N#TW*RK!NGMCUCSA JUNE 2014

Tori Svoboda, Ed.D.University of Wisconsin – La

Crosse

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

INTROS• What “diversity issues” are present

on your campus? • Why is this a topic for this group

today?• What hopes do you have for this

conversation?

CLASS CONCEPTS• Economic capital • Social capital• Cultural capital• Habitus• Field

(multi)CULTURAL CONCEPTS

• Acculturation v. assimilation• Cultural suicide v. cultural integrity• Variations in terms of:– collective v. individual identities– understanding of time, space, respect

COMMON CONCERNSComplications• Micro-aggressions• Savior Complex• Stereotype Threat• Deficit Ideology

Considerations• Solidarity with rather

than charity for• Systems, not students,

need fixing• Relationships are a

necessary precursor to collaboration

Question Break

Addt’l Possible “turn-offs”

Your Office• Lack of visibly diverse

staff, visibility at diversity events

• Limited co-sponsorship with related areas (MSS, TRIO, McNair, etc.)

• “Competition” from employer relations

Broader Context• Anticipated

discrimination…– may come from past

experiences of students’ or families’ needs not being met

• Fear of “selling out” or being asked to conform

Small Group Work• What other “turn-offs” or problems

with our systems have you seen?• What promising practices would you

share?

Promising Practices• Digital Storytelling, UW-Bothell

• Identity-Conscious Parent Programs, DePaul

• Specific Diversity-focused Staff, University of GA

• Things Not to Say, DiversityInc

• Rising TIDE, Duke

• NACE Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Awards or NCDA Diversity Initiative Award

Suggested Reforms• Recognize

– Change the questions being asked

• Respond

– Create lasting relationships across campus and in the community

• Redress

– Collect data that matters

Suggested Readings• Doctoring Diversity, Lisa Wade

• Inside the College Gates, Jenny Stuber

• Mentoring At-Risk Students through the Hidden Curriculum of HE, Buffy Smith

• Equity Literacy, Paul Gorski

• Good is Not Enough & Other Unwritten Rules for Minority Professionals, Keith Wyche

Contact InformationTori Svoboda

vsvoboda@uwlax.edu@torisvoboda/torisvoboda

with thanks to my colleaguePatricia Conde-Brooks pecondebrook@

stthomas.edu