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- ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE To I AM – URI UNITY IN DIFFERENCE STUDENT EQUITY CONFERENCE 2010 (1)
- Academia and Student Affairs o Currently the academic curriculum is not interdisciplinary, inclusive and/or concerned about educating our future graduates about cultural awareness o Certain courses such as URI 101, COM 100, and several other general education requirements are again not reflective of a university that is “thinking big.” Such courses lack dialogue, diversity, equity and inclusion nor do they reflect the vision and mission of the university which directly impacts the culture of our institution o Currently, URI is lacking in creating conditions necessary for all campus community members to feel welcomed, supported, included, and valued by the university and each other o Currently the Greek systems are not implementing diversity/inclusion in their activities to educate the larger campus community and this again reflects the lack of awareness in their recruitment processes o Diversity is lacking immensely and it is not practical to celebrate it in a week at URI (i.e., Diversity Week) o URI lacks a unifying culture and stories or traditions that can be shared by community members to encourage dialogue and transformative communication among students o Lack of training among student staff, faculty, staff, and administration is a crucial issue, which is a threat to the greater campus community and diversity o Students in certain respective majors and disciplines are currently held to different standards with regards to general education requirements and do not have an opportunity to learn about issues of diversity and inclusion o While the orientation program is sufficient in getting the job done by informing students about the values, mission, academic and social future of this university, it lacks in collectively and accurately depicting how we hold our students accountable and further the sort of students this university values and needs (1)
- And insure the University’s implementation of our recommendations. (1)
- And of course all new construction. (1)
- As a result they shoulder the burden of the cost of living. Similarly students from households with limited budgets are often unable to afford housing. While payment plans are an option, they are not feasible for most students with significant financial constraints In-hall staff, specifically Residential Assistants whom are often experienced as unsupportive when implementing departmental procedures for room changes. RA serve as “gatekeepers” for room request changes and request tangible proof of or justification for residents’ desire to change room. The expectation that LGBT students, students of color, and students from other marginalized groups quantify their experiences of hostility, bigotry, or general lack of acceptance is unjust Students have felt that the in-hall staff members with whom they most closely interact, namely Residential Assistants are under educated about underrepresented populations and their role in making residence halls affirming for all students There is a general need to revitalize the campus community’s efforts to address issues of multiculturalism, inclusion, and diversity. The office of Housing and Residential Life is in a unique position to facilitate student growth and leadership. (1)
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- Campus Climate Issues The current climate and culture here at URI has generated a history of hate crimes (1)
- Currently at this University, students from underrepresented groups suffer daily as a result of the ignorance of their fellow campus community members. Their experiences are real and should not go unaddressed. We must erase the ever-present sense of apathy for others and come to the aid of our fellow community members. We share with you a dedication to graduating well-rounded educated students. The University should aim to produce graduates who will enter into the world with a comprehensive sense of what it means to be fully human, and the rights and responsibilities that humanity includes. As a community, students at URI should better understand injustice and its source so that they may become more involved in the effort to stop it. URI students can and will be productive global citizens if the University sets the standards for inclusion and social justice. URI students, faculty, staff, and administrators can join us as allies of all people, rallying to stop oppression and inequity. As a result, our entire URI community can acquire a sense of fellowship, cultural intelligence, and interest in the greater world. This effort must start now, here within their university. We ask that you work with us to create positive change at the University of Rhode Island. (1)
- Dear President Dooley, Provost DeHayes and Vice President Dougan (1)
- Develop goals, actions, and recommendations for those problems as identified by the students of the University of Rhode Island (1)
- Email response and memo (1)
- Entertainment, games, activities, and amicable competition should be the focus of the event o Homecoming should be moved to the quad and it should include more community building events such as a bonfire, dances with themes, games, rallies on the quad, etc. Such events would help to boost the pride of the teams and supporting fans o The Homecoming budget should (1)
- Faculty and Staff Training Issues Students have experienced insensitivity from Faculty and Staff o Insensitivity is experienced by students directly in the form of derogatory comments from Faculty and Staff. o Insensitivity has also been experienced when a Faculty/Staff member condones derogatory comments or actions that occur in their presence. o Students view Faculty, Staff, and administrators as role models and mentors and the insensitivity demonstrated on campus influences their values, thoughts, and behaviors. Faculty members do not necessarily address issues of diversity and equity in the classroom and when addressed, it may be addressed ineffectively. o Faculty do not always have the adequate training or resources to address issues of diversity in classroom A crucial issue facing our campus is the recruitment and retention of faculty from underrepresented groups o All students deserve to have mentors and role models who have a shared identity and experience with them o Lack of diverse faculty impacts campus climate, students’ education, and their qualitative experiences (1)
