http://uga.edu/diversity/news/releases/ News Releases from the Office of Institutional Diversity en sreyes@uga.edu Copyright 2012 2012-04-20T14:34:29+00:00 http://uga.edu/diversity/img/oid_rss_logo.jpg http://uga.edu/diversity/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/pulitzer_prize-winning_journalist_cynthia_tucker_gave_this_years_mary_franc/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/pulitzer_prize-winning_journalist_cynthia_tucker_gave_this_years_mary_franc/#When:14:34:29Z The class act: U.S. needs to talk more about economic difference It's not race, but class that our nation has a hard time discussing, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and UGA visiting professor Cynthia Tucker told a crowd at the 12th annual Mary Frances Early Lecture on April 4. "I will never tell you that racism has been eradicated in this country. The Trayvon Martin case is a tragic reminder that it has not," she said. "But I will tell you that it's a shadow of its former self, and that race and class are no longer as intertwined as they used to be. The good news is that race is no longer the major predictor of whether a child will be poor, working-class or affluent. The not-so-good news is that class determines those things, and we have not yet understood that." "Tucker, who also serves as the Charlayne Hunter-Gault Writer-in-Residence in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, served as editorial page editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 17 years. She maintains a syndicated column, published in dozens of ¬newspapers around the country. "The lecture honors Mary Frances Early, the first African-American student to earn a degree from UGA, and her legacy. This year's lecture marks the 50th anniversary of her graduation with a master's degree in music education in 1962. She completed her specialist in education degree in 1967. "Tucker used the opportunity to start a dialogue about class in America, something that she said doesn't garner enough attention in politics and the media. The discussion is vital to the country's future prosperity, she said. ""We have not understood how much the economy has changed, that students graduating from high school can no longer walk out with a diploma and get a good job paying middle class wages in a factory. Those jobs are rapidly disappearing," she said."We don't understand how much the college admissions process has changed. SAT scores are rising more and more, and admission to schools like the University of Georgia is very competitive. I've heard more than one Georgia legislator say he is not sure he could get into UGA today," she said. ""We don't understand class, and we don't have a language for discussing it yet," Tucker also said. "If we did, there are remedial actions that we could take to change the outcomes for children whose parents don't read them bedtime stories, take them to Mandarin classes or send them to summer camps. But first we have to understand that class matters." " See this story in Columns at http://columns.uga.edu/news/fulltext/2012-mary-frances-early-lecture/ 2012-04-20T14:34:29+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/the_inaugural_international_diversity_award/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/the_inaugural_international_diversity_award/#When:20:56:35Z Dr. Tina Harris of the Department of Communication Studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences was the recipient of the inaugural International Diversity Award, jointly conferred by the Office of International Education and the Office of Institutional Diversity. The International Diversity award is given to a faculty or staff member who has shown dedication to promoting diversity as part of UGA’s internationalization. This includes recruiting students from underrepresented populations for study abroad; educating international students about U.S. cultural, ethnic, religious, or other forms of diversity; increasing the inclusion of students with disabilities in a variety of international activities; bringing attention to international and comparative aspects of courses or co-curricular activities devoted to diversity. Dr. Harris has an impressive record of addressing and promoting issues of diversity in her scholarship and teaching. In 2008 she expanded the reach of this work to study abroad by designing and directing a program titled “International Perspectives on Interracial Communication” that is offered at UGA Costa Rica. The program involves non-traditional approaches that challenge students to critically engage with the racial and ethnic diversity in Costa Rica. These include service learning projects, round table discussions, guest lectures all of which provide students with the opportunity to engage with Costa Ricans of all backgrounds – white, indigenous, mestizo, and Afro-Caribbean. Through these activities, students discuss, learn, reflect on, write about, and engage in dialog with each other and with Costa Rican colleagues. This course, now in its fifth year, provides a powerful model of how to engage diversity issues from an international perspective. Visit http://international.uga.edu/multimedia-news-profile.php?ID=6 to learn more about the OIE Award Ceremony 2012 Also visit http://international.uga.edu/global_voice/index.htm to read OIE Global Voice about Dr. Tina Harris 2012-04-19T20:56:35+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/dream_award_winner_helps_change_school_environments/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/dream_award_winner_helps_change_school_environments/#When:20:50:38Z For Corey Johnson, fulfilling his job responsibilities isn’t enough. He wants change. As an associate professor of counseling and human development services in the College of Education, Johnson’s work often sheds light on troubling facts about the inequality experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth that he and his colleagues couldn’t ignore. “Kids are being bullied in schools and in some instances, taking their own lives and that made us think, ‘We can’t sit around and do nothing anymore.’ We knew our research would make it into the academic journals, but how could we make a more immediate difference? We hear from school counselors, teachers and youth development professionals every day who want to do the right thing for youth. We needed to do something that materialized as action within our immediate communities,” Johnson said. That need for action led him and colleague Anneleise Singh, an assistant professor in counseling and human development, to found the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition, a collective of individuals and organizations that seek to create safer environments for all youth in school. Since its inception in 2009, the group has produced two documentaries and distributed more than 500 resource binders to schools across the state of Georgia. “What we’ve learned is that in today’s world, people would rather watch a documentary than read the research. So why not do both?” Johnson said. “And we know that adults in the community will react when they hear a young person say on film that they’re struggling or hurting and that this is what the school can and should do to change the environment.” Johnson also lends his time to the Division of Student Affairs as a faculty mentor for students active in the LGBT Resource Center and devotes time and energy to UGA groups like GLOBES. He also is a community activist and organizer working with AIDS Athens, Boybutante AIDS Foundation and Georgia Equality. For these efforts, he was recently awarded the 2012 President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award. It honors individuals from the university and the community who are committed to furthering Martin Luther King Jr.’s goals of equality and justice for all. ON THE WEB: http://www.georgiasafeschoolscoalition.org See this story in Columns at http://columns.uga.edu/news/fulltext/2012-fulfilling-the-dream-award-winner/ 2012-02-27T20:50:38+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/new_associate_provost_for_institutional_diversity_plans_to_make_campus_more/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/new_associate_provost_for_institutional_diversity_plans_to_make_campus_more/#When:15:41:31Z RedandBlack.com article by Lindsey Cook on February 27, 2012. See this article at http://redandblack.com/2012/02/27/new-associate-provost-for-institutional-diversity-plans-to-make-campus-more-inclusive/ Michelle Cook has been named associate provost for institutional diversity at UGA. She plans to use the University’s broad definition of diversity to make the campus more inclusive and welcoming for all, and to work toward goals outlined in the University’s 2011- 2016 Diversity Plan. Cook has served the position as interim provost since May 2011, after previous Provost Cheryl Dozier accepted a position as interim president of Savannah State University. Created in 2002, the relatively new office seeks to expand diversity on campus and support diverse students and faculty. Cook said the position is very open given the broad definition of diversity at the University. Though in the past, diversity was confined to racial or ethnic considerations, the new definition includes race, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, veterans and geographic diversity, among other factors. During her time as interim provost, Cook said she tried to develop programs that were sustainable and corresponded to other University goals, such as the research goal with a project researching diversity. In January, the Office of Institutional Diversity began a certificate program in diversity and inclusion for faculty by combining with other departments to utilize resources already on campus. Cook said she was proud of the program which has experienced success. Classes are full and there is a waiting list. “We often talk about teaching our students about embracing diversity but we really don’t have that dialogue with faculty and staff,” Cook said. “It’s important as a institution of higher education that we empower faculty.” Cook said the office is also working on redesigning the faculty and student mentor program. Previously, students needed to sign-up during the first day of orientation, which made the program “hit or miss.” Cook is making the program more proactive and hopes to reach out to new students. Additionally, Cook is forming a Student Advisory Board for issues of diversity on campus. “Issues on diversity can often be anecdotal,” Cook said. “I really want to hear from students about what they see is the value of diversity to their education.” 2012-02-27T15:41:31+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/2012_mlk_freedom_breakfast_speaker_mrs._aaron_recalls_life_legacy_of_king/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/2012_mlk_freedom_breakfast_speaker_mrs._aaron_recalls_life_legacy_of_king/#When:12:30:28Z For Billye Aaron, an advocate for higher education for African Americans and the wife of baseball legend Hank Aaron, this year’s Freedom Breakfast was about remembering the life and legacy of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Aaron spoke about the first time she met the King family at their house in Birmingham in 1959. She went on to recount a dreary evening in April 1968 when she learned of his shooting and was among the first to arrive at the King home after the news broke. She spoke about helping King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, pack for her trip to Memphis and standing with King’s teary-eyed family and friends receiving the news from Atlanta’s mayor that King was, in fact, dead. “The pain was just enormous, so much so that it was hard to breathe,” Aaron said to a sold-out crowd of almost 600 at the Tate Student Center on Jan. 13. “Although he is gone, his dream is very much alive,” Aaron said. “His work goes on, his cause endures. The dream shall never die.” She called King “the quintessential prophet of the 20th century;” and said that his words and deeds “continue to inspire, to uplift and to motivate people all over the world. “[King] gave us strength when we were too weak to carry on,” she said. “He gave us hope when hope was gone, and he taught us to love in the midst of hate.” She said the event “gives us pause to reflect on those individuals, who