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>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
HOW YA DOING? (scattered response)
MOST OF YOU ARE MY STUDENTS, SO I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
UNDERSTANDING WHY YOU'RE NOT AWAKE AND BRIGHT-EYED AND BUSHY-TAILED ALREADY.
UH, WELCOME TO THE SECOND DAY OF GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S
SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT RACE AND ETHNICITY AND IDENTITY SYMPOSIUM.
TODAY, WE HAVE A FULL SLATE OF ACTIVITIES,
STARTING WITH THIS PANEL DISCUSSION
ENTITLED "REFLECTING THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENT BODY--
"GRCC'S EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY STAFF."
AND BEFORE GETTING TOO FAR ALONG, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME,
MY NAME IS STEVE ABID,
AND I'M A PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS HERE AT GRCC.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR PANEL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO YOU
AND TELL YOU WHAT THEY DO
AND HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN WITH US HERE AT GRCC.
WE'LL START AT THE FAR END.
>> GOOD MORNING. (scattered response)
MY NAME IS GILDA GELY, AND I AM THE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT
FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS, HERE AT GRCC.
I STARTED IN 2007.
I AM ORIGINALLY FROM PUERTO RICO.
I CAME HERE BECAUSE I COULD NOT TAKE THOSE WINTERS ANYMORE...
(audience laughing) AND I DECIDED THAT THE SAND AND THE SUN
AND ALL THAT WATER WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME.
SO, WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN MICHIGAN TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THAT?
SO, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS LAURIE CHESLEY,
AND I'M THE DEAN OF ARTS AND SCIENCES HERE AT GRCC,
AND I HAVE BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M FIONA HERT, AND I'M THE DEAN FOR THE SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
WHICH IS ALL OF OUR OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS,
BOTH CREDIT AND NON-CREDIT, AT GRAND RAPIDS.
I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 2004,
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I
CAME TO MICHIGAN FOR JOBS IN 2004,
SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE HERE AND BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
>> HI, ERIC WILLIAMS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY EQUITY
AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AT THE COLLEGE.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHRIS ARNOLD, AND I HAVE BEEN AT GRCC FOR 32 YEARS,
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WONDER, I DID START WHEN I WAS FIVE.
(all laughing)
AND I AM THE DIRECTOR
OF THE BOB AND ALEICIA WOODRICK DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M CATHY WILSON
AND I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES HERE AT GRCC,
AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO TEACH AS AN ADJUNCT AT GRCC
IN THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
I TEACH HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.
AND I'M COMING UP ON 13 YEARS, SO...
NOT CLOSE TO 32 BUT GETTING CLOSE.
THANKS.
>> AND I STARTED HERE IN 1993 AS A FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBER.
I HAD ADJUNCTED PRIOR TO THAT.
I'VE HAD VARIOUS STINTS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR
IN THE ROLE OF EITHER ASSISTANT DEAN OR ASSOCIATE DEAN,
AND I'VE GONE BACK TO THE CLASSROOM EACH TIME
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHERE MY LOVE AND MY PASSION IS.
SO, THIS PANEL IS REVOLVING AROUND THIS TOPIC--
WHICH ACTUALLY COMES FROM ONE OF OUR COLLEGE ACTION PROJECTS,
AND I PUT THIS UP ON THE SCREEN SO YOU CAN READ IT.
IT'S-- WE NUMBER THESE AND HAVE SUB-POINTS TO THEM.
SO, THIS IS COLLEGE ACTION PROJECT NUMBER 5.2.1,
"STRENGTHEN THE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESS,
"SO TO ATTRACT HIGHLY QUALIFIED,
"HIGHLY DIVERSE FULL-TIME AND ADJUNCT FACULTY."
CATHY, WHO YOU JUST MET, IS THE CHAMPION OF THIS PROJECT
AND THE TEAM THAT IS WORKING ON THIS.
SO, I'D LIKE TO, ONCE AGAIN, START AT THE FAR END
AND ASK EACH OF OUR PANELISTS
WHY YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT
AND IN DIVERSIFYING OUR FACULTY AND STAFF,
THROUGH THE LENS THAT YOU VIEW THINGS HERE AT GRCC.
>> AS PROVOST, I HAVE THE DUTY AND THE CHARGE THAT IS GIVEN TO ME
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION,
OUR VALUES, OUR VISION, AND OUR ENDS.
THAT IS WHAT I NEED TO DO.
MY JOB IS ACTUALLY IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO, YOU WILL KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE DEAN,
YOU WILL NOT KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE PROVOST
BECAUSE I'M WORKING ON THE BACKGROUND--
WHAT THEY CALL "THE BACK OF THE HOUSE."
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE THE CHARGE TO MAKE SURE HAPPENS
IS THAT THIS INSTITUTION CONTINUES TO BE ACCREDITED
BY THE ACCREDITING AGENCY THAT ACCREDITS US,
WHICH IS THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION OF THE NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE ONE OF THE POINTS THAT THEY MAKE
IN THEIR CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATION IS THAT WE HAVE TO--
AND I'M GONNA READ IT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS REGARDING DIVERSITY THAT THEY REQUIRE FROM US.
"THE INSTITUTION UNDERSTANDS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITS MISSION
"AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE SOCIETY."
IT SAYS, "THE INSTITUTION'S PROCESSES AND ACTIVITIES REFLECT ATTENTION
"TO THE HUMAN DIVERSITY AS APPROPRIATE WITHIN ITS MISSION
"AND FOR THE CONSTITUENCIES IT SERVES."
AND FINALLY, IT SAYS THAT, "EDUCATION OFFERED BY THE INSTITUTION
"RECOGNIZES THE HUMAN AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD
"IN WHICH STUDENTS LIVE AND WORK."
SO, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO MEETS THAT CRITERIA,
AND THAT IS THE MOST PRACTICAL REASON THAT I CAN GIVE YOU
FOR WHY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S SOME PERSONAL REASONS, TOO, OF COURSE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED UP ON MY LITTLE ACCENT,
I AM ALSO HISPANIC.
I AM A RECOGNIZED MINORITY.
SO, IT'S CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IS TO BE CHALLENGED
IN SOME OCCASIONS WHEN YOU ARE DIFFERENT.
BUT IT'S ALSO OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT,
AND THAT IS WHAT--
THE INSTITUTION WINS WHEN IT EMBRACES DIVERSITY,
AND WHEN IT WANTS TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WITHIN ITS SCHOOL.
WHEREVER YOU END UP WORKING IN YOUR LIFE,
YOU REALLY WOULD LIKE THAT INSTITUTION, THAT ORGANIZATION, TO SUCCEED.
AND THE BEST WAY IS TO ACTUALLY INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE POOL
THAT THE INSTITUTION HAS...
AND DIVERSITY BRINGS THAT TO YOUR TABLE.
IT BRINGS A HUGE INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE POOL.
UM...
WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGER POOL OF KNOWLEDGE...
YOU ALSO HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO BE CREATIVE--
MORE CREATIVE AND MORE INNOVATIVE.
AND ALTHOUGH I WISH I KNEW EVERYTHING THAT I COULD KNOW
ABOUT THE STUDENTS, I REALLY DON'T.
I NEED TO BRING PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO TELL ME,
"HOW IS IT THAT YOU FEEL?
"WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED?
"WHAT ARE THE SERVICES THAT YOU DESERVE?"
AND THAT IS WHY THE DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT IN ANY INSTITUTION.
>> THANK YOU.
DEAN CHESLEY?
>> WELL, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THIS INITIATIVE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
AND AS A DEAN, AS GILDA SAID,
I'M PRETTY DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN HIRING IN MY SCHOOL,
IN THAT I INTERVIEW ALL OF THE FINALIST CANDIDATES
FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY AND STAFF POSITIONS,
AND SO, I'M A DIRECT PART OF THAT PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO PROMOTE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE OF THE MOST BASIC IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT STUDENTS
NEED TO SEE STAFF AND ESPECIALLY FACULTY
WHO ARE LIKE THEMSELVES,
WHO THEY CAN RELATE TO,
AND WHO CAN BE ROLE MODELS FOR THEM.
I THINK BACK TO MY OWN EXPERIENCES
IN COLLEGE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL,
AND THERE WERE, IN MY INSTITUTIONS-- WHICH WERE WONDERFUL--
A DEARTH OF FEMALE ROLE MODELS IN THE PROFESSORIATE,
AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE, AT THE TIME,
I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THAT FACT, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT,
BUT I KNOW THAT I FELT THE LACK OF IT SUBSEQUENTLY.
AND SO, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT THERE'S A WIDE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE THAT WE MEET,
SO THAT WE CAN FIND THOSE ROLE MODELS WHO ARE LIKE US,
AND THEY CAN SERVE US AS GREAT GUIDES.
I THINK THAT, ALSO, AS GILDA SAID,
A DIVERSE FACULTY AND STAFF
CAN BETTER HELP US TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS
OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
IF-- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER 17,000 CREDIT STUDENTS ALONE--
MANY MORE IF WE COUNT NON-CREDIT, WHICH FIONA MAY SPEAK TO--
THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF DIVERSITY.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF UNIQUENESS IN THAT GROUP.
AND SO, WE CAN BETTER SERVE THEM
WITH A VERY UNIQUE AND DIVERSE FACULTY AND STAFF.
I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR MAJORITY STUDENTS
TO BE EXPOSED TO DIVERSITY IN COLLEGE AND ELSEWHERE.
SOMETIMES, STUDENTS COME TO US FROM VERY HOMOGENOUS BACKGROUNDS,
AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, UM, AND WONDERFUL,
BUT COLLEGE SEEMS, TO ME,
TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND HORIZONS, OPEN MINDS,
AND MEET NEW PEOPLE WITH NEW AND INTERESTING EXPERIENCES AND IDEAS.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
I LOVED MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.
I MYSELF CAME FROM A FAIRLY HOMOGENOUS BACKGROUND--
UH, SMALL TOWN-- AND I LOVED COLLEGE
FOR THE REASON THAT I MET SUCH INTERESTING AND UNIQUE PEOPLE--
PEOPLE I HADN'T MET BEFORE--
AND THEY HAD IDEAS I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE.
IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND I THINK WHAT WAS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT MY PROFESSORS--
THE PEOPLE WHO FACILITATED THAT LEARNING FOR ME--
DIDN'T LOOK DOWN ON ME BECAUSE I HAD THAT BACKGROUND.
THEY, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTED THAT
AND SAW THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
THAT I WAS OPENED TO AS VERY POSITIVE.
SO, I THINK THAT ATTITUDE OF BEING OPEN AND UNDERSTANDING
THAT PEOPLE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES,
INCLUDING THE EXPERIENCE OF NOT HAVING MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH DIVERSITY,
IS REALLY A GOOD THING.
I ALSO THINK, AS A FINAL POINT, I'VE CERTAINLY READ SOME STUDIES
AND IT SEEMS TO ME TO RING TRUE
THAT THE MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE YOU HAVE,
YOU ALSO HAVE A TENDENCY
TO BE BETTER ABLE TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION,
TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVENESS, AND TO BE RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE.
AGAIN, MORE VOICES CAN HELP US DO EVEN BETTER.
>> THANK YOU... DEAN HERT?
>> GOOD MORNING, AGAIN.
UM...
DR. CHESLEY HAS COMMENTED ON HER ROLE, INITIALLY,
AROUND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HIRING FACULTY,
WHICH IS SIMILAR TO MY ROLE IN THE SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO, THAT IS A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME
IN MEETING, WORKING, AND INTERVIEWING FACULTY
TO JOIN GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
BOTH IN A FULL-TIME CAPACITY AND ALSO IN AN ADJUNCT CAPACITY.
WORKING WITH MY ASSOCIATE DEANS
TO RECRUIT AND...
SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS THAT COME TO THIS CAMPUS TO LEARN ABOUT US
AND WE ESPOUSE TO LEARN ABOUT THEM.
IT IS A TWO-WAY STREET.
WE ALWAYS HOPE THAT THAT IS THE WORK THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO.
