronavirus. The government the contrary, they found the mode of gain extra features for assessment such blamed its opposition, foreign enemies, delivery easy and intuitive. My other as being able to pull up contributions and private companies for the food concern was that some Venezuelan by name, and the posts would be scarcity, accusing them of intentionally students don’t speak English. Eddy more visible and better organized sabotaging production in an attempt to herself spoke only Spanish, so I used chronologically. The only new concern destabilize the country. my intermediate language skills to with Moodle is that translation will communicate with her. The hope was have to be done manually, or we may Our Venezuelan colleagues — who that the language barrier would be ask Spanish speakers to post Google didn’t miss an opportunity for a good mitigated by automatic translation built translations of their posts next to the joke — optimistically pointed out the into Facebook. In my observation, the Spanish text. good part: gasoline was virtually free, language barrier was never completely you could fill a tank by giving the gas At the end of the course, we offered removed because the automatic attendant a piece of chewing gum, students a three-question survey: translation was either imprecise or and also there were no traffic issues required extra clicks, so U.S. students 1) Do you think that virtual exchange anymore since fewer people could were more likely to respond to those is an effective way of learning about afford to own a vehicle. Yet, they also few Venezuelan students who posted another country, and why? mentioned that they no longer go in English. Another concern was that outside in the evenings because of crime 2) Was there any aspect of this virtual Venezuelan students were traditional- and social unrest, and they built fences exchange that was surprising, age, whereas our students were older. and installed security equipment in stressful, or confusing? These differences overall did not their houses because of vandalism; they matter for communication. The only 3) What would you do differently if acquired plastic water storage tanks time I noticed the experience divide you were in charge of organizing a because the water supply is unreliable; was in the discussion of ideas for similar six-week virtual exchange? whoever could afford generators bought students’ own small businesses. them because of persistent electricity Most of the answers were very positive, Virtually all Venezuelan students said blackouts; and the internet worked with in tune with this student’s comment: “I that they wanted to have a store that only intermittent success. Some of their really enjoyed this part of the course. I sells food, drink, or other necessities, stories brought back my memories of was able to get a different perspective whereas U.S. students had service the Soviet Union in transition, with its on the economy in Venezuela that ideas such as a childcare center, gym, shortages of food and medications, long I could not have received from the or delivery business. This divide is likely lines for basic items, barter exchanges, media.” A U.S. student mentioned that due to economic realities that prompt hyperinflation, and reliance on relatives she used a different translating service our minds to look for unmet wants abroad who could send money and when the Facebook translation was and needs. medications. Universities in Venezuela unclear. A Venezuelan student said that have seen an exodus of faculty and One other lesson I drew could be he would enjoy synchronous Zoom students over the last eight years; generalized to all online courses: Some meetings. We are planning to add a those who could emigrate have left the students post to discussions late, and synchronous meeting in the next round country. Public education is free and their posts — however interesting — of exchanges. universities still function, and students receive no replies. In my future courses, For my students’ grades, virtual are earning degrees, although the I will have to set up incentives or rules exchange counted as several discussions returns on education are low. It seems to require discussion contributions early and a final project. But I hope that in that those who have not left stayed in the week. I will also require more addition to a grade, students gained because they own their houses and love than two replies per discussion because something intangible from this virtual their beautiful country, and hope to see sometimes interesting thoughts did not exchange experience. Perhaps next time a new government one day, perhaps generate enough feedback (for example, they see a headline about Venezuela, with the help of the United States. some economic policies were mentioned they will recall faces and words of but not discussed in depth). Finally, I the students they met in the course, would like to experiment with the mode and will continue reading. I hope that

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biggest employer in your area? What kind of job do you have now, or expect to do in the future? What do you like about your job, and what do you dislike about it? What is your superpower (a special skill, something you do better than other people)? Show us something you made at work or bought with your hard-earned money. Post your story. Respond to at least two other people’s stories.

Week 2: Truth or Fake News? What do we know about each other? Our information comes from the media. Media can be biased. Focusing on economic issues, U.S. students will find an article about Venezuela, and Venezuelan students will find an article

Image provided by the author. by Image provided about the U.S. Explain what you learned from the article and post the link to the when travel returns to normal, they will Learning Outcomes article. Students from the other country choose to visit a new country and will By the end of this COIL module, will give their opinion on their reality. connect with more people around the students will be able to: globe. Maybe some of our Venezuelan Share one article with your comments students will be inspired to learn 1) Research and explain basic facts and respond to two posts by English, and some U.S. students will about the economic environment other students. develop an interest in a new language for workers in Venezuela and the You are welcome to continue sharing or culture. We hope that our students U.S., including income per capita, news articles throughout this six- will carry on the curiosity sparked by the leading industries, main exports week module. course to build bridges that will make and imports, unemployment this world a friendlier place. rates, and inflation. Week 3: Capitalism and Socialism Here is the module we developed for 2) Identify economic problems in U.S. and Venezuela have different the Work and Wages course: each country for workers. economic and political systems. What 3) Give examples of government are your thoughts about the advantages Description regulations and policies, and and disadvantages of socialism vs. In this course, students will participate in explain how they shape the capitalism? What features would you an online global networking component experiences of workers and borrow from the other system? What with students from Venezuela. Through employers in the labor market. problems would you want to fix in meaningful cross-cultural engagement, your own system? In answering these 4) Compare and contrast the students will have an opportunity to questions, consider one of the related operations of socialist and capitalist learn from each other. The joint module questions: Does socialism eliminate economic systems as they relate will culminate with a collaborative inequality? Does your economic system to the labor market and workers’ project in which pairs of students create help citizens to obtain an education, find well-being. a PowerPoint presentation summarizing employment, open a business, eat well, the main points from the weekly stay healthy, live in good housing, enjoy Week 1: Icebreaker assignments. The goal is for students personal safety, and get justice based to walk away with a transformative Record a short video or write a post on the rule of law? Are businesses more experience that will spark interest in with pictures in which you tell us about socially responsible under socialism, do other countries and shape their future yourself and your job. Where do you they care less about profits and more cross-cultural interactions. live? What is your town famous for? about consumer experience, the safety What is the largest industry or the

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 79 of workers, the well-being of families, Write two posts (good and bad policies/ Week 6: Final Project needs of the society, and a clean laws/regulations; the posts can be short Teams of two students (one from environment? but informative) and respond to two each country) create a narrated other students. Write a post with your thoughts slide presentation using PowerPoint, and respond to two posts by other VoiceThread.com, or Screencast-O-Matic Week 5: Work and Money students. Try to be specific rather than (https://screencast-o-matic.com/screen- general; give examples based on your Once upon a time, you wake up in the recorder). The goal of the presentation own observations. dream world. In this world, you own a is to summarize your learning about small business and you love it. We call it the economic environment and the Week 4: Government work, but for you, running this business labor markets in both countries, to and the Economy is a joy. In creating your firm, you took demonstrate your research skills, and advantage of your superpowers, or to apply critical thinking. The teams will Businesses have to play by the rules set special skills and abilities that few other record this presentation in English and by government agencies. Among those people have (maybe you are a great Spanish, including 12–18 slides. rules are laws that allow or prohibit cook, or the best math tutor in town, sales of prescription medicines and Presentations should contain answers to or you speak four languages, etc.). street drugs. In financial markets, banks the following questions, in any order: Describe your dream business. What have to collect income information does it produce? What do you need to • How different are U.S.-VE on potential customers before issuing buy in order to start this business? Who economies? Compare average a loan. Airlines have rules regarding are your customers and how do you income per capita, unemployment security. In the labor market, there are sell to them? What makes your product/ rate, inflation, largest industries, minimum wage laws, rules that require service valuable for the community? main exports and imports, and any that men and women receive equal How many people do you hire and what other indicator(s) of your choice. pay, restrictions on hiring some people do your employees do? Given your costs (such as undocumented immigrants in • Give examples of “good” and “bad” and sales, how much money will you the U.S.), and rules about firing people. government regulation of the labor make per month? What is your role? What kinds of government regulations market from each country. Describe How many hours per day do you work? do you see around you? Share examples the impacts of these regulations. What will your business do to be socially of good and bad regulations in your responsible, in other words, what will • Describe one economic problem in country (let’s write separate posts for you care about besides profit, and each country. Explain who is hurt by each rule). Government policy can what will you do about it? Tell us why the problem and what causes the be good for the economy if it creates it is better to be your own boss than to problem. good incentives and achieves a good work for someone else. What problems goal. A bad policy may hurt consumers, • How would you solve this problem if have you encountered along the way of businesses, employees, or groups of you were president? setting up and running your business? citizens. Explain how your policy sets Post a picture of something related to • What feature(s) of socialism would right or wrong incentives, and why it is a your business so we can better imagine you recommend for the U.S. to success or a failure. your line of work. borrow from Venezuela, and why? • What feature(s) of capitalism would Respond to at least two other posts. you recommend that Venezuela borrow from the U.S., and why?

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Reflections on a Four-Phase Life

Menoukha Robin Case, Mentor Emerita, Saratoga Springs

he first phase was youth; a bone, terminating waitressing, the second was food service so when the University at Albany T worker-adulthood; the third offered a teaching assistant position, was middle-aged college student to I accepted. Thanks to adjunct income older professor. I’m typical of many and a rent-free nature conservancy of our students who begin education with no running water or electricity, I late in life. made it through without loans.

I never planned to be an academic. I joined SUNY Empire full time just I was an artist/activist with a day after I turned 60 and strived to offer job, concerned with intersections of students the quality of guidance, ecology and social justice, who got support, and freedom I had enjoyed. involved with local farmers to help Each student and colleague I increase their incomes. We sold encountered taught me something. their harvests outside the 25-mile Support for crafting educational radius they serviced and were opportunities let me continue my so successful that we attracted a commitment to ecological and predator from California. He took out social justice concerns in studies five distributors on the East Coast like Roots & Routes of African and landed me on unemployment Diaspora Resistance; Water: Local when I was 45. I found I could collect and Global Perspectives; Introduction benefits for a year and a half instead to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Quigley Photo credit: Michelle of six months if I earned an associate Studies; and American Ethnic History. Menoukha Robin Case at Barrett’s Woods Nature Conservancy. degree, taking 21 credits per term. I had been married to an Ojibwe man That was enough for me, but not who passed the summer I started; in for my mother, who had attended his honor, I created Native American This certificate and my book college in her 60s. Studies offerings. Collaborating (co-written with Allison Craig), with mentors Rhianna Rogers, Cliff SUNY Empire State College sounded Introduction to Feminist Thought Eaglefeathers, Drew Monthie, Allison good. It was gratifying to earn 32 PLA and Action (2019, Routledge), which Craig, Ayana Jamieson, and Verda (prior learning assessment) credits includes five student and five Olayinka, under the guidance of the wonderful professor contributors from SUNY I co-created First Peoples of North Catana Tully (now mentor emerita). Empire, offered me a sense of America; Little Bighorn from a I reveled in independent studies that academic completion. At 71, I was Cheyenne Perspective; Native embraced my anomalous interests. ready for phase four, a return to the American Plants: Decolonizing PLA evaluations altered my self- arts, gardening, and local activism. Indigenous Knowledge, Mythology perception, so when my mother — I’ll teach during spring terms so my and Modern Life; and African again — insisted, I applied to Ph.D. studies remain available. I will be American Experience. Learning from programs per Catana’s advice: These thinking of you and will remain experts in these fields was incredibly funded programs could yield M.A.s in touch. rewarding. Dr. Rogers and I followed on the way through in case I, like the late KD Eaglefeathers’ initiative 50% of doctoral students, stalled at and designed a global Indigenous ABD (all but dissertation). I broke knowledge certificate.

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Snow

Zeeva Bukai, Brooklyn

Zeeva Bukai, a specialist for academic But the girl wouldn’t budge. Berta support, is the winner of the 2017 Curt was afraid to touch her, afraid she’d Johnson Prose Award in Fiction. Here, scream again and alert the guards in she shares a story that was previously the watchtower with their Kalashnikovs published by Flash Fiction Magazine. hanging from their shoulders. She’d We thank Zeeva for permitting us to heard they had no bullets, all the share her writing with our readers. ammunition sent to the front lines, To learn more about Zeeva’s writing, along with the prisoners. Her husband visit https://www.zeevabukai.com/. one of them. Gone. The guards didn’t need to shoot. There was nowhere to run. Beyond the barbed wire fence was erta killed the man with a rock the spruce forest, and beyond that, she found behind barracks C. the tundra. Their one piece of good B Shaped like a potato, it fit in fortune: the camp was near empty. The the palm of her hand. She could not zeks were still at work in the mines. In remember how many times she had hit Kolyma, you either mined tungsten or Photo credit: Ghila Krajzman him, only that he fell without making a tin, or you chopped down the spruce. Zeeva Bukai sound. Her 9-year-old stood with her She was lucky. She worked in the face to the wall. He’d ripped the child’s laundry where a fire always burned skirt and her woolen stockings were under the cauldrons. for food and blankets. She and the girl torn and bunched at the ankles. She made quick work of filling the hole. If A shallow puddle formed around the wore no coat; the afternoon wind bit they were lucky, no one would find him man’s head. She got down on her knees to the bone. A light dusting of snow until next summer when the ground and began to dig, using her hands, fell. Berta wrapped her jacket around thawed. Maybe by then, the war would scraping as much dirt as she could the girl’s shoulders. Just that morning, end, and they would be home. with her fingers. They were bloody in the child had picked the last of the minutes, but she didn’t dare stop. The “Let’s go.” She pulled the child into her summer flowers growing behind the sharp ring of metal on rock brought arms. Berta felt her shudder. If anyone barracks, the blue petals in a heap, her to a halt. Her daughter was there asked, she’d say the girl was sick. In the wilted and crushed. with a shovel. By the time the hole was barrack, they watched snow collect in They’d been in Kolyma two weeks, the big enough, snow fell like nettles. Berta the corners of the windowpane. A gray taste of home still in their mouths. Here rolled the man in, bending his body in dusk fell, obliterating the barracks, the it was September and the ground was half; he seemed asleep inside a womb. barbed wire fence, the forest of spruce already hard, the permafrost beneath pines. The snow outside would change “Don’t look,” she told her daughter, working its way up and the days getting the color of their new world, six inches, and waited for the child to turn away. shorter. Morning frost thick on the seven inches still beating down, but the Berta took a nose plier that she used for windows. Summer in the East was the white could not change all the things mending grommets and yanked hard to length of an exhalation. it covered. remove the gold from his teeth. She’d “Come,” she said. sell it on the black market or parley it

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Universal Design for Learning for Mentors

Allison Moreland, Instructional Designer, Rochester

Outline students. The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) also recognized UDL n our quest to design and develop as valuable for students, describing it as: courses and curricula that are I effective for students, we rely on [A] scientifically-valid framework best practices, instructional design, for guiding educational practice and principles for learning. At SUNY that — (A) provides flexibility in Empire State College, our individualized the ways information is presented, instructional options provide an in the ways students respond opportunity for students to learn in or demonstrate knowledge and a way that best supports them as skills, and in the ways students are individual learners. An approach to engaged, and; (B) reduces barriers instructional design and development, in instruction, provides appropriate known as universal design for learning accommodations, supports, and (UDL), has grown out of a need to challenges, and maintains high provide learning opportunities to achievement expectations for all students with varying abilities. students, including students with Allison Moreland disabilities and students who are When UDL was initially developed by the limited English proficient. (U.S. Center for Applied Special Technology Department of Education, 2008, p. (CAST) in the 1990s it was an approach originally created to help wheelchair 12; CAST, 2016, UDL in the ESSA of to developing instruction for students users navigate over curbs without 2015 section, para. 3) with disabilities. Since then, it has difficulty, but are also beneficial to grown into a methodology for providing The 2015 Every Student Succeeds users who are pushing strollers or multiple means, giving students choices Act (ESSA), which set new standards shopping carts. in their own learning, in effect, for and requirements for students with Over time, universal design principles providing individualized instruction to disabilities and focused on providing adapted to other areas beyond physical students. CAST has defined universal options for standardized testing spaces and product development. One design for learning as, “a framework for students with disabilities (U. S. such example of this is the audiobook. to improve and optimize teaching Department of Education, 2015). While Originally, the audiobook was developed and learning for all people based on this act focused on the K-12 learning as a way to present written material to scientific insights into how humans space, the importance placed on blind and visually impaired readers but learn” (CAST, n.d., para. 1). using the principles of UDL to adapt has become the fastest-growing market technology for assessment design Further endorsement of UDL principles for the publishing industry (Rowe, 2019). for all levels of learning cannot came from the 2010 Department Those who wish to listen to audiobooks be understated. of Education’s National Education while they commute to and from work Technology Plan, which focused on can consume books while they are The Origins of Universal UDL’s benefit to all learners (Meyer, driving or otherwise unable to focus on Design for Learning Rose, & Gordon, 2014). UDL has reading a paper or an electronic copy been adapted for higher education UDL is rooted in the concepts of of a book. This flexibility is another and in 2008, it was recognized as a universal design in architecture and example of the goals of universal design: best practice in the Higher Education product development. The universal providing users with a choice in how Opportunity Act (HEOP), which described design movement focused on making they consume information. it as key for many college students physical spaces and products that are In addition, the development of digital (U.S. Department of Education, 2008; designed to be accessible universally; media technologies that arose as a Ingram, Lyons, Bowron, & Oliver, 2012), that is, any user of the space should result of the internet revolution allowed including, I would say, SUNY Empire be able to access it without special for the development of learning adaptation. An example of this is curb materials that are truly flexible and cutouts in parking lots, which were

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 83 adaptable, enabling users to consume UDL Principles information in a way that is comfortable UDL is a set of principles that guide for them. It allows for greater instructional designers and mentors individuality in the learning experience, to develop study materials that are as well as for greater experience accessible to all learners. As it is with multimedia. UDL provides the focused on the variability and expertise pedagogical framework for using of learners, UDL offers flexibility and these various technologies in support choice. At its core, universal design, and of learning that can reach everyone by extension UDL, is: (Meyer, Rose, & Gordon, 2014). As an example, the migration of the book from • Supportive: It makes environments, exclusively printed material to digital including learning environments, media allows for end-user customization work for the individual, stressing Figure 1. Engagement: For purposeful, motivated of font and text size via e-book reader to ease of use, and maintenance. learners, stimulate interest and motivation add to ease of reading. • Adaptable: It serves a wide range for learning. (© 2020 CAST, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.) It is worth noting that UDL is often used of users whose needs change over to create opportunities for students time, such as age-related disabilities Provide Multiple Means with disabilities through enhanced use such as loss of vision, hearing, or of Engagement of online technologies (Tobin, 2014). motor skills. At the same time, Tobin was quick to • Accessible: The everyday comforts The first guideline suggests that point out that UDL goes beyond simply and conveniences that most providing multiple avenues of accommodating students, and also individuals enjoy are provided to all engagement means that we give provides multiple means to learn as users of the environment. opportunities for students to self- well as equal opportunity for students regulate, sustain effort and persistence, with disabilities to access learning. UDL • Safe: It not only provides and recruit interest. Techniques guidelines give educators simple tools environments and tools for the that support multiple means of for modifying content that will support presently disabled but also actually engagement include: all learners. anticipates and prevents disabilities such as repetitive strain injuries • Developing self-assessment and reflection. Expert Learning and (Meyer, Rose, & Gordon, 2014). Variability of Learners • Varying demands and resources UDL Guidelines to encourage challenge. UDL is based in scientific research in neuroscience and is comprised of a set UDL provides guidelines for developing • Encouraging collaboration of principles for course development studies, selecting materials, and creating and community. learning opportunities that take into that account for learner variability and • Highlighting the relevance account the wide variability of learners provide all people equal opportunity of goals and objectives. to learn (CAST, 2014). The UDL in higher education environments. It is a framework suggests that learners exist blueprint for creating instructional goals, • Optimizing individual choice on a continuum of development and methods, materials, and assessments. and autonomy. expertise in an area of study and that These guidelines address various • Minimizing threats and distractions this variability in learners dictates that outcomes of different learners. Affective (CAST, 2018). different means of presenting content networks provide multiple means of In practice, online learning activities allows mentors to reach students where engagement, which seek to develop could include such activities as a they are. Each learner has different purposeful, motivated learners. reflective journal, in which students levels of expertise and preferred ways of Recognition networks provide multiple think deeply about their learning learning. Each is guided by motivation, means of representation, which throughout the course. In an online practice, and reflection throughout the develop resourceful and knowledgeable course, mentors/faculty can create learning process. learners. Finally, strategic networks learning outcomes for each module to provide multiple means of action and guide student learning. It is important to expression, which develop goal-directed focus on goals that are measurable and learners (CAST, 2018). outcome-oriented. Bloom’s taxonomy (Armstrong, 2020) is a resource that