at great cost to themselves, made possible many of the things we now enjoy and take for granted.” Themed “The Power of the Dream: Moving Forward with a Shared Vision,” the breakfast celebrated not only King’s legacy, but also those who have made a difference in the Athens community. After Aaron’s speech, the 2012 President’s Fulfilling the Dream Awards were presented to Attawa Childres, Roberta Gardner and Corey Johnson. Childres retired from the Office of Vice President for Research in 2011 after 30 years of service. For almost 30 years, she’s worked with the Athens Area Teen Pageant, a mentoring program that gets young African-American women involved in community service projects. Gardner is a doctoral student and graduate teaching assistant in the department of language and literacy education. She has worked with The Prodigy Project in Atlanta to counter negative stereotypes, improve literacy, enhance achievement and employment, and reduce the black male presence in the penal system. Johnson is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in counseling and human development services. He was recognized for his efforts to create safer environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in institutional settings. See this story in Columns at http://columns.uga.edu/news/article/life-legacy-of-king/ See this event on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHBjNfQUeI0 2012-01-13T12:30:28+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/uga_diversity_and_inclusion_certificate/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/uga_diversity_and_inclusion_certificate/#When:09:33:58Z The Office of Institutional Diversity (OID) is proud to introduce the UGA Diversity and Inclusion Certificate. The certificate creates an opportunity for faculty and staff to explore strategic areas around diversity and to learn more about the ways in which they can assist in ensuring that UGA is welcoming and inclusive of all communities. The Diversity and Inclusion Certificate is a partnership between the Office of Institutional Diversity, Training and Career Development (Human Resources) and other diversity-related offices and programs across the institution. Successful completion of the certificate requires completion of one core course and five additional courses in the program. A variety of courses will be offered each term. OID will maintain a “transcript” of completed courses and will inform individuals when they have completed the requirements for the certificate. All courses taken for the program are free. Courses offered for winter 2012 include: Diversity @ UGA: Beyond the Numbers - This course will offer a detail look at UGA’s diversity by going beyond the historical and demographic interpretations often associated with UGA’s Diversity. It will also highlight the numerous diversity initiatives that make up UGA’s diversity web. Finally, it will illustrate crucial roles that faculty and staff can play in enhancing the culture of inclusion at UGA. (CORE COURSE) February 17, 2012 NCBI @ UGA: Building effective relationships across group identities – This course will allow participants to experience strategies in prejudice reduction and welcoming diversity based on the National Coalition Building Institute model. The course will be facilitated by representatives of UGA’S NCBI team. (CORE COURSE) Spring Schedule: February 3, 2012 - 8:30am-4:30pm. Location: Tate 480 March 12, 2012 - 8:30am-4:30pm. Location: Tate 480 March 27, 2012 - 5-9pm. Location: Building 1516 Multi-Purpose Room The LGBT perspective – This course will be designed to offer new perspectives on faculty and staff interaction with UGA's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. It will offer tools for education, engagement, and deliberate dialogue in order to provide an affirming and inclusive environment for all LGBT students, faculty, and staff. March 20, 2012 Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy – This course is sponsored by the UGA Equal Opportunity Office and will provide participants with an overview of UGA’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, Ombudsperson Program and Affirmative Action Plan. The course will also provide a unique opportunity for faculty and staff to be aware of the daily implication of these policies to their work and address common misconceptions. February 2, 2012 Engaging Your Personality Style to Embrace Diversity - Using True Colors, participants will be able to identify their “color spectrum” using four cards that represent key personality types and understand how these differences, if not understood, can become barriers to interpersonal communication. The course will also enable participants to learn how to integrate this understanding of personality styles with cultural knowledge to ensure a more harmonious professional and personal environment. February 24, 2012 Enrollment in the courses listed for the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate are open to all UGA faculty and staff. UGA employees may take courses in pursuit of the certificate or they may take individual courses based on their own interests. Courses will be offered each quarter and individuals may register at http://www.hr.uga.edu/careerdev/career.html. 2011-12-16T09:33:58+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/freshman_class_law_vet_med_set_records_for_diversity/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/freshman_class_law_vet_med_set_records_for_diversity/#When:21:53:57Z  UGA enrolled the largest freshman class in history this fall. According to data from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the class includes some 5,500 freshmen – an increase of more than 10 percent over last year. With more than 1,400 of the entering freshmen self-identifying as other than Cau­casian, the ethnic and racial makeup of the entering class shows record diversity.   