Diversity Education Articles

Periodically, the Diversity Education Program authors articles on diversity and community for campus publications. Those articles are archived on this web page, beginning with the most recent. For more information, contact the Diversity Education Program at (530) 752-2071.

Dateline Community Conversations

Making Resolutions (12/15/00)

Cultural Competence (3/3/00)

Why Diversity? (11/10/00)

Fear of "the other" (10/22/99)

Diverse Community (7/00)

Perspective Taking (7/16/99)

Understanding Transgender (5/19/00)

HR Manager

It's a Conundrum (April/May 1999)

Making Resolutions 12/15/00

In many cultural traditions, this time of year stimulates reflection about our lives and assessment of possible changes we want to make in the coming year. The tradition of setting new year's resolutions invites us to look back over the year and determine what issues are important to focus on in the new year.

Several cultures share this tradition at this time of year. Omisoka Day is celebrated in Japan on January 31 as a time for taking stock of one's life, cleaning house, and paying debts. During Ramadan, which ends this year on December 26, worshipers engage in self-purification and renewed commitment to their spiritual life. The African American holiday of Kwanzaa provides time for cultural reaffirmation and renewed commitment to family and the community.

So in the spirit of these traditions, it might be useful to engage in similar reflection within our work communities. What is it in your work environment that you enjoy? What is it about your work colleagues that you value and respect? What has been your most valuable contribution to your team or work unit? Our busy workloads don't always allow us time to acknowledge our colleagues for the skills, creative ideas, and friendship they bring to our work lives.

Similarly, what have been the biggest challenges during the past year? Are there relationships that have been strained because of work tensions or misunderstandings? Is there something you can do to mend some fences between your colleagues? Are there ways in which you could stretch yourself and act more respectfully at work?

At a recent meeting with a campus unit, we discussed how individuals in an organization could manifest greater respect for one another, and several good ideas were generated. One person suggested that people not reply immediately to e-mails that push their buttons. It was suggested to "sleep on it" and reply later when the heat of the moment is over. Someone else asked people to be more flexible with one another and allow others to have bad days or times when they might not behave at their best. Yet another person suggested that she would like individuals to talk directly to the person who is bothering them and stop the gossiping.

During this time of reflection and "taking pause," perhaps we all could benefit by re-reading the Principles of Community and asking ourselves if there is something more we each could do that would create more respect and generosity in our work units. What we each choose to do might be very different, but our collective efforts would transform our campus into a place where we enjoy coming to work every day. If there's someone with whom you've had a long-standing conflict, you might consider one more attempt at coming to a better understanding. If you need help, Mediation Services provides a wonderful service for assisting people in talking through their differences and working toward mutual agreements.

We spend so many hours of our lives each day at work. It just makes sense to make our time at work more enjoyable for ourselves and for our co-workers. In the spirit of this season, may we each consider what we might do to foster greater kindness on campus.

Why Diversity? 11/10/00

In July of this year, our campus instituted a new employee orientation program that includes a discussion with new staff about working in our diverse campus environment. As part of this dialogue, the facilitators of the presentation often share why they value working in a diverse community. It occurs to me that this might be an important consideration for each of us. Why, indeed, is it important to us as individuals and as an institution that we have a diverse community?

In his convocation address this fall, Chancellor Vanderhoef stated that our excellence as an institution is directly linked to the diversity of our campus. UCD is a major research institution, and the success of our efforts in addressing global issues related to the economy, environment, international conflict, food resources, health, etc. relies on our ability to think broadly and inclusively about all the people who make up our world community.

Dr. Bertice Berry, a sociologist, author and recent speaker on campus, suggested that our very survival as a species is dependent on our diversity. For us to be able to adapt to a changing society, we will need our differences to help us evolve in our way of thinking and in our way of responding to new and more challenging issues. She quoted from Darwin who said that one cannot learn critical thinking with only one thought. It is our differences that help us to transform in ever expanding ways.

