University of Maine Diversity Leadership Institute (UMDLI) Annual ...

University of Maine Diversity Leadership Institute (UMDLI) Annual Report

Covering the Period from July 1. 2007 through June 30, 2008

Long-Term (5-Year) Vision The vision for the UMDLI is to continue and build on the momentum of the successful first four years of the Institute. As of the summer of 2008, 30 UMaine employees are Institute members or active ALUMS of the Institute. Due to the grass-roots nature of the Institute, these individuals positively impact the University, the member's families, and their communities as a result of the life-altering experiences afforded them through their membership in the Institute and their commitment to social justice and equal opportunity and equal treatment for all.

Highlight(s) of the Year (July 2007 through June 2008.) New members for 2008-2009--Sara Henry, Shelly Chasse-Johndro, John Kidder, Debra Kantor, Valerie Smith, and Steve Allan--attended the 21st Annual NCORE Conference in Orlando, Florida. The academic year's programming culminated with the Transition Dinner in May at which new members were welcomed, current members shared reflections of their experiences, and three members went into alum status. (See attached UMDLI Programming 2007-2008.)

Personnel Section (adapted as UMDLI membership) 1. Membership on June 30, 2008 listed by name and title, and status.

Active ALUMS: Devon Storman, Coordinator, Assistant to the Dean, Division of Lifelong Learning Maureen Smith, Director, Native Studies Program and Associate Professor of History Angel Loredo, Associate Dean for Students Catherine Johnson, Onward Program Counselor Susan Pinette, Director, Franco-American Studies Program and Associate Professor of Modern Languages Francine Sulinski, Interim Assistant Director, Cooperative Extension William Murphy, Director, Bureau of Labor Education Cindy Thomas, Student Academic Services Coordinator, Continuing Education Susan Russell, Administrative & Fiscal Manager, Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies Tammy Light, Director, Student Records Jos? Cordero, Academic Student Services Coordinator, Hutchinson Center Christine Finemore, Program Aide, Cooperative Extension (Aroostook County) Frank Wertheim, Extension Educator, Associate Extension Professor, Cooperative Extension (York County) Carl Mitchell, Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Mary Beth Willett, Tutor Program Coordinator, College Success Programs Marcia Douglas, Chair and Associate Professor, Division of Theatre Margo Lukens, Associate Professor, Department of English Nancy White, Parent Educational Professional, Knox-Lincoln County Extension

Returning for 2nd Year: Marlene Charron, Assistant Director, Conference Services Division Kathy Ingraham, Assistant Director of Student Financial Aid Deborah Mitchell, Crime Prevention Specialist, Public Safety Catherine Pease, Senior Associate Director, Human Resources Linda Reed, Electronic Media Developer/Administrative Assistant II, Cooperative Extension Sandra Tijerina, Intake & Retention Specialist, TRIO--Maine Educational Talent Search Program Members Beginning 1st Year: Stephen Allan, Administrative Assistant, Wabanaki Center Shelly Chasse-Johndro, Project Coordinator & Instructor, Project Opportunity Sara Henry, Disabilities Counselor, College Success Programs Debra Kantor, Extension Educator, Somerset County Extension John Kidder, Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Valerie Smith, Research Assistant Professor, Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

2. Members appointed between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008 (membership began in May 2008). Stephen Allan Shelly Chasse-Johndro Sara Henry Debra Kantor John Kidder Valerie Smith

3. Resignations between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008 listed by name and title. Myer Taksel, Athletic Academic Counselor, Academic Support Services for Student Athletes

4. Retirements between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008 listed by name and title. Jerry Ellis, Director of College Success Programs (retired from UMaine and still serves on UMDLI Planning Committee)

5. Awards, degrees received, etc. between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. The following individuals moved into UMDLI Active ALUM status in May 2008: Marcia Douglas Margo Lukens Nancy White

6. Memberships on committees and offices held and other "spheres of influence" (sample memberships of particular relevance to UMDLI).

Search Committees: Director, Hutchinson Center ? Devon Storman Dean, UM Cooperative Extension ? Fran Sulinski

8/20/08

2

Coordinator of student coaching and services at the Student Innovation Center--Margo Lukens Administrative Assistant II for UM Cooperative Extension Dean, Chaired Committee--Fran Sulinski

Other UMaine Committees: Best Practices in Teaching Maine Native American History and Culture Conference Planning Committee--Maureen Smith, Marlene Charron, Devon Storman Campus Safety Committee ? Cindy Thomas CED Marketing Committee ? Cindy Thomas Chair Cooperative Extension committee to review periodic faculty performance evaluation--Fran Sulinski Chair Cooperative Extension Staff Development Committee--Fran Sulinski Cooperative Extension Administrative Council?Fran Sulinski Diversity Initiatives Grant Review Committee--Margo Lukens, Carl Mitchell, Fran Sulinski, Susan Russell, Devon Storman Division of Lifelong Learning Directors Group--Bill Murphy, Devon Storman Faculty Mentor through the Center for Teaching Excellence--Marcia Douglas Equity and Excellence in Education Advisory Group--Valerie Smith Franco-American Studies Council--Margo Lukens Honors College Dean Review Committee--Marcia Douglas Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Advisory Group--Valerie Smith Multicultural Review Team for Student Affairs ? Mary Beth Willett Native American Studies Advisory Council--Margo Lukens President's Council on Disabilities--Valerie Smith President's Council on Women--Deb Mitchell Student Conduct Code Committee ? Carl Mitchell UM Pandemic Planning/Emergency Preparedness Committee--Fran Sulinski UMaine Retiree Council ? Devon Storman UMaine Wellness Committee--Deb Mitchell UMS Professional Performance Evaluation Review Team--Fran Sulinski University of Maine Cooperative Extension Diversity Team ? Chris Finemore, Fran Sulinski (Chair), Frank Wertheim, Nancy White, Linda Reed, Debra Kantor