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 84 can help with identifying goals that In online courses, this means providing • Allowing for multiple are meaningful and outcome-oriented. captions for videos and alternative representations (e.g., formulas, The focus on learning at different text for visual elements in a course. word problems, graphs). skill levels is critical to facilitating our It also means that we call attention • Providing language translation. students’ learning. to discipline-specific vocabulary and syntax. We use multiple media to share • Using advance organizers (e.g., information. As an example of this, KWL method [know, want to know, mentors/faculty could provide both a learned], concept maps). video and a detailed transcript of the • Using multiple examples. video contents, along with a description of what is occurring on-screen. • Providing checklists, organizers, reminders, and graphic organizers. • Offering ways of customizing the display of information. • Blocking or chunking modules to group similar ideas (CAST, 2018). Practically, this means providing Figure 2. Representation: For resourceful, accessible tools and alternatives for knowledgeable learners, present information interacting with the content. Mentors/ and content in different ways. (© 2020 CAST, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.) faculty can use different types of media to convey information. Much of Provide Multiple Means this is incorporated into the learning of Representation management system, but mentors/ Figure 3. Action & Expression: For strategic, faculty should be aware of these The second guideline encourages the goal-directed learners, differentiate the ways features. When structuring a course, it is use of techniques that provide multiple that students can express what they know. important to give students appropriate means of representation. This means (© 2020 CAST, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.) scaffolding to build upon prior learning. that we provide students with more Graphic organizers can be used so that than one way to access information by Provide Multiple Means of students can take structured notes. providing options for comprehension, Action and Expression Students can be given the choice in language and symbols, and perception. assignment type by allowing them Techniques that support multiple means The third guideline provides multiple to choose how they will submit an of engagement include: means of action, and expression gives assignment. When an essay is assigned, us direction to provide options for • Activating or supplying the option to create a video or do a executive functioning, expression and background knowledge. presentation to classmates can be given. communication, and physical action. Providing these options for students • Highlighting patterns, These include: doesn’t mean that they are being “given critical features, big ideas, • Guiding appropriate goal setting. a pass”; there are still standards in the and relationships. course and all students should be held • Supporting planning and • Guiding information processing to these standards. strategy development. and visualization. • Using multiple media • Clarifying vocabulary and symbols. What Mentors Can Do for communication. • Clarifying syntax and structure. A little goes a long way: Any effort made • Varying the methods for response toward using UDL in courses will benefit • Illustrating ideas and concepts and navigation. our students. Tobin (2014) offered five through multiple media. • Optimizing access to tools and strategies for incorporating UDL in • Offering ways of customizing the assistive technologies. online courses. Mentors/faculty can start display of information. with the text to focus on the content, • Using text alternatives for visuals. eliminating non-relevant content from • Offering alternatives for auditory or • Allowing the use of text-to-speech the course. Next, they can create visual information (CAST, 2018). tools or digital text. alternatives by using closed-captioning or alternative text to convey information in different ways. Additionally, they

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 85 can allow students to choose their The bottom line: I suggest mentors/ Ingram, R., Lyons, B., Bowron, R., & paths by providing different options for faculty make one change each term in Oliver, J. (2012). Higher education assignment submission. Then, they can each of their online courses. It doesn’t online course accessibility issues: go step-by-step through course content, have to be done all at once. When Universal design. Review of Higher offering scaffolding and logical breaks, they start small, over time they will Education and Self-Learning, 5(16), and giving students opportunities to incorporate more UDL practices into 143–154. practice. Finally, mentors/faculty can their courses, moving from one course Meyer, A., Rose, D. H., & Gordon, D. create content that all users can view to all courses. (2014). Universal design for learning: or interact with, using tools that are Theory and practice. Wakefield, MA: accessible and easy for faculty and References CAST Professional Publishing. students to learn. Armstrong, P. (2020). Bloom’s taxonomy. Rowe, A. (2019). U.S. audiobook sales In addition, Tobin (2014) offered a Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt. neared $1 billion in 2018, growing path for making content accessible edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms- 25% year-over-year. Retrieved to all students. Initially, mentors/ taxonomy/ from https://www.forbes.com/ faculty might focus on taking 20-minute CAST. (n.d.). About universal design sites/adamrowe1/2019/07/16/ increments to enhance individual for learning. Retrieved from us-audiobook-sales-neared-1-billion- learning activities, for example, to http://www.cast.org/our-work/ in-2018-growing-25-year-over- create a video to supplement lecture about-udl.html#.Xy2iCud7mM8 year/#3c79156c6050 notes. Second, they can focus on what can be accomplished in 20 days. They CAST. (2016). UDL in the ESSA. Retrieved Tobin, T. J. (2014). Increase online could ask a colleague or instructional from http://www.cast.org/whats- student retention with universal designer to provide objective feedback new/news/2016/udl-in-the-essa. design for learning. Quarterly Review on course structure and learning html#.Xy2pOed7mM_ of Distance Education, 15(3), 13–24. activities to identify opportunities to CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning U.S. Department of Education. (2008). change learning activities and not the guidelines version 2.2 [Graphic Public law 110-315-Aug. 14, 2008. structure. Finally, in the next 20 months, organizer]. Retrieved from Higher Education Opportunity Act. mentors/faculty can focus on the larger http://udlguidelines.cast. Retrieved from https://www.govinfo. issues in course design, such as how org/binaries/content/assets/ gov/content/pkg/PLAW-110publ315/ students are accessing content and udlguidelines/udlg-v2-2/udlg_ pdf/PLAW-110publ315.pdf areas in the course that consistently graphicorganizer_v2-2_numbers- give students problems. U.S. Department of Education. (2015). no.pdf Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/essa

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Pieces of My Life’s Journey: Some Reflections

MaryNell Morgan-Brown, Mentor Emerita, Saratoga Springs

“Our life is more than our work needed stitches, but ashes and spider And our work is more than our jobs” webs were used to treat me. Getting me to a doctor or an emergency room — Charlie King, “Our Life is More was not an available option. I still have Than Our Work” (1992, 0:25) a visible flat scar, instead of a rope of stitch marks that reminds me every day of that fateful incident and my uring the seventh decade of active childhood. Since I tend to keloid, I my life, I retired from my job presume that stitches would have left a as an educator. However, my D more prominent scar than did the sterile work as an educator, scholar, and ashes and spider webs. singer will continue for the rest of my productive life. In 2018, I wrote a “not Another key memory from my child to be published” retirement letter care job involves my water fountain with the theme “A New Beginning.” story. My employers took me to a five- I thought it was the first draft of a and-dime store in Albany, Georgia. longer “open letter” that I would Since I was a precocious child, I was not MaryNell Morgan-Brown write about my journey at the State closely supervised. I remember that I University of New York Empire State felt thirsty. I went looking for a water and I were always told to wait outside. College “to be published” in All About fountain. I found two fountains that I realized later that there was a soda Mentoring. I have been struggling with stood next to each other. One fountain fountain in the drug store. My Mother this writing project, haunted by the looked like dingy, white porcelain. did not want to explain to us that we COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic; the The word “Colored” was above it. The could not be served — even if she had routine, unchecked murder of Black other fountain looked like clean, shiny had the money. people by police; the dismantling of the stainless steel. The word “White” was country’s representative democracy; above. At age 9, I had never seen that My child care work continued into my environmental destruction; a crisis in before. I reasoned that the words above teen years. My eighth grade teacher and capitalism; and so much more. It has the fountains described the color of the lifelong mentor convinced my mother to almost become an “open book” on water. I wanted “white,” cool water, not allow me to become a live-in companion my entire life’s journey thus far. As I try colored (Kool-Aid?) from a fountain that for her daughter and son. After I left to awaken from what seems to be a looked dirty. A female store clerk caught for college, one of my younger sisters never-ending daze, I want to share me taking a drink from the “White” stepped into that role. Our teacher- many memories of my seven decades fountain. I have suppressed the memory mentor became a part of our extended of evolving, learning, working, singing, of what happened between the time I family. Sadly, as this article was in and traveling. was snatched away from the fountain preparation, Mrs. Eddie Rhea Walker, and taken to my employers. She told our teacher-mentor, passed away. The Early Work and Learning Memories them what I had done and said that if I Celebration of her life was held on didn’t know how to read, they’d better October 10, 2020, her 83rd birthday, in My reflections on my work begin at age teach me. Upon reflection, my thought Americus, Georgia. 9. I was a caregiver for three children. was that I could read very well, probably They were not my siblings. It was my job In addition to child care, I did farm work. better than the store clerk! I just didn’t to keep them safe, fed, and entertained. I chopped cotton. I was supposed to use want “colored” water. I did that to the satisfaction of their my hoe to remove the weeds. I removed parents, who were farmers. While I kept My Mother had never allowed me to the cotton, too, unintentionally. I was the 2-, 4-, and 6-year-old children safe, go into a store. We lived in a very rural better at child care. I shook peanuts. I I suffered a very serious injury to my area. I had only been into town to go really didn’t like being covered head- right knee. I cut it to the bone on a piece to the health clinic. After the visit to to-toe by the dirt that I shook off the of tin that was covering the fireplace. the clinic, my Mother would go into the peanuts. I tasseled corn. Cornstalk I could see the gristle of my knee. I drug store and my brothers and sisters leaves can cut like a sharp knife, even if

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 87 you wear long sleeves. I picked peaches. care, education, food, and clothing. It I was allergic to the stinging fur on most “I picked cotton. You was familiar territory. I had personal varieties of peaches. I picked cotton. experience with all of it. I thought You are considered to be a good cotton are considered to be that my work was making a concrete picker if you can pick 200 or more a good cotton picker difference in peoples’ lives. pounds a day. I struggled to pick 150 pounds. Typical pay was 2 to 3 cents per if you can pick 200 or Striving for Higher Education pound. Part of my problem was that I more pounds a day. Several years of providing direct social wanted my cotton to be clean and dry services led me to think that I could — not a good idea. Much of the farm I struggled to pick contribute to policymaking at the work that I did was sharecropping in a 150 pounds.” management level. In addition to my situation of peonage. experience, I thought that I needed My first memory of earning money was and one in education. I continued the a master’s degree in social work at age 5. I sold a pumpkin for a nickel. pattern of working while learning. (MSW). To increase my options for I grew it in the garden that MaMa, During the academic year, I was a advancement, I switched my pursuit my great-grandmother, taught me to work-study student in Mercer’s library. from an MSW to a master’s degree cultivate. Gardening was more natural The summer after my freshman in public administration (MPA). I was for me than cash crop farm work. I loved year, I worked for the United States awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship; it, and I loved school. The teachers at my Department of Agriculture (USDA) in I took a leave of absence from my segregated elementary, middle, and high Americus, Georgia, in the Commodity social work at DFCS and completed the schools believed that I had potential Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), now MPA at Atlanta University (AU) (now and encouraged and supported my known as the Supplemental Nutrition Clark Atlanta University [CAU]). With learning. During the summer after my Assistance Program (SNAP). The next enthusiastic encouragement from my sophomore high school year, I worked summer, I worked for the Bibb County graduate school professors, I accepted as a teacher’s assistant in a Head Start Recreation Department in Macon, a second Ford Foundation Fellowship in program. Farm work, including picking Georgia. Thereafter, I took classes the political science Ph.D. program and cotton, was becoming mechanized. during the summer and supplemented was hired as an assistant professor in Great Society programs, like Head Start, those earnings with the $25 monthly the MPA program I had just completed. were becoming available. After my allowance provided by my proud While working on my MPA, I had junior high school year, I got my first maternal Auntie. supplemented my fellowship by working taste of college. I applied for and was part time as an equal employment selected as a participant in a summer I completed my A.B. degree in English opportunity specialist (EEOS) for the mathematics program at Florida and got a job as a high school teacher United States Department of Commerce Agricultural and Mechanical University of English, grammar, and literature for (USDC) in Atlanta. My job as an EEOS (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida. FAMU the 10th and 11th grades in Talbotton, was to review applications for USDC is among the historically Black colleges Georgia. Prior to teaching at the high funds to determine whether the and universities (HBCU). At the end of school level, I had had experience with applicant had complied with affirmative that summer, I knew that college was reasonably well-behaved young children. action guidelines. I learned a lot and for me. But I didn’t know how I would Teenagers were more of a challenge. I gave some thought to becoming a pay for it. Some of them, especially the male athletes, seemed to think I was their career U.S. government bureaucrat. In retrospect, higher education was the Learning and Working peer, not their teacher. right choice for me. After High School I taught high school for one year, and I was valedictorian of my high school then took a job as a social worker for Teaching and Learning as an Educator class. I received scholarships, grants, the Georgia Division of Family and When I accepted my first tenure-stream and loans to attend college and Children Services (DFCS). After a year in faculty appointment at Xavier University complete my undergraduate degree at rural Harris County (Hamilton, Georgia), of Louisiana (XULA), New Orleans, Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. I transferred to urban Fulton County Louisiana, my “highest degree” was Mercer University is a predominantly (Atlanta, Georgia). Having grown up in ABD (all but dissertation). I completed white university that admitted a Black a multigenerational household as one my dissertation, “The Souls of Women student for the first time in 1965. I of 10 children, I felt grateful to be able Folk in the Political Thought of William entered in 1967, majoring in English to work with families who needed help Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois” with two minors: one in mathematics with services related to housing, health

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(Morgan, 1987), while teaching a full talent expositions to raise money for they demonstrated throughout the load of four courses each semester in the music department. Our group was term. That grading philosophy provided the political science department. My called The Fabulous Doo-Wops! Singing, guidance for writing my CE narratives. studies at AU, designed with a specific like work, has been a constant activity I regularly recruited new students for focus on African American experiences, throughout my life. the college by conducting information had prepared me to be a generalist My career in higher education spanned sessions in the evenings, after regular by requiring concentrations in four more than four decades and included business hours. At other colleges subfields of political science. My four teaching at Atlanta University, Xavier in my life, new student recruitment fields were American government University of Louisiana, Skidmore was done mostly by a professional and politics, public administration, College (Saratoga Springs, New York), employee in the registrar’s office and by urban government and politics, and the University at Albany (SUNY), Williams alumni associations. Actively recruiting international relations. At XU, I taught College (Williamstown, Massachusetts), new students was one of several courses in all of those fields. AU had and SUNY Empire State College. administrative activities that were developed the political science Ph.D. part of my work as a member of the program to prepare graduates to From Professor to Mentor, faculty. Rather than joining an academic teach in small departments that often a Transformation department, housed on a single campus, require faculty to teach across several I joined a small unit (Saratoga), which subfields. It also turned out to be During my 27 years at SUNY Empire was a satellite location of the Northeast excellent preparation for teaching (1991–2018), my faculty role as Center (NEC) in a geographically and at SUNY Empire. mentor-coordinator proved to be a administratively decentralized college. transformative experience. I changed Carrying a full teaching load while Teaching during the summer months from working with “students” in a researching — with intense interest became the norm rather than an option. classroom setting, primarily, to working and great joy — the extensive original Instead of school year holidays, I earned with “learners” one-to-one, mostly writings by Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, as well annual leave and sick leave in the same face-to-face, and sometimes via postal as writings by scholars who studied way as New York state employees. I mail. Most of the learners with whom him, kept me busy. In addition, I was filled out a time and attendance report I worked identified as white, in their traveling to and actively participating each month. Let it suffice to say that it mid-30s, employed full time, enrolled in professional conferences as a was necessary for me to demonstrate for half-time study, and navigating the regular research paper presenter the veracity of my resume’s statement challenge of balancing work, study, and in leadership roles in academic that “I am flexible and I learn quickly.” family, and other responsibilities and associations. Among my current and interests; the kind of balancing that has past organizational affiliations are the A New Vocabulary: The SUNY always been a part of my life. National Conference of Black Political Empire Alphabet Soup Scientists (NCOBPS — I am a life SUNY Empire was founded for these At SUNY Empire, members of the member); the American Political Science nontraditional students. Rather than by faculty, as well as students, develop a Association (APSA); the American Society the number of courses taught during new vocabulary. Faculty are mentors for Public Administration (APSA); the each term, my workload was counted and tutors rather than professors or Association for the Study of African by the number of full-time-equivalent instructors. Prior to joining the faculty at American Life and History (ASALH — students. I wrote a learning contract (LC) SUNY Empire, my definition of “mentor” I am a life member); the African for each student, instead of a syllabus had been someone who takes you Heritage Studies Association (AHSA); for each course. At the end of a term, I under their wing and guides you in their the American Association of University wrote a contract evaluation (CE) instead area(s) of expertise of knowledge and Women (AAUW); the National Women’s of awarding a letter grade. Prior to skill. I understood “tutor” to be someone Studies Association (NWSA); the coming to SUNY Empire, I would tell who helped a student to successfully Association of Black Women Historians students on the first day of class that learn a subject that was difficult for her/ (ABWH); and the People’s Music Network if I were required to give a final grade him. At SUNY Empire, I revised those for Songs of Freedom and Struggle on that day, everyone would get an definitions; a mentor is a faculty advisor (PMN-SFS). In addition to all those A. Whether they would still have that who serves as a liaison to the college’s obligations, I pursued my passion for grade at the end of the term would resources, and a tutor is an instructor. singing by joining the alto section of the depend upon the assignments that Members of the faculty wear both of New Orleans Black Chorale. For fun, and they completed and the learning that those hats: mentor and tutor. These by popular demand, I sang with three of my XULA colleagues at faculty and staff

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 89 are just two of the concepts that take to 8 introductory or lower-level credits seemingly unrelated classics would on new meanings in this nontraditional of college-level learning in accounting. be unique, informative, and probably college for adult learners. The credits are determined by what provocative reading in exploring what you need to know to do the work, not it means to be an educated person and The college’s glossary includes by how long you have been doing the the importance of education for an nontraditional concepts and acronyms work. Bubble burst! Then reinflated individual, a group, a nation, and the that I refer to as the SUNY Empire by finding out that the student had world. The classics are Narrative of the “alphabet soup.” A number of acronyms college-level learning in business law (8 Life of Frederick Douglass, an American evolved during my tenure. Two of credits, introductory), taxation (4 credits, Slave by Frederick Douglass (1845) and great and enduring significance are the introductory), recruiting and training The Souls of Black Folk by Du Bois (1903). degree program plan (DPP) and credit (4 credits, advanced or upper level), In part, my rationale is that through by evaluation (CBE), also known, more supervising (4 credits, advanced), and these books, students would examine recently, as prior learning assessment practicum (16 credits, advanced — the their understanding of the educated (PLA). One practice that I adopted as equivalent of one full-time term). So, person and the importance of questions a way to facilitate an understanding toward the 64 credits needed for two about education through the lens of of SUNY Empire was to say that at the years of college, the student is eligible African American experiences, and undergraduate level, the entire college for 44 credits based on work experience. would see the universality of the value is a college without walls. In a college In the area of life interests, the student of education in social, political, cultural, without walls, each student, along with had learned the theory and practice economic, scientific, and all aspects of input from their advisor or mentor, of the blues harmonica (4 credits, human experiences. designs their individualized curriculum introductory). This total is less than what or DPP. Most prospective and Several questions are explored. What might amount to two years of college matriculated SUNY Empire students are can be learned from the criminalization courses, yet it is a substantial number drawn to the college because they want of education for enslaved people? of credits for less than the cost of to be awarded credits for college-level How did Douglass devise independent tuition. The cost is incurred in the time learning acquired through their work learning strategies? What do we learn commitment and the labor-intensive experiences and life interests. about the value of a Black person’s life? process of identifying and validating the Although Douglass’ autobiographical Throughout my tenure at SUNY Empire, students’ learning. Narrative, the first of three book-length the constant features of my work were autobiographies — Narrative of the Life the challenges and rewards of helping The Only “Required” Course of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave students design a DPP and successfully at SUNY Empire (1845); My Bondage and My Freedom acquire CBE or PLA credits (especially Much of the work of developing a DPP is (1855); and Life and Times of Frederick individualized PLA [iPLA]). The process part of a unique course that is variously Douglass (1881; rev. 1892) — covers starts in an information session for called Educational Planning, Academic his life from childhood to his self- prospective students. Many, if not Planning, or Degree Program Planning. emancipation, students would often most prospective students come to an During my tenure, all undergraduate find online and read an abbreviated information session because they have students were required to complete a biography that includes highlights heard that the college awards credit for minimum of 4 credits of educational of his life after enslavement. Those work and other life experiences. Without planning studies. The ultimate goal of highlights include his work as an scaring the student away, the process educational planning is the design of an abolitionist, women’s suffrage advocate, of defining “credits for experience” individualized curriculum or program of and his government jobs that included as “the award of credit for college- study. In addition, students or learners diplomatic appointments in Haiti and level learning” must begin during that might explore what it means to be an the Dominican Republic. information session. educated person. They are encouraged In 1903, more than a half-century How does one sustain the interest of a to develop an understanding of liberal after the publication of Douglass’ 1845 prospective student who is hoping that and applied learning, the difference Narrative, W.E.B. Du Bois published a 10 years of work experience should between introductory and advanced- collection of 14 essays on the history equal two years of college credits? I level learning, and the difference and sociology of African Americans titled tried to do that by sharing an example between associate and bachelor’s The Souls of Black Folk. While the entire of an actual student who had been degrees of arts and sciences. book is about education, the essay that keeping the books for 12 years in a After a few years of designing and most easily allows a comparison to small family business. The knowledge redesigning my Educational Planning Douglass’ Narrative is “Of the Coming of needed for that work was equivalent learning contract, I decided that two John,” the only fictionalized essay in the