Dr. Norman Coombs, professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology, offers that in addition to being the right thing to do, diversity makes economic sense. He points out that technology has opened a more level playing field to people with disabilities. Thus, it is more cost effective to provide readily accessible technology for students with disabilities than it is to, for example, translate campus documents which are already on line into Braille. Dr. Berry would agree that valuing diversity makes economic sense. She proposes that when we pay women the same as men for equal work, husbands won't have to work harder to make up the thirty cents per dollar difference that exists between women's and men's salaries.

Valuing diversity, then, also serves our own self interest. Dr. Coombs further suggests, there is a horizontal, not vertical, line that connects each of us. Anything that helps us do something better for one person, is going to be good to everyone. For example, making the world more accessible for people with disabilities helps all of us, since being able bodied is generally a temporary condition.

I appreciate what a participant in new employee orientation recently said - that she sees diversity as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Our students come from over 100 different countries and over one third of them speak a least one other language. This provides us with a tremendous opportunity to learn to think outside of the box of our own perspectives and to stretch to incorporate the values and perspectives of others. And, this opportunity awaits us each day we come to work.

Finally, as another colleague shared at a recent workshop for managers, having a diverse environment is just more fun!

Karen Roth coordinates the Diversity Education Program on campus.

Diverse Community 7/00

In July of this year, our campus instituted a new employee orientation program that includes a discussion with new staff about working in our diverse campus environment. As part of this dialogue, the facilitators of the presentation often share why they value working in a diverse community. It occurs to me that this might be an important consideration for each of us. Why, indeed, is it important to us as individuals and as an institution that we have a diverse community?

In his convocation address this fall, Chancellor Vanderhoef stated that our excellence as an institution is directly linked to the diversity of our campus. UCD is a major research institution, and the success of our efforts in addressing global issues related to the economy, environment, international conflict, food resources, health, etc. relies on our ability to think broadly and inclusively about all the people who make up our world community.

Dr. Bertice Berry, a sociologist, author and recent speaker on campus, suggested that our very survival as a species is dependent on our diversity. For us to be able to adapt to a changing society, we will need our differences to help us evolve in our way of thinking and in our way of responding to new and more challenging issues. She quoted from Darwin who said that one cannot learn critical thinking with only one thought. It is our differences that help us to transform in ever expanding ways.

Dr. Norman Coombs, professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology, offers that in addition to being the right thing to do, diversity makes economic sense. He points out that technology has opened a more level playing field to people with disabilities. Thus, it is more cost effective to provide readily accessible technology for students with disabilities than it is to, for example, translate campus documents which are already on line into Braille. Dr. Berry would agree that valuing diversity makes economic sense. She proposes that when we pay women the same as men for equal work, husbands won't have to work harder to make up the thirty cents per dollar difference that exists between women's and men's salaries.

Valuing diversity, then, also serves our own self interest. Dr. Coombs further suggests, there is a horizontal, not vertical, line that connects each of us. Anything that helps us do something better for one person, is going to be good to everyone. For example, making the world more accessible for people with disabilities helps all of us, since being able bodied is generally a temporary condition.

I appreciate what a participant in new employee orientation recently said - that she sees diversity as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Our students come from over 100 different countries and over one third of them speak a least one other language. This provides us with a tremendous opportunity to learn to think outside of the box of our own perspectives and to stretch to incorporate the values and perspectives of others. And, this opportunity awaits us each day we come to work.

Finally, as another colleague shared at a recent workshop for managers, having a diverse environment is just more fun!

Karen Roth coordinates the Diversity Education Program on campus.

Understanding Transgender 5/19/00

In mid-April, I went on vacation with my partner to the island of Moloka'i in Hawai'i. Among the many things we enjoyed during our trip was our connection to the people of the island. I was struck by the innate kindness and generosity of everyone we met and the warm regard we were given as guests in their community. I have visited Hawai'i before, but my experience then focused on seeing the sites and the beauty of the environment. On this trip, we enjoyed connecting with the people and their culture, and we returned home having been deeply touched by those we met.

During our visit, we were also were keenly aware of the presence of gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. While I have come to expect to see openly gay women and men, I have not seen transgender people as visible and as obviously accepted within a community. We talked with some of the local people about our observations and they commented that transsexuals were viewed as special because they had the spirit of both genders. Hence, when we overheard a restaurant patron call the female server "Uncle Ed", it was clearly meant as a sign of endearment and connection.