I WANT TO JUST COMMENT ON A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE
FROM A PROSPECTIVE OF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE--
IT IS IN OUR NAME, IT IS IN OUR MISSION,
IT IS IN OUR REQUIREMENTS THAT THE STAFF--
NOT ONLY FACULTY-- REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, DO WE DO THAT IN TERMS OF THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN?
DO WE DO THAT IN TERMS OF THE COLOR AND THE...
THE ISSUES THAT FACE OUR COMMUNITY-- ARE WE DIVERSE IN OUR THINKING?
ARE WE DIVERSE...
IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS INSTITUTION?
I THINK GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKS VERY HARD
AT CONFRONTING THOSE ISSUES OF NOT ONLY DIVERSITY OF COLOR
BUT OF DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT.
AND AS A DEAN IN THE SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
I THINK IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT DIVERSITY IS A RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS NOT JUST A COLOR OR A TYPE.
A QUICK STORY IS, I WAS BORN IN CANADA,
AND I WAS A CANADIAN CITIZEN,
AND I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AT THE TENDER AGE OF 12.
MY NAME IS FIONA.
WELL, BEFORE "SHREK," NOBODY HAD HEARD OF IT.
(audience chuckling)
SO, YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MANY WAYS "FIONA" WAS SPELT, SAID,
AND I ALSO HAD NOT ONLY THE CANADIAN BUT THE U.P. "EH"S,
AND I HAD A BIT OF AN ENGLISH ACCENT.
BOTH MY PARENTS ARE FROM SCOTLAND.
SO, I IMMIGRATED FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES AT THE AGE OF 12,
HAD A FUNNY NAME, HAD A FUNNY ACCENT,
AND I WAS STUCK IN A MATH CLASS AND I COULDN'T DO ALGEBRA TO SAVE MY SOUL.
AND I LOOK BACK ON THOSE EXPERIENCES,
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, I WAS PULLED OUT OF FRENCH--
WHICH I CAME FROM QUEBEC.
I COULD SORT OF SPEAK FRENCH.
BUT BECAUSE THAT WAS MY STRENGTH, AND I WASN'T SO GOOD IN MATH,
I WAS PULLED OUT OF MY STRENGTH AND PUT INTO MY WEAKNESS,
TO FOCUS IN ON A WEAKNESS THAT I HAD.
THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LIFE LESSON FOR ME, TO SAY, AS AN EDUCATOR,
"HOW DO WE LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS AS STUDENTS?
"HOW DO WE LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS AS FACULTY,
"TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT THOSE STRENGTHS ARE,
"AND UTILIZE THOSE STRENGTHS FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM,
"WHETHER WE'RE HIRING OR IF THERE IS A STAFF CAPACITY."
SO, THAT IMPORTANT LESSON FOR MYSELF HAS ALWAYS STAYED WITH ME,
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, AS A CAUCASIAN FEMALE,
THAT BACKGROUND MAY NOT BE AS OBVIOUS TO ANYONE,
BUT I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT WE HAVE AS A COMMUNITY,
AS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TO ASK AND NOT ASSUME.
>> THANK YOU.
MR. WILLIAMS?
>> THANK YOU, AND GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
I, UM, THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY THIS MORNING,
AND AS WE LOOK AT GRCC AND OUR ASPIRATIONS
TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR FACULTY AND STAFF...
UM...
YEARS AGO, I USED TO WORK AT ANOTHER LOCAL HIGHER ED INSTITUTION,
AND THE PRESIDENT CALLED ME IN HIS OFFICE ONE DAY,
AND HE SAID, "ERIC," HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO READ THIS LETTER."
AND I READ THE LETTER AND IT WAS--
I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN A LETTER, THAT'S HOW IT HIT ME.
THE STUDENT SAID-- AND SHE WROTE DIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENT.
SHE SAID, "MR. PRESIDENT..."
SHE SAID, "I'M CALLING TO SAY THANK YOU
"FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL ACADEMIC EDUCATION."
SHE SAID, "WHEN I LEFT THIS INSTITUTION,
"I FELT IMMINENTLY QUALIFIED AND PREPARED TO ENTER THE CAREER OF MY CHOICE,
"AND I WAS READY."
SHE SAID, "BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED
"IN MY PURSUIT OF MY CAREER."
SHE SAID, "I WAS HI--"
AND SHE SAID, "I'M A BASICALLY...
"A BLOND-HAIRED, BLUE-EYED YOUNG LADY,
"AND I WAS HIRED IN AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN-OWNED FIRM IN CHICAGO."
AND SHE SAID, "WHILE I ACADEMICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY WAS READY,"
SHE SAID, "I FELT SO UNPREPARED TO MEET THIS WORLD
"THAT'S MUCH LARGER THAN GRAND RAPIDS AND KENT COUNTY...
"AND I FELT AS THOUGH WHILE THIS INSTITUTION
"PREPARED ME ACADEMICALLY,
"IT FAILED ME TO MEET THE WORLD THAT'S OUT THERE."
AND I THINK PART OF OUR ROLE
AND PART OF OUR MISSION AT GRCC
IS TO EQUIP STUDENTS WHO COME HERE
TO MEET THE WORLD THAT'S BEYOND THE CONFINES OF OUR IVORY TOWER.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO THAT
IS BY ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY
AND ENGAGE IN VERY MEANINGFUL WAYS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE.
AND A PART OF THAT, OF COURSE, IS OUR FACULTY.
SO, HOW DO WE ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND ENGAGE FACULTY,
SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THE NEEDS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER
IN YOUR FUTURE CAREERS?
YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS.
THERE ARE THINGS YOU WANNA DO AND PEOPLE YOU WANT TO BECOME,
AND YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING IT.
AND OUR JOB, AS FACULTY, IS TO ENSURE THAT WE GIVE YOU ALL THE SKILLS,
ALL OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE CAN TO HELP THAT TO HAPPEN FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
MISS ARNOLD?
>> GOO-- GOOD MORNING, AND AGAIN, IT IS OUR JOB
AS AN INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
TO, UM, TO EMBRACE AND PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
FOR OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF.
I'M GONNA READ YOU THE PURPOSE OF THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER.
THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER--
IT'S "DEDICATED TO IMPLEMENTING EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS
"THAT IMPROVE CAMPUS CLIMATE, ENHANCE EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS,
"AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
"THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER WILL EMBRACE AND PROMOTE
"THE CELEBRATION OF HUMAN DIFFERENCES
"THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES,
"IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY AMONG ALL PEOPLE."
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELF
IN THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT ANY STUDENT,
FACULTY OR STAFF OR COMMUNITY MEMBER
CAN WALK THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE CENTER
AND SEE THEIRSELF REFLECTED IN THE CENTER IN OUR M--
IN THE MANY PROGRAMS AN--
PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE
FOR OUR STAFF, FACULTY, STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY.
AND, UM-- (clearing throat) EXCUSE ME.
AS OUR-- NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY BUT OUR SOCIETY
BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIVERSE,
WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO FACE THOSE,
YOU KNOW, THOSE CHALLENGES AND DIFFERENCES,
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO.
AND AS, UM...
AS DEAN CHESLEY MENTIONED, ROLE MODELS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AS A MINORITY FEMALE, I KNOW THAT I FACE SOME CHALLENGES
AMONG THE YEAR AND CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU, AS STUDENTS,
HAVE ROLE MODELS THAT YOU CAN LOOK TO AND RELATE TO
AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH,
AND ROLE MODELS THAT YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF REFLECTED IN THE MANY POSITIONS
WHEN YOU TURN ON THE TV,
THAT YOU SEE SOMEONE THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU.
WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO
AND THAT LOOK LIKE YOU, SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, IT IS OUR ROLE AS AN INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUST HOW IT ENRICHES YOU
TO LEARN ABOUT OTHERS, UM, THEIR CULTURE.
AND ACTUALLY, THE MORE THAT YOU LEARN ABOUT OTHERS,
YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU ALSO HAVE IN COMMON, AS WELL.
SO, IT JUST REALLY ENRICHES YOU AS A PERSON,
AND IT PROVIDES THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN YOU--
WHETHER YOU STAY IN GRAND RAPIDS OR YOU, UM,
WHETHER YOU MOVE TO A LARGER CITY OR EVEN COUNTRY,
THAT YOU ARE PREPARED BY YOUR LEARNING
TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND APPRECIATE THEM AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
MISS WILSON?
>> GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
AS I SAID, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
HERE AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
MANY OF THE FOLKS ON THE PANEL HAVE MENTIONED OUR HIRING PRACTICES,
AND IT IS OUR DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO GUIDE THAT PROCESS--
PROCESS FOR RECRUITMENT-- HOW DO WE FIND OUR APPLICANTS?
PROCESSES FOR HIRING,
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT,
WE KNOW WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY AND HAVE MANY, MANY STEPS INVOLVED.
OUR PROCESSES FOR PROMOTIONS,
AS WELL AS PROCESSES FOR TRAINING OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND YES, WE ARE GUIDED BY LAWS
IN THIS COUNTRY, WHICH HELPS US.
I'M SURE YOU'VE STUDIED CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS--
UM, CIVIL RIGHT ACT OF 1964, AND THE SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS TO THAT LAW.
BUT IN OUR CASE, IT'S HUMAN RESOURCES-- THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE ARE.
IT'S, "WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE GUIDANCE
"TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AT GRCC."
AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO WORK--
PRIOR TO THE COLLEGE, I WORKED IN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING
HERE IN THE GRAND RAPIDS AREA,
AND THOSE EMPLOYERS ALSO SUPPORTED NOT ONLY THE LEGAL--
THE RIGHT THING TO DO-- BUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES?
HERE, WE HAVE-- AND AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE COMMENTS--
WE HAVE A GOAL TO HAVE OUR WORK--
ER, EXCUSE ME, OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT BE REFLECTIVE OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION,
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO MAKE THAT A VERY COMFORTABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOU,
AS WELL AS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES...
THAT KIND OF WORK ON BOTH SIDES.
FOR OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS FOR THE EMPLOYEES AT GRCC,
WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A VERY COMFORTABLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
TURNING TO GILDA AND ERIC FOR JUST A SECOND--
UH, IN YOUR ROLES, WITH RESPECT TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COLLEGE--
GILDA WITH DEANS' COUNCIL,
ERIC WITH YOUR WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND SO ON--
EXPLAIN WHY THIS ACTION PROJECT RELATES TO THE OTHER GOALS
THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN YOUR VARIOUS DUTIES.
>> WELL, DEANS' COUNCIL IS AN OPERATIONAL GROUP
THAT WE HAVE AT THE COLLEGE WHO ACTUALLY OVERSEES THE OPERATIONS
OF THE ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS AREA.
SO, WHAT WE DO REGULARLY WITH THIS AND WITH ANY OTHER, UM, CHALLENGE
OR ANY OTHER CHARGE THAT WE HAVE, IS TO MONITOR WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE DOING,
WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE.
SO, WE HAVE THIS MENTALITY OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY REVISING OUR PROCESSES,
WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OURSELVES, "WHAT ARE WE DOING RIGHT?
"WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER?"
WE DO STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS,
AND WE ASK THE STUDENTS, "SO, HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
"WHAT CAN YOU-- HOW CAN WE MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE BETTER?"
WE DO SURVEYS-- AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE FILLED A NUMBER OF SURVEYS
IN YOUR CLASSES, PROBABLY, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, RIGHT?
ANYBODY HAS FILLED OUT SOME?
YEAH, YEAH.
BECAUSE WE SEND THEM OVER THERE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE LOOKED AT.
OR PRECISELY, IN THAT CONTEXT,
WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW OUR WORKFORCE
REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY--
INTERNAL COMMUNITY-- OUR STUDENTS.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO NOW,
WE REVISED THE MISSION, VISION, VALUES, AND THE ENDS OF THE COLLEGE,
AND WE DECIDED THAT DIVERSITY WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR VALUES,
AND THAT MEANS THAT EVERYTHING--
THAT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,
WE INCLUDE THAT VALUE AS SOMETHING IMPORTANT FOR US.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING--
AND STEVE, YOU WERE IN THAT MEETING THAT DAY--
WE ACTUALLY ASK OUR FRIENDS AT THE END OF THE TABLE,
"SO, WHAT IS OUR WORKFORCE NOW?