- GLBT Center Programs and Activities Consistent With Student Sub-committee Diversity Goals and Recommendations 2010 (1)
- Goals: Our goals are to identify the problems that the University faces with regard to multiculturalism and inclusion (1)
- Housing and Residential Life Issues The expense of on-campus housing is prohibitive to many URI students. Economic diversity within residence halls is impeded by the expense of living on campus. A number of LGBT students are estranged from their parents and no longer receive support (1)
- I AM U-URI Unity in Difference Mission Statement 2010 (1)
- I AM U-URI Unity in Difference developed as a result of the Student Leadership Conference, which was held on February 5th and 6th 2010. The mission of I AM U-URI Unity in Difference is to form a student advisory committee for the President of the University of Rhode Island on the unique aspects of the student experience, as well as collaborate with other existing groups on issues concerning diversity at the University. As a direct avenue for the voice of the student body to the President, and with the President’s mentorship, we aim to honor people of all cultures, races, communities, creeds, religions, abilities, socio-economic statuses, gender expressions, gender identities, and sexual orientations. It is our imperative to create an arena in which the student body is able to represent itself, while reflecting its evolving experiences, issues, and wishes. (1)
- I also encourage you to follow up on several of your other proposals: social justice living-learning community with Mr. Yensan, fall retreat with me, gender neutral restrooms with Mr. Yensan, etc. etc. Let me know if I can assist in any way. Please let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy the rest of your summer. (1)
- I hope you are enjoying your summer and not working too hard. The following is a summary of efforts and plans in progress that may be of interest to you. During student orientation, Provost DeHayes distributed to all students the book “A Hope in the Unseen” as well as bookmarks that had the URI Cornerstones inscribed. Chip Yensan and Jason Pina talked with parents of these students and presented the Cornerstones emphasizing respect for differences, personal responsibility and respect for property. Framed copies of the Cornerstones are in the process of being distributed to offices and buildings throughout campus and each residence hall will have a poster version of the Cornerstones placed in a visible location for fall opening. (1)
- I will be asking the Student Affairs Professional Development Committee to focus on Cultural Competencies and building an inclusive campus environment as an overall theme in their work. This summer we are hosting a videoconference that focuses on 10 items one needs for a diverse and inclusive campus community. President Dooley has requested funding for a Chief Diversity Officer for FY 2012. The Strategic Budget and Planning Council will be making final FY12 budget recommendations by the end of July. (1)
- ISSUES-ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS Fraternities and sororities have been recognized regionally for their multicultural diversity programs. We agree membership should be more diverse and we need to expand diversity education to these students. Vice President for Diversity-currently under review. Judicial System-By law student conduct records are considered educational records and therefore subject to privacy laws. Exceptions are victims of sexual assault who can be told of conduct case results, as can parents when students violate drug or alcohol policies. Publishing outcomes of a student conduct case, even anonymously, could lead to the identification of a student and thus his/her conduct record. Judicial statistics are compiled and are available annually. We support more multicultural programming on the Quad and elsewhere. Students and student organizations should take the lead in this area. We will support these efforts financially. We support general neutral bathrooms whereve (1)
- ISSUES-GLBT STUDENTS We understand and hear you regarding the campus climate for GLBT students, however, we know of no such reports to residence hall staff or to the Vice President that were ignored or given “minimal response.” We have reported any and all complaints to the campus police. “Students are harassed by a majority of the larger community.” This statement needs to be backed up by data, as it is a sweeping generalization and condemnation of this community. We agree that the GLBT Center should be relocated or enlarged. In the meantime, Housing and Residential Life will continue to provide a home for the GLBT Center, including administrative offices, live in quarters at no rental cost and at a loss of student associated rental income. (1)
- ISSUES-STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The Disability Services for Students Office has the largest staff in its history and recently hired an additional full time staff member. URI is in full compliance with federal law, which requires access to all programs, not access to all facilities. While we agree that some buildings are not easily accessible, URI has 40% of all state buildings and improving accessibility has focused on program access. All new and renovated buildings are accessible. As we continue to renovate university buildings they too will be accessible. Examples of recent renovations that have improved accessibility include: residence halls - nine elevators installed since 2000 (1)
- Immediate Action We strongly recommend a Vice President of Diversity position be created to serve as a central, one stop resource for students, faculty, staff, and administrators to seek out when they have issues related to diversity, inclusion or social injustice at URI. Importantly, the Vice President of Diversity shall have the same status in the leadership hierarchy as the other Vice Presidents of the university. This individual should be capable of understanding and addressing issues of hate crimes, ignorance and work towards creating a campus climate that is inclusive, as described in the vision of the Provost. We understand that this would affect the organizational structure of the university (1)