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 90 book. I refer to the essay as “faction” Person; 4) The Rationale Essay. My late bumps. Sometimes there were no because it is based on true stories colleague, George Pilkey, and I co-led words, just a sound that revealed her from Du Bois’ experiences of living, a discussion of the question of what sorrow, her struggles, and her joy. Her learning, and teaching in the South. “Of it means to be an educated person the Coming of John” is the story of John and the questions generated by the Jones, Black, and John Henderson, white. Douglass and Du Bois readings in study “Sometimes there As children, they were playmates in a group number 3. were no words, just a rural Georgia town. They both went off It should be noted that at the NEC, to college and people looked forward to sound that revealed her after the DPP was completed in the day when they would come home the Ed Planning study, it would be sorrow, her struggles, and use their education in the service reviewed by a faculty committee and of their separate communities. While and her joy.” an assessment specialist to ensure that they were away, their paths crossed via appropriate guidelines for the area of an incident that sharpened John Jones’ study, concentration or major, general awareness of white skin privilege and amazing voice was only shared at home learning, and the type of degree had compelled him to take his opportunity to and in our small Baptist church. In our been followed. After review at the center get a college education more seriously. church, there was no organ, no piano, level, a final review would be conducted He returned home and started a school. no drums or instruments; just our voices at the collegewide level to confirm that John Henderson returned home with and our bodies — hand clapping, foot the student had designed a degree that the intention of enjoying the leisurely stomping, finger snapping — making could be awarded by SUNY Empire. I life that his father’s wealth assured him. a joyful noise and praising God! Our have always thought that this labor- Again, they met, they clashed, and the singing was a cappella. I still prefer it. intensive process involves too much ending was tragic for both of them. duplication of effort. Renowned folk singer, songwriter, and Throughout the story, the attitudes activist for social justice, Pete Seeger, Mentors in a small unit work with toward education are inserted. once told me that what he noticed students who are pursuing a degree According to his father, education about my singing was that it is “so free” in any and all of the areas of study will make John Henderson into a and that he wanted to help people “like available at the college. I did that; in man; but it will spoil John Jones. In [me]” build a career in music. He told doing so, I deepened my appreciation the story, the educational value of me this as an aside after I had sung my of The Souls of Black Folk as a experiencing the exhilaration of arts and praise song (“Soldiers for Freedom”) for multidisciplinary teaching and learning cultural expressions is acknowledged. Paul Robeson at a summer gathering resource. Also, it is my songbook. Each Probably, most importantly, education of the Peoples’ Music Network — Songs of the 14 chapters is headed by bars of is portrayed as a tool for liberation. for Freedom and Struggle (PMN-SFS). music from a traditional spiritual: “The Discussions of these readings were Pete demonstrated the seriousness of Sorrow Songs,” and lines of poetry from engaging and enlightening for students his observation by graciously headlining the literary canon of the 19th century. in all of SUNY Empire’s areas of study. a concert in May 2009 in Greenwich, Dr. Du Bois (1903) said these songs are New York, that included performances the only American music. They are the Sharing Educational Planning by local musicians. I was the primary expressions of an “unhappy people” Learning Resources organizer and one of the performers that voice sorrow as well as struggle, at the event. Sometimes I wonder what Several of my colleagues at the triumph, and jubilation. might have happened if I had further Northeast Center incorporated portions It has been and will continue to be my followed up with Pete on his comment. of the Du Bois reading into their life’s work to learn from and teach the individualized Educational Planning Throughout my life, I have been singing. lessons found in The Souls of Black Folk learning contracts (EP-LC). At the former For the last three decades, I have been by Du Bois (1903), a significant textbook Saratoga Unit of the NEC, students singing with and have been a member in virtually all of the social sciences, participated in a study group that of the PMN-SFS. Pete Seeger was a arts, and humanities disciplines, supplemented their individualized founding member of this association including music! EP-LC. Working as a team, mentors at of singer-songwriters that provides a the Saratoga Unit held four specifically network for socially conscious artists Singing “The Sorrow Songs” focused study group meetings: 1) The who are workers for a just society. After Degree Planning Process and Career My earliest memories of singing begin retiring, I had planned to sing more than Resources: Finishing Your DPP on with my mother’s mournful crooning just for PMN-SFS gatherings and for Time; 2) PLA Requests; 3) The Educated in a voice that literally gave me chill special celebrations of historic people

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 91 like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Roll Niger Roll.” In Lagos, Nigeria, I was of “The Funeral Procession,” you will Jr., Harriet Tubman, Du Bois, and others. hosted by a Yoruba family. The children see Maya Angelou in the foreground I am still working to make that happen. spoke to me in their native language and you will get a glimpse of me in the because they thought I was a member background (p. 176). During this trip, I Travel is a Learning and of their tribe. My research focused on promised Levering Lewis that I would Teaching Resource the impact of petroleum on the political, get permission to give him contact economic, and social conditions in information for Dr. Y. Du Bois Williams Traveling has contributed significantly to Nigeria. (now Irvin), granddaughter of W.E.B. my learning, my work, and my singing. Du Bois. The promise was kept; Du The extent of my travels is minor, but In Dakar, Senegal, I was hosted by a Bois and I still talk about her interview the impact of my travels is major. I have Wolof family. The children spoke to with her grandpa’s biographer. We made meaningful visits to about half me in French, their official language. also discuss our memories of her talk of the states in the USA. One of the My research project in Dakar, Senegal, at SUNY Empire as part of a Women’s most memorable is my trip to Honolulu, focused on food production and and Gender Studies Residency. My Hawaii, for the annual meeting of distribution. I was keenly interested in conversations with Du Bois also include the American Society for Public the role of women in agriculture and recollections of my interviews with her. Administration. I have vivid memories in the ways that colonization adversely One was for my dissertation and one of the black sand on the beach, the affected subsistent and cash crop was for a biography of her grandma, stunning beauty of the people and the farming. While in Dakar, I visited the Nina Gomer Du Bois, her grandpa’s vegetation, the luau that featured a castle on Gorée Island where enslaved first wife. We often speak about our tutorial on the pig roasting process, the Africans were kept until they walked collaborations on lectures at several missed opportunity to taste authentic through the “door of no return” to board colleges and universities. In 2006, we poi, and the genuine sense of joy that a ship bound for either North or South participated in a weeklong convention was exuded by conference participants. America or the Caribbean Islands. I had to celebrate the 100th anniversary My memories of the conference the visceral experience of standing near of the Niagara Movement’s meeting sessions are vague. that door. at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. I traveled to Jamaica to attend the Many of my most significant memories Memorably, the late U.S. Senator Robert destination wedding of a Jamaican and are from my visit to Accra, Ghana, as Carlyle Byrd was one of the speakers, a Nigerian in Ocho Rios. I was a part of part of a group of educators, artists, even to his surprise. The event was a group of mostly Nigerian graduate and activists. William Strickland, African open to the public, sponsored by students who were studying in the American studies professor and director the U.S. National Park Service, and a USA. We made a harrowing bus trip of the Du Bois papers collection at the group from the Ku Klux Klan made a from Ocho Rios to the U.S. Embassy University of Massachusetts Amherst, taunting appearance. There was an in Kingston to get visas for the foreign assembled an impressive group of impressive roster of participants and students to return to Atlanta, Georgia. scholars, artists, and racial justice attendees. When I write my memoir, I learned important lessons about U.S. advocates that included David Graham this event will have its own chapter. immigration policies and infrastructure, Du Bois, David Levering Lewis, Maya We also talk about how close proximity especially about the roads in developing Angelou, Betty Shabazz, Tom Feeling, to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, countries. That was my first of several Roberta Flack, Charshee McIntyre, influenced my decision to move to trips to the Caribbean across a period of Eleanor Traylor, several additional Saratoga Springs, temporarily, at first, almost five decades. I have also traveled celebrities, and me. The primary and then permanently. Recollections of to Europe and, more recently, my purpose of our trip was to reenter the conversations and other projects with husband took me on a Mediterranean body of Du Bois and to inaugurate Du Bois also include reflections on her cruise to celebrate a milestone birthday the establishment of the W.E.B. Du interview with Louis Massiah, director and my forthcoming retirement. Bois Memorial Centre for Pan African and producer of the documentary Culture. David Levering Lewis was doing W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four I am especially grateful for my travels research for his Pulitzer Prize-winning, Voices (Massiah, 1996). I was one of to several countries in West Africa. two-volume biography of Dr. Du Bois. I the consultants and I have been and Among the countries that I visited are was doing research for my dissertation remain a fellow traveler on a journey Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Ivory on Dr. Du Bois and women’s issues. to promote and preserve the life and Coast, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana. There is an article as well as pictures of legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois. I waded in the Bani (Mali) and the this historic event in an issue of Ebony Niger (Mali and Nigeria) rivers and was magazine (Whitaker, 1986). If you look inspired to write a song, “Roll Bani Roll, closely at the left side of the picture

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My Journey Continues into reflections, I marvel at the volume and memorable is my service as chairwoman “A New Beginning” variety of work and opportunities that is of the college senate (1995–1996) during the complex web of SUNY Empire! the year that SUNY Empire celebrated its Traveling invigorated my work as a 25th anniversary! mentor-coordinator. Mentors shared My work with the Underground Railroad the coordination of the Saratoga Unit. History Project of the Capital Region I am thankful to SUNY Empire for Our collaborations strengthened our (URHPCR) has been a major part of my awarding me two, yearlong sabbaticals collegiality and enhanced our work scholarship, service to the community, (1998–1999 and 2008–2009); for with students. Through intra-unit and service to SUNY Empire. Currently, accommodating a leave of absence collaboration, we developed model and for the last 15 years, I have served for me to accept the Sterling Brown study groups taught by the entire on the planning committee for the Visiting Professor of Africana Studies team (or roster) of full- and part-time URHPCR’s annual Underground Railroad professorship at Williams College mentors, for example, Educational Public History Conference. In 2016, (fall 2005); for accommodating my Planning, and Perspectives on Analytical SUNY Empire was one of the sponsors participation in the National Endowment Thinking and Writing.” Team members of the annual conference. The dean of for the Humanities (NEH) Summer were Karen Garner, Elaine Handley, the Northeast Center, several of my Institute titled “The Significance of Linda Jones, the late George Pilkey, colleagues and students attended the Place in African American Biography,” Kathy Tarrant, and me. Elaine Handley opening keynote address as well as sponsored by the Massachusetts College and I co-taught a study group on U.S. panel presentations during the weekend of Liberal Arts (MCLA), Williams College, Slavery in History and Art (4 credits), conference sessions. The conference and the Upper Housatonic Valley African and U.S. Slavery in Literature (4 credits). serves as a learning resource for American Heritage Trail (2011); for Through NEC cross-center collaboration, students and provides opportunities providing professional development we developed a team-taught study for presenting scholarly and creative funds for attending and making group on U.S. political experiences work that focuses on the history of scholarly presentations at academic called Liberty and Justice for All? Team the Underground Railroad Movement, conferences; and for recognizing the members were Christopher Grill, Nadine then and now. In 2014, I conducted value of my scholarship in the form of Wedderburn, Ralph English, Efrat Levy, the annual Educators’ Workshop for a Scholars Across the College award Joseph Yogtiba, Sylvain Nagler, and me. teachers in the Capital Region. My (2003–2004). My study group session focused on workshop title was “Education, Equality, My journey at SUNY Empire has political participation and voting. Chris and Electoral Politics: Teaching W.E.B. enhanced my professional and personal Grill and I co-taught study groups on Du Bois.” Teachers were awarded development while allowing me to U.S. political processes, institutions, continuing education credits for contribute to making a difference in the and issues such as “So You Want to be participating in the workshop. lives of students, colleagues, and the President,” which included an October Throughout my tenure at SUNY Empire, larger community. It has been a privilege 2012 collegewide teach-in titled “Vote! workload loomed large in the form to serve a publicly-supported university Or Let Others Decide!” Through further of the number of primary mentees system in a college established to give collegewide collaboration, I participated (advisees); the number of different working adults the opportunity to earn a in planning, teaching, and singing at studies or learning contracts; and college degree. women’s studies and cultural diversity the amount of administrative and residencies. The team members are I will close with a statement from the governance work in the form of service too many to list here. I remember letter I mentioned at the beginning on committees at the unit, center, and introducing our keynote speakers, of this essay. “My retirement marks a collegewide levels. Barbara Seals Nevergold and Peggy milestone that is a New Beginning in my Brooks-Bertram (2009), editors of My service in college governance life and work. I treasure my memories Go, Tell Michelle, at the Women’s and has included standing and ad hoc and relationships with colleagues and Gender Studies Residency in 2010. committees, including: the student students. I know that [SUNY Empire] will That was one of many memorable academic quality committee; the always be a major part of me and I plan highlights of those collegewide student portfolio review committee; to stay connected in every possible way.” learning adventures. Other collegewide several search committees for faculty, participation included presentations administrators, and support staff; at the All College conferences, All the Academic Personnel Committee; Areas of Study meetings, and the Fall the Program Planning and Budget Academic conferences. As I call up these Committee; and the Middle States Accreditation Review Committee. Most

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References and Suggested Readings Levinson, D., & Fletcher, R. (Eds.). Massiah, L. (Director/producer). (1996). (2006). African American heritage W.E.B. Du Bois: A biography in four Douglass, F. (1845). Narrative of the life in the Upper Housatonic Valley. voices [Motion picture]. Philadelphia, of Frederick Douglass, an American Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire PA: Scribe Video Center. slave. New York, NY: Dover Publishing Group. Publications, Inc. Morgan, MN. (1987). The souls of women Lewis, D. L. (1993). W.E.B. Du Bois: folk in the political thought of William Douglass, F. (1855). My bondage and my Biography of a race, 1863–1919 Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois freedom. New York and Auburn, NY: (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Henry Holt (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Miller, Orton & Mulligan. and Company. Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA. Douglass, F. (1892). Life and times Lewis, D. L. (2001). W.E.B. Du Bois, 1919– Nevergold, B. A. S., & Brooks-Bertram, P. of Frederick Douglass (Rev. ed.). 1963: The fight for equality and the (Eds.). (2009). Go, tell Michelle: African London, UK: Christian Age Office. American century (Vol. 2). New York, American women write to the new first Du Bois, W. E. B. (1903). The souls of NY: Henry Holt and Company. lady (2009). Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Black folk. New York, NY: Dover Lewis, D. L. (2009). W.E.B. Du Bois: A Whitaker, C. (1986, November). W.E.B. Publications, Inc. biography, 1868–1963. New York, NY: Du Bois: A final resting place for King, C. (1992). Our life is more than Henry Holt and Company. an Afro-American giant. Ebony, our work [Song]. On Two good arms. XLII(1), 172–178. Retrieved from Vaguely Reminiscent Sounds. https://bit.ly/2HhDYsi

“Whether or not a crisis of civilization is indeed upon us, the problems before us require that [our colleges and universities] regain a clear image of the human personality. … We should take adult development as our unifying purpose and by directly addressing the problem attempt to help individuals and society reach those as yet unrealized potentialities of caring and complexity, interdependence and integrity.”

— Arthur W. Chickering and Associates, 1981 The Modern American College: Responding to the New Realities of Diverse Students and a Changing Society Jossey-Bass, p. 11

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How Did We Get Here?

Ian Reifowitz, Manhattan

s a Scholar Across the College “While Obama was president, Limbaugh for 2019–2020, I presented three constantly, almost daily, talked about A different, albeit related projects. him using a technique that scholars I was fortunate to be asked to present call “racial priming” — in other words, at a number of regional governance he race-baited. Limbaugh aimed to meetings, two department meetings, a convince his audience that Obama was Saturday afternoon meeting of the Black some kind of anti-white, anti-American, Male Initiative at the Manhattan-Hudson radical, Marxist [B]lack nationalist, and St. location, and an ESC Connects possibly a secret Muslim to boot. This gathering organized during the COVID- was neither a bug nor a supporting 19 shelter-at-home period. Each of element of his presentation, but instead the presentations also included lively stood as a central feature deployed and stimulating comments/questions strategically in order to accomplish from participants, which I was happy a very specific task. What were the to answer. results of his efforts? He helped lay the groundwork for the election in 2016 of All three were elements of my recently a president who essentially adopted his Ian Reifowitz published book, The Tribalization of view of the Obama presidency. Politics: How Rush Limbaugh’s Race-Baiting Rhetoric on the Obama Presidency Paved “A detailed, nuanced exploration of “Additionally, Limbaugh has spawned the Way for Trump (Ig Publishing, 2019). Limbaugh’s racialized rhetoric about multiple other media voices who Obama offers valuable insight into In each of my three presentations, spread a similar message built around how the conservative media machine I tied the material to the broader the politicization of racial anxiety and operates. I examine that rhetoric as a conclusions I drew in the book as hatred, with some on the fringe forging case study whereby the most influential described below (this excerpt is an even more radical path than he has. part of that right-wing media during reprinted with full permission): Limbaugh planted the most fertile seed those years represents the whole. by far in what has now grown into a “How did we get here?” is the essential “Since Talkers, a radio industry full-blown extremist ecosystem. He question right now in American politics. magazine, began keeping records in has thus played a major part in one of How did we go from a society that 1991, Limbaugh has always had the the most impactful transformations in elected Barack Obama twice to one that, largest audience of any radio host. As American politics, one that placed hate popular vote loss aside, elected Donald a result, he has been the single most at its center. Trump (and which may well give him a potent media voice worsening the second term)? Although there are no “Examining how Limbaugh ginned tribalization of our politics. Limbaugh’s simple answers, we do know that white up white racial anxiety about a [B] efforts on this front trace back much anxiety, fear, and anger aimed at non- lack president sheds light on why our further than the emergence of Obama whites and about demographic change country chose as his successor a man as a national figure. Nevertheless, to became far more strongly correlated who began his campaign for the White say that Obama’s years in the White with support for the Republican Party House by serving as the nation’s birther- House saw that push break new between 2008 and 2016. We also in-chief and who, in his reaction to ground would be an understatement. know that the right-wing media played the white nationalist terrorist attack Limbaugh’s most direct objective was an outsized role in encouraging that in Charlottesville, Virginia, among to define the president in a way that development, specifically through the many other examples, has shown would scare his older, overwhelmingly way they talked about President Obama. his continued fealty to white identity white audience. Racial fear stands at the During those years, the individual media politics. As Jamelle Bouie wrote: “You core of Limbaugh’s telling of the story of figure who played the largest role was can draw a direct line to the rise of the Obama [a]dministration. And white Rush Limbaugh. Trump from the racial hysteria of talk conservatives have been listening.

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 95 radio — where Rush Limbaugh, a Trump In addition to playing on white professing anti-white ideas, and booster, warned that Obama would turn Americans’ racial and cultural pursuing anti-white aims. This was the world upside down.” anxieties by talking about Obama one of Limbaugh’s primary methods and African Americans, Limbaugh of “othering” or, in this case, Below are the three presentations, all also did so when talking about how “blackening” Obama. of which were drawn from the larger the president dealt with issues of book project: This presentation examined great significance to Latinos. The how Limbaugh race-baited by 1) A presentation that focused on most prominent of these was the contending that the president stood rhetoric Limbaugh used to “other” matter of immigration reform and with Black suspects, criminals, Obama by branding him somehow undocumented immigrants. When and prisoners — and against law “not American,” by questioning his discussing the latter in particular, enforcement officials. The host did American birthplace; anti-American, Limbaugh race-baited in ways that so when discussing the president’s by claiming that he hated America prefigured the Trump presidential policies and proposals on police largely because of its racism; and campaign and presidency, and and criminal justice reform, and, in anti-white, by accusing him of my talk explored these parallels, particular, his reaction to a series wanting to redistribute resources as well. of race-related events: the violent from whites to minorities, most 3) A presentation that explored deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael specifically to African Americans, Limbaugh’s racialized rhetoric on Brown, Freddie Gray, Philando in order to right historical wrongs. Barack Obama and the deaths of Castile, and other young Black men, According to Limbaugh, Obama was young Black men killed by police — along with subsequent protests and essentially Santa Claus for (only) with a focus on the ways Limbaugh unrest, and the killings of police Black people because he gave them criticized Obama’s response to officers in New York, Dallas, and welfare and free Obamaphones. these events. Over the eight years elsewhere. According to Limbaugh, Finally, Limbaugh scared whites by Barack Obama served as president, the blood of these dead cops stoking fears that they would face Rush Limbaugh did not just offer was somehow on Obama’s hands race-based retributive violence a broad condemnation of his because the White House supported because a Black man had been approach to the matter of race, he Black Lives Matter activists. The elected president. also sought to directly tie Obama host encouraged his listeners to 2) A presentation that examined to various groups, movements, and believe that the president hated the Limbaugh’s rhetoric on immigration individuals whom the host depicted police and loved the protestors and during the Obama presidency. as representing Black radicalism, maybe, in his heart of hearts, the cop-killers, too.