"HOW DO WE LOOK LIKE?"
AND CATHY BROUGHT IN A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION
WHERE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT OUR WORKFORCE WAS NOT REFLECTING OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
AND WE SAID, "WELL, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT,
"BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT,
"SO WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE GONNA DO?"
I'M GONNA LET CATHY AND ERIC TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DID.
BUT BASICALLY, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A MONITORING PIECE,
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LET THINGS HAPPEN ON THEIR OWN,
'CAUSE SOMETIMES IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN.
YOU HAVE TO MONITOR AND LOOK FOR THEM, JUST LIKE STUDYING.
>> UM, YOU KNOW, I-- PART OF THREE DIFFERENT ROLES,
AND ONE OF THEM IS LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, THE OTHER IS COMMUNITY AFFAIRS,
AND THE FINAL PIECE IS EQUITY AFFAIRS.
AND, UM...
ACTUALLY, I NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS POSITION,
AND DR. ENDER ACTUALLY APPROACHED ME
AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
"IS IMPORTANT TO US, AS AN INSTITUTION."
AND HE SAID, "I WANNA LOOK AT THIS CLOSER."
HE SAID, "I THINK WE HAVE-- YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO BETTER IN SOME AREAS."
AND HE ASKED IF I WOULD ASSIST HIM
IN EXPLORING EQUITY ON CAMPUS,
AND WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "EQUITY"?
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "DIVERSITY"?
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "INCLUSION"?
AND ALL OF THAT IS BUILT AROUND STUDENT SUCCESS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS-- IF YOU COULD SIT IN OUR CABINET MEETINGS--
THE PRESIDENT'S CABINET MEETINGS
AND THE PROVOST AND HER DEANS' COUNCIL MEETINGS--
THE MAJOR THEME YOU'RE GONNA HEAR CONSISTENTLY IS,
"HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS?"
AND, "HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE IT?
"HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT GRCC,
"THAT YOUR INVESTMENT AT GRCC, IS THE BEST THAT IT COULD BE?"
AND THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE,
THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE AND QUALIFIED TO ENCOUNTER THE WORLD AROUND US?
WE TALK ABOUT THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY AND THIS GLOBAL COMMUNITY,
AND WE TOSS THAT WORD OUT SO FREELY NOW...
BUT IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF MEANING.
AND A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS OCCUR AROUND
THE SUCCESS THAT WE ASPIRE FOR YOU,
AND HOW DO WE HELP TO ENHANCE THAT.
SO, A PART OF MY ROLE IS TO LOOK EQUITY AND INCLUSION,
LOOK AT DIVERSITY, LOOK AT DIFFERENCES.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ALLOWED US TO DO RECENTLY
IS TO HAVE A LEADERSHIP CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN--
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "DIVERSITY"?
AND WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "INCLUSION"?
OUR DIVERSITY VALUE TALKS ABOUT "WE ARE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY,"
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
AND SO, WE'RE EXPLORING THAT AND WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT,
BUT ALSO TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT TYPE OF CULTURE AND CLIMATE
DO WE WANT TO HAVE AT GRCC?
SO, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE-- AND DIVERSITY IS BIGGER THAN RACE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACE AND THIS ISSUE HERE,
BUT DIVERSITY IS MUCH LARGER THAN THAT,
AND AS WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY, AS WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENCES,
AS WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION-- UH, WHEN YOU COME TO GRCC,
WHAT TYPE OF EXPERIENCE DO WE WANT YOU TO HAVE?
AND WE WANT EVERY STUDENT TO ENTER THIS CAMPUS
AND TO FEEL WARMED, TO FEEL WELCOMED, TO FEEL RECEIVED,
TO FEEL VALUED, TO FEEL APPRECIATED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ESPOUSING TOWARD.
THAT'S NOT AN EASY JOURNEY,
AND IT DOES MEAN HAVING WHAT WE CALL "COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS,"
AND WE'VE STARTED HAVING THOSE.
BUT IT DOES ALSO MEAN THAT IT MAY INCLUDE MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS
AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND SO, WE ARE BEGINNING TO DIG DEEPER THAN DIVERSITY,
AND TO TALK ABOUT, "WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ALSO BE INCLUSIVE?"
I HEARD A QUOTE RECENTLY AND IT SAID, "DIVERSITY IS BEING INVITED TO THE--
"IS BEING INVITED TO THE DANCE.
"INCLUSION IS BEING ASKED TO DANCE ONCE YOU GET THERE."
AND SO, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, AND HOW DO WE MOVE OUR CULTURE
TO A POINT WHERE EVERY STUDENT AT GRCC FEELS, "I BELONG HERE"?
>> THANK YOU.
DEAN HERT AND DEAN CHESLEY,
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS
WITH REGARD TO THIS?
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT LOOKING IN THE FUTURE?
>> IN RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION, STEVE,
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT MEET THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION
IN TERMS OF... A DIVERSE FACULTY,
AND OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO MEET AND EXCEED THAT LEVEL.
WE CURRENTLY, OUT OF OVER 100-- ALMOST 100 FULL-TIME FACULTY,
WE ARE AT ABOUT 11 PERCENT.
UM... SO...
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK, AS GILDA HAS COMMENTED AND STATED,
TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS, IN TERMS OF OUR RECRUITMENT
AND OUR EFFORTS TO NOT ONLY BRING QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THIS CAMPUS
TO TEACH,
TO WORK WITH US HERE AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
BUT TO STAY AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
WE KNOW THAT RETENTION...
FOR, UM...
FACULTY OF COLOR IS FREQUENTLY AN ISSUE,
NOT ONLY FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES BUT FOR ALL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS,
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO, AS ERIC HAS MENTIONED,
TO BE THE WARM, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
AT WHICH A FACULTY MEMBER WOULD CHOOSE TO STAY,
TO GROW, AND TO CONTRIBUTE.
UM...
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST COMMENT, TOO,
AROUND THE CONCEPT OF DIVERSITY
AND HOW IT RELATES IN OCCUPATIONAL AREAS OR IN WORKFORCE--
AND WHEN I'M USING THE WORD-- TERM "WORKFORCE," IT IS EXTERNAL.
I AM THE DEAN FOR THE SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
WHICH MEANS, AS I SAID IN MY INTRODUCTION,
IT IS OUR OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME,
AND IT IS OF MORE IMPORTANCE TO THE EMPLOYERS THAT I REPRESENT--
WE HAVE OVER 400 REPRESENTATIVES THAT SERVE ON OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES
FOR OUR OCCUPATIONAL AREAS AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGES,
FROM A VARIETY OF COMPANIES,
FROM INDIVIDUALLY OWNED COMPANIES TO LARGE CORPORATIONS.
AND I HAVE BEEN HERE, AS I SAID, SINCE 2004,
AND AS I INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS ON THESE ADVISORY COMMITTEES,
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANIES
THAT THE STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAMS,
THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR PROGRAMS,
HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF GLOBAL COMPETENCIES,
AND THOSE GLOBAL COMPETENCIES ARE NOT ONLY
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE WORKFORCE AND NEEDS ARE OF OUR COMMUNITY?
YOU MAY BE WORKING FOR A COMPANY THAT'S BASED HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS,
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRAVEL AND YOU GO TO CHINA?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO TO INDIA?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE CUSTOMS ARE?
CAN YOU ASSIMILATE, BE RESPECTFUL,
AND DO BUSINESS APPROPRIATELY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY?
SO, THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE AS ADMINISTRATORS,
AS FACULTY, TO UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY NEEDS,
BUT UNDERSTAND THE INTERNATIONAL NEEDS
THAT YOU WILL HOPEFULLY BE GOING FORTH
AND REPRESENTING FOR US AS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
>> THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES ALSO FALLS SHORT
IN THE MAJORITY OF ITS DEPARTMENTS OF THE COLLEGE'S GOALS
TO HAVE FACULTY AND STAFF REFLECT THE STUDENT POPULATION.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT AND MEET THE GOALS AND DO BETTER.
I WILL SAY THAT I THINK WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS IN RECENT YEARS,
SOME OF THEM EVEN BEFORE MY TENURE IN THIS JOB,
TO RECRUIT MORE MINORITY FACULTY, BOTH FULL-TIME AND ADJUNCT.
I DON'T WANT TO STEAL CATHY WILSON'S THUNDER
IF SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR ADJUNCT RECRUITMENT FAIR--
I'LL MENTION IT BRIEFLY,
AND MAYBE YOU'LL CARRY ON WITH SOME MORE DETAIL
BECAUSE H.R. WAS SO VITAL IN THIS EFFORT,
BUT WE'VE FORMULATED AN EVENT CALLED "SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ADJUNCT AT GRCC?"
AND ONE OF THE GOALS OF WHICH IS TO ATTRACT
AND HIRE MORE QUALIFIED MINORITY FACULTY FOR GRCC,
AND THAT'S BEEN QUITE A SUCCESS.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN MORE CREATIVE
IN REACHING OUT
IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS
AND IN VARIOUS SOURCES WHERE JOBS ARE POSTED,
AND I THINK WE DO A BETTER JOB OF TARGETING
A BROADER VARIETY OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES
IN A BROADER VARIETY OF VENUES THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
CLEARLY, AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE
AND FULL-TIME FACULTY TENURE TRACK HIRING,
I THINK WE CAN DO EVEN BETTER
BY SPECIFICALLY TARGETING URBAN INSTITUTIONS
WITH GRADUATE PROGRAMS,
AND ALSO HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WITH GRADUATE PROGRAMS,
AND ENCOURAGING APPLICATION TO GRCC.
SO, I THINK WE HAVE A STRATEGY
FOR MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, AS WELL.
I WANTED TO ADD THAT, UM...
I MOST DEFINITELY AGREE WITH ERIC
WHEN HE SAYS THAT DIVERSITY IS MORE THAN RACE AND ETHNICITY,
ALTHOUGH THOSE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE
A DIVERSE GROUP OF FACULTY IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS,
NOT JUST IN TERMS OF RACE AND ETHNICITY BUT IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION,
IN TERMS OF AGE, IN TERMS OF WORK EXPERIENCE,
IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND,
ALWAYS KEEPING IN MIND WHAT GILDA REFERRED TO--
OUR ACCREDITATION STANDARDS DO REQUIRE
THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
FOR ALL OF THE FACULTY THAT WE HIRE, AND WE CAN'T MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.
AND SO, WE'LL ALWAYS HIRE
AN APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS,
THAT THE HIRING COMMITTEES
THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH HAVE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD
THE VALUE OF HIRING MINORITY CANDIDATES
AND HIRING A DIVERSE FACULTY.
AND SO...
WHEN WE HAVE CANDIDATES WHO MEET OUR EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS
BUT MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS ANOTHER CANDIDATE,
BUT THEY BRING NEW PERSPECTIVE TO OUR COLLEGE,
WE CONSIDER THOSE CANDIDATES VERY, VERY CAREFULLY, AND WE OFTEN HIRE THEM.
AT SOME POINT IN ALL OUR CAREERS, WE COME INTO THE WORKPLACE,
WE HAVE EARNED OUR CREDENTIALS,
BUT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT NEW TO THE JOB WE'RE APPLYING FOR.
SOMEBODY TOOK A CHANCE ON ME AND SAID, "WELL, THAT CHESLEY--
"SHE'S GOT SOME TALENT WE THINK WE WANT TO DEVELOP.
"LET'S GIVE HER A CHANCE."
AND AT GRCC, WE ALSO DO THAT, AND WE HAVE GREAT SYSTEMS IN PLACE
TO HELP OUR NEW FACULTY AND STAFF GROW AND DEVELOP
WHEN THEY ARE MORE NEW TO THE CAREER THAT THEY'RE ENTERING.
SO, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT...
ASPECT THAT WE KEEP IN MIND,
AS WE DO OUR HIRING HERE.