This experience made me think about our own campus community and I wondered what the experience of transgender individuals have been like here. A few years ago, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Resource Center added "Transgender" to its name in order to foster support and education about transgender individuals. The Speakers Bureau also provides education about transgender, and one of our panelists speaks regularly as a heterosexual cross dresser. Interacting with transgender people has enhanced my knowledge and understanding about the discrimination they face. One of the things I learned is that transgender is not included in our UC system-wide nondiscrimination policy.

Many of you may wonder as I did, what is "transgender"? Transgender is an umbrella term that includes those individuals whose gender expression is different than their biological gender assignment. Probably we're most familiar with the term transsexual -an individual who feels that their gender identity does not match the gender of the body they were born into. "Transgender" includes pre- and post-operative transsexuals, as well as transgenderists (persons living full time in a gender opposite their birth sex with no desire to pursue surgery), cross dressers, and those individuals whose gender expression differs from their birth sex.

What do you think would be the reaction in your unit to a transgender employee? How welcomed, respected and included would this person be? What might you do to foster acceptance of this colleague in your office? I have found that seeing a person first as a human being with all of the same needs for love and kindness we all have is a good place to start.

June is gay pride month, and I invite all of us to take this opportunity to learn more about our transgender brothers and sisters. As the Principles of Community state, it is the responsibility of each of us to create a campus environment that accepts and respects everyone. My recent experience of feeling the acceptance in Hawai'i gives me a model we can strive to achieve.

Cultural Competence 3/3/00

In the coming weeks, the Student Affairs Office is offering a series of programs on "Cultural Competence" aimed at developing our ability to interact effectively and appropriately across different cultures. In 1990, Larry Ebbers and Shirley Henry wrote an article on cultural competence for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Their article quoted T. Cross as defining cultural competence as "the effectiveness of [one's] work with someone of a different ethnicity, culture or race." The article further stated, "Culturally competent professionals do not attempt to conduct themselves as though they were members of a culture different from their own. They do, however, reflect an internalized awareness of specific cultures and an ability to carry out professional activities consistent with that awareness."

Currently I'm taking a course in intercultural communication and studying the ways in which individuals from different countries, religions, climates and backgrounds communicate based on cultural differences. One such difference is our concept of time, which is viewed very differently across various cultures. A film, The Primal Mind, suggests that people have an easier time living with differences in religion or ethnicity than living with differences in time orientation. The film pointed out that in some indigenous languages, there are no words for second, minute and hour. The concepts of being "on time" or "wasting time" or "running out of time" are strange in a culture that views time as limitless and measureless.

The concept of time is just one of the many ways that we as human beings differ. Some of us value individualism and strive to achieve to our full potential based on individual accomplishment. Others of us value our collective interdependence and believe that we have obligations to provide for the common good and benefit of others. We also differ in the ways we relate to nature, in how we treat our elders and teachers, in how we deal with conflict, in how we define "success," etc.

What does this mean for us working at the university? In order to work together successfully in our multicultural community, we will need to increase our knowledge about each other and develop skills to interact across our cultural differences. We will need to pay attention to differences in verbal and non-verbal communication, the importance of family and other group affiliations, direct and indirect styles of relating, and so on. Each cultural group and each individual within a group brings a unique style of relating. An important skill to develop is the art of listening. By carefully listening and checking for understanding, we can improve our chances for successful intercultural interactions even though we may be unfamiliar with a specific culture.

As our society becomes increasingly diverse, our ability to understand and appreciate one another's values and perspectives will become even more necessary. A lack of cultural understanding can result in the loss of talent and expertise in our campus community. In order to attract and retain the level of excellence we want in our faculty, staff and students, our professional activities will need to be "culturally competent" so that we can communicate, deliberate, collaborate, and problem solve across all of our differences.

Fear of "the other" 10/22/99

Where does our fear of "the other" come from? And how do we not let our fears manifest into actions that harm "others"?