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Tales of My Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Gohar Marikyan, Manhattan

Introduction Armenia’s love for education was passed through generations from the very here was little to no contact beginning — from the third millennium between those behind the B.C., if not earlier. T iron curtain and the outside. Therefore, people on both sides of Christmas and the New Year the curtain had created their own perceptions about the other side, which Although during the Soviet era people were not necessarily true. Therefore, were not allowed to celebrate Christmas, I felt the need to write this story. This in Armenia we celebrated Christmas on is my first try at talking about my life January 6th in our houses in a discreet in Armenia, which was then one of the manner. Christmas was not officially republics of the Soviet Union. These are recognized and celebrated in the Soviet my memories told the way they stayed Union; moreover, Santa Claus was in my mind; a huge mixture of good and renamed to Frost Grandpa (although he bad, happy and sad, easy and difficult. I looked exactly the same) and would visit Photo provided by the author. by Photo provided used to tell one of my American friends families on New Year’s Eve instead. As Gohar Marikyan stories about my past life in Armenia. you might have guessed, the New Year In the beginning, my friend was biased; was the biggest holiday everyone looked it was very nutritious for us kids. We slowly he became more open-minded, forward to; people had two days off to always had plenty of apricots, grapes, and once even commented: “It is celebrate, whereas January 6th was a watermelon, and other fruits. Mom surprising how children in the evil Soviet workday. All employers had to organize would keep them in the balcony of Union were raised by such high moral New Year parties for their employees’ our apartment because there was not rules.” He was the one who supported children. A male staff member would enough space in the refrigerator. Back my idea of publishing this story and dress up as Frost Grandpa and a female in the day, refrigerators were not as helped me come up with the title. staff member would take the role of large as they are now. Passing by, we the Snow Maiden. Frost Grandpa was would often grab something to eat. The Love for Education very popular among children since he only time my mother was not happy would bring presents, play with all of I am the youngest of four children of a seeing us eating fruits was before them, watch them dance, perform and highly educated family. When I was 4 dinnertime. She was concerned that we hear them sing. In fact, both parties and years old, I could easily add and subtract would lose our appetites and not finish presents were funded by the state, that numbers up to 50. All neighbors knew our dinner. Dinnertime was considered is, by the Communist Party. me as an extraordinary wonder child, in cherished family time. Everyone had to that respect, anyway. be at the family dinner table on time The Dinner Table to take their usual seats; mine was Armenian custom is that parents teach A big part of the Soviet lifestyle was the next to dad. Engaging in pleasant and their kids arithmetic and take pride in gatherings around the dinner table. All often intellectual conversations was their preschool children’s calculating the food we had back then was organic. something we always loved to do while skills. The problem that the very little Why? Because chemicals were too enjoying the delicious dinner. I miss my had to solve was: You have two apples; if expensive to be used in agriculture. mom’s cooking. I give you three more how many apples would you have? Or even in a more The grocery stores were always supplied Movies, Cartoons, and Shopping abstract manner: What is 2 plus 3? This with bread, meat, dairy products, fruits, develops children’s reasoning skills and and vegetables, etc. All the produce and Back then, cartoons and movies were respect for logical thinking. This custom the products were of high quality; as all about love and friendship, where the was a result of love and respect people a matter of fact, Armenian fruits and good was always the winner. Foreign in the Soviet Union, and especially in vegetables, to this day, are delicious. movies would appear in movie theaters Armenia, had for mathematics, natural I remember how my mom would buy of the Soviet Union only if they fit sciences, and education in general. caviar from the deli; she was sure that the communist ideology. Nudity was

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 97 forbidden and there was no violence at nuclear physics symposiums. At least growing up together, showing love and in filmmaking. Not everything was once a year, he would present his work, kindness to one another. Until now, I censored — healthy criticism, witty mainly within the Soviet Union since have sweet memories of my classmates remarks, and mockery of the Soviet travel abroad was heavily restricted and and school days. Union could also be seen on the screen. expensive. However, my father’s success There were special schools for in his work led to the opportunity to I fully understood why the feminist languages, mathematics and physics, present his research at international movement was so important in the music, etc. I graduated from a special conferences in Japan, France, and Italy. U.S. after I watched old shows where school for languages where we started Conference organizers had to pay all the host would kiss all women on their learning three different alphabets when expenses because a scholar from the lips, and make fun of their clothing and we were 7: English (Latin), Russian Soviet Union couldn’t afford it. Dad was appearances. It was just disgusting. I (Cyrillic), and Armenian. Besides also invited to present in the U.S. but hadn’t seen anything similar on TV in the studying the English language and the KGB (the former Soviet Union Soviet Union; however, there was some grammar, we also studied English secret police and intelligence agency) discrimination against women. A good literature from Beowulf to contemporary refused to allow him to leave the example would be how it was common literature. Special geography and history country. I remember how disappointed to think that men were smarter than courses were taught in the English he was. Later, during the post-Soviet women; the consequences of this way of language, too. era of independent Armenia, all thinking were lower salaries for women, restrictions were lifted, fortunately, At school, mathematics was too easy lower chance of getting promotions, etc. and my older brother was able to start for me, though I had my struggle with I was 8 when I watched Tom and Jerry — working with Americans on a project in history. It was terribly uninteresting the famous American cartoon — for a nuclear physics company in Newport to me; I was bored during class. I the first time. I was so shocked seeing News, Virginia. now know why: What child could be those two constantly fighting. Needless interested in heavy-duty Soviet history to say, I had a hard time rationalizing The Schooling System rammed down one’s young brain? their fights as a child. I would question All schools in the Soviet Union had to The students were taught to complete myself: “Why do they have to fight? Can’t follow the same curriculum and use all assignments in time whether they they be just friends?” I don’t think I ever the same textbooks translated into the liked the course or not. Education was got answers to my questions. The other local language. Textbooks in Armenian the most important duty we had on cartoon that we were allowed1 to watch schools were in the Armenian language. all levels. This helped us develop a was Bambi. This one was somewhat We didn’t have elementary, secondary, strong work ethic from a very young similar to Soviet cartoons and had a and high schools. Children would be age. Mind you, we would never miss a deeper meaning behind it. As a kid, I admitted to school at the age of 7 class, although our education was free. definitely enjoyed Bambi more than Tom and graduate from the same school During our schooling, from elementary and Jerry. Children in the Western world at 17. Depending on the total number to Ph.D., even in our wildest dreams normally had their own room filled with of students per grade, students were we couldn’t imagine missing or skipping toys. I, growing up in a well-to-do family, divided into classes of 15 to 25. Students class unless there was a health-related had toys that I would keep in a box that were in the same class and stayed with or some other valid reason. As a was approximately two feet long and a the same classmates from the first professor, it blows my mind when foot wide and deep. My toys were not grade to graduation. We grew up with today I see my students pay the tuition as colorful as toys here, but I have to our classmates. Spending 10 years and miss classes. admit that, to me, my dolls had much together helped me and many others prettier faces than the dolls I see in toy From the fifth to the 10th grade, we make good, lifelong friends. stores here. had to pass exams at the end of each During our school years, we tended academic year to be transferred to the It was hard to find nice things in the to make friends with the smart kids; next grade and eventually to graduate stores. Everything was of low quality intelligence was appreciated even by from high school. The majority2 of and tasteless. My parents managed the youngsters. Being cool was never exams in the Soviet Union then, such to dress us nicely. Mom, an educated associated with having low grades and as admission exams, end of the year/ woman, had to sew our clothing. She skipping school, as it was sometimes semester exams, as well as state exams, had good taste, and she could sew well, the case in the other parts of the world. were oral. Three randomly selected too. She had to learn out of necessity. Although we were not friends with some topics covered in the course were Dad would buy us nice clothes when of our classmates, there was no bullying traveling to present his scholarly work in our schools. We were like siblings

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printed on numbered index cards; we I had to have that pin on my school would call them tickets. Each topic could uniform3 too, of course. I didn’t mind appear in two or three tickets. because I liked the combination of gold and red; Lenin’s childhood face was This is how our parents raised us. shiny gold, surrounded by a red glossy Parents were and still are an authority. star. Besides, we had to learn a number They are the most respected and loved of children’s poems praising Lenin. To people in one’s social circle. Parents are this day, I remember some lines from just precious. those poems. Here is a line: Grandpa Lenin once was a child just like us; little, cheerful, and cute.

Every child of the ages 10 to 14 had the author. by Image provided to be a Young Pioneer. The motto Figure 3 Komsomol pin of Young Pioneers was “Pioneer, be Party members had to be proportionally prepared!” and the response was, distributed among occupations. If “Always prepared!” The representative scholars had difficulties becoming pieces of Pioneers’ attire were the red communist, blue-collar workers and triangle necktie4 and the badge, the red collective farmers, on the other hand, star with a flame and Lenin’s bust in the were almost pressured to do so. It is center, and “Always prepared!” written understandable because there were in Russian at the bottom (see Figure 2). very few opportunities for them to get

Image provided by the author. by Image provided In fact, we were not allowed to step higher positions, while communists with into school without these two Young Figure 1 Little Octobrists pin higher education had a better chance Pioneer symbols. The Communist Pipeline of becoming managers, principals, Having the pin on my pinafore was not a directors, etc. During our childhood and youth, we had big issue for me; I put it there, it stayed to go through the communist pipeline. there, and I forgot about it. My mother I Was About to Become In the Soviet Union, all 7- to 9-year-old had to wash and iron the necktie almost an Anti-Communist every morning, otherwise, I could be children had to be “Little Octobrists.” We were in the 8th grade. The day when accused of not being dressed neatly. We had to wear school uniforms and a our class was scheduled to become Most kids didn’t like the red necktie and pin — a ruby red pentangle badge with members of Komsomol, I was out sick, found it annoying. Lenin’s childhood portrait (see Figure 1). therefore I didn’t become a member Little Octobrists were organized in At the age of 14, we had to become a with my classmates. I didn’t worry about 5 groups, each representing one school Komsomol and we could stop being it because I was uninterested, and that grade level. The groups were divided a Komsomol at age 28. The good part is why I never contacted the school into subgroups called Little Stars. Each was that we didn’t need to wear the Komsomol office to become a member. hated red necktie, but we had to pay Little Star was under the leadership of a Two years later, in June, I successfully membership dues (for those who Young Pioneer. passed nine graduation exams in had no income, including high school Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, students, the dues then were 2 kopeks6). Biology, History of USSR, Armenian The Young Pioneer badge was replaced Language, Armenian Literature, English by another red pin, the Komsomol Language and Literature, and Russian membership badge. It was a red flag Language and Literature. On the day with Lenin’s bust. The letters underneath of my last exam, the leader of our are the Russian abbreviation for the school’s Komsomol approached me and “All-Union Leninist Young Communist said with a smile, “Hi, congratulations! League” (see Figure 3). You are graduating.” “Thanks,” I said. Being a member of the Communist It was the first time I was talking with Party then was an honor and a privilege. her. “Are you planning to go to college Only members of the Communist for a degree? I think you should. You Party could be in higher/managerial are the best student in our school Image provided by the author. by Image provided Figure 2 Young Pioneers pin positions. The number of Communist in mathematics and physics,” she

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 99 continued. “Yes. I plan on going for my be the communist leader of the institute, success in your education, career, and bachelor’s and master’s in computer otherwise, communists will destroy my most importantly in your life. I am sure science.” I still couldn’t understand her institute.” Dad had great respect for you will successfully pass all university purpose in talking with me about my Artem Alikhanian, and stayed in the entry exams and will be admitted,” she future. “I’m concerned that you are not a position of the communist leader of said and gave me a big hug. I thanked Komsomol, you risk not getting admitted the Yerevan Physics Institute for many her and left. to university. If you decide to become years. I remember his conversations “That was fast. No questions were a Komsomol, come see me tomorrow with mom about his meetings with the asked about the party’s ideology. What afternoon. I’ll arrange it for you. Don’t communist leaders of Armenia. I was dad said was very true. In reality, the forget to bring your 3-by-4 photos.7 I too little to understand the details, chairwoman of our school’s Komsomol need two of them.” “Wow! Looks like but from their faces, I knew that it was was only preoccupied with the formality. I am forced to become a member,” I extremely stressful for them. On top of Her only concern was having my name thought and said nothing. “Your future his scholarly work, as the communist on the list. She neither questioned is more important. Think about that. I’ll leader, he was responsible for all of my devotion to the Komsomol nor be here tomorrow,” she said and left. those meetings and organizational work. forced its ideology upon me. Maybe I watched her leave, feeling squeezed In the year when my father was not the the chairwoman used precaution — into a corner. “I better ask my dad,” communist leader of the institute, a eliminating the possibility of someone I thought and went home, excited to group of communists from the institute accusing me of not being a Komsomol share with my family the news about me conspired against Artem Alikhanian and using it against me. As a matter successfully passing the last exam and and removed him from his position. of fact, I must also give her credit for graduating from high school. They were after my father, as well, knowing that I was not a member and trying to and eventually getting him After receiving congratulatory kisses for offering her help. suspended unfairly from his position. and hugs from my family, I said to my Shortly after, Artem Alikhanian passed father, “Dad, today the chairwoman of University Years away and my dad became sick with our school’s Komsomol approached Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from high school, I me. I didn’t like what she said,” and I had a month to study for the university told him about the conversation I had Although I didn’t want to become a entrance exams. To get accepted to with her and continued, “I don’t want Komsomol, I did what my dad said. I a university, one had to pass serious to be a member.” “I know how you feel. knew that whatever he said was for my entrance exams; as a matter of fact, Don’t you think that your future is more own good; I always trusted my parents. from hundreds of candidates only the important? She is correct. The university Yes, it was good advice, and I will always best ones would get accepted: the may not accept your documents if you be grateful to my dad for that. cream of the crop. Wealth played no are not a Komsomol. Besides, yes, they The next day, I went to see the role; one had to earn the honor. From are forcing you to become a Komsomol, chairwoman of our school’s Komsomol. several hundred candidates, I was one but they are not forcing their ideology “Hi,” I said sticking my head into her of the top five. This is how I started my on you. Their concern is to make sure office. She was sitting behind a desk journey into the world of mathematics that all graduates are Komsomols. I reviewing some files. There was and computers. suggest you go tomorrow and apply a long table with chairs around it, to become a member,” said my dad. “I We had two terms a year, from perpendicular to her desk forming will,” I responded, although I could see September to December, and from a T-shape. “This other table is for that dad deep down was not happy February to June. At the end of each meetings. So there are this many with his advice to me, but he knew the term, we had to pass a good number of people who are working in our school’s consequences firsthand. exams. There were three to four days Komsomol,” I thought, looking at the between exams. As one could imagine, Artem Alikhanian,8 an internationally chairs around the table. “Hi! Come in during January and June, students were well-known nuclear physicist, was and have a seat. Have you brought overwhelmingly busy with exams. the founder and the president of the your photos?” she said with a smile Yerevan Physics Institute, the scientific inviting me to her office. I gave her I passed a good number of exams institute where my father worked. the two photos and sat on the chair during my schooling and I have to admit Dr. Alikhanian was not a member of closest to me. “Great! I’ll prepare the that I only cheated once, just once. Here the Communist Party, and the Soviet necessary paperwork.” In some five is the story of how that came about. Government was giving the institute minutes, I signed a few papers and the a really hard time. Many times, Artem chairwoman handed me my Komsomol Alikhanian had asked my father, “Please membership booklet. “I wish you big

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The pass-or-fail exam for Physical author in the Armenian language. The thesis, and defend it. The procedure of Training class was held in the Victory author had done a good job providing defending both bachelor’s and master’s Park situated in the capital. It was the deep knowledge of the Christian faith. thesis was the same. only class that boys and girls were I consider him to be a brave person The thesis had to be submitted to an in separate groups. The instructor to dare to write about Christianity in assigned “opponent.” Then, on a set informed us that to pass the exam we that manner in a textbook on atheism date, the student had to present the had to run 10 kilometers, which equal during the Soviet era. The author had research to the committee consisting about six miles. During the semester, we no choice; he had to include some of the dean and other professors. After had run up to 200 meters, and running criticism of Christianity to cover himself. the presentation, the opponent had 10,000 meters was not easy for many of After all, it was a textbook for scientific to point out the issues found in the us, including me. Although the instructor atheism. Wisely, the author had come student’s work. Then the student had hadn’t trained us to run such a long up with those funny unimportant an opportunity to respond to those distance, we couldn’t complain because “criticisms” such as the thought that issues, which had to be accepted by no one would listen. We had no choice; kissing the cross could pass various the opponent. Then the adviser had to we had to run. At the time, it was the viruses from one person to another. present the student and the completed biggest challenge for me, someone who It was the first time that I was reading research. After listening to all the was never athletic. about Christianity, although, I always presentations, the committee would knew about the existence of God. When The instructor explained the route, release the grades. All students were I was 4 or 5, I explained to my childhood lined us up at the start line, and invited to be present. The defense friend, “Eliza, God always wears white, shouted, “Start!” pushing the button of of the Ph.D. thesis followed a similar he has long hair and a beard. God lives his stopwatch. We started running. In procedure. There were statewide in the clouds. He is very kind and loves no time, I was behind the lead group. committees for each specialty, us.” Until now, I do not know when and I and other girls were running, hardly consisting of nationally-known scholars. how I had learned about God. No one breathing, and we were falling more The defense was open to the public. in the family ever talked about God. It and more behind. It was the only time was punishable to read religious books that I was seriously concerned about I Was About to Become an in the Soviet Union. I don’t think it was passing an exam and there was no way Anti-Communist Again even possible to find any religious book. I was getting to the finish line. We were I had successfully defended my thesis not even halfway finished when I saw A few years later, I saw my sister reading for my bachelor’s degree, and later on through the trees that the lead group a book. Noticing me looking at her, she for my master’s degree. Lastly, we had was finishing the distance. I immediately hid the book. Her behavior made me to pass the state exam on Scientific turned left, passed by the trees, and curious. “I saw you were reading a book. Communism. Students failing the state joined the group of leaders. All those What book are you reading? Show me,” exam could have one more opportunity who were running with me followed I demanded. My sister gave me the to pass the exam a year later. Those me. As a result, nobody failed the book without any explanation. I opened who failed the exam the second time class. Although I cheated, I think it was it and read the title, New Testament. I never received the degree. State exams unfair to make us run six miles without remembered reading about it in my were conducted by a special committee providing us with the proper training. scientific atheism textbook. “Can I read made up of the dean and professors, Needless to say, I was happy that I was this book?” I asked my sister. She gave a representative of the university able to unintentionally help others pass me the book and warned, “Read it only president’s office, plus a representative the exam. at home. Our department head found of the Department of Education of the this book in the drawer of my desk It was a requirement that all university country. The state exam was open to the and told me — I would say frightened students in the Soviet Union had public, which is why it was being held in me — not to bring in this book again.” to study the History of Communist one of the auditoriums of the university. Her story troubled me and I kept the Party of the Soviet Union, Dialectical existence of the book a secret. Our professor of Scientific Communism Materialism, Historical Materialism, was a nice person. He knew that we Political Economics,9 Scientific Atheism, I was very interested in the classes I was were not interested in his subject and Scientific Communism. taking at the university and was enjoying and did not make an issue out of it. studying them. Besides completing all None of these subjects were my Unfortunately, the committee was in required courses, for both bachelor’s favorite. The only textbook I read cover charge of grading us, not just him. and master’s degrees, we had to work to cover was the scientific atheism on an unexplored research topic, write a textbook written by an Armenian

