2009 Fall Insight on Diversity
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ISSUE NO. 2 FALL/WINTER 2009-2010 Promoting Diversity Through Inclusive Thinking, Mindful Learning and Transformative Dialogue THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE OFFICE OF INCLUSION, DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY From the VP New History Faculty Member Focuses Welcome to the new academic year! As the fall semester on Immigration & Citizenship begins, I am reflecting on how exciting my first nine months have been at Case Western Reserve University getting to know our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners. The Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity (OIDEO) has been hard at work addressing the diversity challenges that can arise in the classroom, on campus, and in the workplace. Yet we know education and dialogue about the value and significance of diversity creates exciting opportunities to embrace both our differences and what we have in common. Moreover, embracing diversity creates contexts for excellence for all of us. Dr. John H. Flores, Climo In this second issue of Insight on Diversity, you Junior Professor for the will learn more about the launch of the Diversity College of Arts and Sciences and Inclusion Lecture Series (p.2); meet our new Diversity Program Manager, Liz Roccoforte (p.5); CWRU and the OIDEO office are pleased as Mexican immigrants are, my research enjoy an informative feature profile on CWRU’s to welcome Dr. John H. Flores as Climo also proves that in times of economic Junior Professor for the College of Arts and political crisis, Mexican immigrants Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender resources and Sciences. Dr. Flores brings valuable are scapegoated and disciplined. (p.3-4); and get to know a new member of our scholarship to CWRU through his Consequently, my intellectual interests history faculty who is making inroads in the specialized study of Mexican American speak directly to CWRU’s efforts to study of Mexican American history as it relates to history as it challenges and informs understand social relationships in order to immigration and citizenship (p.1). the U.S. discourse regarding Mexican improve them,” he continued. American immigrants. His research Finally, as members of our community observe/ His current book manuscript, On the interests include modern Mexico; the Wings of the Revolution: Migration, celebrate National Coming Out Day (October 11), history of immigration and citizenship Transnational Politics, and the Making of Yom Kippur (September 27 - 28), Rosh Hashanah in the U.S.; multinational political and a Midwestern Mexican Identity, traces (September 18 - 19), and Hispanic Heritage Month labor movements; and ethnic, racial, and the ideologies and activities of Mexican (September 15 - October 15). I hope we will all national identity formation. immigrant organizations back to their reflect on the rich resource our diversity offers us Dr. Flores envisions that his research regional origins in Mexico, revealing how to learn about others, to appreciate who they are, will contribute to CWRU’s Social Justice the political climate in specific locales what gifts they bring to the table, and how they are Initiative. “My work recovers the histories in Mexico shaped Mexican immigrant of Mexican immigrants who left very few political actions in the United States contributing to our campus community. written records of themselves. My findings during the first half of the twentieth suggest that we need to re-conceptualize century. Best regards, Mexican immigrants as complex and Dr. Flores teaches courses on Latina/o deep-thinking individuals who have a Marilyn Sanders Mobley, Ph.D. Americans, labor, immigration, and racial long tradition of laboring as educators, and ethnic relations. John Flores may be social workers, and unionists here in the contacted at 216.368.4219 or United States,” he stated. “As diverse [email protected]. ■ 1 Diversity & Inclusion Lecture Series The Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal The schedule for the Lecture Series will feature the following symposiums: Opportunity is proud to announce the inaugural “Diversity and Inclusion Lecture SEP 29 Dr. Diana Bilimoria, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Weatherhead School of Series” that will begin this fall. The purpose Management, CWRU. Topic: “Creating an Inclusive Faculty Climate at CWRU” of the series is to give greater visibility to the OCT 29 Dr. Sheila Peters, Associate Professor, Chair Psychology Department, Fisk University. important scholarship and research CWRU Topic: “Critical Dialogues: Building and Sustaining Diversity in the faculty are engaged in and thereby increase Academy” dialogue about the relevance of diversity and inclusion both on and off campus. NOV 10 Professor Jonathan Entin, JD, Professor of Law and Political Science, CWRU School of Law. Topic: “Litigation or Activism: How Did We Make Progress on Civil Rights?” The series will present two CWRU award-winning scholars this semester and two in the spring. FEB 24 Dr. David Miller, Associate