DIVERSITY IS VERY...
IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US,
AND IT'S IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS AS WE HIRE.
HMM, HMM, HMM.
I THINK THAT COVERS IT FOR ME. >> GOOD, THANK YOU.
CHRIS, YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR ROLE HERE AT GRCC
AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE HELPED US TO HOST,
AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE,
AND SPECIFICALLY THE STAFF AND FACULTY HERE AT GRCC?
>> ONE OF THE CHARGES OF THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER
IS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY AS WELL,
AND ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS IS THE DIVERSITY LECTURE SERIES.
JUST BY A SHOW OF HANDS-- I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE ATTENDED ONE OF OUR LECTURES.
GREAT.
OUR LECTURE SERIES HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 17 YEARS,
AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN MANY RENOWNED SPEAKERS, AUTHORS--
AND AGAIN, DIVERSITY IS MORE THAN JUST RACE.
WE'VE BROUGHT IN SPEAKERS THAT HAVE TOUCHED ON THE TOPIC
OF AGE, *** ORIENTATION, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
UM, RACE...
ISSUES REGARDING WOMEN AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS.
SO, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, AGAIN, HOW WE DEFINE DIVERSITY HERE AT GRCC
AND HOW OUR PROGRAMS REFLECT ALL THOSE DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY.
WE WORK-- WE WORK A LOT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WORK WITH BUSINESSES, LAW FIRMS,
OTHER INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION...
SO WE REALLY RELY ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR SPONSORSHIPS AS WELL.
SO, WE COLLABORATE WITH MANY ENTITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY
TO PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO PROVIDE-- THERE'S, UM-- WE ALSO PROVIDE A TRAINING.
OUR DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THROUGH THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER,
WE PROVIDE TRAINING IN THE AREA OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY,
AND WE PROVIDE GLOBAL LEADERS TRAINING
FOR OUR K-12 AUDIENCE.
AND THEN, WE ALSO PROVIDE THE INSTITUTES ON HEALING RACISM, AS WELL,
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAFF TO ENGAGE IN TRAINING,
AND FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WELL.
AND THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER ALSO OVERSEES OUR DIVERSITY--
CAMPUS-WIDE DIVERSITY TEAM, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF FACULTY, STAFF--
IT'S A REFLECTION OF OUR STAFF HERE AT THE COLLEGE--
AND WE ALSO HAVE STUDENT REPRESENTATION ON THAT TEAM.
SO, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES AND NEEDS,
AND WE SET GOALS YEARLY FOR DIFFERENT THINGS
THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN AS A COLLEGE-- INTERNAL--
IN COLLEGE COMMUNITY, AS WELL.
>> GOOD, THANK YOU.
NOW, TURNING TO CATHY-- AND A COUPLE OF TIMES,
PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED BOTH THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING
THROUGH THE CHAMPIONING OF THE SCHOOL
AND THEN IN YOUR OWN ROLE HERE AS H.R. DIRECTOR.
SO, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE'RE DOING,
THE STRATEGIES, THE INFORMATION--
WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT, WE'LL TAKE IT ALL.
ESPECIALLY DATA.
THERE'S A LOT OF ECONOMIC STUDENTS HERE-- THEY LIKE THAT.
>> GREAT, GREAT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA GIVE A KUDO, REALLY, TO OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES--
I SEE A COUPLE OF THEM IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY--
OUR PRESIDENT, MY COWORKERS HERE.
WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN AT GRCC.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IN MY WORK HISTORY PRIOR TO GRCC,
THERE'S COMPANIES OUT THERE WHO HAVE STRATEGIC PLANS,
AND THEY MIGHT PUT 'EM IN A BOOK OR ON A PAGE OF PAPER AND COMMUNICATE THEM,
BUT THEY DON'T TRULY LIVE AND BREATHE THOSE STRATEGIC PLANS.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT REASONS, PERHAPS,
BUT SOMETIMES, AS I LIKE TO SAY, THOSE IDEAS OR CONCEPTS GET PUT ON A SHELF...
AND MAYBE GET PULLED OUT WHEN VISITORS COME, BUT THAT'S IT.
HERE, AT GRCC, WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
OUR C.A.P., AS STEVE HAS REFERRED TO IT, OUR "COLLEGE ACTION PROJECT 5.2.1,"
OUR WORK THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SUMMARIZE TODAY,
IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
BUT I COMMENT ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME,
AS AN EMPLOYEE HERE AT GRCC AS WELL AS THE C.A.P. CHAMPION,
BUT IT'S JUST SO GOOD TO HAVE THAT EXPOSURE, IF YOU WILL,
AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
I MEAN, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN WORK IN THE PAST
WHERE YOU FEEL VERY PASSIONATE AND COMMITTED,
AND DON'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT YOU GET THAT SUPPORT
FROM THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH?
WE DON'T FEEL THAT WAY HERE.
IT'S REALLY AWESOME.
AND I KNOW PART OF THAT IS HOW OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS DESIGNED.
JUST ONE MORE COMMERCIAL ON THAT-- WE DO FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS.
WE HAVE A STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY UPDATES,
BUT THEY WANNA KNOW, "WHAT'S HAPPENING?"
OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS UPDATES THAT THEY RECEIVE
THROUGH OUR PRESIDENT'S MONITORING REPORTS.
I MYSELF HAVE PRESENTED DATA AT A BOARD MEETING.
IT'S JUST A NICE SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL.
AND AGAIN, AS AN EMPLOYEE, THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD,
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I KNOW THE WORK IS IMPORTANT
AND I LIVE AND BREATHE IT,
BUT I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, SO THAT'S GREAT.
>> GOOD. >> OKAY, OUR C.A.P. WORK--
STEVE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO PUT SOME OF THE DATA INTO A POWERPOINT
SO IT'D BE EASY TO REFLECT.
SOME OF THE STATISTICS ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE,
BECAUSE THAT IS A BASELINE, A FOUNDATION.
GILDA MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO,
WHEN WE WENT TO THE ORIGINAL GROUP OF DEANS' COUNCIL
TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE STATISTICS,
WE SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW."
WE'VE ALWAYS FLUCTUATED OUR WORKFORCE, IN TOTAL,
FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY AND STAFF POSITIONS--
AND YOU'LL SEE SPECIFICS IN A MINUTE--
BUT WE'VE ALWAYS FLUCTUATED ABOUT 18 TO 19 PERCENT OF OUR WORKFORCE
BEING REPRESENTED BY MINORITY POPULATIONS.
AND FOR MANY YEARS AGO, THAT WAS OKAY.
WE COULD SAY, "YES, WE WERE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVED IN,
"AS WELL AS THE STUDENT POPULATION THAT WE SERVE HERE."
NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE.
SO, LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THESE STATISTICS.
OKAY, THE FIRST SLIDE, WE'RE SHOWING--
AND SOME OF YOU WHO LOVE DATA, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, GREAT,
OR IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ME AFTERWARDS.
SOME OF YOU WHO DON'T LOVE DATA, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING--
EVERY SINGLE CELL, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU.
THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IS TAKEN FROM AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THAT WE PUT TOGETHER OF OUR-- WHAT WE CALL--
OUR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DATA.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S A SNAPSHOT, AND WE ALWAYS DO EVERYTHING--
YOU KNOW, WE COLLECT DATA ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF YEARS,
BUT THIS PARTICULAR COLLECTION OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DATA
IS ALWAYS DONE ON NOVEMBER 1st...
AND WE COMPARE OURSELVES YEAR AFTER YEAR TO THAT DATA--
THAT PARTICULAR DATE.
SO, THAT TOP ROW, YOU COULD SEE
THAT WE HAD 693 FULL-TIME POSITIONS, AS OF 11-1,
AND OUR FEMALE PERCENTAGES, TOTAL MINORITY PERCENTAGES,
AND THEN THE BREAKDOWNS ACROSS THE TOP.
TOTAL MINORITY PERCENTAGE AT 18.6 PERCENT.
AGAIN, WE'VE ALWAYS FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 18 AND 19 PERCENT
OF OUR TOTAL WORKFORCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU SOME COMPARATIVE DATA,
BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE DOING IN RELATION TO OTHER COLLEGES?
SPECIFICALLY, THAT NEXT ROW SHOWS YOU, WITHIN MICHIGAN,
TWO-YEAR PUBLIC COLLEGES FOR FACULTY AND STAFF.
THEIR MINORITY, UM-- OR THEIR EMPLOYEES
ARE REPRESENTED AT 15.8 PERCENT BY MINORITY POPULATIONS.
THE NEXT ROW SHOWS-- AND THAT WAS FOR FULL-TIME ONLY.
THE NEXT ROW INCLUDES FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME-- THANKS, STEVE--
AND THAT NUMBER DROPS.
BUT THEN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL U.S., THAT NUMBER JUMPS UP TO 22.4 PERCENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, LIKE WITH ANY DATA,
USE THAT INFORMATION AND GUIDE OUR DECISION-MAKING.
ARE WE-- BASED ON THIS DATA, ARE WE DOING BETTER THAN,
PERHAPS, OUR COUNTERPARTS IN MICHIGAN COMMUNITY COLLEGES?
PERHAPS.
COMPARED TO THE U.S., NOT SO MUCH.
THEY'RE STILL DOING A BETTER JOB, COLLECTIVELY,
OF REPRESENTING THIS COUNTRY.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE-- THANK YOU.
THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE OCCURRED
SINCE 2006 HERE AT GRCC.
IF I START AT THE BOTTOM HERE AT 2006,
AGAIN, OUR MINORITY EMPLOYEE PERCENTAGE IS AT 18.8,
WAS FAIRLY CLOSE TO WHAT OUR STUDENT POPULATION WAS AT THAT TIME,
AT 19.8 PERCENT MINORITY.
BUT AS YOU SEE, THE GROWTH AND FALL OF 2011,
WE WERE AT 25 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION
ARE REPRESENTED BY MINORITY POPULATIONS.
SO, WE HAVE STAYED STAGNANT, IF YOU WILL, OR STAYED CONSTANT,
BUT WE NEED TO DO-- WE NEED TO MAKE A LOT OF EFFORT
TO GET TO THAT HIGHER NUMBER, TO GET TO 25 PERCENT.
AND IT'S-- AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CONNECT IT BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE THE C.A.P. AND THE REPRESENTATION FOR THE WORK.
FOUR OUT OF THE SIX OF US ARE PART OF MY C.A.P. TEAM, AS WELL.
OKAY, LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT ONE.
UM, THIS IS A BREAKDOWN BY EMPLOYEE GROUP--
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, INTERNALLY, AS STAFF MEMBERS,
TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF STAFF, IF YOU WILL,
THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY MINORITY POPULATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE-- JUST TO BRIEF-- WHAT IS THAT?
CAMPUS POLICE, WE HAVE MCOLE-CERTIFIED OFFICERS HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME COMMAND STAFF ON EACH SHIFT.
THE C.E.B.A. ACRONYM IS--
UH, REPRESENTS OUR CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE WORKERS HERE ON CAMPUS.
THEY'RE THE FOLKS THAT KEEP OUR CAMPUS IN GREAT CONDITION FOR US.
E.S.P. IS AN ACRONYM THAT WE USE FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.
EVERY ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS MOST DEPARTMENTS ON CAMPUS,
HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL THAT HELPS THEM
WITH CLERICAL AND SECRETARIAL SUPPORT.
FACULTY.
IN ADDITION-- I JUST WANT TO COMMENT,
IN ADDITION TO OUR TEACHING FACULTY THAT YOU SEE IN THE CLASSROOM,
WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACULTY GROUPS THAT ARE REPRESENTED--
UM, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WITHIN THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT.
THOSE ARE FACULTY MEMBERS,
AS WELL AS THE LIBRARIANS ARE FACULTY MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 200--
I'M SORRY, 268 FACULTY MEMBERS, AS OF NOVEMBER 1st.
"MEET AND CONFER" IS A TERM THAT WE USE FOR OUR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES
WHO ARE REPRESENTED BY OUR ADMINISTRATION,
PROFESSIONAL, AND TECHNICAL EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN, YOU SEE THE TOTAL.
