Dear SCU Community:
As we start this month of March, we take this time to reflect on a busy and active time within the SCU community. It was great to engage with families this past weekend as the families witnessed the spirit of the SCU in action from the various programming sessions, to the athletic and cultural celebrations.
We also want to give thanks for everyone that participated, engaged and coordinated the different Black History month efforts on the campus. This is an important reminder that March is Women’s History Month and we encourage you to be on the lookout for different programming options taking place.
We continue to hold in our prayers the victims and families of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, as the area continues to be affected by aftershocks.
We also want to lift up members of our Bronco Family, the Latinx Student Union (LSU), after a disgusting cyber attack on their Instagram on Monday and Tuesday. LSU, we support you, we are here for you and we will not tolerate this type of behavior that is disruptive to your safety, security and ability to thrive at SCU. Let us be clear, this behavior is not welcome nor will we allow our SCU community to be targeted in this manner. As an institution, we will do everything we can to swiftly investigate the origin of this hack and hold the perpetrators responsible. If you experience or witness such actions, please report it immediately.
Inclusive Excellence Innovation Labs
Thanks to everyone that made it to the first Innovation lab that was held on February 23rd. We want to send a special shout out to the Inclusive Excellence Student Advisory Council (IESAC) for their participation, thoughtful feedback and engagement in our first lab. Future Labs have been scheduled and are open to the SCU community:
- March 8, 2023 1:00pm – 2:30pm, Williman Room, Benson
- April 6, 2023 2:30pm – 4:00pm, Williman Room, Benson
- May 4, 2023 9:00am – 10:30am, Williman Room, Benson
- June 7, 2023 2:30pm – 4:00pm, Williman Room, Benson
UNIT UPDATES
I. Inclusive Excellence Division
- As part of the Division’s Democracy Series, the author and journalist, Ernest Owens will be speaking on Thursday, March 2nd from 4-6pm in the Mayer Theatre. He will be speaking on his latest book – The Case for Cancel Culture.
- Thanks to the SCU community members that engaged with Dr. Khalid el-Hakim and the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. Dr. el-Hakim had a busy two days – one day speaking with five classes, and then his formal presentation as part of the display of materials. We look forward to bringing the exhibit back to campus in February 2024.
- Preparing for future Heritage month celebrations - Inclusive Excellence is seeking individuals that would be a part of a group for the upcoming Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. If interested, please email Ray Plaza (rplaza@scu.edu). Requests for engagement with the other heritage month celebrations will be available in the April newsletter.
- Shá Duncan Smith, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be holding Office hours this quarter on Tuesdays from 2- 3PM, 2nd Floor in the Walsh Administration Building. Please sign up for a 15 minute slot by using the following link: https://calendar.app.google/cq8ffHgbfoeRfn916
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II. LEAD Scholars
- On February 23, the LEAD Scholars Program hosted the LEAD Symposium during which first-year LEAD Scholars presented on research conducted in their ENGL 2A course. Their topics were wide ranging, exploring such issues as the impact of generational trauma on Black students, Asian American representation in the media, the use of facial recognition in policing, and cancer cell development. You can view the program here.
- The LEAD Scholars continued its 20th anniversary celebration with the LEAD Family Festival on February 25. Over 300 LEAD students, alumni, families and friends joined the event that included fun for all ages: Loteria (Mexican bingo), silent disco, a photo booth, jumpy houses, henna and face painting, food and much more!
- LEAD's 20th Anniversary was recognized at the annual Scholarship Luncheon, which featured student speaker, Hydeia Wysinger, LEAD Scholar from the class of 2025.
- In March, the LEAD Scholars Program will offer a reiki session and other relaxation events to provide an opportunity for students to de-stress as the quarter comes to an end.
III. Multicultural Center (MCC)
- Kudos to APSU (Night Market), Igwebuike (Love Jones) and Barkada (Barrio Fiesta) for their programs that took place during Family Weekend.
- Applications for Director and Associate Director are now available for the 2023-2024 academic year. The deadline is March 24, 2023. Please refer to the weekly MCC newsletter for the QR code for the job description and application.
- Join Igwebuike and SCCAP for a program on Black Feminism on Wednesday, March 1st from 6:15pm – 7:15pm in the Shapell Lounge
IV. Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX
- Please do not hesitate to contact the EO/Title IX office with any questions, to learn about the resolution/investigation process, or to access supportive measures. We address all forms of alleged protected class discrimination (e.g., race, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.)
- We take anonymous complaints. Visit our website.
- Please contact the office to ask for a presentation or discussion with your student group or office.
V. Office for Accessible Education (OAE)
- 3 weeks till finals!!!!!!
- The OAE reminds all students who test in our space that exam requests need to be completed at least (7) days in advance. There are no exceptions as our space fills quickly! If you are unable to schedule or have any questions, please come to the OAE office or call at 408-554-4109. A reminder that during finals week, there will be no tutoring and testing hours will change slightly.
- Make sure to check out the ribbon cutting on March 9th, for Simply Oasis, the new Gluten Free area in Benson.
- If you feel that you might need accommodations or if you would like to learn more about what the OAE offers, please stop by at any time or send an email to OAE@scu.edu to find out more.