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The date for the state exam was set, and When my time was up, I presented my forever, or worse, I could end up in jail. I had no choice but to study very hard topics and answered all the questions When we returned, the grades were to pass the exam. My mom isolated me the committee members had for me. already announced and the list was on in my room and would check on me The committee was satisfied with my the wall. I had passed the exam with from time to time. Reading the book for presentation. “Good,” said a committee the lowest grade. Most probably, my Scientific Communism would put me to member and continued, “What is the dean and my professors had managed sleep. Every time my mom would catch fundamental law of socialism” “Those to convince the representative of the me sleeping, she would bring me a cup who work they eat; those who don’t, do Department of Education that I was not of Armenian coffee10 to keep me awake. not eat,” I responded. “Is that true in an anti-communist. Caffeine would keep me up for some 40 capitalism?” “No,” was my response, to Although I could have easily gotten an A, minutes. Then I would fall asleep again. which my professor nodded his head, I ended up with the lowest grade. I was In a day, I would end up drinking about approving my response with a smile. He happy regardless; I had graduated with five to eight cups of coffee. It’s not a was happy with my presentation. The my master’s in computer science. surprise that after passing the exam, I next question was, “Who in capitalist struggled to quit my coffee addiction. countries do not work … ?” Hearing this, My First Job I thought about the young man I had a On the day of the exam, after finding the crush on. He had just graduated with his In the Soviet Union, it was against the auditorium, I sat next to my classmate Ph.D. and was in search of employment. law to be unemployed; the person had who had passed the exam the day to either be at school or work. There before. “I had the following topics on my were times when designated people ticket,” started my friend. “Please, stop, “‘Please, stop, otherwise could stop anyone in the street during otherwise I will forget everything I have the working hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to learned,” I interrupted her impatiently. I will forget everything I question why they were out. Of course, My friend was not happy hearing my have learned …’” that was too much and the surveillance response but said nothing. only lasted a couple of months. The fact The committee members arrived at 9 is, anyone could be persecuted for not a.m. and took their seats at the table. “Unemployed people,” I responded being employed. Moreover, a private The secretary to the dean brought the with a smile. To my surprise, students business sector was absent from Soviet exam tickets and gave them to the in the auditorium started laughing, my society, hence, there were neither committee chair. The chair reviewed the professor’s face turned purple, and the poor people nor rich people, excluding topics and checked the paper sheets representative of the Department of those who had high positions in the and passed the pile of tickets to other Education shouted out jumping up from Communist Party hierarchy. The latter members of the committee. After the his chair, “What?” I couldn’t understand were the only ones who could make big tickets were examined, the secretary what happened. Totally confused and money. Others could be questioned and spread them upside down on the table. scared, I looked at my professor, who persecuted about the source of their Everything was ready to start the exam. signaled to me to leave the room. I wealth. On the brighter side, there were immediately went out to the hallway. no homeless nor hungry people. The secretary called out the names of the first three students from the list. “Are you crazy?” asked my friend. “What Then companies would contact One-by-one they chose a ticket and went happened? Why did everyone get angry corresponding university departments to sit in the area allocated for students’ at me?” I said. I was shaky. “Didn’t you requesting X number of graduates for preparation to present their topics to hear the question? Who in capitalist employment in their companies. We, the committee and the audience. Any countries do not work but eat?” she new graduates, had to choose from a committee member could interrupt repeated the question, and continued, few companies from the list. We had to and ask related questions. After the “The answer is capitalists.” It was clear start working no later than October 1st, presentation, students would be graded to me what had happened. “They may and the requirement was to work there by all members of the committee. think that you are anti-communist and for at least two years in order to get our The auditorium full of students was can fail you,” she said. “Hearing the first diplomas. Fun fact: firing any employee quiet. Everyone was carefully following part of the question I thought about my (including graduates) was a complicated, the presentations and the questions friend,” I said with a trembling voice. almost impossible, procedure for the that the committee members had for “Let’s hope for the best,” she said, and employer overall. presenters. Soon the secretary read my we went out to the street for a short name. I chose a ticket and went to get walk. All that time my heart was racing. I prepared for the presentation. could kiss my master’s degree goodbye

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I chose the Yerevan Scientific Research only one function while mine was said, “There is one KGB agent in each Institute of Mathematical Machines. I performing three, my program was at department. As a rule, no one knows had to be a programmer. It was a large least 10 times shorter than Armen’s who it is, and it’s hard to guess. So, and well-known company. program. I am sure Jano understood be careful!” that, too. He said in an unfriendly way, There were some 15 to 20 people in In February 1988, the ecological “Let’s go and check if your program the department I joined. The whole movement grew into a political really works. ... ” department was in a large room. movement. Armenia was the first We didn’t have cubicles; all we had We went to the computer lab. He was in the Soviet Union that started were desks with four drawers. A senior checking my program for half an hour demonstrations against the Soviet coworker was assigned to be my as if he wanted it to fail. Watching him regime, demanding independence. My coach. I adopted the new programming working on the computer, I thought, brother-in-law was one of the leaders of language pretty fast, and soon “This guy is smart, but, man, so nasty.” this movement for independence. enough, I was assigned to develop “It works,” mumbled Jano. His face was After the earthquake of 1988,11 it was my first program. maroon from anger. I never understood imperative to have an organization to “We are upgrading our operating why Jano was angry at me for finishing help people survive those hard times, system. You have to develop the my assignment early; I had done an and my brother-in-law founded the program that Armen had previously excellent job. first and only independent charitable developed. Here is his program. You organization in the USSR. To help “Did he check your program? What did can use it,” said our department head, him, I went to work at my brother-in- he say?” asked one of my coworkers Jano, handing me the printout of the law’s charity as the head of the public when I got back to our office. “He program. He continued, “This program relations and foreign affairs department. said, ‘It works,’” trying to imitate Jano’s does one function, the new program has mumbling.” Everyone laughed. “Yours is A few years later, on September 21, to perform two more functions.” Then 10 times shorter than Armen’s,” said the 1991, the people of Armenia voted in a he explained in detail all three functions. same coworker. “Yes, it is,” said another referendum to proclaim independence Armen was a nice young man from a coworker. No one liked Jano’s behavior. from the Soviet Union. well-to-do family. He was the cousin of I was successfully continuing my Jano’s wife. Armen was Jano’s and other Notes research, writing articles, presenting at managers’ favorite, probably because of conferences, and publishing in scientific 1 We watched those cartoons as a his dad who had good connections. journals. My Ph.D. adviser was happy part of our English language class. I was happy to get an opportunity with my research. Soon, I defended my 2 The Armenian Language exam to develop my first program and thesis and got my Ph.D. was an essay on a topic we could immediately started working on it. choose from three given topics. For While others were still developing their Independence mathematics, there were oral and programs, I finished coding and went to In 1987, my brother-in-law started an written examinations, both made of check it. There were two or three syntax ecological movement. He was organizing proofs and problem-solving. errors. After fixing those, the program meetings and discussions on ecological was flawless; it was perfectly performing 3 The school uniform for girls in the and environmental issues in Armenia. all three functions. I was happy because Soviet Union was a dark brown These culminated in a petition that this meant that I could dedicate more dress with a black pinafore. In had to be signed by as many people time to my Ph.D. thesis research topic, spring or for festive occasions, as possible. I decided to collect some on which I was already working. we were allowed to wear a signatures at my workplace. The next white pinafore. “Have you finished your work?” one day day after I collected a few signatures, I Jano asked. He was not happy seeing was called in to see the higher manager. 4 The necktie was a red isosceles me working on my research. “Yes! My I had no idea why. When I was in his triangle with a 39-inch base and program works.” “Show me the printout office, he told me, “The KGB informed 12-inch height. of your program,” said Jano with an us that you were collecting signatures 5 “The All-Union Leninist Young unhappy face. I gave him the printout. at work. You have to stop it before the Communist League,” usually known He and everyone in the office could see KGB gets serious about this issue. You as the Komsomol, was a political that my program was more than three can go.” I left his office and stopped youth organization in the Soviet times shorter than Armen’s program. collecting signatures. I told the story Union. Often Komsomols were also While Armen’s program was performing to my brother-in-law. In response, he called Young Communists.

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6 Then, a ride on tram cost 3 kopeks. for nuclear physics in the Soviet comes in different sizes, depending Union, and is known as the “Father on the number of cups one needs 7 All documents in the Soviet Union of Armenian Physics.” to brew. The coffee cups are required 3 cm by 4 cm (1.18 in by small — 2–3 oz. 1.57 in) photos. 9 Political Economics was proving that a socialistic economy 11 The earthquake of December 7, 8 Artem Alikhanian (24 June 1908– had advantages over a 1988 destroyed one-third 25 February 1978) was a Soviet capitalistic economy. of Armenia. Armenian physicist, the founder and first director of the Yerevan Physics 10 To brew Armenian coffee, a special Institute. He was one of a few copper pot called ջազվե (jazzvé) physicists who laid the foundations is used. It has a long handle and

“The Seven Vectors: General Developmental Directions.

(1) Developing Competence. (2) Managing Emotions. (3) Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence. (4) Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships. (5) Establishing Identity. (6) Developing Purpose. (7) Developing Integrity.”

— Arthur W. Chickering and Linda Reisser, 1993 Education and Identity, Jossey-Bass, pp. 38–39

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The SUNY Empire State College Adirondack Environmental Studies Residency

Drew Monthie, Saratoga Springs

n the autumn of 1995, I enrolled at the courses offered in a new residency SUNY Empire to earn my bachelor’s the college was offering beginning in I degree. I was 30 years old and had the fall. The Adirondack Environmental completed an associate degree some Studies Residency looked interesting 10 years prior at a traditional (SUNY) and I asked Dr. Evans if I could enroll college. I had looked at various options, in the residency that would take place including traditional college, but as an in October at historic Huntington adult working full-time, SUNY Empire Memorial Camp on Raquette Lake in the seemed to be a better fit for me. I Adirondack Mountains. wasn’t sure what to expect with distance The camp has a storied history. Its learning and thought it might have construction began in 1877. Its builder, some major advantages for me as an William West Durant, was considered adult student. One of the downsides one of the originators of the Adirondack that I didn’t contemplate at the time style of architecture. Durant’s father was the effects of school without a was the owner of the Union Pacific classroom and thus with little in-person Railroad and made a fortune that he communication with other students Drew Monthie would leave to his children. Young or instructors. Durant led a life of travel and leisure in the Adirondacks and various land My degree plan was an environmental in his early years, visiting Europe and development schemes that the Durants studies program to earn a Bachelor Asia and living abroad. Originally, the had planned. W.W. Durant is also of Science degree. In 1997, my camp was called Camp Pine Knot and reputed to have had a mistress who then-mentor, Dr. Marlene Evans, was intended to lure investors to help he kept ensconced in a cabin, built recommended that I look at some of finance the construction of a railroad for her, on one side of the peninsula, where Camp Pine Knot was situated. It was known as the Kirby Camp. At the same time, he built his wife an elaborate houseboat with a kitchen, bedrooms, and bathroom to ride out “black fly season” on the other side of the peninsula. “Black fly season” was likely an opportune time to spend with his mistress. Both structures survive today and have been restored by SUNY Cortland, although the houseboat is kept on land to preserve it. A subsequent divorce, poor money management, and a lawsuit by Durant’s sister to provide accountability for the distribution of their father’s estate divested W.W. Durant of most of his money, and to settle one of his debts, Durant ceded Camp Pine Knot to industrialist Collis P. Huntington in 1895. Huntington died there in 1900, and other than caretakers and some Photo credits (this article): Drew Monthie Photo credits (this

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have team-taught for several years at the residency, and I worked with Mentor Kevin Woo on another blended course that we team-taught on ecology and extinction titled, Life in the Age of Man. In the early years of the residency, SUNY Empire had no residency coordinator for events like this and the faculty did all the organizing and administration for the event. Camp Huntington has a limited staff, so faculty and students perform most of the cleaning of dorms, KP (“kitchen police”) duty, and cleanup of classroom spaces. One of my duties, in addition to teaching, was to set up KP lists and make sure students and faculty showed up to bus tables and serve food. These mealtime gatherings add camaraderie and equity to the residency. All of us, faculty and students, staff, none of the Huntington family and taught a course on the botany of pitch in to make the event work. ever lived there again. SUNY Cortland native peoples at the residency. Upon Students and faculty are invited at each faculty, canoeing on the lake in the graduating, I was hired as an adjunct by meal to share thoughts or readings such 1940s, discovered the vacant camp and SUNY Empire and began teaching for the as poems or even to sing a song. One were able to convince Huntington’s son Science, Mathematics, and Technology year, SUNY Empire’s then-President Joe to sell it as an outdoor education center (SMT) area. Each year, I continue to Moore showed up and I assigned him KP to SUNY Cortland in 1947 for the most teach a course at the Adirondack duty. Joe was a good sport about it and reasonable sum of $1. Durant would residency, sometimes by myself and did his part, and remembered it when I also build Great Camps Sagamore and sometimes team teaching with other ran into him a few years later. Uncas, which along with Pine Knot are faculty members. Mentor Menoukha In the mid-2000s, SUNY Empire all National Historic Landmarks today. Case and I developed a blended course hired a residency coordinator, Lori on Native American Plants: Pathways, Some of the residency courses in McCaffrey. Lori does an outstanding Prophecies, and Survivance that we which I enrolled the first few years of the Adirondack Residency (ADK) were Wilderness and Philosophy with Mentor Wayne Ouderkirk and The Interpretation of Landscapes with Marlene Evans. I also worked with Marlene Evans and Nikki Shrimpton at each residency from 1998–2007, helping lead ecology field experiences for students, both during and after my bachelor’s program. Plants are my lifelong passion and this site in the central Adirondacks with no roads and abundant vegetation was a perfect fit. This was the beginning of my ongoing affiliation with the “ADK residency.” I eventually began my master’s degree in ethnobotany through the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program at SUNY Empire and as a final project, designed

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of SUNY Cortland, on Raquette Lake, and then take a pontoon boat to the peninsula where Camp Huntington is located; there are no roads to the camp. Once at camp, we typically have a plenary session for introductions and camp protocols such as KP duty, dorm assignments, etc. Students then go to the first tutorial or study group with the instructor for their course. If the weather permits, many of the instructors spend time outdoors doing fieldwork with students. Depending upon the course, the fieldwork may be photography, writing, drawing, or science-based. Later in the afternoon, there is free time and then a social hour, followed by dinner and either a speaker in the Carlson Classroom or entertainment in Metcalf Hall, a rustic building that once housed billiard tables and Gilded Age entertainment. job coordinating the event for enrolled FORUM business students (a college The residency has in the past hosted students, faculty, and for the residency program started in 1985 that focused speakers such as Bill Webber of the alumni who have the opportunity on management studies supported by World Wildlife Fund, environmental to return to Camp Huntington each corporate sponsors), and so the makeup philosopher Dr. Jim Hill of Valdosta year during the second half of the of the residency was quite diverse at the University, and James Howard Kunstler, week. She organizes our agenda, outset and continues to be each year. the author of books such as The sets up our meeting places with our When I was in my 30s, I thought nothing Geography of Nowhere and The Long students if we need classroom space of staying up all night by a campfire Emergency. This past fall, we hosted John or technical assistance, helps provide talking with my fellow students, and F. Sheehan, director of communications coordination for transportation for most years this is exactly what we did. for the Adirondack Council, who spoke students, and answers the many queries We talked about the environment, our about the damage from overuse on from students about the format and families, the camp, and many other Adirondack trails. In Metcalf, we have accommodations at the camp. Her work subjects. Eventually, we would realize listened to the tall tales of Adirondack allows faculty to focus on their students that we should probably get a few hours storyteller Bill Smith and learned square during the residency, which enhances of sleep before our classes began. dancing with musicians Dan Duggan and the experience for all. our own SUNY Empire Mentor Peggy Residencies afford students the Lynn. Afterward, students may stay in One of the most memorable things opportunity to get to know their Metcalf by the fire or head down to about the Adirondack Environmental instructors as people and this in turn the dock to make a fire outside and sit Studies Residency for me is the makes students more likely to reach out by the water. The next day, the cycle interaction with others. SUNY Empire if they need assistance. The format of repeats and there is typically a science students spend the vast majority of their residencies also allows them to make talk, some free time for students to academic time alone, reading, studying, contact with their fellow students, hike, and historical tours of Camp researching, and writing. I can attest interact, share experiences about life Huntington. Before the residency ends, personally as a former student to the and academia, and forge friendships we have a second plenary session to loneliness aspect. Online learning can and support systems. If I know someone wrap up. prevent students from making as many in a class personally, I am more likely to connections as they might with face-to- reach out to them to talk, ask questions, Camp Huntington is a place to detach face learning. I met many other students or seek advice or feedback. from the complex, technological society and the feeling of isolation was an in which we live in for at least a few The residency format lends itself well experience we shared. In the early years hours each day we are there, while still to this. Students arrive at the boat of the residency, there were also many focusing on our studies and on our dock at the Antlers Camp, also part

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 107 students. There is also camaraderie other environmental studies students the field in person, I feel I have gained among the faculty. We get to have coffee interested in wildlife, environmental law, some insight into which modes of together with our students and watch conservation, or some other relevant learning work well for them. the sunrise or sunset on the docks; topic that was not the focus of my own Residency courses also meet SUNY we eat together, bus tables, and sit studies. The exposure to a wide range General Education requirements, around the fire and talk. For me, as an of environmental perspectives from allowing students to not only fulfill instructor, working remotely almost all fellow students helped me to grow as those requirements but also to have of the time, this is a special experience. a student and person. Many students an interactive experience. I would We get to catch up on what is going on also bring their cameras to photograph urge mentors working with their in both our academic and nonacademic the incredible Adirondack scenery or students to look at the many excellent lives in a less formal setting. the historic buildings, and I am an avid residencies offered by SUNY Empire photographer (since high school) so I According to SUNY Empire’s Decision to see if they might be a good fit was one of those students and as an Support office, statistically, residency with their mentees’ degree planning. instructor, I continue to photograph students have higher success rates Some of the courses that have been this site each year. This has allowed me than students in non-blended course offered at the Adirondack residency in to note where certain plants and plant models. The completion rate for past years are Environmental Ethics, communities are found to share with my blended (residency studies) is about Community Supported Agriculture, students. The affinity for photography 87% compared to online courses, Nature Writing, History of the National has also resulted in some lasting 80%, independent studies, 85%, and Parks, Environmental Geography, Plants friendships with former residency study groups, 91% (K. Dorsey, personal and Society, Nature Photography, classmates from my student days. We communication, July 2, 2020). Adirondack History, and the History of talk to compare cameras, photos, or Hiking, just to name a few. Each year I have no doubt this success rate is photo software. The residency now may have a few studies repeated, while due to the interaction that occurs and offers a photography course each year, new ones are added. the humanization of instructors to which is received enthusiastically students, and vice versa. The ability by students. The residency has been a constant in to get to know one’s fellow students my life for almost a quarter of a century, As an instructor, it is valuable to me is also part of this experience, helping through some turbulent times: two to get to meet some of my students in to facilitate the feeling of belonging bouts of cancer, the deaths of both person. Working in the area of SMT, I to a group rather than working alone. of my parents; and some good times: have often had students from my other I know for me it was an incredibly earning two degrees and finally being courses as residency students. After valuable experience and why I able to legally marry the person I love talking with them and spending time in continued to attend each year. I met after decades together. When October arrives each year, I know I will get to see old friends and colleagues, meet my students, learn new things, and make new friends. We’ll have coffee on the dock, take pictures of the sunrise or sunset, perform fieldwork, hike, meet for social hour, listen to music, and sit around the fire at night talking.

Note 2020 will be the first year that the residency will not be hosted at Camp Huntington due to COVID-19 and instead will be a virtual event. It should return to an in-person event again in 2021.

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Reflections of a Retiree

Lear Matthews, Mentor Emeritus, Manhattan

“Regardless of your accomplishments, on adult learning and work. Indeed, never forget your community, one of the greatest rewards for be humble, but always stand up for me over many years at the college your rights.” — My father was the level of engagement when leading groups with such a diverse student population. There, I had joined the SUNY Empire State many opportunities to challenge our College faculty at the Metropolitan assumptions and to recognize the I Center, then located at 225 Varick power of storytelling. Street, in 1998. I was somewhat During my tenure at SUNY Empire, I familiar with the college’s mission, witnessed a remarkable institutional curriculum, and student population transition, which felt as though from a previous one-year adjunct the college was in the depths of a position. The initial interviews for metamorphosis in management a full-time position afforded me and curriculum. The changes the opportunity not only to meet may have been exasperating to some of the college’s administrators some of us, who envisioned the and faculty but to observe two “phasing out” of a well-grounded Lear Matthews fundamental aspects of the nontraditional model — the bedrock institution that were important to me of the college’s educational model. as I made my decision to join what Familiar embedded terms such as was to become a significant part of I would have individual conversations “mentor,” “study group,” “group my academic/professional life. with colleagues, quietly expressing study,” “group tutorial,” and “studio views on the situation and providing For me, teaching does not occur workshop” were to become student a private milieu for venting and in a vacuum. The measure of a contact approaches of the past. I was coping. However, my commitment to good institution lies both in its part of a handful of mentors who quality instruction and dedication to academic excellence, opportunities began to see themselves grasping students was never altered. for the development of scholarship, at the threads of a fading ideology. and the extent to which the Nevertheless, I felt that we painfully Unfortunately, the impact of the curriculum reflects its human and adjusted to the transition, mostly COVID-19 pandemic highjacked structural environment. In the with critical compliance. the kind of retirement farewell I years immediately before joining anticipated. Nevertheless, the “Virtual Although empathetic to the SUNY Empire, my residency in New Tribute” provided a creative forum for inevitability of changes, I never fully York City informed me through the expression of love, appreciation, grasped the rationale for some participant-observation that I was and generosity of colleagues and of them, and suspect the same to part of a “salad bowl” and not a friends. I left SUNY Empire State be true of some of my colleagues. “melting pot.” I was honored to have College with a sense of unfathomable Perhaps that was part of my own had the opportunity to visit the growth and accomplishment in my resistance to change. In retrospect, University of the Western Cape, South professional, academic, and collegial I found myself participating less Africa, under the auspices of SUNY life. The experience heightened my in formal discussions about the Empire to conduct a cross-cultural resolve to commit to my father’s change repercussions. Instead, project. It enhanced my perspective mantra. His spirit lives in me!