SO, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 137 OUT OF 700 EMPLOYEES, AND THAT'S--
OH, I DIDN'T POINT OUT, THIS IS AS OF OUR LAST PAYROLL.
SO, AS OF THAT FRIDAY ON MARCH 4th, THIS IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND.
SO, IT'S NOT NOVEMBER 1st.
THIS IS TODAY'S INFORMATION.
>> YEAH, I WANNA THANK CATHY FOR UPDATING ALL THIS INFORMATION
IN ORDER TO DO THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS IS THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION WE HAVE, SO IT'S VERY NICE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE STUDENTS, GRCC LOVES ACRONYMS.
SO, WHENEVER WE CAN, WE CREATE AN ACRONYM.
>> YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> YEAH, NO PROBLEM.
IF WE COULD, WE WOULD HAVE DONE ONE WITH THIS PRESENTATION.
>> (laughing) RIGHT...
AND THEN, THIS NEXT SLIDE IS THE SAME INFORMATION
BUT JUST DONE IN A PERCENTAGE BASIS
BECAUSE, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO COMPARE OURSELVES,
"HOW ARE WE DOING BACK ON NOVEMBER 1st?"
OUR PERCENTAGE WAS AT 18.6 PERCENT MINORITY EMPLOYEES,
AND NOW WE HAVE GROWN TO 19.6.
SO, THIS TELLS ME, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS,
WE'RE MOVING IN THAT RIGHT DIRECTION, IF YOU WILL,
OF OUR GOAL TO REFLECT THE STUDENT POPULATION HERE AT GRCC.
>> JUST REMEMBER, THE STUDENT POPULATION
IS CURRENTLY IN A MINORITY RIGHT AROUND 25 PERCENT, CORRECT?
SO, WE'RE GETTING BETTER,
BUT WE'RE STILL NOT WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE.
>> EXACTLY.
AND THEN, SOME FOLKS LIKE TO LOOK AT THE DATA
SPECIFICALLY BY GROUP, IF YOU WILL.
NOT ONLY BY EMPLOYEE GROUP, BUT BY THE VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS,
AND AGAIN, THIS IS CURRENT DATA.
GO AHEAD.
WHOOPS-- >> WELL, WE HAVE--
>> CAN I-- >> YEAH.
>> CAN I BACK UP-- I'M SORRY. >> SURE.
BACK UP ON THE SLIDES, OR...?
>> NOPE, I'M GONNA BACK UP A SECOND
TO MY COWORKER, CHRIS, HERE A SECOND.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE INSTITUTES FOR HEALING RACISM
AS ONE OF THE PROGRAM OFFERINGS OUT OF THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER,
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AN INSTITUTE FOR HEALING RACISM
LAST THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE,
AND IF YOU HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE,
I'M SURE THAT YOU MIGHT SHARE
IN SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT I HAD,
BUT IT WAS AN AWESOME, AWESOME OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN, TO SHARE,
TO REFLECT WITH OTHERS IN THE ROOM.
WE HAD 23 PARTICIPANTS.
TWO OF US WERE FROM GRCC, SO IT'S NOT JUST GRCC FOLKS.
THEY HAD A GREAT MIX FROM THE COMMUNITY
THAT WERE REPRESENTED FROM ALL SORTS OF BUSINESSES,
AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
SO, I KNOW, TYPICAL-- WHEN YOU HAVE HAVE-- "OH, MY GOSH.
"TWO DAYS?
"HOW COULD I TAKE TWO DAYS OUT OF MY BUSY SCHEDULE?"
BUT OH, IT WAS SO WORTH IT.
AND I'VE HAD SOME OF MY STAFF MEMBERS GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND LOVE IT,
AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE MY COWORKERS
AND MY STAFF MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE, BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSTANDING.
>> CHRIS, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.
(laughing) >> THANKS FOR SHARING THAT, CATHY,
BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW, AS A STUDENT,
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE FOR FREE OF CHARGE,
SO MANY FACULTY MAY, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THAT,
AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO MISS A CLASS AND SO FORTH.
BUT REALLY, IT IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE,
AND IT REALLY IS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR MANY.
AND WE DO EVALUATE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING,
AND HONESTLY, I JUST WAS LOOKING AT THE EVALUATIONS
FROM THE PROGRAM LAST WEEK,
AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY HEARTFELT,
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE LEARNING THAT TAKES PLACE
AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SHARING AND THE DIALOGUE.
IT REALLY IS A VERY RICH EXPERIENCE, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU,
IF YOU HAVEN'T, TO REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.
>> LET ME JUST ASK A QUESTION OF THE AUDIENCE.
I KNOW A NUMBER OF YOU ARE STUDENTS,
AND HOW MANY WERE ABLE TO GO LAST FRIDAY
THROUGH THE JIM CROW MUSEUM IN BIG RAPIDS?
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WAS ON THAT TRIP THE OTHER DAY?
WE HAVE ONE PERSON IN THE BACK.
UM-- TWO PEOPLE.
IF YOU GET A CHANCE, WE ARE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE
THAT PROFESSOR DAVID PILGRIM FROM FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
HAS A VERY NICE RELATIONSHIP WITH GRCC,
BUT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT.
HE CAME AND GAVE A KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO THIS CONFERENCE TWO YEARS AGO,
I THINK IT WAS.
HE HOSTED A GROUP OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO THE MUSEUM LAST FRIDAY, BEFORE IT'S OFFICIALLY--
THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A GRAND OPENING LATER ON IN APRIL.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE POWERFUL AND MOVING EXPERIENCES I'VE EVER HAD...
AND IT BROUGHT TO LIGHT, FOR ME,
THE REASON WHY WE NEED INSTITUTES FOR HEALING RACISM...
AND JUST TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL.
AND THEN, HOW MANY OF YOU WERE AT THE TALK LAST NIGHT
BY SUSAN RETIK, "BEYOND THE 11th"?
WERE ANY OF YOU THERE?
WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT WERE THERE, TOO.
SIMILARLY, UH...
SUSAN RETIK IS A WIDOW OF A 9-11...
PERSON THAT WAS KILLED IN THE TERRORIST ATTACKS.
HER HUSBAND WAS ON ONE OF THE FLIGHTS THAT CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER,
AND SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN HER GRIEF
AND HER PAIN AND GONE DOWN A NEGATIVE PATH,
BUT INSTEAD, SHE REACHED OUT TO WIDOWS IN AFGHANISTAN
WHO SHE FELT MUST HAVE SIMILAR FEELINGS
AND HURTS COMPARED TO HERS,
AND IT WAS JUST ANOTHER VERY POWERFUL AND MOVING EXPERIENCE.
AND ALONG THE THEME THAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE THIS MORNING,
WE'RE MORE ALIKE THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT,
AND FINDING THOSE CONNECTIONS AND THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE US ALIKE
WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD HEALING AND MAKING THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
SO, I INVITE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES
THAT WE HAVE AROUND HERE AND AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH STUFF THAT CAN HELP YOU GROW
AS A PERSON AND AS A STUDENT
AND, AS IT WAS MENTIONED, IN YOUR ROLES AS YOU CONTINUE DOWN YOUR PATH,
YOU KNOW, AS A WORKER, AS A FAMILY MEMBER, AS A CITIZEN.
SO, THAT'S WHAT-- WE BELIEVE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION, AS WELL.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE EMPLOYING?
SOME OF YOU TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT.
IF, UH-- CATHY, IF YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON IT,
AND THEN, ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO COMMENT.
>> OUR C.A.P. TEAM-- OUR COLLEGE ACTION PROJECT 5.2.1--
IS A VERY LARGE GROUP.
IT'S 17 MEMBERS.
THE GREAT NEWS IS WE HAVE EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION
FROM ACROSS THE COLLEGE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WORK.
IT'S NOT JUST THE HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTION,
AS YOU CAN TELL.
WE TRULY BELIEVE IN IT ACROSS THE INSTITUTION.
AND WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT,
"ALL RIGHT, WE NEED TO GET ORGANIZED," WE HAD SO MANY GOOD IDEAS,
WE KNEW THAT, "LET'S FIRST DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK,
"SO THAT WE CAN THEN HAVE FOLKS IN EACH AREA TAKE THE LEAD ON PROJECTS,"
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE OTHER WORK
AND VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
THIS IS JUST A COLLEGE ACTION PROJECT THAT WE WANNA HELP MOVE OUR MISSION FORWARD.
SO, WE HAVE ORGANIZED OUR WORK IN THESE AREAS.
THE FIRST ONE BEING TO PROVIDE MARKETING, COMMUNICATION,
AND COLLABORATION OF THE WORK.
WE FOUND THAT, SOMETIMES, WE DON'T-- INTERNALLY, TO THE EMPLOYEES--
WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT THE GOOD WORK THAT IS BEING DONE
OR THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
UM, OUR SECOND AREA IS TO RECRUIT, SELECT, AND HIRE, OUR WORKFORCE.
PEOPLE HAVE USED DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY OVER THE YEARS,
BUT YES, WE NEED TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO COME TO GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND TO WEST MICHIGAN, BECAUSE WE ARE PULLING IN FACULTY MEMBERS FROM--
AND ADMINISTRATORS, BUT FACULTY MEMBERS PRIMARILY--
FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND ONCE THEY'RE HERE, WE NEED TO DEVELOP THEM
AND ENGAGE THEM IN THEIR REGULAR WORK,
AS WELL AS PART OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY.
SO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, SO WE'VE SUMMARIZED IT--
RECRUITING, SELECTION, AND HIRING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THERE.
AND THEN, RETENTION FOR NEWLY HIRED AND DIVERSE EMPLOYEES.
WE KNOW THAT WE MIGHT DO A LOT TO ATTRACT AND HIRE
AND GET THAT DIVERSE WORKFORCE HERE,
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING THAT IN THE NEXT STEPS,
SO THAT THEY FEEL VERY VALUED AND CONTINUE TO FEEL
AS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY,
NOT ONLY GRCC BUT OF WEST MICHIGAN.
AND THEN, LASTLY, IT'S-- THE WAY WE'VE ORGANIZED OUR WORK
IS AROUND CREATING THE CULTURE THAT'S NECESSARY
TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE C.A.P.
SO, WE KNOW--
AND I THINK ERIC BROUGHT THIS UP ALREADY--
OUR CULTURE DOES-- AND WE'VE HAD THESE--
WE'VE STARTED OUR CONVERSATION.
OUR CULTURE VALUES DIVERSITY.
WE SEE IT-- WE SEE IT IN WRITTEN FORM, WE SEE IT IN OUR COLLEGE ACTION PROJECT,
THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING,
BUT THEN WE'RE TAKING IT TO THAT NEXT LEVEL
AND WORKING AT DEVELOPING
A MORE INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE WANNA CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND LEARN.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO TOUCH ON STRATEGY OR YOUR THOUGHTS
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUCCEED?
>> STEVE, I CAN JUST ADD MAYBE MY PERSPECTIVE IN MY ROLE AS DEAN
AND AROUND CLARITY OF EXPECTATIONS.
E.S.P. IS AN ACRONYM HERE AT GRCC FOR ONE THING.
IT'S ALSO AN-- WE CAN'T RELY ON E.S.P., AS EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION.
WHEN WE ARE MEETING WITH COLLEAGUES, WE ARE MEETING WITH STAFF,
OR WE'RE MEETING WITH A NEW POTENTIAL FACULTY MEMBER...
AND IT IS THROUGH THAT INTENTIONALITY OF AN UNDERSTANDING
OR A CLARITY AROUND EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE REPEATED CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO, USING MYSELF OR USING MY ROLE,
THAT I TRY VERY HARD AT GRCC WITH SUPPORT FROM GILDA,
IS AROUND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLY,
HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS REPEATEDLY,
SO THAT MISUNDERSTANDINGS CAN BE CLARIFIED.
UM...
I SUSPECT, IN YOUR WORK AS STUDENTS,
YOU HAVE TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERIES OF THIS TOPIC
THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN RIGHT NOW.