Good luck on your finals and remember to keep pushing forward we are almost to Spring Break!
VI. Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
- Religious Observances: With the start of Lent, we will be approaching different religious observances throughout the months of March and April. For faculty and students, please note that Ramadan starts in the middle of Finals Week this quarter (March 22-April 21). Please be mindful of the needs of students and others in the community during this time. Additional information will be via email to the university community.
- Department/Unit Climate Studies - since 2020, ODI has helped different academic and non-academic units conduct and implement a departmental climate study. If your department/area is interested in such a study in Winter/Spring 2023, please reach out to rplaza@scu.edu.
- Please continue to give to support the Ohlone and Muwekma Ohlone Student Scholarship. The scholarship was officially endowed and announced on Indigenous People's Day. We need your contributions to help further expand the scholarship.
- Save the Date for the 3rd Annual SCU PowWow for Saturday, May 6, 2023 on the St. Ignatian Lawn.
VII. Office for Multicultural Learning (OML)
- On Sunday, March 5th between 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, we will be hosting another Mobile Barbershop with ClipDart, an organization that seeks to improve mental wellness through selfless, mobile barbers and hairstylers. Two local barbers will be providing free haircuts in Finn Commons in the Finn Residential Hall. This event is free and open to all members of our campus community! Given the success of the first event in February, we will be having a Google sign up reservation system (TBD) for students to pick a specific time slot.
- Our final Difficult Dialogue of the quarter will be on Tuesday, March 7th from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM in Library Taping Room A. As a follow up to some of the conversations from the Winter Quarter Diversity Forum, one of our SIEs will be holding space to discuss The Future of the Diversity Requirement at SCU. All are welcome to be a part of this conversation.
- March is Women's History Month as well as Bisexual Health Awareness Month. We will be hosting events throughout the month to recognize both such as a panel on International Women's Day on Wednesday, March 8th in the California Mission Room (Time TBD), a care package collaboration with the Wellness Center on Thursday, March 9th in the California Mission Room at 5:00 PM, or even simply enjoying our Women's History Month Spotify playlist.
- In collaboration with the Center for Sustainability, we will be hosting screenings of several short documentaries and leading discussion about issues at the intersection of environmental justice and racism. Stay for just one movie or stay for the whole time! This event is open to all and will be taking place on Thursday, March 9th from 4:00 - 8:00 PM in Library Taping Room A.
- Want to learn more about the Office for Multicultural Learning and the Rainbow Resource Center? Check out the catalog of our student-led newsletters: The Gay Agenda and The Multicultural Agenda. Feel free to subscribe so you don't miss another beat for all things OML and RRC!
VIII. University Ombuds
- Active listening is a large part of good communication, but there is still more that goes into dialogue. Good communication also involves understanding that we inhabit a variety of roles across all of our interactions. Our roles influence what we view as important depending on certain contexts with certain people. Are we speaking as a department chair, or as a friend, mentor, or colleague? Which of these roles must take emphasis over the others? When? If you’d like to think through these questions, Contact the Office of the Ombuds at ombuds@scu.edu; 408-551-3542, for a confidential, impartial, and informal consultation.
DEI RESOURCES FROM THE LIBRARY
The Library is celebrating Women's History Month this year with a book display that will go live early in the month. For now, here are some recommendations from our resources that we think you might appreciate, all accessible through our databases and library catalog.
Book Recommendations
Dear Black Girl by Tamara Winfrey Harris
Description: "From the bestselling author of The Sisters Are Alright comes a book of personal letters written by black women to black girls to nurture healthy womanhood and sisterhood, covering topics like identity, self-love, parents, violence, grief, mental health, sex, and sexuality"-- Provided by publisher.
The Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color edited by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa
Review: “This Bridge Called My Back … dispels all doubt about the power of a single text to radically transform the terrain of our theory and practice. Twenty years after its publication, we can now see how it helped to untether the production of knowledge from its disciplinary anchors―and not only in the field of women’s studies. This Bridge has allowed us to define the promise of research on race, gender, class and sexuality as profoundly linked to collaboration and coalition-building. - Angela Davis
Film Recommendations
Women Make Film by Mark Cousins
Description: This epic exploration of filmmaking by women offers an essential and celebratory revisionist history of cinema told through the lenses of the world’s greatest female directors. Written and directed by Mark Cousins (THE STORY OF FILM: AN ODYSSEY), 700 clips from 183 filmmakers both well-known and forgotten—from Agnès Varda to Sarah Maldoror, Ava DuVernay to Binka Zhelyazkova —illuminate the scope and impact of women’s contributions to the art form.
Some films referenced by the documentary above:
The Arch by Cecile Tang Shu Shuen, The Watermelon Woman by Cheryl Dunye, and My King by Maïwenn
CAMPUS DIVERSITY CALENDAR
The Inclusive Excellence Division is committed to expanding awareness of the different diversity-related programming taking place on-campus. For those that use the Live-Whale Calendar, you can use the “diversity” tag to ensure that events will appear on the Diversity calendar on the Inclusive Excellence website. You can also send your program information to inclusiveexcellence@scu.edu.
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