Other Committees within Maine and Regional: Maine Educational Opportunity Association (MEEOA) Executive Committee and Co-chair of MEEOA 2008 Conference--Sandra Tijerina New England TASH Board Member--Valerie Smith Maine Disability Advocacy Coalition--Valerie Smith Respectful Language Advisory Group--Valerie Smith Habitat for Humanity Bangor Board Member--Valerie Smith

7. 8/20/08

Other recognitions/activities. Director, Academic Programs at the Bion & Dorain Foster Student Innovation Center--Margo Lukens

3

Kathy Ingraham attended the Eastern Association of Financial Aid Advisors Conference in Portland in May. The workshop presenter was Eric Abercrombie.

Programmatic Initiatives Implemented between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 3007

1. New programs or Grants submitted and/or awarded. The UMDLI was funded for 2006-2007 through a $10,000 grant from the University's Diversity funds through the UMaine Office of Equal Opportunity.

Two ALUMS of UMDLI (Catherine Johnson and Devon Storman) and two planning committee members (Barbara Smith and Barbara Blazej) received funding from UMaine's Diversity Initiatives monies to assist with travel to the White Privilege Conference held in Springfield, Massachusetts in April of 2008.

2. Scholarly presentations both written and oral.

Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers and other untold stories, Margo Lukens (writing introduction and editing) with William Yellow Robe, UCLA American Indian Studies Center. Book coming out in the fall of 2008 containing five plays by Bill Yellow Robe centering on the theme of mixed blood.

Margo Lukens with Bill Yellow Robe co-writing an article on intertribal theatre for a volume on critical approaches to Native American performance art, edited by Jaye Darby (from UCLA).

Valerie Smith co-wrote a chapter about post-secondary education and people with low-incidence disabilities in an edited book, Make the Day Matter, Paul H. Brookes Publishing. Released summer, 2007.

3. Special recruitment initiatives. Two member recruitment meetings were held in January 2007. The meetings were promoted with an invitational flyer mailed to all UMaine employees, through FirstClass postings, and with personal letters from the Dean to administrators requesting them to encourage individuals to apply by giving them an "invitation to apply" card. A total of 21 people attended the January 23 and 24 meetings, and a number of people who could not attend called for information. Seven people applied for UMDLI membership. The selection committee, composed of Catherine Johnson, Barbara Blazej, Kathy Ingraham, Linda Reed, Catherine Pease, Sharon Barker, Barbara Howard and Devon Storman, recommended seven names to Dean Robert White who endorsed the recommendation and appointed six rather than the traditional five. The seventh applicant was assigned alternate status.

8/20/08

4

4. Diversity initiatives. This year we saw numerous initiatives established by the members within their circles and spheres of influence. The comments in italic are in their own words extracted from UMDLI member's Reflections statements:

Cooperative Extension Diversity Team including UMDLI members Fran Sulinski, Frank Wertheim, Linda Reed, and Debra Kantor planned the June 10-11 visit to campus of Mark Hicks who presented Cross Cultural Conversations training for 50 people including several UMDLI members.

Sandra Tijerina is developing and designing, with the support of the ALANA Center, a program of dialogs on diversity for students. This program that will begin in the fall of 2008 will create the foundation for a UMDLI for students.

Marcia Douglas taught THE405 and focused on Native American playwright, William Yellow Robe Jr. Yellow Robe lectured in class and then together they produced his play, Hate: Old Ways Learn a New Way and toured it to Native American schools in Maine.

I guess what I have most learned from this experience, the importance of learning new cultures and beliefs. I love to share my experiences with others and realized how dull the world would be without differences. Without color... --Deb Mitchell

As I look forward to the role I will play in the future on the campus of the University of Maine my hope is that I will be able to create new ways to promulgate awareness in the areas of valuing diversity and unmasking white privilege. This is work not just for the classroom, but also for the conference room and the hallways and the office. I am thankful for the opportunity I have been given to raise my own awareness. Each day I seek ways to bring that investment in my growth back to the community I am a part of.--Marcia Douglas

I remember someone telling me once that when you know in your heart neutrality is no longer an option you must decide how you are going to use what you have learned. This made an impression on me, even though I can't remember where I heard it. I have thought about this for a number of months and I have made my decision. It is a leap of faith bigger than sending my first letter to Bob White explaining why I wanted to be part of the UMDLI. It was not an easy decision, but at this time, it feels like the right one. I am leaving my position at Cooperative Extension at the end of June, to begin a year or two of volunteer service work, exploring the world and different cultures from the bottom up. I am both excited and terrified.--Nancy White

I have a new awareness... a deeper appreciation of how my white privilege takes form, how it exists in a place that can so easily be lulled into complacency. So now I am awake...what then? When the shutter clicks, am I going to be an agent of change, or an agent of oppression? Am I going to

8/20/08

5

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download