THE SUBJECT HERE, WHERE YOU HAVE TO DELVE INTO SOMETHING,
NOT UNLIKE THAT IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS.
HOW DO YOU DELVE INTO GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE
WHO IS YOUR COLLEAGUE IN A CLASS,
A COLLEAGUE IN YOUR INSTITUTION?
IT TAKES TIME.
AND THAT IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE,
WHETHER WE DO IT INFORMALLY OR FORMALLY,
TO GET TO KNOW WHO WE ARE WORKING WITH,
WHO WE ARE WORKING FOR,
AND WHO WE MAY BE SITTING NEXT TO IN A CLASSROOM.
AND IT IS ONLY THROUGH OUR CONFIDENCE
AND OUR ABILITY TO REVEAL OURSELVES AND TO ASK QUESTIONS
THAT WE WILL TRULY BEGIN THOSE DEEP AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS.
>> ANYBODY ELSE-- ERIC?
>> I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT FIONA IS SHARING, AND I THINK WE--
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO LOOK CLOSELY AT
IS OUR CULTURE ON CAMPUS.
AND IS THIS MIC WORKING?
CAN YOU HEAR? >> MOVE A LITTLE CLOSER.
>> OKAY-- OF OUR CULTURE ON CAMPUS-- THANK YOU.
AND WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT OUR CULTURE IS,
AND WHEN WE GO HOME, WE WALK INTO A VERY FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT
AND WE'RE USED TO THE PICTURES ON THE WALL AND THE FOOD IN THE REFRI--
IN THE FRIDGE, AND YOU KNOW, WE WATCH THE SAME TV PROGRAMS AT HOME,
SO WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR OWN CULTURE,
AND THAT HAPPENS AT THE COLLEGE AS WELL.
WE HAVE A PERSONALITY HERE, AND IT'S WHO WE ARE AS AN INSTITUTION.
WE HAVE A CULTURE, BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW OUR CULTURE,
AND THE QUESTION I ASK IS, "WHEN DOES--"
LET ME ASK-- MAYBE SOMEONE KNOWS THE ANSWER.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU DO.
"WHEN DOES A FISH KNOW IT'S WET?"
ANY ANSWERS?
"WHEN DOES A FISH KNOW IT'S WET?"
ANYONE HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT?
>> WHEN IT'S OUT OF WATER? >> WHEN-- EXACTLY.
WHEN IT'S OUT OF WATER.
WHEN A FISH IS IN WATER, LIFE IS COOL AND THEY'RE JUST SWIMMING ALONG,
BUT WHEN YOU TAKE A FISH OUT OF WATER, WHAT HAPPENS?
IT JUST FREAKS!
IT STARTS A-FLAPPIN',
BECAUSE IT SAYS, "WHOA, WE'RE NO LONGER IN KANSAS."
AND WE ARE--
AS LONG AS WE'RE IN OUR CULTURE, WE'RE IN THAT WATER.
WE DON'T KNOW WE'RE WET UNTIL WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT CULTURE.
AND SO, PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT,
AT THE COLLEGE NOW,
IS HOW DO WE BEGIN TO EXPLORE THIS CULTURE THAT WE LIVE IN?
WE'RE SO COMFORTABLE WITH IT
THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY ABOUT IT.
AND SO, AS WE BEGIN TO EXPLORE OUR CULTURE,
WE BEGIN TO ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW DO DIFFERENT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
THIS COMMON CULTURE THAT WE HAVE?
AND THEN, HOW DO WE BEGIN TO HELP OUR CULTURE TO EVOLVE,
SO THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN ENTER OUR CULTURE AND FEEL AS THOUGH, "WOW.
"YOU KNOW, THIS WATER FEELS GOOD."
AND SO, THAT'S, I THINK, PART OF THE STRATEGY
THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO EXPLORE.
IT'S A TOUGH EXPLORATION PROCESS
BECAUSE IT MEANS ASKING OURSELVES DIFFICULT QUESTIONS
AND RECEIVING POSSIBLY ANSWERS THAT WE DON'T WANNA HEAR...
BUT AS WE HEAR THINGS THAT WE DON'T LIKE ABOUT OURSELVES AND--
WE THEN NEED TO DECIDE, "WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
"WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT?"
AND SO, CULTURE EXPLORATION MEANS THAT WE ASK DIFFICULT QUESTIONS,
WE HEAR DIFFICULT ANSWERS, AND THEN WE MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS,
BUT THAT MAKES THE CULTURE BETTER,
MAKES THE WATER TEMPERATURE BETTER, FOR EVERYONE,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASPIRE FOR. >> GOOD.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA WEIGH IN ON THIS?
GO AHEAD-- CHRIS?
>> I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT NOT ONLY HERE AT GRCC
ARE WE WORKING HARD TO DIVERSIFY OUR STAFF AND RETAIN OUR STAFF,
BUT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES IN THE COMMUNITY ARE, AS WELL,
RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.
THE CHAMBER'S WORKING WITH A LOT OF COMPANIES.
AND SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF INITIATIVES TAKING PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY,
A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT BEST PRACTICES
AND CHALLENGES AND, YOU KNOW,
HOW WE CAN REALLY HELP OUR COMMUNITY IN GENERAL,
BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, ENRICHING OUR COMMUNITY...
UM, AND...
THERE'S ALSO A COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON INCLUSION INITIATIVES
FOR BRINGING IN VARIOUS ENTERTAINMENT
AND SO FORTH TO THE COMMUNITY,
SO THAT A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY'S NOT TRAVELING TO DETROIT OR CHICAGO
FOR DIFFERENT ENTERTAINMENT
THAT MAY NOT TRADITIONALLY HAVE TAKEN PLACE HERE IN THE COMMUNITIES,
SO JUST REALLY WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION
THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF INITIATIVES HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY,
OF REALLY TRYING TO RECOGNIZE EVERYONE THAT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY,
SO THAT EVERYONE IS FEELING WELCOME
WHERE THEY'RE GOING THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY
AND, REALLY, WORKING TOGETHER TO ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO EITHER SHARE SOME MORE-- I KNOW YOU ALL PREPARED.
STUDENTS, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THIS.
LOOK AT ALL THESE NOTES, AND THE NOTES THEY'RE TAKING AS WE GO ALONG.
SO, WHEN YOU PREPARE FOR SOMETHING, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU DO THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW HOW WHEN I--
MY STUDENTS, YOU KNOW HOW I TELL, "YOU READ THE CHAPTER,
"DO THE WORK AHEAD OF TIME"?
THIS IS WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IF YOU WERE TO DO THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE EITHER A PERSONAL REFLECTION OR A COMMENT?
WE WANNA OPEN THIS UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM YOU.
UH, PROFESSOR LIGHT WILL HELP ME.
IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION, WE ASK THAT YOU SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE
FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU,
BUT SECONDLY, BECAUSE WE'RE RECORDING THIS--
IT'LL GET CAPTURED ON THE VIDEO.
BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO ADD
TO OUR CONVERSATION TODAY?
CHRIS, GO AHEAD. >> I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A BRIEF STORY.
BACK WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR THE DEAN OF STUDENT SERVICES,
WE HIRED ONE OF OUR STUDENT ASSISTANTS, AND HER NAME WAS STEPHANIE,
AND SHE WAS FROM SPARTA.
AND SHE HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN OUT OF SPARTA MUCH.
UM, SHE GREW UP THERE AND REALLY DID NOT VENTURE OUT
INTO WHAT SHE CONSIDERED GRAND RAPIDS TO BE THE "BIG CITY."
AND SHE WORKED FOR OUR OFFICE FOR THREE-- THREE--
TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND JUST...
JUST WANTED TO SHARE-- WHEN SHE LEFT,
SHE ACTUALLY CAME BACK TO DO A COMMERCIAL FOR GRCC,
AND SHE JUST REALLY APPRECIATED BEING HERE AT GRCC,
IN THE COMMUNITY,
AND REALLY, MORE IMPORTANTLY,
WHAT SHE LEARNED WHILE SHE WAS A STUDENT HERE.
AND OF COURSE, SHE WAS IN THE OFFICE THAT WE--
BEFORE THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER WAS PHYSICALLY ESTABLISHED,
THE MAJORITY OF THE EVENTS-- UM, MARTIN LUTHER KING PROGRAMS,
THE LECTURE SERIES,
AND MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE CENTER NOW HOUSES--
WERE HAPPENED-- UH, INITIATED OUT OF THE DEAN'S OFFICE AT THAT TIME.
SO, THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE THAT SHE HAD WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES
AND PROGRAMMING WAS JUST SO INVALUABLE TO HER,
TO THE POINT WHERE SHE STAYS CONNECTED WITH GRCC, AND SHE'S SO THANKFUL.
SHE'S NOW WORKING OUT IN A CORPORATION,
AND SHE'S JUST SO THANKFUL FOR ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHE HAD HERE
WHILE SHE WAS A STUDENT
AND THE LEARNING THAT TOOK PLACE TO BROADEN HER PERSPECTIVES.
>> I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
I'M GONNA SHARE, TOO, BEFORE I ASK EVERYBODY TO MAKE A CLOSING COMMENT.
IN ONE OF MY TIMES AS ASSISTANT DEAN,
PART OF THE JOB IS TO HANDLE STUDENT COMPLAINTS.
AND I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A STUDENT WHO TOLD ME
THAT SHE WANTED TO DROP A CLASS AND GET HER MONEY BACK
BECAUSE THE PROFESSOR HAD AN ACCENT,
AND SHE COULDN'T LEARN FROM THIS PROFESSOR...
AND SHE WAS VERY NEGATIVE ABOUT IT, SHE WAS VERY--
HOW SHALL I SAY THIS KINDLY--
PUTTING IT IN TERMS THAT WOULD HAVE OFFENDED THE PROFESSOR
IF HE HAD BEEN IN THE ROOM,
BUT WERE OFFENSIVE TO ME, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS,
AND ONE IS THAT MY PARENTS
WERE CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS TO THIS COUNTRY,
SO MY GRANDPARENTS DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL,
AND THEY SPOKE WITH AN ACCENT.
AND SO, I ALWAYS BRISTLE AT THAT FOR PERSONAL REASONS,
BUT SECONDLY, I ASKED THIS STUDENT WHAT WAS HER CAREER PATH,
WHERE WAS SHE HEADED WITH THE CLASSES SHE WAS TAKING,
AND SHE WAS GOING INTO DENTAL HYGIENE...
AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
AND THIS WAS WELL BEFORE DEAN HERT WAS ON OUR STAFF,
SO IT DOESN'T REFLECT BACK ON YOU AT ALL.
BUT I SAID TO HER, "ARE SURE THAT, AS A DENTAL HYGIENIST,
"YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE YOUR PATIENTS HAVE AN ACCENT?"
SHE SAID, "WELL, THAT'S DIFFERENT.
"I'LL BE GETTING PAID AT THAT POINT, AS OPPOSED FOR ME PAYING FOR THIS.
"SO, I ONLY WANT TO LEARN FROM PEOPLE THAT SPEAK THE WAY I SPEAK."
AND TO ME, THAT WAS, AS I SAID BEFORE, OFFENSIVE.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THAT IDEA THAT WE'RE PREPARING YOU
TO GO OUT INTO THE QUOTE-UNQUOTE "REAL WORLD"
MEANS YOU'RE GONNA ENCOUNTER A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE
THAT BOTH SPEAK DIFFERENTLY OR HAVE DIFFERENT CUSTOMS AND HABITS,
AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THOSE FOLKS,
BEING ABLE TO SERVE THEM, IF THAT'S YOUR ROLE-- THAT'S GONNA BE CRITICAL.
BUT SECONDLY, JUST TO APPRECIATE AND BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS A LITTLE BIT
MAKES YOU A BETTER PERSON, MAKES YOU MORE WELL-ROUNDED.
SO, I WAS-- AS I SAID, I WAS OFFENDED PERSONALLY,
AND I TOLD HER NOT ONLY WASN'T SHE GONNA GET HER MONEY BACK
BUT I HOPED THAT SHE FAILED AND-- AND YOU KNOW,
I DIDN'T PUT IT IN THOSE WORDS, BUT, UH...