Professor, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Additionally, we are honored to strengthen our CWRU. Topic: “Have We Arrived or Just at a Rest Stop? The Intersection of partnership with Fisk University by hosting the Race, Politics, & Higher Education” Provost of Fisk University, Dr. M. Christopher MAR 24 Dr. Faye Gary, EDD, RN, FAAN, The Medical Mutual of Ohio, Kent W. Clapp Chair and Brown and Psychology department Chair and primary Fisk-CWRU liaison, Dr. Sheila Peters. Professorship in Nursing, CWRU. Topic: “Issues in Women’s Health” The lecture series is free and open to the public, APR 15 Dr. M Christopher Brown II, Provost and Executive Vice-President, Fisk University. students, staff, faculty and alumni. The series is Topic: “The Future of Collegiate Affirmative Action in a Pseudo-Post Racial America” generously co-sponsored by the College or Arts Please refer to www.case.edu/diversity for times and locations. and Sciences and the Office of the Provost. ■ Alumni Weekend Events Promote Diversity! OIDEO Hosts Open House Alumni Weekend at CWRU will be held October 22–25. The following is the schedule of Alumni Weekend diversity events: Friday, Oct. 23rd, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. LGBTA Alumni Cocktail Party at Alumni House Saturday, Oct. 24th, 10:30 a.m. LGBTA Alumni Brunch at Alumni House (Reservations required for brunch. Please contact the Office of Alumni Relations to reserve your spot by calling 216-368-6280 or emailing [email protected]) Saturday, Oct. 24th, 3:00 p.m. Flora Stone Mather Alumni Tea On September 1, the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity (OIDEO) Sunday, Oct. 25th, 2:30 p.m. welcomed the campus community to an Open House. All OIDEO staff was in attendance Meet & Greet with OIDEO VP, to welcome the more than 50 staff, students and faculty who dropped by to learn more Dr. Marilyn Sanders Mobley about the office’s purpose, goals and new initiatives and programs. Sunday, Oct. 25th, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. For those unable to attend, please visit us online at www.case.edu/diversity or drop by 4th Annual Stephanie Tubbs-Jones our office located in Adelbert 310 for information on our various programming. The next GospelFest at John Hay High School Open House will take place fall of 2010. ■ Respected Diversity Expert Visits CWRU As a part of the OIDEO’s on-going effort to provide CWRU with Ross presented a second time to a group of CWRU diversity and access to national resources, the office hosted respected diversity inclusion leaders including staff, students and faculty members. and inclusion professional, Howard Ross on September 2. During his visit Ross shared ideas from a recent publication entitled “Re- The seminars were well received and Ross will return to campus thinking Diversity” for two CWRU audiences. First, Ross presented on October 12 for a presentation to the President’s Council and to the President’s Cabinet a diversity learning seminar designed another one to key campus constituents. More information will be to share current thinking on requested topics that included posted on www.case.edu/diversity as details become available. ■ climate, communication, unconscious bias and microinequities. 2 What does LGBTA mean? Did you know? Lesbian / A woman who has emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual attractions to other women. Facts About LGBT Rights in Ohio At the time of publication, despite the passing of a non-discrimination bill Gay / A term usually given to males who in the Ohio House of Representatives on September 15, 2009, it is legal have physical, spiritual, emotional and in the state of Ohio to be fired from your job or denied an apartment or sexual attractions to other males. Also house because of your sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. sometimes used as an umbrella term In many cities in Ohio this practice is illegal, but there are no state level for the LGBT community. protections. Bisexual / A person who is emotionally, Ohio’s LGBT families are not fully and equally protected by state law. physically, spiritually, and sexually Ohio does not perform or recognize same sex marriages, civil unions or attracted to members of more than one domestic partnerships. gender; not necessarily at the same time or to the same extent. In Ohio, the courts have not been willing to allow two same-sex individuals to adopt a child together, nor have they approved of a second-parent Transgender / A broad term used to adoption when the other parent is the same sex as the first parent. describe the continuum of individuals whose gender identity and/or Ohio is one of three states in the country that does not allow an individual expression, to varying degrees, do not to make a correction to their birth certificate once they have completed match society’s expectations regarding medical procedures that match their physical appearance with their inward their biological sex. Transgender is not a gender identification. Because of this, Ohioans who are transgender face sexual orientation; transgender people an undue burden when they apply for a drivers license or passport.