Stand Together Group

NEXT MEETING: Sept. 23, 2 p.m. HU 101 All invited.

Present: Robert R., Louise L., Audren M., John B., Leslie T., Leah H., Veronica G., Monica Q.-R.,, Lori H., Fran Lopez, Paul L., Terrence  W.  Note: several others sent regrets

We had a few quick announcements and then got down to planning. Quick announcements: John spoke about the Sept. 11 silent gathering planned for the gazebo; Leah showed three drafts by Jane M. of a November Native Am. Heritage Month poster and the group chose its favorite. Vero gave a quick report on planning for Sept. 16 and we will do a post-mortem on the 23rd to see what can be learned from her experiences.

A few other notes: Jen Ferro has done a great website. Jen, can you send the URL to the list? At the 3 p.m. curriculum committee meeting, the committee approved the proposed 2 course-requirement for a Cultural Diversity requirement for the GE for AA degree, and only two classes on the list were questioned, to be researched before inclusion. The rest of the list was okayed, and will go into effect in the next catalog cycle! Great work by Denise, Karen, Louise, Leah, Mark L., and Marilyn.

We made lists of things we felt were important in various categories, then prioritized. The following four priorities are both core values which can be turned into a mission statement and also priorities for our work this year. Other categories and ideas follow and may be worked on as time permits in the future. Leah volunteers to put these into a simple draft mission statement for the group for Sept. 23.

--Special events planning with possibilities for whole community involvement

-- Developing the Stand Together Group as a model of inclusiveness and mutual respect and then working to “export” the model to other groups on campus

--Making the curriculum more culturally diverse

--Working to improve the campus climate.

--Special events planning with possibilities for whole community involvement
Ideas: Cinco de Mayo (or Cesar Chavez Day) a deluxe event for whole community
Gay pride events
White males working on bigotry—beyond denial to hope for all be more inclusive with
    celebrating and planning
a funded speakers bureau that’s easy to use
more dances
things Gavilan hasn’t celebrated before, a broader range, such as Chinese New Year, 
    Kawaanza, and other things
celebrations of/for students who are truly minorities on campus
don’t just do ethnic celebrations—disability, other characteristics of diversity need 
    recognition
develop an event planning checklist to standardize and ease the process
publicize what we do in the community
get out positive information to community
get people to satellite sites for big events
send good speakers we get here to high schools
more visibility in community
create Alumni Foundation
talk about Honors Club and other great positive things going on
caucuses on Staff Development Day of employees who live in Holl/Gil/MH to talk
   about college image promotion in their home communities
goal: gain confidence and respect of community so we are seen as a resource
connect with CMAP and use as resource 

-- Developing the Stand Together Group as a model of inclusiveness and mutual respect and then working to “export” the model to other groups on campus
Ideas: develop a cohesive program/center where all multicultural events are planned
more students involved in committee, ASB and non ASB
budget for events, especially speakers
teachers encourage student involvement for committees such as STG in their classes
to be an advocacy group for issues or groups underrepresented on campus
to be a positive force
solicit more student participation in STG
to focus on multicultural events rather than culture-specific events
get campus groups to take multicultural, inclusive approaches
work with other committees on involving students
minutes of all committees that take minutes should be on website (ours are!)
institutionalize STG’s status
work on improving relations between groups
            make as a college goal to always include students in all meetings and all planning processes
            have meetings/groups be considered in job classification or allow extra time for workload
            have and support mentoring program for students who are new to meetings/committees
            staff meetings—more contact between faculty and classified
            more and more appealing social events to bring us together
            MOT trips with students ongoing
            raise awareness of class issues and why it is unpopular to address class but 
                not gender/ethnicity/etc.
            all college materials of importance should be bilingual—contract with translator 

--Making the curriculum more culturally diverse
Ideas: work on developing more courses in womens studies, gender studies, but different
    concentrations or emphasis
cult. diversity xx the curriculum
AA for Cult Diversity
Nonviolence Institute funded and staffed, teach peacemaking, conflict resolution skills
include people with disabilities in cultural diversity curriculum

--Working to improve the campus climate. 
Ideas: goal--a safe inclusive climate where all feel respected and included
better welcome in the first week
a sense from the administration to students that people care about students.
Hate free zone permanent signs
posters with convocation photos
a sense of welcoming from everyone to everyone xx board: admin, faculty, 
    staff, students—people (staff and students) at times seem unhappy to be here—
    what is that about?

  Other ideas we would like to help others effect:

--Facilities and grounds improvements (for F& G committee unless otherwise noted; 
    Paul and Fran will help raise these.)
places to put fliers around campus
clear consistent and reasonable posting of materials policy (Leslie will draft & show us)
meeting place for student club activities 
more indigenous plants, with signs & cultural usage, and ornamentals impt. to other cultures
aboretum 
large maps around campus
better building signage—very strong recommendation from most of us
more trees in parking lots 
Ohlone reburial of bones found here in 1963 (Leah will investigate, probably for 2003-4)  
note to F & G committee about our desire for signs and posting places (Leah will draft) 

Students/staff with disabilities 
(For DSPS unless otherwise noted, though much of this is everyone’s responsibility 
    once everyone feels trained)
working to inform people who are temporarily able
promote better understanding of what a learning disability is
more info re: resources to accommodate students/staff with disabilities
    —don’t just call Fran
training for staff on LD sensitivity and senstivity re: other disabilities (Staff Development)
Website for DSPS that has resources
more library materials on history and issues of disability
promote the idea that “we are you and you are us”
staff training re: accomodations for people with disability—what statements go on                           documents/syllabi/etc? Standardize!
Training on teaching LD students basic skills for teachers in math-english-other depts.
Work with DSPS to support October Disability Awareness Month (for Sept. 23 
    agenda) 

Other ideas that could be followed up later and/or on a one-time basis:
Invite board participation in STG
Encourage tours of other colleges to see how they do things, get ideas
Have more positive outlook at staff development day—upbeat unless we are all to feel 
    depressed
More photos on website
More Spanish on website
Work on offering domestic partnership benefits
Seek review of Title IX
Have women’s and men’s resource centers
Better enforcement of sexual harrassment policy