(audience laughing)
I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY IN POOR TASTE, IF NOTHING ELSE.
AS MY PARENTS AGED-- AND THEY'RE BOTH GONE NOW--
BUT I WOULD ATTEND DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS WITH THEM,
AND WHEN YOU COME FROM CERTAIN CULTURES,
YOU HAVE CERTAIN WAYS OF, YOU KNOW, TELLING YOUR STORY OR--
OR WHAT YOU DO MAY AFFECT YOUR HEALTH, FOR EXAMPLE,
SO I HAD TO SIT WITH MY PARENTS.
UH, FOR MY FAMILY, WE USED TO JOKE THAT IF YOU ASKED ONE OF MY PARENTS
WHAT TIME IT WAS,
NOT ONLY WOULD THEY TELL YOU HOW TO BUILD A WATCH,
THEY WOULD TELL YOU WHY WATCHES WERE NECESSARY IN THE FIRST PLACE,
IN ORDER TO BUILD THEM.
SO, I WOULD SIT THERE, AS THE DOCTOR OR THE NURSE
OR THE PERSON TAKING THEIR HEALTH HISTORY,
WOULD LISTEN AS THEY WENT ALL THE WAY BACK, YOU KNOW, IN TIME,
BECAUSE IN THE ARABIC CULTURE, THAT'S A PRETTY COMMON WAY OF TELLING,
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER'S GOING ON.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "HOW WONDERFUL THAT THESE PROFESSIONALS
"HAD THIS PATIENCE," BECAUSE CERTAINLY THEY'RE BUSY PEOPLE.
THEY DIDN'T NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO DAY MY DAD GOT HIS FIRST COUGH
THAT LED HIM TO THE POINT THAT HE WAS AT THEN.
BUT THAT'S WHY THIS IS--
WHY I BELIEVE THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HAVE FACULTY
AND TO BE WITH YOUR STUDENT COLLEAGUES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU,
SO THAT YOU CAN SUCCEED ONCE YOU GO OUT AND MAKE YOUR WAY INTO THE PATH.
SO, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE PERSONAL REFLECTION THERE.
ANY CLOSING COMMENTS, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER--
WHOEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST, AND THEN, WE'LL THROW IT OPEN TO Q&A.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, STEVE.
I THINK YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF PRACTICE
AND PRACTICAL ISSUES HERE IN THIS MORNING.
I WANT YOU TO LEAVE WITH SOME ACTION ITEMS...
AND I ONLY HAVE ONE, ACTUALLY.
APPROACHING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION--
IN APPROACHING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
YOU CAN EITHER APPROACH IT FROM A DEFICIT PERSPECTIVE
OR FROM A SURPLUS PERSPECTIVE.
THAT IS AN OPTION THAT ONLY YOU CAN MAKE.
>> EARLIER, I ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT, UM...
MY OWN UPBRINGING, UP UNTIL I WENT TO COLLEGE,
WAS FAIRLY SHELTERED.
IN FACT, CHRIS-- I MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOUR STUDENT FROM SPARTA.
SO--
AND I ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT COLLEGE
WAS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR ME,
AND ONE THAT I'LL ALWAYS VALUE.
AND SO, MY CHALLENGE TO YOU ALL IS--
PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE HERE AT GRCC
TO EXPOSE YOURSELF TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF THINKING
AND TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE.
IN FACT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK OUT PROGRAMMING
MAYBE THAT YOU KNOW WILL CHALLENGE YOUR THINKING,
AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND TRY IT.
YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND...
BUT BE OPEN TO CHANGING YOUR MIND.
SO, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
IS AS RICH AS MINE WAS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER,
THERE IS AN ENTIRE CONFERENCE GOING ON,
SPONSORED BY THE GRCC SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT,
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE PROGRAMS IN THE UPCOMING DAYS
THAT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
CHECK OUT THE POSTERS, LISTEN TO YOUR PROFS,
TALK TO PROFESSORS ABID AND LIGHT
AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS AN IMMIGRANT TO THIS COUNTRY, UM...
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO--
WHETHER YOU ARE FIRST GENERATION OR YOU, TOO, ARE AN IMMIGRANT--
UM, FOR MANY YEARS, I HAD A GREEN CARD.
I HAD TO CARRY THAT FOR MANY YEARS,
AND I'VE ONLY BEEN A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY SINCE 1997.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT CITIZENSHIP, AND MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HERE--
JUST FOR A MOMENT--
OF BEING ABLE TO PASS MY EXAM,
BECOME A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY...
TO KNOW-- TO RECALL MY 6th GRADE AMERICAN HISTORY
THAT I HAD TO LEARN, BECAUSE GUESS WHAT?
THEY WEREN'T TOO INTERESTED IN THE EXPLORERS
OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES OF CANADA WHEN I WAS SITTING TO TAKE MY EXAM.
I KNEW THEM THEN.
BUT AGAIN, AS I SAID, I BECAME A CITIZEN LATER IN LIFE,
AND THEN HAVE HAD A VERY, UM...
PERSONAL-- I'LL SAY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AROUND THE POWER OF THE ABILITY
TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, AND WHAT THAT MEANS AS A DEMOCRACY,
AND TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAST YOUR OPINION
THAT I THINK SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS A STUDENT HERE AT GRCC?
I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU HAVE, AS I SAID EARLIER, A RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
AS LAURIE HAS COMMENTED ABOUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES,
WHETHER IT'S WITHIN YOUR CLASS,
WHETHER IT'S EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, TO PURSUE HERE.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU, IN YOUR OWN ENCOUNTERS
WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TO YOU, THAT YOU--
I HAVE A FAVORITE EXPRESSION THAT I USE WITH STAFF, AND YOUR--
YOU KNOW, FAVORITE-- MAYBE SOME PARENTS OR FRIENDS ALSO SAY IS--
IT'S CALLED "TRUST YOUR GUT."
AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN IT IN THE NICEST SENSE
AROUND THAT, FREQUENTLY, THOSE FEELINGS OF UNCOMFORTABLENESS
ARE CENTERED IN YOUR STOMACH.
AND SO, HOW DO YOU FIGHT THROUGH THE FEAR,
THE CONCERN THAT YOU MAY HAVE,
SO THAT YOU CAN OPEN YOURSELF UP TO POSSIBILITY.
AND I THINK THAT BY OPENING YOURSELF UP TO POSSIBILITY,
YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE THINGS THAT YOU LEARN,
AND YOU CAN DO THAT HERE AT GRCC.
SO, AGAIN, IN MY ROLE AS DEAN OF SCHOOL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
YOU WILL BE BETTER PREPARED AND BETTERLY ABLED
TO GO OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY,
WHETHER YOU STAY IN GRAND RAPIDS,
WHICH IS A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY TO BE IN,
OR WHETHER YOU GO TO INDIA OR CHINA,
WORKING FOR ONE OF OUR CORPORATIONS HERE IN MICHIGAN.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK. >> THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD.
DO YOU NOTICE HOW I SAID THAT ANYBODY CAN CHIME IN, BUT WE WENT IN AN ORDER?
(audience chuckling)
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
>> UM, I WANNA SHARE A SHORT STORY-- A TRUE STORY.
AND I WAS WORKING AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION.
I'VE WORKED AT-- I DON'T KNOW-- HALF THE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, SO...
(Steve Abid laughing) AND I WAS ASKED TO SERVE
ON A SELECTION COMMITTEE TO HIRE A MINORITY RECRUITER
FOR THIS PARTICULAR INSTITUTION,
AND THEY INTERVIEWED EIGHT CANDIDATES.
AND SO, WHAT THEY HAD--
THEY HAD MISSION STAFF, WHO WERE ALL WHITE, INTERVIEW THE STAFF,
AND THEY HAD A GROUP OF MINORITY FACULTY AND STAFF
INTERVIEW THOSE SAME CANDIDATES.
WE INTERVIEWED THEM EACH SEPARATELY.
AND SO, THE ADMISSION STAFF INTERVIEWED EIGHT
AND THIS OTHER SELECTION TEAM INTERVIEWED ALL EIGHT CANDIDATES,
AND WE RANKED THEM, WE RATED THEM,
WHO DO WE THINK WAS THE BEST VERSUS, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHO WE THOUGHT WOULD BE LEAST QUALIFIED.
AND SO, WE INTERVIEWED,
WE TURNED IN OUR FINDINGS TO THE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, AND, UM...
THAT FOLLOWING DAY, THE ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR
BURST INTO MY OFFICE, JUST LAUGHING.
HE SAID, "ERIC, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, HELP ME UNDERSTAND."
AND I SAID, "WHAT-- WHAT, PETE-- WHAT'S GOING ON?"
HE SAID, "WELL, LOOK AT YOUR RANKINGS AND LOOK AT OURS."
AND THE GROUP OF MINORITY FACULTY AND STAFF
HAD RATED EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES DIRECTLY INVERSE FROM THE ADMISSION STAFF.
AND HE SAID, "WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND I SAID, "WELL, PETE, WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO HIRE?"
HE SAID, "WELL, WE WANNA HIRE A MINORITY RECRUITER."
I SAID, "WELL, TRUST ME, YOUR TOP CANDIDATE
"IS NOT GOING TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN DETROIT AND GET OUT OF THE CAR.
"IT JUST WON'T HAPPEN."
I SAID, "YOU WANTED TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO YOU WERE COMFORTABLE WITH,
"WHO THOUGHT LIKE YOU, WHO ATE THE KIND OF FOOD THAT YOU ATE,
"DID THE KIND OF DANCES THAT YOU DO," I SAID,
"BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA RELATE TO THOSE STUDENTS THAT YOU WANNA RECRUIT."
I SAID, "WE WANTED TO FIND A PERSON WHO WE THOUGHT
"COULD COME INTO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO,
"THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN DETROIT,
"THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN COLORADO,
"AND BE EFFECTIVE IN RECRUITING STUDENTS."
AND I SAID, "SO, YOU RANKED WHO YOU FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.
"WE RANKED WHO WE THOUGHT COULD DO THIS JOB--
"BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR."
SO, MY POINT IS, RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE IN A VERY SAFE PLACE
TO EXPLORE OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
YOU'RE IN A GREAT PLACE TO MEET INCREDIBLE YOUNG PEOPLE
SUCH AS YOURSELVES.
YOU'RE IN A PLACE, RIGHT NOW, TO GROW LIKE CRAZY.
AND YOU KNOW, LEARNING OCCURS IN A CLASSROOM,
BUT IT ALSO OCCURS IN A LUNCHROOM, IN THE WAIT ROOM,
ON THE COMMONS, IN WINCHESTER ALLEY.
IT OCCURS AT LUNCH-- I MEAN, SO...
LEARNING OCCURS IN THE BATHROOM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW?
SO, TAKE THIS TIME AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM YOU.
AND I THINK THAT YOU'LL FIND THERE IS MUCH MORE IN COMMON
THAN YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE.
>> WE'RE GOING IN ORDER, CHRIS, SO GO AHEAD.
(laughing) >> SO, I GUESS I'M NEXT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BORN FIRST GENERATION IN GRAND RAPIDS,
AS I AM MEXICAN-AMERICAN.
AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,
IT WASN'T NEAR AS DIVERSE THE COMMUNITY AS IT IS NOW.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'M ASKED WHERE AM I FROM.
YOU KNOW, WHERE AM I FROM AND DO I SPEAK ENGLISH?
IN FACT, I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT MY SPANISH IS NOT VERY GOOD
BECAUSE GROWING UP, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD, "SPEAK ENGLISH, SPEAK ENGLISH,"
BECAUSE BACK IN THAT TIME, SPEAKING SPANISH,
WE WOULD BE PUT INTO SPECIAL ED CLASSES.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS MY COMMUNITY.
THIS IS MY HOME AND I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO FEEL
THAT WE'RE PART OF THAT-- OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND SO, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU, AS STUDENTS AND FUTURE LEADERS,
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE,
THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE DIVERSITY CENTER,
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE'S A LOT OF INJUSTICES HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD,
AND MEDIA REALLY PORTRAYS A LOT OF STEREOTYPICAL IMAGES.