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Hand and Head: Making and Knowing in the Labor Studies Program

Barrie Cline and Rebecca Fraser, Manhattan

Introduction for our own creation of a platform that Therefore, the Breaking Divides platform makes space for the words and images was conceived to offer space for n 2018, we launched the exhibit of working-class students at HVASLS. creative expression, as well as space for Breaking Divides at SUNY Empire sustained moments of student reflection State College’s Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Part of the HVASLS mission derives from I and dialogue from a distinct labor School of Labor Studies (HVASLS), Harry Van Arsdale Jr.’s belief that: studies-informed perspective. presenting a compilation of the art and [T]he ability to think critically and to writing of rank and file trade unionists, The Breaking Divides exhibit explored the read and write at the college level construction workers who are students tensions between the academic and the are essential skills for all citizens of at the school, and those whose works vocational, head work and handwork, a modern democratic society. But embody its pedagogy.1 The exhibit artist and artisan/craftsperson, as well especially for trade unionists. The explores student’s reflections about as the individual and the collective or Van Arsdale program is designed to how class, race, and gender intersect communal. Inherent in these tensions ensure that trade unionists acquire with their tradecraft and unionism. is also the class divide and the idea of the skills and knowledge required The original catalyst for creating the working toward creating equal access of them to be leaders at their exhibit stemmed from reading Kristin to the same luxuries those of privilege worksites, in their communities, Ross’s (2015) book, Communal Luxury: have. This work entails connecting the and their union. (SUNY Empire State The Political Imaginary of the Paris working class (our students from a College, n.d., para. 2) Commune. Her book concerned the variety of races and different genders) 73 day “reformed society” that was Van Arsdale’s vision echoes the way to institutions of knowledge (our college) constructed in 1871 by working-class that the Communards prioritized and furthering artistic and literary Communards, where Ross described, addressing the division between manual creation. Hopefully, together we would through the voices of the Communards and intellectual labor by setting up be crafting and characterizing a political themselves, their goals for inclusion education for boys and girls where imaginary along the lines of what Ross and shared public beauty2 — what a trades education was required alongside (2015) has described as the ability to federation within their ranks called philosophy and other academic pursuits imagine what society could be, might “communal luxury.” Aligned in this for everyone, where one who “wields a be if inequality were abolished. In this federation were writers and artists, tool can also write a book” (Ross, 2015, article, we explore some of the unique painters and sculptors, etc., defined p. 42). contributions that our students/workers largely as those who produced works for have made to this imaginative work, The result of such an education would contemplation; and artisans, those who drawing out aspects of the pedagogy level the playing field. No individual chiefly craft functional objects and who that prompted their creativity. We arrive would ever necessarily be predestined have come to be viewed lower in status at the belief that these contributions to a certain kind of labor regardless than artists. They saw communal luxury by students/workers offer an expanded of one’s origin, while the educational as constituting equity in educational understanding of the figure and structure would also bestow upon the practices and art that “spread art workings of the artisan and writer. trades — and the labor associated with everywhere” (p. 53), and following the Though this may suggest an emphasis them — equal value. These goals are emancipatory teachings of educator on student’s own (or their trade’s own) evident in the HVASLS pedagogy. IBEW3 Joseph Jacotot to urgently address “the craft skills, we believe that our students’ Local 3 mandates that apprentices go world divided between those who can contributions ultimately point to a to college collectively (in classrooms, and those who cannot afford the luxury collective purpose, akin to the goals of not online, if possible); therefore, they of playing with words and images” the Communards in calling for a better come to HVASLS to get that education, (p. 50). The Communards’ address of quality of life for workers, for luxuries while they are also receiving training culture by calling for a “communal that are communal. (for which they receive credit) at their luxury” has been the chief inspiration Local’s training center. Our courses are taught via a participatory pedagogy.

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We chiefly touch on the pedagogies in his entrance essay, responded to the essays and articles about the current and student work from the following challenge by writing an apology for the economic situation with unions and classes: College Writing for Workers essay he had written; he wrote, “I don’t the building trades. By the end of the (associate degree class), Educational write, I work” (Fraser & Mavrogiannis, semester, students will have written Planning (bachelor’s degree class), and 2017, p. 167). rationale essays that explain why they’ve Workers/Artists, as well as Public Art designed their degree in the way they The writing assignments in the course, (associate and bachelor’s degree classes, have, why they’ve chosen particular both formal and informal, are meant respectively). The pedagogies of these courses over others, and perhaps to engage students in what Mike Rose courses entwine and overlap with most importantly, why they think (2004) called “reflective practice” in each other and express the mission it is important for a worker to get a his book, The Mind at Work. Reflective of HVASLS. college degree.7 practice, according to Rose, is the act of stepping back to take a look at the Students look at how Rose examined a College Writing for work you have done, to put some critical number of occupations — from waiting Workers: Labor Writes distance between you and the work tables to hairdressing to carpentry and College Writing for Workers is the first you’ve been doing. Rose specifically electrical work — and the implicit and course required of our apprentices who referred to the job site, and we use it explicit intelligence that is needed to will earn an associate degree; a common to describe the reflection of the work of accomplish these jobs successfully. Rose syllabus is constructed, and it changes writing, reading, and discussion, as well teased out the skills necessary to do a every other year, following instructor as the work (through their own writing good job, to feel pride in one’s work, to and student feedback. Foundational to and that of their fellow apprentices) that value the work of others. In a section of the syllabus is the current issue of the situates them socially and politically in student Karen Hansen’s (2013) rationale student publication Labor Writes.4 The the labor movement and the world. essay, which is part of the exhibition as anthology serves at least two purposes: a large poster, she applied this concept Instructors of this first course have First, it provides students with examples to her job when she delineated those a challenging job, as they work to of what their fellow apprentices can skills, used in just one day: engage students in reading and writing produce, in both writing and the visual assignments, to engage their minds in I had to combine teamwork, arts; Second, it showcases the best thinking about why they are where they cognitive reasoning, attention to writing of our courses, and as such, are in these classrooms and on their job detail, past acquired memory of provokes discussions on many levels, sites. Whereas the Communards were jobs completed, proficiency of inviting students to think ahead to fighting the intellectualism that prevailed tool handling, special engineering, courses and topics they will encounter during that age, we, at times, encounter acquired knowledge of electrical while pursuing their degrees. a pronounced anti-intellectualism hardware and wiring, tricks of One motivation in creating the in some of our students. We work the trade, reflective reasoning, curriculum for College Writing for with these perceptions to negotiate a sensory perception, concentration, Workers is to assist these construction beautiful form and function someplace alternative problem-solving, trade apprentices to become acclimated between school and work, namely systematic figurative expression, to the experience of being in a college pieces of writing that are expressive of personal integrity, safety for myself classroom. Many of our students both the individual and the collective. and others, and time management. come to college with a great deal (p. 30) of both resistance and reticence.5 Educational Planning: Rose (2004) broke down the mind/body They are pretty confident in the work Reflective Practice division that is pervasive in our culture they do with their hands (on and off Rose’s (2004) The Mind at Work is a and certainly in the ways in which we the job), but they are not as sure of central text in our Educational Planning often judge whether a job is “good” themselves sitting behind a desk, with course. Ed Planning is a required or “bad.” As construction workers, a group of other mostly uncomfortable group study for our bachelor’s degree our students internalize the stigma students. They may not have had good students; the course is designed to help for “only” working with their bodies experiences in other colleges or high them create a degree program and to and not engaging their minds in their school and don’t view themselves as introduce them to “labor studies.” These work. This stigma is further extended students (or writers or artists, for that bachelor’s degree students spend time by the gradual devaluation that has matter); after all, they chose a trade over reading and discussing the “tension taken place in Western culture of the college only to discover that the local between” or the “intersection of” the functional work artisans or craftspeople union they’ve joined requires students academic and work, as well as other do, as compared to how so-called to get a college degree.6 One student,

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“high” culture values the individual A Way of Knowing the picture on the pamphlet stand as achievement of artists. Rose illustrated witnesses to the violence of work, and “They don’t know about bruised hands, the fallacy in this dichotomy throughout the violence that can happen to hands blistered feet. ...” his book, and perhaps most especially at work. Two of the artworks in our in his chapter titled, “Reflective — John Parente, “The Artisan show, Donald Turner’s (2017) Reverse Practice,” where he watched apprentice in the Worker” (2018) Saw and Danny Ferreyra Nguyen’s (2014) electricians do their work and then step I am a Worker also stand as a testament Similar to Rose’s (2004) argument back and take a look at what they’ve to the integration of the hand, the work, and returning to the working-class done: Is it plumb? Does it look “pretty”? and the violence to the hand merely Communard’s priorities for re-elevating Are the wires arranged in an orderly by working with one’s hands. Zandy the status of the artisan, much of the and attractive fashion? Rose pointed to (2004) pointed out how much our HVASLS writing/art pedagogy is built the aesthetics of the work these junior hands can tell us about a person — upon the belief “that laboring bodies electricians (and in other chapters, i.e., the difference between the soft harbor an epistemology, a way of carpenters, waitresses, hairstylists, hand with clean, trimmed fingernails knowing and understanding the world etc.) performed. versus the calloused hand with dirty that comes out of the physicality of and rough fingernails. In pointing to this aesthetic dimension, work” (Zandy, 2004, p. 3). Janet Zandy Rose raised the notion of being an acknowledged the risks of being artisan on the job, and our students reductive or romanticizing this very are eager to provide examples, from physicality in scholarly writing, but pulling wire to bending and laying pipe. decided the risk is worth it (as we do) to Over and over again, they say that doing address “the deep and unacknowledged this work is “an art.” To do it well brings resistance to working-class experience about a sense of pride that is shared in the academy, the persistent elitism by fellow workers who are participating that delimits knowledge and the study Photo provided by the authors. by Photo provided in the pull perhaps, or those in the of culture” (p. 4). And in fact, she Donald Turner, Reverse Saw (2017) vicinity who witness the pipe bends that made a strong point that her writing are “pretty.” One student explained it in Hands, “seeks reconnection of the Turner (2017), in his piece, pointed out this way: “Like especially running pipe metaphorically dismembered working the violence to hands by making the and [making] bends and going certain hand to the whole body … the intended handle of his saw the blade, shiny and angles. ... The electrician that’s doing it tone is cautionary, not celebratory … with sharp teeth, and the saw itself an is like a Picasso because they’re taking I am testing new forms, using collage ineffectual but beautifully polished piece pride [in] their work” (Anonymous, and juxtaposition, story and analysis, as of white cedar. Working with this saw personal communication, May 2018). tools to penetrate the wall of bourgeois is impossible, just as repetitive work Sometimes students talk of this good cultural assumptions.” Always concerned with any tool can lead to injury — cuts, work in terms of leaving their signature about colonizing her subject, she callouses, even loss of limb as illustrated behind — not an actual signature, but a instead offered “a process of recovery by Mrs. C. Reverse Saw speaks on many mark of work that has been done with and retrieval, a struggle for reciprocal levels, not only about potential injury care and with respect for those who visibility, for sustained rationality, for but also about OSHA regulations on the will follow and open up a panel and humble witnessing” (p. 2). job, and the way in which they are not see an orderly arrangement of wires, always sufficient to protect a worker’s The first event to which Zandy (2004) for example. hands and body. Donald Turner has was a humble witness was the accident written of the piece in an undated email, Head and hand, mind and body start to of “Mrs. C” whose hands were crushed “Tools can cause irreversible damage come together for them as they reflect and dismembered in a manufacturing to our bodies, but it is what we do to on their practices as students/workers. accident. In telling the bit of the story provide for our families and live the life of Mrs. C that she could conjure up, we want. Sometimes because of this we she was memorializing those lost enjoy our later years with a bad back or hands, as was done on the cover of an bad knee.” One student also pointed out OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health that the saw “eats away at the person Administration) pamphlet where Mrs. C as much as it does the work at hand” stood holding out her arms without the (remark from an art class in the summer hands. Both the telling of the story and of 2018).

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and their bodies and a variety of tools. In discussing his mother’s work as a waitress, Rose explained how she came to know the exact weight of a tray, and the exact place to balance that tray on her arm, how to carry multiple cups of coffee without spilling the hot liquid during the trip she made to her next table. Carpenters come to know their saws (as Turner points

to in his sculpture) — the balance of the authors. by Photo provided them, the weight of them, how to use Shantar Gibson, Pliers and Money (2013) them efficiently and properly. This is knowledge that is built up over time and Public Art Class: A Seat at the Table

Photo provided by the authors. by Photo provided with experience. “I lift my pipe-bender this time with a Danny Ferreyra Nguyen, I am a Worker (2014) “We learned how to improvise, different approach Danny Ferreyra Nguyen, on the other strengthen some other muscle, I’m Miles Davis on Air guitar hand (literally and figuratively), has deeply embedded memory. …” Can’t ignore the need to make it button, drawn a picture of his hands coming stronger than any chemical, yet modest — John Parente, “The Artisan out of the handles of a pair of pliers, and subtle in the Worker” (2018) the tool most used by electricians, We have an eccentric vigilance to make it the tool used so often that as Nguyen According to Rose (2004), “Knowing is plumb and level points out, they “become” a part of the visual, tactile, practical.” Rose made Everything we make with our hands is worker’s body. In a recorded discussion a connection between the work of a beautiful and useful.” of the exhibition, a student made the surgeon and that of a carpenter — — John Parente, “The Artisan point that electricians use pliers “as an namely, to “complicate easy in the Worker” (2018) extension” of their bodies (Anonymous, distinctions between abstract and personal communication, July 2018). concrete knowledge, what is seen The art classes expand on the role of And Nguyen says in the text next to and felt is freighted with meaning, the artisan in public culture, situating his drawing that without [his] hands, and abstractions about physiology or students’ own tradecraft within it while none of the things around you (walls, pathology are useless unless embodied examining the historical and economic electricity, plumbing, etc.) would exist. [emphasis added]” (p. 151). Rose also roots of the artisan/artist divide. As He points to two aspects of the hands quoted a physical therapist, who like the the Paris Commune had sought to at work. surgeon, the carpenter, the electrician, overcome the division between manual the artist, remarked, “You need to get a and intellectual labor by prioritizing The first aspect is their very necessity sense in your hand” (p. 153). Rose went combining both into integral education and how hands become one with on to explain that good use of a tool for all children, so too do the art classes tools, so that there is implicit, deeply sends information back to the hand. seek the reappraisal and elevation of embedded knowledge in those hands When the students first encounter this artisan skills — as conceived internally and the way that they work with the phrase in the Educational Planning class, by workers in the field, as well as in a tools. This is, in part, the epistemology there is a great deal of discussion about more public-facing way. For Shantar that Zandy (2004) referred to — the how true this is, how awkward they are Gibson, gaining proficiency with her knowing in the body of the worker. And with tools until they learn to listen to pliers asserts that this ability — in second, related to this first point, is them, to hear what they are saying. the hands of a woman of color — can the absolute necessity of the tool/hand become a powerful vehicle for the connection, the flow of information Shantar Gibson’s Pliers and Money (2013) “overlooked and underrepresented that goes from the worker’s body/ complicated this notion of mind and voice.” These skills have allowed her “to mind through the hands to the tool body working together by reminding the rise above …. and manifest that which and vice versa, the flow of information viewer of the economy behind those does not discriminate. ...” For Gibson, that comes back through the tool to pliers, the electricians’ essential tool. who is a practicing artist, the artisanal the hand and on to the body/head. skills she practices have also become a This is something Rose (2004) also discussed in delineating the intelligence of people who work with their hands

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“unique opportunity” to express herself of the double shadow of the chair in Demel connected the collective artisanal as an artist (personal communication, his photograph, claiming its status labor of his and his fellow workers February 2013). as both “Art and a functional piece” (running conduit in “the machine”) to the (personal communication, October coded “sign” of graffiti as he termed it, In detail, students determine that which 2018), thereby calling for equal visibility and as a “life force” of youth of color in they consider constitutes artisanal labor and recognition. response to its violence: on their jobs, including feats of “big picture” systems thinking that responds Still another example of claiming Much like the pride taken from to discrepancies between architect’s space for artisanship, while further graffiti work is the pride in a designs and the actual guts of the connecting it to issues of equity, came good conduit run. … Most of the building; as apprentice Jasmine Spencer in the form of a project by student time, you don’t know who ran the (2014) noted, “What happens when Scott Demel (2013), then a Local 3 conduit. It is as anonymous as [the architect’s] visions fall short of the apprentice in the art class. Reflecting graffiti on a bridge. But like graffiti, reality” (p. 90)? Students are asked to on the history of post-World War II people have their own ways of reevaluate the value of their work and socioeconomic development in the city, running conduit so certain people challenged to give form to their ideas. Demel created a series of photographs know who ran it. … The attention is Discussions that follow reconsider of conduit bends he admired. Each was to detail and precision. The math the beauty and value of function, the accompanied by a written response to that is behind excellent concentric individual as well as the collective the public art classes’ study of structural bends always gets my attention. labor involved. racism and classism in urban planning:8 The way that I could see eight, 10, even 12 ¾ pieces of EMT flow bend When Robert Moses started tearing after bend, perfectly spaced, gives down tight communities for his me hope. Hope that even on the view of his illustrious highways, he job site, in the heart of the machine, started to aid the machine. When life still prevails. Pride can be taken he ran his highways out to Long in something that will be covered Island so that Levittown could be up by a wall. Pride is taken in reached with ease, he aided the knowing other people will see your machine. … work before it is hidden behind [S] But what is this machine, you ask? heetrock and think ‘wow that’s nice.’ The machine is the lack of life. … This pride is a part of life, which the machine will not take from me or Life is not working all day and from society as a whole. (pp. 38–39) seeing your family briefly before you must go to bed and repeat this insane cycle to only live on the weekends. … However, life always has a way of breaking through the machine. Like Photo provided by the authors. by Photo provided the graffiti artist tagging one of the Robert Gouldsbury, A Seat at the Table (2016) bridges created by Robert Moses — the rebellious nature of the graffiti For example, A Seat at the Table, made is a sign of life poking through. by student/plumber Robert Gouldsbury Graffiti artists can take pride in (2016), utilized his plumbing skills — to the quality and placement of their both call out official Art (with a capital art. In the eyes of the graffiti artist, “A”) culture for its exclusionary practices the graffiti is a sign to forget your and to stake out a space, a seat, for bridges because you cannot take (organized) worker power. In contrast our pride. Even though many with art practices with their emphases neighborhoods were destroyed by on individual authorship and keeping the bridges, they are now [a] canvas with an artisan’s ethos, he detailed to to show that your machine will not the class how he made the work step- prevail. (p. 38)

by-step. He has recently pointed out the authors. by Photo provided what he terms an interesting “duality” Paul Allen, Untitled (2017)

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Solidarity and being organized are valued on par with individual craft skills.9 As Stella “Who can teach comradery Fafalios (2010) stated in a letter to her or brotherhood?” union brother, “We must stand strong — John Parente, “The Artisan together” (p. 88). in the Worker” (2018)

Demel’s (2013) assertion of faith in the creativity of the artisan is less concerned with the larger public appreciating the Photo provided by the authors. by Photo provided conduit bends than with his fellow James Oliva, Iwo Jima (2011) workers taking notice. Asserting this collectivity as a sign of life breaking James Oliva’s (2011) Iwo Jima is another through the machine posits solidarity work in the exhibit that gave form to this as yet another possible feature of the sentiment. It resonates with students artisan identity. This is related, as well, visiting the exhibit, both for its intense to the general invisibility of workers physical collectivity, as well as for the and with building trades (especially sculpture’s skillful reuse of mongo, electricians and plumbers) and the or leftover copper wire. Oliva, who invisible beauty of their work; it gets produced this work before joining the covered up by Sheetrock or runs behind armed services, stated that he wanted to walls and above ceilings. express his deep feeling for the humility and teamwork he’d witnessed amongst Jaime Lopez (2012) began an art essay his brothers and sisters in the union writing about craft and ultimately points

