2008 Woodie Awards
SGA/SPB Looks to Replace Traditional Diversity Conference
Teague Dugan
Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: News & Features
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The Diversity Conference, started around the year 2000 and initially encompassing Colby, Bates College and Bowdoin College, has traditionally consisted of a weekend of events including a keynote speaker, panel discussions and student-led discussions. This year's conference will most likely be cancelled in favor of a number of alternative speakers and events in an effort to engender more prolonged and involved discussion among the student body regarding diversity.
"We want these conversations [about diversity] to carry on," Student Government Association President Tom Testo '07 said. "We don't by any means want to lose the essence of this conference and I'm committed to making our initiatives as meaningful as ever," he said.
The emphasis will be shifted from a weekend-long event to a series of speakers, to be followed by structured discussion and small face to face group interaction. "We want to bring the discussion back to the dorms," Testo said, who hopes to get hall presidents more involved with facilitating debate.
Testo is looking to work with Student Activities, the Student Programming Board and the Office for Multi-Cultural Affairs in pulling together a set of meaningful events to replace the Diversity Conference. In addition, the Pugh Community Board may collaborate with SGA, although this is "still under discussion," according to Sarah Kurien '09, PCB Co-chair.
The Diversity Conference as it was originally conceived was meant as an "Opportunity for SGA to contribute input and meaningful discussion on campus," Testo said. "SGA gives access to students who might not be predisposed to be passionate about something like this. This is something SGA is committed to. It's an important tradition at the college and it's important that SGA remains involved," he added.
As part of a move to promote discussion on diversity, the college brought in renowned anti-racist speaker and writer Tim Wise last Thursday. Wise spoke for two hours on issues ranging from immigration to school shootings to terrorism, but resolutely centered on the notion of white privilege, or "The flip-side of discrimination," as Wise said.
Wise stressed the need to get involved and to move away from the typical silence surrounding the inherently controversial issue of race. Whatever the listener's opinion on Wise's passionate and at times controversial speech, his articulate and thoughtful anecdotes were sure to provoke discussion.
Speakers like Wise prompt discourse even among those less apt to debate issues of diversity. Initiatives like bringing in Wise are very much in the spirit of the missing diversity conference - now it's up to the various organizations involved to ensure that student discussion continues through a more formalized framework.
"We want these conversations [about diversity] to carry on," Student Government Association President Tom Testo '07 said. "We don't by any means want to lose the essence of this conference and I'm committed to making our initiatives as meaningful as ever," he said.
The emphasis will be shifted from a weekend-long event to a series of speakers, to be followed by structured discussion and small face to face group interaction. "We want to bring the discussion back to the dorms," Testo said, who hopes to get hall presidents more involved with facilitating debate.
Testo is looking to work with Student Activities, the Student Programming Board and the Office for Multi-Cultural Affairs in pulling together a set of meaningful events to replace the Diversity Conference. In addition, the Pugh Community Board may collaborate with SGA, although this is "still under discussion," according to Sarah Kurien '09, PCB Co-chair.
The Diversity Conference as it was originally conceived was meant as an "Opportunity for SGA to contribute input and meaningful discussion on campus," Testo said. "SGA gives access to students who might not be predisposed to be passionate about something like this. This is something SGA is committed to. It's an important tradition at the college and it's important that SGA remains involved," he added.
As part of a move to promote discussion on diversity, the college brought in renowned anti-racist speaker and writer Tim Wise last Thursday. Wise spoke for two hours on issues ranging from immigration to school shootings to terrorism, but resolutely centered on the notion of white privilege, or "The flip-side of discrimination," as Wise said.
Wise stressed the need to get involved and to move away from the typical silence surrounding the inherently controversial issue of race. Whatever the listener's opinion on Wise's passionate and at times controversial speech, his articulate and thoughtful anecdotes were sure to provoke discussion.
Speakers like Wise prompt discourse even among those less apt to debate issues of diversity. Initiatives like bringing in Wise are very much in the spirit of the missing diversity conference - now it's up to the various organizations involved to ensure that student discussion continues through a more formalized framework.
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