SO, JUST BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT YOU'RE HEARING
AND, YOU KNOW, SPEAK UP WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE INJUSTICES HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER
IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PROGRAM
OR ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN AN INSTITUTE
OR ANY OF, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING THAT WE OFFER.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> AND WHERE IS THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER LOCATED?
>> THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER--
YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL SPEND A LOT OF TIME
AT THE LIBRARY.
WE'RE LOCATED IN THE LEARNING CENTER, AND RIGHT WHEN YOU WALK IN--
THE LIBRARY'S TO THE RIGHT, THE DIVERSITY CENTER'S TO THE LEFT.
>> GOOD, THANK YOU.
AND ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, TOO-- YOU CAN FIND IT THERE.
CATHY?
>> I AGREE WITH SO MANY OF THE COMMENTS,
BUT I JUST WANNA ADD ONE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE FOR STUDENTS.
AS YOU EITHER TRANSFER AND COMPLETE ANOTHER DEGREE
OR COMPLETE YOUR DEGREE HERE AND YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORKFORCE,
I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO REALLY INTERVIEW THOSE COMPANIES
THAT YOU ARE INTERVIEWING WITH ON THIS SUBJECT,
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL FIND A MUCH RICHER EXPERIENCE
IF YOU FIND AN EMPLOYER
WHO SUPPORTS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THAT CULTURE,
IN THAT ORGANIZATION,
BECAUSE IT WILL TRULY HELP YOU GROW AS A PERSON.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE TIME FOR A FEW QUESTIONS...
AND IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ONE OF US, EITHER PROFESSOR LIGHT OR MYSELF,
WILL FIND YOU AND OFFER YOU THE MICROPHONE
AND YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO ASK YOU QUESTION.
SO, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WITH A QUESTION?
>> GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU.
(clearing throat)
I WANT TO ADDRESS WHAT MR. WILLIAMS WAS SAYING--
HIS STORY ABOUT THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO WROTE THE LETTER.
AND IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT WHEN I CAME HERE FOR MY ASSOCIATE'S.
AS PART OF MY DEGREE, I TOOK THE CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY CLASS.
NOW, I WASN'T REQUIRED, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FOUND INTERESTING
AND DECIDED TO TAKE.
AND SO, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF IT'S EVER BEEN BROUGHT UP
TO MAKE THAT MORE OF AN ACTUAL REQUIREMENT
INSTEAD OF JUST A CHOICE FOR STUDENTS?
IT WAS A VERY ENRICHING AND GOOD CLASS WITH GERTRUDE CROOM, ACTUALLY.
>> I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO THE PROVOST.
(all laughing)
>> THAT CLASS, SPECIFICALLY-- NO.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONVERSATION.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE FOUR INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
THAT ARE EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM,
AND IN MORE THAN ONE OF THEM,
WE DO INCLUDE THE NECESSITY FOR ALL OF US
TO LEARN ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
>> YOU ALSO MAY WANNA CHECK WITH TRANSFER INSTITUTIONS,
IF YOU'RE TRANSFERRING.
THEY MAY HAVE REQUIREMENTS AROUND CERTAIN THINGS
THAT YOU CAN TAKE HERE THAT WOULD HELP YOU
TO GET THAT SAME KIND OF EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVE A QUESTION OVER ON THIS SIDE.
>> DEAN HERT, YOU SAID THAT, UM...
IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE OF COLOR TO STAY AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
BUT WHAT I WANNA KNOW IS WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO GET THEM TO STAY?
AND ASSUMING THAT EXIT INTERVIEWS ARE BEING CONDUCTED,
WHAT REASONS DO PEOPLE GIVE FOR LEAVING THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
AND WHERE ARE THEY MOVING TO?
>> OH, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN TRY AND ANSWER THAT.
WHEN I SAID THAT RETENTION IS AN ISSUE,
IT IS AN ISSUE FOR US.
IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE NATIONALLY.
SO, WE ARE NOT ALONE.
AND WHEN I SAID THAT, THAT IS NOT TO DISPLACE THE RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL.
WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE, AND MAYBE CATHY CAN ADDRESS IT MORE SPECIFICALLY,
WE MAKE AN ATTEMPT-- AND IT'S MORE THAN AN ATTEMPT.
WE MAKE AN EFFORT EVERY-- WHEN AN EMPLOYEE LEAVES THIS INSTITUTION,
WHETHER IT'S FACULTY OR STAFF, E.S.P. TO ANY OTHER CATEGORY,
THAT THERE IS AN EXIT INTERVIEW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RATI--
WHAT THE REASONS MAY BE FOR THEIR DEPARTURE.
SO, I'D ACTUALLY DEFER TO CATHY, IF SHE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AND I WILL JUST CONTINUE TO REITERATE THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY
IS TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT OF COMFORT AND SUPPORT.
THAT IS ONE OF THE KEY AREAS IN THIS TOPIC,
AS FAR AS RESEARCH GOES,
TO SHOW THAT IT IS THE ISSUE OF SUPPORT--
THAT IS, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE CULTURE,
THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IS SUPPORTIVE OF INDIVIDUALS
OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND RACE
THAT WILL BE AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
AND SO, THE SPECIFICS OF THAT ARE NOT ONLY OUR TRAINING,
BUT IS THE...
THE RESPONSIVENESS OF OUR STAFF AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF OUR STAFF,
SO IT'S A VERY INCLUSIVE APPROACH.
>> CHRIS SAID SHE'S GOING TO HELP ME ON THAT ISSUE, TOO,
SO DON'T LET ME FORGET THAT.
BUT YES, WE DO CONDUCT EXIT INTERVIEWS WITH ANYONE WHO SEPARATES.
VERY RARELY DOES SOMEONE DECLINE THAT APPOINTMENT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT
BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT,
AND YES, WE DO FOLLOW UP WITH THE APPROPRIATE LEADERS
WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I AM NOT PREPARED TO GO THROUGH MY--
YOU KNOW, TO REITERATE SPECIFICS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LEFT IN THE LAST YEAR,
UM, WHAT MINORITY GROUPS WERE THEY REPRESENTED BY,
AND WHAT WERE THEIR REASONS FOR LEAVING,
BUT I CAN TELL YOU SOME ANECDOTAL THINGS THAT I DO KNOW OF
FROM FOLKS THAT COME TO MY MIND.
YOU KNOW, I SAID THIS TO MY STUDENTS, TOO,
BUT "LIFE HAPPENS."
AND SOMETIMES, WE CAN BUILD THE BEST STRUCTURE
AND HAVE THEM FEEL WELCOME, BUT LIFE DOES HAPPEN.
AND OFTEN, THAT IS THE CASE.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
HAS RELOCATED TO ANOTHER STATE, ANOTHER COLLEGE,
ANOTHER WHEREVER THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
I DO RECALL...
AN EMPLOYEE WHO LEFT WITH HIS PARTNER TO GO TO CALIFORNIA,
BECAUSE HE WAS NOT VERY COMFORTABLE
WITH THE ENVIRONMENT HERE IN WEST MICHIGAN.
SO, YEAH, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT HAPPEN
THAT MAKE THOSE PEOPLE DECIDE TO GO.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT OUR TURNOVER HERE AT GRCC IS VERY LOW.
BUT WE DO WANNA-- AS WE'VE SAID,
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO RETAIN FOLKS.
OUR TURNOVER TYPICALLY AVERAGES BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR PERCENT,
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE RETAINING 96 TO 97 PERCENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S WHY WE ALSO HAVE A VERY STRICT HIRING PROCESS, TOO.
WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY DO STAY.
IT'S ONLY BEEN IN LAST YEAR THAT WE SPIKED UP--
WE HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF RETIREES.
BETWEEN 2010 AND 2011,
WE HAD 64 CHOOSE TO RETIRE FROM OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO, OUR NUMBER WERE MORE LIKE FIVE AND SIX PERCENT...
STILL UNDER THE STATE AVERAGE.
WE BENCHMARK THERE AT, LIKE, EIGHT PERCENT.
SO, WE'RE STILL LESS, BUT ANYHOW, THE REASON FOR SHARING IS, UM, WE DO--
WHEN PEOPLE COME TO WORK HERE,
THEY TYPICALLY LIKE IT AND THEY WANNA STAY.
BUT WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, I THINK WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS CHALLENGING ME TO DO
IS TO DIG DEEPER INTO THAT, AND THEN GO BACK TO MY C.A.P. TEAM
THAT'S WORKING ON THAT CULTURE AND RETENTION PIECE,
TO SAY, "ALL RIGHT, LET'S STUDY THIS DATA,"
BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WE TYPICALLY JUST GO FORWARD ONE-ON-ONE WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM.
>> CHRIS? >> I SERVE ON THE BOARD FOR M.A.P.
IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
AND IT'S MULTIRACIAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONALS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S CONCERNING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY,
WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS, IS RETENTION.
AND WHAT WE DO IS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONALS--
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, MINORITY PROFESSIONALS--
COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY TO CONNECT.
IT COULD BE ANYTHING AS SIMPLE AS, "WHERE DO I SHOP TO BUY DIFFERENT FOODS?
"WHERE DO I GO TO GET MY HAIR CUT?
"WHERE DO I WORSHIP AT?"
I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF WORK.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL, "HOW DO I FEEL LIKE I'M PART OF THIS COMMUNITY?"
SO, THERE A LOT OF REASONS WHY PEOPLE LEAVE,
AND I THINK ONE OF THEM THAT WE KNOW,
JUST FROM SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE DO,
IS NOT FEELING CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY...
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL.
"WHERE DO-- YOU KNOW, IS THERE JAZZ?
"WHERE DO I GO TO--"
YOU KNOW, FOR ENTERTAINMENT,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO, AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF INITIATIVES TAKING PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY
TO REALLY HELP IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT
AND TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY FEEL REALLY WELCOMING FOR ALL.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION,
BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT IS FEELING PART OF THE COMMUNITY,
A PART OF BELONGING AND FEELING COMFORTABLE.
>> GOOD, THANK YOU.
I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE LAST QUESTION, IF THERE IS ONE.
WAY OVER HERE.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR SPEAKING TODAY.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING IF, WITHIN THIS PANEL AND WITHIN THIS INITIATIVE,
IF THERE IS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO ALSO INCLUDE L.G.B.T.
IN THE FACULTY OR IN STAFF AND SO FORTH?
>> WHO WANTS TO GO?
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT.
YES, THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING,
AND HOW DO WE INCLUDE THE L.B.G.T. COMMUNITY, AS WELL.
SO, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT DIVERSITY IS MUCH LARGER THAN RACE,
BUT IT INCORPORATES SO MANY DIFFERENCES THAT PEOPLE BRING TO THE TABLE,
AND THAT IS A PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
UP ON THE SCREEN, I HAVE PULLED UP THE WEBSITE
FOR THE RACE AND ETHNICITY CONFERENCE.
AS WAS MENTIONED, THERE ARE MANY OTHER LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS
GOING ON THIS WEEK.
LATER TODAY,
THE "FIELD STUDIES IN GEOGRAPHY" AT 2 O'CLOCK.
THAT WILL TAKE PLACE HERE IN THIS ROOM.
"RACE AND POLITICS IN MODERN BRAZIL" AT 6:15.
"GRAND RAPIDS AND THE PEOPLE WITHOUT HISTORY"
AT 8 O'CLOCK THIS EVENING.
ALL OF THOSE ARE IN THIS ROOM.
AND THEN, IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE,
YOU'LL SEE THE OTHER TWO DAYS OF THE CONFERENCE
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
THE FINAL EVENT AT 7 O'CLOCK THURSDAY EVENING
WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CALKINS SCIENCE CENTER.
SO-- BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS HERE IN THIS ROOM.
UH, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY THANKING ALL OF OUR PANELISTS,
AND PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
(applause)
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME
FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES,
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT SHOULD BE STUDYING MACROECONOMICS
FROM 9:30 TO 11 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU, AND HAVE A GOOD DAY!