- It is recommended that the university develop a task force or identify an existing structure where faculty, staff, and administrators can discuss issues pertinent to faculty/staff diversity training on campus, while collaborating with students Long-Term Goals It is recommended that strong commitment needs to be demonstrated at all levels of the hiring process in order to recruit and retain of faculty with diverse backgrounds It is recommended that Faculty/staff training should be ongoing and required and should include the following components: o Diversity to be viewed as a value o The validation of diverse perspectives o Material that includes case studies, videos, and other interactive training that demonstrates the qualitative experience of being oppressed It is recommended that an anonymous and effective response system to report bias incidences with faculty/staff should be developed o Have this information also available on syllabi o Have policies in place to resolve grading conflicts (1)
- It is recommended that the university develop an assessment system to continual evaluate the effectiveness of diversity training for both faculty/staff/administrators It is recommended that the university develop an assessment system to continual evaluate diversity initiatives within the classroom Student Leaders and Student Groups Issues Our hope is to develop a University community that works as a cohesive unit to address any issues that it faces. This community should support all of its members. Members of the URI community should share the goal of working toward positive change As students of the University of Rhode Island we have often felt a lack of support for the voicing of student opinions. We appreciate the opportunity to be heard through this document and hope that the Equity Council Student Leadership Conference is the first of many forums for student voices (1)
- Joe Santiago and URI (1)
- LGBT Students o These students are harassed by a majority of the larger campus community o These students homes have been vandalized and the response from upper administration has been minimal o The LGBT center is now housed in Adams Hall, which was initially devised as a temporary solution five years ago. As research indicates this community has expanded and the temporary solution is not viable or just at this time o Some faculty, staff, and administrators have further perpetuated ignorance inside and outside of the classroom in an extremely overt manner o Inappropriate and offensive slurs are directed towards students that are currently residing in Adams Hall, making this current location an immediate target for hate crimes to occur and jeopardizing the health and safety of the GLBT student population on the URI campus o Without support, the development of a healthy identity is challenging and academic performance is often compromised (1)
- Lack of knowledge about issues pertaining to students on campus is one of the biggest challenges we face. We cannot make change if we do not understand, know or acknowledge that change needs to be made. Therefore, one immediate solution that we see bearing positive results is using campus resources to advertise and inform students about the various hate crimes, instances of discrimination, access to resources, events open to all people, and resolutions of problems on campus. For instance, if our campus Judicial System published the outcomes of cases where hate crimes were committed on campus without names of suspects, victims and guilty parties, our campus community members might be more likely to take interest in the issues on campus. This may also give students a heightened sense security. (1)
- Lippitt Hall (1)
Articles 1 - 6 of 6
Full-Text Articles in Education
Managing For Diversity 2010, Morgan Cottrell
Managing For Diversity 2010, Morgan Cottrell
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
This is a presentation on Managing for Diversity as a Student Affairs Professional.
Update On Equity Programs In Response To "I Am U-Uri Unity In Difference", Thomas R. Dougan
Update On Equity Programs In Response To "I Am U-Uri Unity In Difference", Thomas R. Dougan
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
This was an email from Tom Dougan sharing a memo with the members of I Am U.
"Members of the Student Equity Council-I wanted to provide you with an update of what has been occurring this summer regarding our efforts to address several of the issues and recommendations you brought to our attention this past spring. I have attached a summary of activities for your review. Enjoy the 4th of July holiday."
Administrative Response To I Am – Uri Unity In Difference Student Equity Conference 2010, Thomas Dougan
Administrative Response To I Am – Uri Unity In Difference Student Equity Conference 2010, Thomas Dougan
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
This is article is responding to several recommendations made by students who attended the student equity conference held this past February 2010 at Alton Jones. Students took this event seriously and made several positive recommendations to improve campus climate, improve inclusion and to celebrate diversity.
I Am U-Uri Unity In Difference Mission Statement 2010, Joseph A. Santiago, Maxwell Edmonds, Christina Knoll
I Am U-Uri Unity In Difference Mission Statement 2010, Joseph A. Santiago, Maxwell Edmonds, Christina Knoll
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
This post is the I AM U-URI Unity in Difference Mission Statement from 2010. The group became a student advisory committee for the President of the University of Rhode Island on the unique aspects of the student experience, as well as collaborate with other existing groups on issues concerning diversity at the University.
Glbt Center Programs And Activities Consistent With Student Sub-Committee Diversity Goals And Recommendations 2010, Joseph A. Santiago
Glbt Center Programs And Activities Consistent With Student Sub-Committee Diversity Goals And Recommendations 2010, Joseph A. Santiago
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
Being part of the founding of I AM U-URI Joseph Santiago was asked by Andrew Winters to compile a list of the GLBT Center programs and services. This is list submitted to Andrew.
Student Leadership Conference Report 2010, Joseph A. Santiago, Maxwell Edmonds, Christina Knoll
Student Leadership Conference Report 2010, Joseph A. Santiago, Maxwell Edmonds, Christina Knoll
Student Affairs Digital Community Development
This is the Student Leadership Conference Attendees Report from the retreat. This is the start of the I AM U-URI Unity in Difference group on campus.