The hateful acts of violence, arson and murder that erupted so close to us this past summer impacted me, as it did others in our community, in immeasureable ways. They have affected how I interact with my partner in public and make me think twice before I come out to people I don't know well. I feel more afraid of passing cars and people wearing big overcoats. I check my doors a second time at night before crawling into bed. And I feel increadibly sad for those whose lives have also been so personally touched by these acts of fear and hatred.

Fear of "the other" doesn't always manifest in such violent ways, but the impacts are no less harmful. As a human species we have finely tuned our ability to let "the other" know that we don't want contact with them. We give someone "the look", or simply ignore them as we pass by. In the workplace, staff may hold office gatherings that exclude some, or supervisors may disregard certain employees for promotions or important committee assignments. Managers may make decisions about "the others" without asking for their input, assuming they know what is best.

Anthropologists might suggest that behaviors based on fear are instinctual to protect us from danger. Certainly there are very real threats to our safety that we need to guard against. Our challenge is to determine that which is indeed a threat, and that which is perceived as a threat because of learned prejudice or ignorance. I had an experience last spring where I saw how automatic my own learned prejudices are. Cleaning up after a workshop in the Rec Pool Lodge, I noticed several teenage boys skateboarding on the patio in front of the lodge. They were noisy and boisterous as they bounced their skateboards over the cement sidewalks and ledges. I found myself getting irritated with the disruption they were causing and imagined them to be inconsiderate and irresponsible. Moments later, someone from my group offered them our leftover pizza, and these "rebellious teenagers" became grateful and courteous young men. I was humbled to realize that my first impressions about them, "the others", were not only inaccurate but initially kept me from interacting with them.

Professor Derrick Bell from the New York University School of Law, who recently spoke on our campus, said that fear and resentment cause us to act in ways we might not otherwise. His prompted us to consider whether we have enough love and respect for ourselves to stop putting down "the other". For certainly, when we diminish another person, our own sense of diginity is also dimished. Let us each, then, ask ourselves who are "the others" , and what keeps us from connecting with them. What is it about "difference" that we fear and try to dismiss? If we could overcome our automatic instincts to avoid that which is unfamiliar, how might our office practices, curriculum, research and recruitment efforts be different? What would this campus be like if we were not afraid to fully invest ourselves in being a truly multicultural institution?

As this new year begins, let us be bold in infusing diversity into the fabric of our community.

Perspective Taking 7/16/99

I've been thinking about "perspective taking" lately. Anna Ortiz, a Michigan State University assistant professor and UC Davis alumna, introduced me to this concept when she gave a campus presentation here in April. An authority on multicultural issues in higher education, she discussed how we each bring our own perspective to any discussion, and that within a multicultural environment, our perspective will often differ from others' and may result in confusion or conflict. She stressed that if we fail to consider the perspectives of others, our decisions or actions may be shortsighted, and our interactions ineffective. For example, the seemingly simple word, "yes", means, "Yes, I agree" in one culture, and "Yes, I hear you" but not necessarily "I agree" in another. Nonverbal behaviors such as eye contact or personal distance also vary in meaning across cultures. If we only consider the meaning in our own culture, we may misinterpret another's interaction with us.

I remember when a friend and I visited a farm in Winters a few years ago. As we stepped out into the night, I remarked how wonderful it was to see the stars and smell the clean, earthly air. I felt safe and invigorated. My friend, on the other hand, responded that she felt nervous and afraid. She grew up in the city, where the bright lights and presence of people made her feel safe. The quiet and dark of the country was more threatening. I found it difficult to believe anyone would feel safer in a city than in the country, since I grew up on a Wisconsin farm. It was a true lesson in how our experiences shape our perceptions.

This issue of perspective taking also surfaced in the recent campus turmoil over the Aggie cartoon depicting the bombing of Hart Hall. While the cartoonist argued that he was illustrating how the ethnic studies programs weren't important to our administration, other campus members saw the cartoon as promoting ethnic cleansing and jeopardizing the safety of those in Hart Hall. The cartoonist didn't foresee how others might interpret his cartoon, and those offended by the cartoon were outraged that he missed this important view. Regardless of its intended message, the cartoon prompted various reactions and caused harm to some campus members.