Photo provided by the authors. by Photo provided before he left for his tour of duty. to the collective power of workers — all workers — combined. In Craft, Art “We the rank and file 2013, united by the work that lay ahead, divided by the fear of losing. Communal Luxury and the and Unions, a piece in the show, Lopez 27 Our power is in defying this tradition.” — Exhibition Platform: A Conclusion concluded, “As a predator separates his Hana Georg, Self-Portrait at Work (2013) prey, then conquers the weakest, these The ways that students have enriched, big money influences create legislation expanded, and politicized the figure of Like Parente, some of our students in the government that separate[s] the artisan as described here points to recognize their own potentially the most powerful weapon we have, the value of an exhibition populated expert status as artisans. Works in strength in numbers” (p. 51). with texts, forms, and ideas that have the exhibition (both art and writing) emerged after a sustained immersion John Parente’s (2018) long-form poem, illustrate the collective and extremely in the HVASLS program. The exhibit quoted throughout this essay, focused physical labor construction workers itself posits the breakdown of an on the sacrifices it takes “to hold a perform together. The artisan’s institutional barrier that asserts cultural union card” in terms of such qualities physicalized way of knowing (or as Rose work is only the domain of established as Local 3’s training, skill, work ethic, (2004) put it, “the wisdom of heavy intellectuals and artists. This divide is camaraderie and brother/sisterhood. lifting” [p. 162]) includes instances of further breached if this platform fosters Yet he repeatedly returned to the even embodied solidarity. Some students the growth of a community of workers/ more collective “value of the working describe repeatedly putting differences artists/writers. class.” Invoking Rose (2004) specifically, aside, working through differences he equated the skill of the electrician rather, as a distinguishing characteristic As HVASLS colleague, Richard Wells with a hairdresser and reminded us that they perform in their often perilous (2019), stressed in his recent essay, the worker (not just the tradesperson), work. Carpenter student Stephanie “Teaching Austerity,” it is of great “is this maestro, a director, a composer.” Lawal has likened this process to a importance that the kind of educational Finally, by the end of his poem he does “ballet,” with people from all trades practices embodied at HVASLS — and lay claim to being an artist while also whom you may not like or share political the resulting student work — extend concluding his writing with a shout beliefs with: “You are responsible for beyond the classroom, beyond school, out to “all workers: ‘the working class’ each other’s bodies … and you make it and onto the job site and further, because we work it all out, may not have work” (personal communication, 2014). particularly in the political moment in it all together but together we have it which we find ourselves (pp. 17–18). all” (p. 51). Ultimately, collective work Such an extension challenges both

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 115 cultural and ideological assumptions that the federation of artisans/ someone to charge triple the that show up in class inequality, and artists have control over museums, amount for prime real estate” the divisions of head/hand, union/ decreeing that none should (p. 61). nonunion workers, individual/collective get any more funding than any 9 See fellow colleagues Szymanski identities, as well as aesthetic/functional other, refusing the imposition of and Wells’ (2016) Blue-Collar purposes of both art and writing. hierarchies of any sort. Classroom: From the Individual These educational practices seek to 3 International Brotherhood of to the Collective on the kinds of break through “entrenched hierarchies Electrical Workers. dangers posed by binding skill to and divisions” as the Commune did, wage levels posed to the collective particularly of who can afford to play 4 Labor Writes is our annual anthology power of workers. with words and images (Ross, 2015, p. of student writing and art, which 50). Ross wrote: “When that division is used as a text in College Writing References is overcome, as it was under the for Workers. The publication can be Commune [or as it is conveyed in the found at https://www.esc.edu/news/ Antonetty, A. (2015). High line: Personal phrase ‘communal luxury’], what matters magazines-journal/labor-writes/. backyard? Labor Writes 2015: more than any images conveyed, laws We Are The City. Retrieved from 5 See colleagues Szymanski and Wells passed, or institutions founded, are the https://www.esc.edu/media/Labor- (2013) “Labor Studies: Redefining capacities set in motion. You do not Writes-2015-FINAL.pdf a College Education” for analysis have to start at the beginning; you can of this resistance as a “market Demel, S. (2013). Conduit bends. Labor start anywhere” (p. 50). based calculation” and the unique Writes 2013: At Work. Retrieved from We have aimed to represent our role labor studies can play as a https://www.esc.edu/media/ocgr/ students as people whose capacities means of empowerment in the publications-presentations/HVACLS- have been set in motion. In fact, in this ever-increasing corporatization of a LaborWrites-2013.pdf space and these pages, amongst other college education. Fafalios, S. (2010). Dear brother. Labor offerings, they have contributed to a 6 Students without associate degrees Writes 2010. Saratoga Springs, NY: reframing of artisanship that not only are required by their union to get SUNY Empire State College. enriches the term with respect to labor an associate degree. Those with studies but also creates an invitation Fraser, R., & Mavrogiannis, S. (2017). associate degrees can choose a for the wider public to revisit their own “I Don’t Write, I Work”: Writing 20-credit program or to pursue a misconceptions of who construction and reading with trade union bachelor’s degree. workers are. The invitation to fellow apprentices. In K. Jelly, & A. Mandell workers to contribute to the political 7 Countering the resistance to college (Eds.), Principles, practices, and imaginary with their own writing, mentioned earlier, student Patrick creative tensions in progressive higher artistry, and artisanship, to not only Meyers writes in the Breaking Divides education (pp. 167–181). Rotterdam, start anywhere — but venture anywhere exhibit, “… [K]nowledge is power; The Netherlands: Sense Publishers. — is also created in these spaces. We life is not just about making money.” Georg, Hana. (2013). Self-portrait at speak against the way these student/ Again see Szymanski and Wells work. Labor Writes 2013: At Work. workers have been “consumed” and look (2013). One student quoted therein Retrieved from https://www.esc. toward their future cultural production, stated, “For me college is a way to edu/media/ocgr/publications- using — for example — hand and head, do the critical thinking I’ll need to presentations/HVACLS- individual and collective, men and accomplish moving my family out LaborWrites-2013.pdf women, black, brown, white, etc., as well of poverty” (p. 67). as union and nonunion all together. Gibson, S. (2013). Pliers and money. 8 Along these lines, the exhibit Labor Writes 2013: At Work. Retrieved features three texts about the High Notes from https://www.esc.edu/media/ Line by students Ardam Antonetty ocgr/publications-presentations/ 1 With thanks to a SUNY Empire State (2015), William Cawley and Brandon HVACLS-LaborWrites-2013.pdf College PILLARS grant. Kai Chung written for The Political Economy of New York class as they Gouldsbury, R. (2016). A seat at the 2 Ross stated, “Beauty must flourish aptly describe the “look but don’t table. Labor Writes 2016: Toward the in spaces shared in common and touch” ethos of a place that at one Light. Retrieved from https://www. not just in the privatized preserves time “aid[ed] the working class esc.edu/news/magazines-journal/ … fully integrated into life” (p. 58). and the city” but now serves “no labor-writes/2016/ The Communards also prioritized practical use other than allowing

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Hansen, K. L. (2013). My blue collar Parente, J. (2018). The artisan in Szymanski, S., & Wells, R. (2013, skills. Labor Writes 2013: At Work. the worker. Labor Writes 2018. September). Labor studies: Retrieved from https://www.esc. Saratoga Springs, NY: SUNY Redefining a college education. New edu/media/ocgr/publications- Empire State College. Directions for Adult and Continuing presentations/HVACLS- Education, 2013(139), 67–76. Rose, M. (2004). The mind at work: LaborWrites-2013.pdf Valuing the intelligence of the Szymanski, S. & Wells, R. (2016). Lopez, J. (2012). Craft, art and unions. American worker. New York, Blue-collar classroom: From the Labor Studies 2012: Occupy: NY: Penguin. individual to the collective. Labor

härd w e rk. Retrieved from Studies Journal, 41(1), 67–88. Ross, K. (2015). Communal luxury: https://www.esc.edu/media/ocgr/ The political imaginary of the Paris Turner, D. (2017). Reverse saw. Labor publications-presentations/Labor- Commune. London, England: Verso. Writes 2017. Saratoga Springs, NY: Writes-2012.pdf SUNY Empire State College. Spencer, J. (2014). The master approach Nguyen, D. F. (2014). I am a worker. to building. Labor Writes 2014. Wells, R. (2019). Teaching austerity to Labor Writes 2014. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://www.esc. working-class students: Toward a https://www.esc.edu/media/ocgr/ edu/media/ocgr/publications- new ‘common sense.’ Capital & Class, publications-presentations/Labor- presentations/Labor-Writes- 43(2), 315–337. Writes-2014.pdf 2014.pdf Zandy, J. (2004). Hands: Physical labor, Oliva, J. (2011). Iwo Jima. Labor Writes SUNY Empire State College. (n.d.). class, and cultural work. Piscataway, 2011: Work, Identity and Politics. The Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School NJ: Rutgers University Press. Retrieved from https://www.esc. of Labor Studies: Who we are. edu/media/ocgr/publications- Retrieved from https://www.esc. presentations/HVACLS-Labor- edu/labor-studies-center/about/ Writes-6-2011.pdf

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“Small, significant conversations”

Shantih E. Clemans, Brooklyn

A Review of: SoTL referred to, although my full-time SoTL in Action: Illuminating Critical reassignment as director of the Center Moments of Practice for Mentoring, Learning and Academic Edited by Nancy L. Chick Innovation (CMLAI), which had begun the previous month, continues to read SoTL in Action and penciled lead me through many inspiring and notes for this review while visiting my challenges experiences that, in some 80-year-old mother in New Jersey. I ways, mirror Chick’s book. My mother, a poet and former English teacher, was the person who first ignited Neatly divided into three parts, the 16 my love of teaching and learning, the joy chapters in SoTL in Action, a comfortable- of ordinary moments and end-of-the- in-the-hand and easy-on-the-eyes year surprises in the lives of students, book, orient readers to the history of teachers and a high school, which was SoTL. James Rhem’s Forward, “A Brief the heart of our family. (Somewhat) Slanted History of SoTL,” provided insights into the newness of I like to believe that I inherited my SoTL with a historical context. “But the mother’s passion for teaching and inquiry into how we learn and therefore learning as much as I inherited the how we should teach has remained shape of her eyes and the curl of her insistent throughout history. … Teachers hair. Our dinner conversations were now understand that lasting learning invariably about what her students begins in points of discovery” (p. x). were reading, or the first drafts of their Image credit: Amazon.com essays, or who was excelling and who In her relatable introduction, Chick was struggling. shared how she was influenced to analyze how they happen and then pursue SoTL as a career (readers using that knowledge to improve SoTL “What is SoTL?” she asked me as may have their own “aha” moments) performance” (p. 2). Expanding across she picked up Chick’s book to get through her membership in a group departments, disciplines, and students, a closer look. As I explained to this of teaching assistants, a cohort SoTL, an emerging field just 20 years veteran teacher that SoTL refers to the charged with learning about teaching old, simultaneously unites, divides, and scholarship of teaching and learning, and learning and to report back to continuously has to defend its place I realized that my mother’s confusion their respective departments. “What among scholars and practitioners. was not unusual. Many teachers and I remember — what lasted and This book is an effort for SoTL to educators dedicate themselves to the changed everything for me — were claim legitimacy and acknowledge the work of teaching and learning. However, the conversations. I remember Amy in tensions, opportunities, and future I’m guessing that for some, SoTL as an psychology talking about her research directions. umbrella term, is relatively unfamiliar, on early childhood eating patterns, even when the practice of teaching Part One, “Strong Foundations,” began and how she approached teaching the and learning comes as second nature. with Chapter 1, “Using Intuition, complexities of nature versus nurture. Illuminating this paradox, the chapters Anecdote, and Observation” (by Gary I remember Tim in biology talking of SoTL in Action offer a context, a Poole). With an effort to demystify the about preparing and grading exams …” roadmap, for readers navigating familiar elements of a SoTL project, quickening (p. 1). (Honoring the bond she shared terrain with fresh eyes. first in our minds and hearts, followed with her teaching assistant colleagues, next with how to bring such a project I first heard Nancy L. Chick speak in Chick dedicated her book to these to fruition, Poole wrote, “We need to 2017 when I traveled to Calgary, Canada “small, significant conversations.”) She turn our beliefs about students into to present a poster at the International articulated that the purpose of the curiosities because those beliefs, Society for the Scholarship of Teaching book was about “illuminating SoTL in especially when based on emotionally- and Learning (ISSOTL) conference. I action by putting its critical moments charged conversations with others, was only vaguely familiar with what under the microscope to carefully might be less than accurate” (p. 11).

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Chapter 3, “The SoTL Literature Review: Articulating Research Assumptions” (by 9, “Classroom Observations: Exploring Exploring New Territory” (by Margy Carol Berenson). Contrasting positivist How Learning Works” (by Bill Cerbin) MacMillan), made a strong case for and constructivist paradigms, Berenson was equally informative as it laid out researchers taking their time with reminded readers that putting words the process of classroom observation literature reviews. A SoTL literature to our assumptions can be a “messy as a method of data gathering. review shares the duality of “process” and complicated” process. What are a “Observation can also play a key role in and “product.” A scholar needs to be researcher’s assumptions about “what understanding key interactions between able to “identify patterns, gaps, key counts as reality and knowledge of teaching and learning. … In SoTL, we voices, and missing perceptions” (p. it?” (p. 44). Many questions remain want to understand how teaching 23). Synthesizing the work of others is unanswered: How can we learn more affects learning, in terms of not only a crucial step for the actual study at about how our students learn across what students learn but how teaching hand, and also to bolster the broader various disciples and departments? facilitates and supports learning” (p. 90). credibility of SoTL. SoTL literature How can (and should) researchers Chapter 10, “Conducting Interviews: reviews present unique challenges for spread this tent high and wide across Capturing What is Unobserved” (by scholars. “SoTL work can be difficult to all areas of student interest to cull the Janice Miller-Young) praised the find efficiently … most researchers will nuggets of what learning is happening benefits of interviews for SoTL research: have to step outside their disciplinary for students and in what ways learning “Interviewing students gives instructors comfort zones” (p. 25). Indeed, such a is “bottlenecked” (a term that popped up an opportunity to listen and learn tension between what is a discipline- throughout the book)? from students, voice their perspectives specific quest and what is a broader Ethical research was taken up in on teaching and learning, and offer educational inquiry is one of the Chapter 7, “Respect, Justice, and Doing suggestions for improvement to a ongoing debates among faculty and Good: The Ethics Review” (by Ryan course or program. A good interview administrators here at SUNY Empire C. Martin). Martin reminded readers also allows the unexpected to emerge State College. that, since SoTL inquiry is indeed …” (p. 93). This guidance seems relevant How the scholarship of teaching and research, proper ethics reviews (i.e., for researchers conducting interviews of learning differs from educational an Institutional Review Board) must any kind. research was the theme of Chapter 4, be in place. Necessary reading for One of the more intriguing chapters “Educational Research and SoTL” (by anyone embarking on research, this in the volume was Chapter 11, “Close Kimberley A. Grant). Grant explored chapter asked: “Why must I do an IRB Reading: Paying Attention to Student the “contested spaces” to which each application?” “What if my research is not Artifacts” (by Karen Manarin). An area laid claim. Territoriality is one issue approved?” Martin offered a definition example of a researcher who finds that has the potential to weaken SoTL; of research: “Systematic investigation, comfort in both her discipline and the other is confusion. What is SoTL including research development, testing her SoTL practice, Manarin wrote, “… and what is not SoTL? Is SoTL a field of and evaluation, designed to develop or language shapes rather than merely practice or a type of research? Here is contribute to generalizable knowledge” records experience. … Doing close where the description of SoTL as part of (p. 66). Publishing is a way that SoTL reading means being willing to consider the “big tent” movement may be helpful gains legitimacy, as Martin concluded: multiple interpretations of a text, even for readers. Cutting across disciplinary “I argue that by not publishing our those that don’t seem immediately and departmental boundaries, SoTL findings, we miss out on an opportunity obvious because of our assumptions” welcomes and learns from teacher- to do the most possible good and (p. 100). scholars across many disciplines. provide the most possible justice” Teaching and learning remain the (p. 67). This book primarily focused on common denominator. Opportunities students as learners and as the focus Part Two led readers into an exploration to learn from multiple perspectives is of SoTL projects. Unfortunately, there of the nitty-gritty of methods and one argument that SoTL is distinct from were missed opportunities to expand methodologies. Chapter 8 was a education research. the inquiries to include teachers as standout that furthers an understanding learners worthy of SoTL attention. The Any research (and, by association, of SoTL work. “Methods and Measures experiences, challenges, questions, researcher) enters a project with Matter” (by Trent W. Maurer) pushed and intuitions of all types of teachers assumptions about the process. researchers to make sure the actual are needed as researchers imagine Exposing those sometimes-hidden questionnaires developed for SoTL and develop and carry out scholarship assumptions while engaging in a SoTL research are actually designed to research project was the crux of Chapter answer the SoTL questions. (This seems 5, “Identifying a Tradition of Inquiry: to be relevant to any research.) Chapter

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 119 of teaching and learning projects that attending to both health and learning. passions, questions, and intuitions one strengthen our understanding and There are many ripe opportunities step further: to research, writing, and practice of teaching. for SoTL scholarship — research publication. Our students and teachers projects, conference presentations, are waiting. As I write these words, schools of every reflections on practice. Chick’s book, shape, size, and philosophy, including written pre-COVID-19, certainly offered Reference preschools, elementary, middle schools, practical guidance for the legitimacy and colleges and universities, are Chick, N. L. (Ed.). (2018). SoTL in of researching this very question: facing highly complicated decisions action: Illuminating critical How do students learn? Coupled about when (and how) to safely moments of practice. Sterling, with practical components, SoTL in reopen for students, while carefully VA: Stylus Publishing Action pushes scholars to bring their

“Good practice in undergraduate education:

1. Encourages contact between students and faculty. 2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students. 3. Encourages active learning techniques. 4. Gives prompt feedback. 5. Emphasizes time on task. 6. Communicates high expectations. 7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.”

— Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson, March 1987 “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), p. 2

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New Educational Technologies: Almost Out of Thin Air

Jason Russell, Buffalo

A Review of: which is short considering this book’s 25 Years of Ed Tech overall length. Beginning with 1994, By Martin Weller each year is the subject of a chapter. This is a clever and appropriate way of organizing a recent history, and it he summer of 2020 is a immensely adds to its accessibility. The regrettably appropriate time to result is a book that is a primer on how write a review of the evolution T educational technology developed over of distance learning educational a quarter-century period, but it also technology, regardless of the merits misses some issues whose inclusion of the book under consideration. The would have strengthened the author’s emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic overall analysis. has transformed all aspects of global society for an indefinite time period. 1994 now seems very distant and The virus’s impact has been particularly even simple from the view of a world acute on education from kindergarten that lived through 9/11 and is now to colleges and universities. Distance enduring a global pandemic; such is learning and educational technology, the nature of hindsight. The internet, which are the subjects of Martin Weller’s which is key to everything that now new book, are no longer considered a happens in distance learning, was in its secondary option to in-class instruction. infancy and it was beginning to shake Distance education is now a key mode the foundations of long-established Image credit: aupress.ca of learning available to policymakers socioeconomic practices. Books were at all levels until methods of safely still predominantly purchased at the term e-learning went into usage in returning students to classrooms and physical bookstores, films were watched 1999. The distance learning building lecture halls can be implemented. in theaters and on videotapes, but a blocks were clearly falling into place by Reviewers will occasionally describe new online music service called Napster the turn of the 21st century. a book as being timely; Weller’s has was about to completely alter how the indeed come off the press at the music business functioned. 1994 was Educational technology accelerated right moment. also the year when online Bulletin Board in the 2000s: the learning object systems first appeared, and they would was created in 2000, the learning Weller is a faculty member at The Open be used for online education. management system in 2002, blogs in University in the United Kingdom, and 2003, and the first open educational that institution is an acknowledged 1995 ushered in the World Wide Web resource (OER) written in 2004. Video global leader in distance education and acronyms like www and HTML and the flipped classroom were used and nontraditional student learning. entered popular discourse. The creation in 2005, the term Web 2.0 rolled out His narrative is organized around the of search engines made it possible to and the first tweet sent on Twitter in comparatively brief history of computer find webpages, something that is now 2006, Second Life developed in 2007, and internet-based educational a simple task, which concomitantly and e-portfolios premiered in 2008. technology. People who work and teach enabled the use of rudimentary sites All of these heady developments were at institutions that were already making on which educational materials could followed by massive open online extensive use of distance learning be posted. The following year saw courses (MOOCs) in 2012, digital badges now often consider its presence to be the arrival of computer-mediated in 2015, and Blockchain in 2017. A second nature, but Weller shows that communication, and that made veritable cornucopia of new terms a lot happened in the years between asynchronous learning possible. and acronyms entered the higher 1994 and 2019. Educational technology Constructivism was introduced in education lexicon. quickly became second nature in the 1997 and it essentially meant student- institutions that used it. Weller’s analysis centered learning. 1998 was the year is divided into 25 chapters, each of that the first wiki was developed, and

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Weller’s (2020) interest in learning Weller (2020) briefly refers to the social Weller also does not talk about the technology is keen and he is on firm implications of educational technology, implications of new educational footing when recounting the emergence but attempting to introduce any broader technology for students. Technology of successive new forms of it. He policy analysis puts him on less secure can be democratizing as it expands opens the book by saying that there ground. For instance, he comments access to education, but it can also be is no shared concept of history in the on the cost of higher education in the exclusionary if students cannot access educational technology field, but the United States and how Europeans still it. It also requires a level of technical book is not especially well-situated tend to view it as a social good, but familiarity that goes well beyond in the broader discussion of learning he then tacks back to describing more knowing how to turn on an overhead technology even since the mid-20th changes in technology (p. 134). He also projector and center an acetate slide century onward (p. 4). The chalkboard talks about the problem of educational over its light source. Technological was invented in 1801 and can still technology dystopia and primarily links literacy is now part of the learning be found in use. The IBM Selectric it to privacy issues. Maintaining privacy dictionary and has become a field of typewriter, a heavy, rapid-fire machine online and ensuring that personal academic study. that was ubiquitous in higher education information of any kind remains Those issues aside, the weaknesses until the late 20th-century, was invented confidential is indeed a serious matter, of this book are outweighed by its in 1961. The overhead projector used as Shoshana Zuboff (2019) argued in a strengths. New forms of educational to display acetate slides on screens compelling new study. technology appear almost out of thin was also first sold by 3M in the early The vexing issue of how policymakers air and faculty commence working with 1960s. Educational technology prior at different levels view the economic them with varying degrees of success. to computerization involved devices utility of new educational technology Learning management systems are like chalkboards, electric typewriters, is as important as privacy and is updated, new social media platforms overheads, film projectors, film strips, unfortunately not fully explored in appear, and the learning experience reel-to-reel recordings, and audio the book. Simply put, a lot of people changes. Predicting the future is difficult, cassettes. It was all mechanical, in higher education administration, but it seems certain that educational manual, and did not undergo much government, and business have technology will become even more evolution. Situating modern educational concluded that educational technology integrated into higher education even technology within even a brief makes it possible to move away from after COVID-19 has been dispatched by discussion of what preceded it would traditional in-class learning because a vaccine. Martin Weller helpfully shows have helped emphasize its impact. it is cheaper. The reality is that readers where this technology came This book offers many insights on using educational technology is not from, who created it, and the changes different tools that are now employed necessarily cheaper, but it does provide that it brought in a crucial period in the in distance education, but there is little more learning options. It has become history of global higher education. said about what it takes to maintain possible for people who could not them. Something like a learning attend a bricks-and-mortar institution References management system requires significant to earn their degrees. Weller is writing Weller, M. (2020). 25 years of ed tech. infrastructure to keep it running from a U.K. perspective and that Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: including hardware, frequent system country does not have fully online, Athabasca University Press. updates, and skilled staff to hold it all for-profit universities on the scale together. New occupations appeared of those in the United States. His Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance to facilitate the implementation of new perspective would surely be different capitalism: The fight for a human educational technologies — especially if he were on faculty at a place like future at the new frontier of power. instructional designers — yet they are SUNY Empire State College or any other New York, NY: Public Affairs. not described in the book. American public university or college that offers online programs.

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From the Archives

Anastasia Pratt, SUNY Empire Archivist, Plattsburgh

hat better way to begin these two men: Rockefeller, whom celebrating SUNY Empire State Boyer referred to as “one of the most W College’s 50th anniversary remarkable public figures I’ve known” than with a photograph of its founding (Goldberg, 1995, A Time of Growth fathers, Ernest Boyer and Nelson section, para. 1); and Boyer, of whom Rockefeller? The two men, in their Rockefeller was a “friend and admirer” respective roles as chancellor of the (Manzullo-Thomas, 2015, para. 5). State University of New York and governor of New York, created this References college and enacted Boyer’s vision of Goldberg, M. F. (1995, February). A an institution that operated differently. portrait of Ernest Boyer. Retrieved Rather than traditional, campus-based from http://www.ascd.org/ courses, Boyer envisioned a college publications/educational-leadership/ where students would create and use feb95/vol52/num05/A-Portrait-of- contracts to study with mentors; rather Ernest-Boyer.aspx than a focus on external research, he Archives. Photo courtesy of the SUNY Empire State College envisioned a college in which teaching Manzullo-Thomas, D. (2015, March 6). (l-r) Ernest Boyer and Nelson Rockefeller. itself became a form of scholarship Photo Friday: “Best wishes” from and service. Governor Nelson Rockefeller [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://blogs. Boyer’s vision of flexible, lifelong messiah.edu/boyerarchives/tag/ learning is the hallmark of this college nelson-a-rockefeller/ that we love. And it all started with

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Remembering Our Colleagues

Arthur W. Chickering exceptions, was virtually unavailable in at Empire State College; he interviewed Arthur Chickering, founding academic the world of undergraduate academe. me for a faculty position at the Long vice president, was a central voice and Empire State College would fully engage Island Center. The college was just an abiding spirit at SUNY Empire State the student in the conception, design, beginning and we, the faculty, were College. He came to SUNY Empire in July engagement, and evaluation of her or learning our new roles. He became my 1971, already having made significant his degree program, providing reflection mentor, not only for learning my new contributions to nontraditional higher and motivation for the student, and full role but by giving me the chance to help education, notably at Goddard College engagement of the faculty mentor across him formalize it for the college and New and through his book, Education and a wide range of topics and methods. York state. I became the chair of the Identity (1969, Jossey-Bass), which Despite 50 years of significant growth in academic program committee; Chick won the National Book Award from the the student body and faculty mentors, was the administration’s representative. American Council on Higher Education. this central facet of the college continues Together, we organized and designed the Chickering’s lifetime commitment to to drive the learning experience. Empire theory underlying degree programs that individualized education was reflected State College could not have succeeded reflected his thinking. No doubt, Chick’s in the basic academic vocabulary of the without it. Arthur Chickering brought this ideas and theories about education and college that he was so instrumental in central process to life. the adult student became the pivotal creating and championing: the learning concept regarding nontraditional higher From Tom Clark, retired administrator contract, the degree program, and education in the 1970s and beyond. especially a new faculty role as “mentor.” I came to Empire State College because The model of Empire State College that In 1981, he wrote/edited another classic of I wanted to work with Chick. As dean of Chick created led to interest from many alternative higher education, The Modern the Northeast Center and the director of colleges, here and abroad, wanting to American College: Responding to the the Center for Individualized Education, emulate this design. A final memory: New Realities of Diverse Student and we had the opportunity to implement Once, we were doing a workshop at a Changing Society (Jossey-Bass). His educational experiences with students Goddard College in the middle of the belief that learning, human development, that started with the student rather than winter in Vermont. Chick and Jo (his wife and the quest for a more caring world solely with the curriculum. This vision of of 69 years) gave me their bedroom for were inextricably connected was at the higher education was but one of Chick’s my one night stay so that I could see the core of his incredibly rich personal and gifts to the process. He believed that snow falling through the window. professional legacy, which included a individuals were different, had different William C. Ferrero final autobiographical reflection (with interests and goals, and learned in contributions from many significant adult different ways. This was the theoretical Bill Ferrero came to SUNY Empire in 1974 educators), Cool Passion: Challenging framework for Empire State College’s as vice president for administration. Higher Education (2014). Arthur academic program, a model of mentor For four decades, he was responsible Chickering died on August 15, 2020. and student working together as a pair for creating and overseeing myriad to actualize the student’s interests and administrative systems that knit together From James W. Hall, president emeritus goals through a process of developing the far-flung learning centers, smaller SUNY Empire State College has lost the learning contract. His theories units, and many programs of the college. one of its founding creators. Dr. Arthur about how people learn became the With great care and always a human Chickering, known best as “Chick,” mainstream for all of the college’s touch, Ferrero kept the books. He died on brought his formidable knowledge and academic processes. Chick believed that July 1, 2020. experience to a team that forged an learning was a lifelong endeavor and From Paul Tucci, former assistant entirely new model for higher learning. that learning takes place at every phase vice president for administration As founding academic vice president, he of the life cycle, which led to a model championed a fresh new approach to that revolved around the adult learner. Bill hired me as his assistant vice learning that would come to define the president for administration in February From Rhoada Wald, professor emerita heart and soul of the new institution. He 2006, and until July 2008, he was my envisioned an educational practice that There was no one like Arthur Chickering. boss or “Chief,” as my predecessor would redefine the role of the student For me, he was a model of a great Dennis Belt use to refer to him. I was in designing an often unique study plan administrator, one who had a secure very fortunate to have Bill return in in collaboration with a faculty mentor. belief system for what education is and a part-time capacity as the college’s This approach to learning, with few might be. He was the first person I met director of capital facilities for the next

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 124 three years when he retired again in July bag with beer to finish the day’s work President Alan Davis. He told me that I 2011. My time with Bill at SUNY Empire and relax on Amtrak for the ride back should feel the same pride as a member was relatively short compared to Bill’s to Albany. The car and train rides were of the senior staff tasked to living up to 40 years of full-time employment at the filled with Bill stories about folks we had great expectations and reminded me that college beginning in 1977 and his part- both known and worked with during our we could never accomplish the jobs we time gig that extended his career. careers at SUNY. do without the assistance of a fantastic supporting cast, which we did indeed I had first met Bill in the early 1980s The college and I were fortunate that have. He was a great mentor to me, and when I was a young auditor working Bill, Dennis, Joe Moore, and others one of my few regrets was that he should at SUNY Central Administration and had left the finances in good shape, as have coached me on my golf game, as was sent to SUNY Empire to work on we utilized those reserves to weather well. I think of Bill now as though he’s various audits of student financial aid future budget cuts from the state and finished his round of golf and he’s gone funds and then again examining the SUNY beginning in 2009 as a result of to the 19th hole to have a beer. college’s administration of self-funding the 2008 recession. I enjoyed reading programs, such as the bookstore Bill’s budget memos to the President’s Marilyn Grapin and certain academic programs not Council, as they did not just dwell on the Marilyn Grapin, who died on May 29, supported by state funds in those numbers but were great narratives that 2020, came to SUNY Empire as a mentor days. Bill had actually worked at SUNY laid the financial situations of the times in the Verizon Corporate College Program Central’s budget office prior to his in Bill’s terminology. He would set the and then joined the Hudson Street, New coming to SUNY Empire, so he knew my expectation for the deans if they came York City location community. Grapin bosses from University Audit, and our to the budget hearings looking for funds worked with many students in the sciences audits at the college were coincidentally depending on meeting their enrollment and in Western civilization, but her main scheduled around the racetrack season targets, and he was equally tough with teaching area was in mathematics, where in Saratoga. I had also met Bill’s wife the other VPs if they could not support she always offered students — especially Wendy when I first started at SUNY in their budget requests based upon past those with a fear of numbers — great 1979 as she was a secretary working just performance or realistic expectations clarity, abiding patience, a perfect sense of outside my cubicle in SUNY Plaza. of what the additional requested funds humor, and incredible encouragement. could accomplish. I recall my interview with Bill and the search committee that consisted of Geri Bill’s resignation letter as VP for From David Gechlik, mentor Arpey, Linda Ryan, Evelyn Ting, Eileen administration to Interim President Marilyn was always a joy to work with. Corrigan, Leslie Cohen, Bob Milton, and Joyce Elliott was eloquent, but in words I’d known her since 1997 when we Bob Trullinger. Bill asked me what my that only Bill could convey. He noted first worked together in the Verizon career goals were and I replied, “I want how truly blessed his career in higher Corporate College Program. Our your job,” to which he stated, “Right education had been, especially his friendship continued when we were answer.” When Bill called me to offer me time at SUNY Empire. He stated that together at the Metropolitan Center. the job, I believe he gave me one night had anyone told him 40 years ago of Marilyn taught math, a subject that some to think about the offer; he wasn’t one the career ahead of him, he would of our students dreaded learning, but to waste time. have laughed “and had them arrested she had the enviable ability to assuage for illegal drug use.” He continued by their fear. She was gifted with a gentle My fondest memories of Bill were the stating what a privilege it had been to be manner and a caring demeanor; her road trips, meeting with the deans working with some of the “most brilliant warm smile added to her likeableness. while looking at various existing and people on the planet on a project potential new lease opportunities. We Marilyn and I remained in contact after that has to be the most innovative also spent time checking out sites for she retired. She loved her family dearly, ‘experiment’ in higher education in a the new centers to be built for the taking great pleasure in sharing stories century.” I think we were the privileged Genesee Valley and Long Island Centers, about her children and grandchildren. ones having worked with Bill. two eventual outcomes that obviously Marilyn was loved by all who met and took much longer than Bill or I could When Bill tendered his final resignation knew her. She will be sorely missed by have anticipated: “glacial speed,” as Bill letter from his role as director of capital her students, friends, and family. would refer to it. Train trips to NYC with facilities three years later, he started Bill were completed with a stop at the the letter by stating, “Once more with From Peggy Tally, mentor bar in Penn Station and having a beer feeling!!” He once again gave credit to Marilyn was one of the most beloved and something to eat, or if in a hurry to those who helped lead the college, Jim of colleagues and a mentor who was catch the train, grabbing a brown paper Hall, Jane Altes, Joe and Joyce, and then- incredibly attuned and compassionate

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 125 when it came to her students. She grew gave unstintingly to her students. In so Ed Todd up in a working-class Jewish household, many faculty discussions over so many Ed Todd came to SUNY Empire State College the child of Polish immigrants in the years, it was Ellen Hawkes who would in 1985 after an already long career as Bronx, and was both a precocious math provide details of her students’ lives a faculty member and administrator in student and the twin of an equally and of their studies, ever proud of their higher education, including serving as gifted sister, Arlene. True to her time, accomplishments. Ellen Hawkes died on vice president at the Rochester Institute Marilyn married young and had three January 30, 2019, at the age of 93. of Technology, and provost-executive vice children, being a full-time housewife and From Barb Pollack, mentor president and acting president at SUNY parenting her three kids, and taking care College at Old Westbury. He worked with of a busy household. Marilyn went back I had a wonderful learning experience both undergraduate and graduate students to school for her master’s when they as I was mentored by Ellen Hawkes, not at SUNY Empire as a mentor in Business, got a little older and was able to get her as a student but as a new adjunct, then Management and Economics, the area doctorate from New York University and as a mentor here at SUNY Empire. What in which he earned his Ph.D. from The teach in a variety of places until coming a role model to have and to learn from University of Chicago. For 35 years, Ed to SUNY Empire State College. There in my early days as college faculty! Not offered us at SUNY Empire great generosity, are so many Marilyn stories I could tell, only did Ellen show me the importance humor, and insights from an incredibly but I think people will remember her of a well-developed learning contract rich background, from night school to as having a wonderful, acerbic sense of and narrative evaluation, but also how journeyman patternmaker, to the U.S. Air humor; the capacity to “tell it like it is,” to guide students in their learning. I Force, to the Pentagon, to the academy. and the ability to make everyone feel remember many meetings over lunch welcome and attended to. She would at the Rochester Science Museum From Frances Boyce, mentor specialize in walking the halls, going discussing courses that I would offer, I had the privilege of working with Ed in, and saying hello to everyone, and how to find textbooks, and how to write Todd at SUNY Empire State College’s was able to break the awkwardness the contracts for each study. Long Island Center for 26 years. When I that sometimes accompanied being Ever the educator, Ellen was a came to the college, he was a wonderful an academic in favor of a homespun passionate advocate for the field of mentor to me. He helped me navigate warmth and friendliness that was “early childhood” to be part of our and negotiate the vagaries of SUNY infectious. Marilyn specialized in helping academic offerings. She felt that Empire. Over the years, Ed became a students, particularly women, face their it was important to educate those dear friend. When I first started at the math phobias and was able to make it adults working in the early childhood college and we introduced ourselves possible for them to see math in a real- profession to have the knowledge of at meetings, he would introduce world context. She was also thrilled to what is appropriate for young children. himself in one of two ways: either as be able to teach Science and Western She often told stories of her experiences my secretary or as the junior member Civilization, where she would introduce and learning in raising her own three of the business faculty. This amused students to the real-world applications young daughters while advancing him to no end. His humor and kindness of science and technology in different her own education as a graduate and are what colleagues remember most periods of Western history. In a time then-doctoral student, which gave fondly. Through the years when I faced where science is being questioned as her the ability to understand, connect challenges, I went to Ed. He always just so much “fake news,” this delight with, and support her students. I was offered direct advice wrapped in in sharing with students how science often warned not to ride with Ellen to humor. Ed wrote so many letters to the and math could be used to understand meetings. Perhaps that was due to her administration of this college, but never and solve real-world problems is one background in driving a large truck over on his own behalf. He wrote to correct of Marilyn’s most lasting and enduring rough terrain as a camp counselor. She something that he thought wasn’t right; legacies for those who had the privilege would laugh and explain that everything he wrote in defense or support of a of working with her. is a learning experience. colleague. Ed would not be silent in the Ellen Hawkes face of injustice; he recognized his ability During her retirement, Ellen continued to bring light to darkness. He did it for Beginning in 1975, Ellen Hawkes served as to learn and educate as she participated me and many others and never wanted a mentor at SUNY Empire for more than in clown ministry with her church thanks or recognition. Ed will always 25 years. At the Genesee Valley Center group. Her life was an example to me have a place in my heart and the hearts in Rochester, she worked with students and many students of how to enjoy the of many other people on Long Island. I in Human Services and in Educational present day with a generosity of spirit only wish that after all he gave to us, he Studies, with a special interest in children. and excitement for life. could have had much more time after A caring and attentive mentor, Hawkes his retirement this year.

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Core Values of Empire State College (2005)

he core values of SUNY Empire We value learning-mentoring • Recognizes that learning occurs State College reflect the processes that: in multiple communities, commitments of a dynamic, environments, and relationships, as T • Emphasize dialogue and participatory, and experimenting well as in formal academic settings collaborative approaches to study institution accessible and dedicated • Attracts, respects, and is enriched to the needs of a richly diverse adult • Support critical exploration of by a wide range of people, ideas, student body. These values are woven knowledge and experience perspectives, and experiences. into the decisions we make about what • Provide opportunities for active, we choose to do, how we carry out reflective, and creative We value a learning-mentoring our work in all parts of the institution, academic engagement. organization and culture that: and how we judge the outcome of We value learning-mentoring • Invites collaboration in the our individual and collective efforts. modes that: multiple contexts of our work More than a claim about what we have already attained, the core values • Respond to a wide array of • Fosters innovation support our continuing inquiry about student styles, levels, interests, and experimentation what learning means and how it occurs. and circumstances • Develops structures and policies We value learning-mentoring goals that: • Foster self-direction, independence, that encourage active participation and reflective inquiry of all constituents in decision- • Respond to the academic, making processes professional, and personal • Provide opportunities for ongoing • Advocates for the interests of adult needs of each student questioning and revising learners in a variety of academic • Reflect innovation and research. • Identify and build upon students’ and civic forums. existing knowledge and skills We value a learning-mentoring • Sustain lifelong curiosity and community that: critical inquiry • Defines each member as a learner, • Provide students with skills, insights, encouraging and appreciating their and competencies that support distinctive contributions successful college study.

SUNY EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE • ALL ABOUT MENTORING • ISSUE 54 • AUTUMN 2020 SUBMISSIONS TO ALL ABOUT MENTORING f you have a scholarly paper-in-progress or a talk that you have presented, All About Mentoring would welcome it. If you developed materials for your students that may I be of good use to others, or have a comment on any part of this issue, or on topics/ concerns relevant to our mentoring community, please send them along. If you have a short story, poem, drawings or photographs, or have reports on your reassignments and sabbaticals, All About Mentoring would like to include them in an upcoming issue. Email submissions to [email protected]. Submissions to All About Mentoring can be of varied length and take many forms. (Typically, materials are no longer than 7,500 words.) It is easiest if materials are emailed to Mandell as Microsoft Word attachments. In terms of style and referencing, All About Mentoring follows the Associated Press Stylebook and uses APA rules (please see the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. [Washington, DC: APA, 2010] or http://image.mail.bfwpub.com/lib/feed1c737d6c03/m/1/BSM_APA_update_2010.pdf). All About Mentoring is published twice a year. Our next issue, #55, will be available in spring 2021. Please submit all materials by February 1, 2021. ALL ABOUT MENTORING Issue 54 • Autumn 2020

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