More than 480 first-year African-American students are enrolled (8.7 percent of the class). The previous high for entering freshmen was 440 in 1995. The first-year class also includes a record number of Hispanic students, with 300 self-identified as Hispanic (5.4 per cent of the class). About 12 percent of the class comes from other states and countries, with 223 of the incoming freshmen representing 51 different home countries. Almost 7 percent come from families where English is not the native language and approximately 5 percent of the incoming freshmen are the first in their immediate family to attend college.   Close to 4,900 of the freshmen are in-state students. Based on the projected number of high school graduates in Georgia in 2011, one in 20 are enrolled this year at UGA. The entering freshmen once again have a strong GPA of almost 3.8. The SAT average was 1860 on the 2400 scale. For those students who took the ACT, the mean score was 28. The number of applications received for this year’s freshman class—nearly 18,000—is one of the highest recorded at UGA for a new class, following several years of record applications.   UGA’s School of Law also enrolled one of the most academically talented and diverse classes in its history. The 225 students in the Class of 2014 had a median Law School Admission Test score of 165, a school record. Almost 30 percent of the entering class indicated they are members of a minority group, another record. Additionally, 18 percent of the entering class in the College of Veterinary Medicine are under­represented minorities.   2011-10-20T21:53:57+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/peach_state_lsamp_grant_renewed/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/peach_state_lsamp_grant_renewed/#When:17:24:22Z The National Science Foundation has renewed a five-year, $4.9 million grant to the University of Georgia and six partner institutions that aims to bolster the number of students from underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. From the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, part of the NSF, the renewal grant will benefit more students than ever before. Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University have joined the partnership of state colleges and universities that also includes Fort Valley State University, Georgia Perimeter College, Savannah State University and Southern Polytechnic State University, as well as UGA. As a result of its primary role in seeking and obtaining the NSF grant, UGA will serve as the lead institution and fiscal agent for the grant and program (to be known as the Peach State LSAMP), which will be administered by the Office of Institutional Diversity. The new grant's title, "Strengthening the STEM Pipeline in the Peach State: Recruitment, Retention and Research," refers to the continuation of the previous grant's success from 2005-2011, said Michelle Cook, interim associate provost and chief diversity officer at UGA. Building on the foundation established earlier, the renewal grant aims to help minority STEM students by increasing their enrollment and degree completion rates, bolstering opportunities for undergraduate research and internships, increasing the number of transfer students from two-year institutions to four-year institutions, and upping the percentage of students who pursue graduate degrees in a STEM discipline. PSLSAMP, led by Angela Birkes in the UGA Office of Institutional Diversity, is part of a nationwide effort by NSF to increase the number of minority students successfully completing STEM baccalaureate degree programs and to increase the number of minority students interested in and academically prepared to pursue graduate study in the disciplines of math and science. PSLSAMP institutions also will take part in national LSAMP conferences; there are more than three dozen LSAMP programs nationwide. To achieve their goal, UGA and its partners will collaborate on projects to prepare African Americans, Hispanic Americans and other underrepresented minorities for careers in STEM fields.  http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/nsf-stem-grant-renewed/  Other related Peach State LSAMP news:  http://redandblack.com/2011/08/30/scholarship-program-points-minority-students-to-science-careers/ 2011-08-31T17:24:22+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/university_of_georgia_diversity_plan_approved/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/university_of_georgia_diversity_plan_approved/#When:14:32:20Z A diversity plan prepared by the Diversity Advisory Council has been approved by Provost Jere Morehead for dissemination to academic units that report to the provost. “I believe this plan will help the University of Georgia remain a community of vibrant, diverse and inclusive communities of faculty, staff and students who are reflective of and responsive to the diversity of the state of Georgia,” Morehead said. The plan outlines five goals that relate to institutional climate; recruitment and retention of diverse students, faculty and staff; diversity-related research and program initiatives; and accountability. Embracing Diversity & Inclusion at UGA 2011-08-31T14:32:20+00:00 http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/uga_graduate_school_receives_award_for_excellence_and_innovation_in_graduat/ http://diversity.uga.edu/news/releases/uga_graduate_school_receives_award_for_excellence_and_innovation_in_graduat/#When:15:35:01Z UGA’s Graduate School received the 2010-2011 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Graduate Admissions from the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools and the Educational Testing Service. The Graduate School was recognized for its databased Recruitment through Graduation initiative that grew out of the innovative practices developed during the Ph.D. Completion Project, a research project funded by the Council of Graduate Schools to understand why graduate students did not finish their advanced degrees. Practices now include using a variety of technologies to connect students, departments and the Graduate School such as Connect, a Web-based database, and Facebook. The Graduate School also provides funding, professional development opportunities, social networks and academic and personal advising. The Graduate School received $2,500 to fund additional innovative practices for recruitment, admissions or retention efforts. 2011-06-15T15:35:01+00:00