It isn't always easy to step outside of what is familiar to us. Those of us who are able-bodied don't easily recognize the challenges that wheel chair users encounter daily. We think of our own perspectives are natural or "right," and as a result, we don't readily see those of others. In a multicultural community, however, it is essential we engage in learning about each other to understand the viewing points we each bring to the campus. By considering each unique perspective, the result of our work together will be a more complete picture of how to solve mutual problems. For example, in a recent seminar I attended, a psychologist, a sociologist and a political scientist collaborated to address the issue of hate crimes. This multidisciplinary approach will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the issue and the potential solutions.

In essence, by considering another's point of view, we are respecting that individual. Imagine the possibilities if we could respect each other enough to, as Gandhi said, "seek first to understand and then to be understood."

HR MANAGER

Its a Conundrum April/May 1999

It's early on a Friday morning and Steve Wilson, a department manager, is working on a difficult project in his office. The project was due yesterday and he is desperately trying to complete it by the end of the day. Suddenly, Alice Chao, one of his project specialists, bursts into his office. Alice is visibly upset as she tells Steve that she has just discovered racist graffiti scrawled on the walls of the women's bathroom. She expresses to Steve that she is afraid for the safety of herself and of her colleagues. She doesn't know what to do, but she thought that Steve would want to know right away.

In the brief pause before Steve responds, he considers what to do. He knows that prejudice and intolerance affect the safety, productivity and morale of everyone in the work place. He feels that as a manager, he is responsible for doing what he can to prevent these activities from occurring. Now that an incident has happened, he wants to respond quickly and decisively.

What can Steve do to respond to the needs of Alice and his staff as a result of this incident?

The Discussion:

Immediate Response
One of the first things that Steve will want to do is go see the graffiti first hand. Being sensitive to the fact that Alice may not want to experience seeing the graffiti again, he asks her if she wants to escort him into the bathroom. Alice decides to wait in his office until his returns. Once Steve sees the graffiti, he understands why Alice is frightened. The scrawled words communicate racist hatred and violence. Steve decides that his first step of action is to contact the police. Back in his office, he phones the police and asks them to bring a camera to take a photograph of the graffiti.

Contacting the police is important to do for two reasons. First, threatening words which target a particular individual or group may be considered a hate crime. By calling the police, they may be able to find out who is responsible for the incident through their investigative process. In this case, taking a photograph of the graffiti allows them to keep a record of what was written before it is washed off or painted over. In other kinds of situations, such as an offensive voice mail message, Steve will want to save the message for the police to make a copy. In the case of an anonymous note or letter, the original should be given to the police and a copy kept in the manager's files.

Second, having the police come to take a report also allows the opportunity for them to talk with staff members about how to take precautions for their safety. They will be able to inform the staff about whether this incident is an isolated one or part of a series of hate activities on campus.

While Steve is waiting for the police to arrive, he thinks about what else he could do to respond appropriately to this incident. He decides to call the Office for Campus Diversity, AA/EEO to consult about what to do. Making this contact will not only help to guide his steps through this situation, but will also inform the campus leadership about this incident. After he conversation with the Office for Campus Diversity, he makes another call to the Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP). He wants to seek their advice on what emotional impact this incident may have on his staff and how he might handle it. The ASAP office coaches Steve on how to facilitate a conversation with his staff and Alice, and they offer their assistance in conducting the group discussions and providing individual support.

When the police arrive, Steve asks Alice if she would like to jointly make the report to the officers. Alice feels comfortable talking to the police and agrees to join Steve in giving a statement to the police. It appears that no other employees have seen the graffiti as yet. When the police have finished taking the photograph of the graffiti, they then meet with the staff. They ask questions of staff members to try to determine when the graffiti might have been written. At Steve's request, the police also discuss with the staff how to take precautions for their safety. Steve suggests that the staff look out for one another and brainstorms with them how they can help and support each other.

After the police leave the office, Steve invites the staff to share their feelings with one another. From his conversation with the ASAP office, he knows that this kind of discussion is necessary in order for the staff to be able to support one another. Many feelings of fear, anger, alienation and distrust are expressed as the staff comes to terms with what has just happened to them. Steve doesn't try to talk them out of their feelings nor smooth things over. He realizes the severity of this incident and knows that it won't be easily forgotten. He also doesn't try to minimize the situation. Instead, he emphasizes that this incident is unacceptable in the work place and conveys his commitment to ensuring that the office is a safe and respectful place for everyone. He encourages the staff to be supportive of one another, and to report any suspicious activity that they may see in the future.

After the meeting, Steve takes steps to get the graffiti off of the walls. He calls maintenance to request that the walls be painted immediately. Then he determines what do to about the bathroom in the meantime. Since there is another women's bathroom in the building, he decides to close the bathroom with the graffiti until the walls are repainted. He doesn't want the staff or guests to the building to have to see the hateful words.

Back in his office, the project Steve was working on is still awaiting his attention. However, the events of the morning are still with him and he pauses to reflect on what he has done thus far. First, he called the police to report the incident. Second, he informed his staff about this incident. Third, he allowed the staff to discuss their feelings and offer support to one another. Fourth, he conveyed his commitment to ensuring that the work place is respectful and safe. Finally, he took steps to remove the graffiti. He considers if there is anything else he might do. During his reflection, he remembers how Alice looked when she came to see him after she discovered the graffiti. He realizes that she may need some additional support.

Follow-up Action
Steve asks Alice if she would meet with him and they decide to meet later in the day. Before they meet, Steve thinks about how to approach the meeting. Most likely, Alice will be filled with many emotions. Steve is not sure that he has the skills to be able to respond to Alice effectively, but he knows from his conversation with the ASAP office that it is important to do a lot of listening and not try to smooth things over too quickly. Alice has just suffered a severe attack to the very essence of who she is, and the incident won't be easily forgotten. Steve also realizes that it is important for him to express his deepest regret about the situation and to commit to doing everything he can to ensure that the office staff know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. He will be sure to ask Alice if there are specific actions that she wants or doesn't want him to do. While Steve may not be able to meet the full extent of her requests, it is important that he doesn't cause further injury to her by acting in a manner that adds further hurt.

When Steve meets with Alice, he is now prepared to listen and respond effectively. Alice is certainly shaken by the circumstances of the day, but she feels supported by Steve and her other office colleagues. Steve reminds her that there are resources on campus, such as the ASAP office, to assist her if she feels the need for more professional support.

After the meeting with Alice, Steve is reminded of his deadline, but he has the feeling that there is still something more he can do. He remembers his conversation with the Office for Campus Diversity earlier that morning and how important it is that his staff know that this kind of behavior is inappropriate. He is unsure whether the graffiti was done by someone from the office or by others outside of the office. However, he wants to be sure his staff knows that he has zero tolerance for this kind of behavior. He decides to send a letter to his staff that articulates his disgust over what happened and his clear expectations about the kind of environment he wants for the staff. He also includes the Principles of Community statement with his letter to remind everyone of the kind of environment they each are responsible for fostering on the campus.

It's at this moment that Steve has a brilliant idea. What if he were to make a plaque of the Principles of Community and invite each staff member to sign it? Then the plaque could be hung in the lobby of his office unit as a visible reminder of the department's commitment to community and diversity. He decides to bring this up with the staff at their next meeting together. Proceeding with his brainstorming, he also thinks it would be a good idea to initiate some diversity education for his unit. He found out that the Office for Campus Diversity can provide diversity awareness programs and he believes that this would be a proactive step he can take to ensure that his work environment remains safe, inclusive and productive.

Steve drafts the letter to his staff and then remembers that the project deadline still awaits his attention. Although his immediate and thorough response to the graffiti was more important today and, in the long run, will leave more of an impact with his staff than a missed deadline, he must communicate to his supervisor about being late with the project. He, then, realizes that it would be important to inform his supervisor of this serious incident that transpired today. After he leaves a message for his supervisor, Steve leaves the office late knowing that he did his best to respond to an ugly situation, and showed his staff that his commitment to diversity lies in his actions, not just his words.

"Being an ally is the process of working to develop individual attitudes, institutions, and a culture in which people... feel they matter. This work is motivated by an enlightened self interest to end oppresion."

J. Jay Scott and Vernon Wall