Fall 2013 Events

Courageous Conversations

Power in the Academy

The academic institution exists in a power hierarchy. What are some of the power dynamics that graduate students face everyday? How is power distributed by demographics in the academy? How can we successfully navigate these power dynamics? How do we address our own power and privileges? How do we work within a system of power that we want to change?

WHEN: Friday, November 8th, 2:30-4:00pm

WHERE: Graduate Student Center in Susan Campbell Hall

Courageous Conversations is a series of cross-cultural dialogues for graduate students sponsored by the Alliance of Graduate Students for Diversity. The Alliance strives to create a safe and confidential space to have genuine discussions about our thoughts, feelings and experiences around alternating topics. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome!

Spring 2013 Events

Facilitation Training 
Saturday April, 13 9am – 12pm
Graduate Student Center, Susan Campbell Hall

Come and join us for a didactic and experiential facilitator training and leadership retreat. The skills that you will gain from this training will help prepare you to facilitate difficult dialogues like the Courageous Conversations series. This training is open to all graduate students who are interested in gaining facilitation skills, leading Courageous Conversations, and/or interested in becoming part of the Alliance Leadership team.  This training will be unique from the Facilitation training we offered in winter term, and attendance at the previous Facilitation training is not a prerequisite.  If you didn’t attend last term, we’d love to have you!  If you attended last term’s training, this training will offer new material and build on that foundation.

We are excited to have Mia Tuan and Tina Gutierez-Schmich as guest presenters for this training. Mia is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Director of the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) and Professor of Education Studies. Tina is the Mediation and Dispute Resolution Specialist in CoDaC, a graduate of the Conflict and Dispute Resolution program, and a Ph.D. candidate in the Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education. Both Tina and Mia have facilitated many heated conversations around issues of multiculturalism, diversity, and social justice.

Breakfast will be served – we look forward to seeing you there!

Please RSVP Here: http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/node/1080

Courageous Conversations – a series of cross cultural dialogues

Courageous Conversations is a series of cross-cultural dialogues for graduate students and allies (including faculty, staff, admin, undergrads, partners, etc.). We strive to create a safe and confidential space to have genuine discussions about topics that are relevant to our experiences. All are welcome!

Refreshments will be served. All events are free and will take place at the Graduate Student Center in Susan Campbell Hall.

Microaggressions and Microhealings Two Part Series

Part I Friday, April 12th 2:30 to 4:00pm
Part II Friday, April 19th 2:30 to 4:00pm

Microaggressions are the “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults” (Sue et al. 2007). Microhealings are the daily interactions that communicate love, connection, support and community. Come and join us in a conversation about the microaggressions and microhealings in the lives of graduate students.

This two part series will provide an in depth discussion of the topics. The first part will include educational materials and discussions; the second part will include interactive theatre activities that will explore the topics through movement. Attendance in both sessions is not required but we encourage you to sign up for both conversations!

Please RSVP Here: http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/node/1038

Unfit for School: Disability and Ableism
Friday, April 26th 2:30 to 4:00pm

Systematic oppression against people with disabilities in academia makes it difficult for all people to achieve their fullest potential. In this conversation, we will identify the different kinds of ableism that exists in academia. We will talk about how temporarily able-bodied people and people with disabilities can come together to improve our pedagogic and professional practices to make academia more universally accessible.

Please RSVP Here: http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/node/1038

Taking Care of Yourself
Friday May 17th 2:30-4:00pm

Self-care is the act of intentionally and unintentionally engaging in thoughts and actions that have positive and affirming impacts on our mind, body and spirit.  Come out to a conversation about how to keep yourself in good physical and mental health while dealing with all of the responsibilities and stresses of graduate school and diversity-related work.

Please RSVP here: http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/node/1038

Winter 2013 Events

Alliance Facilitation Training and Leadership Retreat
Saturday, Jan 12th 9 am – 12pm
Graduate Student Lounge, Susan Campbell Hall

Come and join us for a didactic and experiential facilitator training and leadership retreat. The skills that you will gain from this training will help prepare you to facilitate difficult dialogues like the Courageous Conversations series. This training is open to all graduate students who are interested in gaining facilitation skills, leading Courageous Conversations, and/or interested in becoming part of the Alliance Leadership team.

We are excited to have Mia Tuan and Tina Gutierez-Schmich as guest presenters for this training. Mia is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Director of the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) and Professor of Education Studies. Tina is the Mediation and Dispute Resolution Specialist in CoDaC, and a Ph.D. candidate in the Critical and Sociocultural Studies in Education. Both Tina and Mia have facilitated many heated conversations around issues of multiculturalism, diversity, and social justice.

Breakfast will be served. Please RSVP https://gradschool.uoregon.edu/node/1080

Courageous Conversations – a series of cross cultural dialogues

Courageous Conversations is a series of cross-cultural dialogues for graduate students and allies (including faculty, staff, admin, undergrads, partners, etc.). We strive to create a safe and confidential space to have genuine discussions about topics that are relevant to our experiences. All are welcome!

Refreshments will be served. All events are free and will take place at the Graduate Student Center in Susan Campbell Hall.

January 18, 2:30pm – 4:00pm Microaggressions and Microhealings

Microaggressions are the “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative  slights and insults” (Sue et al. 2007). Microhealings are the daily interactions that communicate love, connection, support and community. Come and join us in a conversation about the microaggressions and microhealings in the lives of graduate students.

February 1, 2:30pm – 4:00pm Power in the Academy

The academic institution exists in a power hierarchy. What are some of the power dynamics that graduate students face everyday? How can we successfully navigate these power dynamics? How do we address our own power and privileges? How do we work within a system of power that we want to change?

February 22, 2:30pm – 4:00pm Gender and Sexual Identity: Equity vs. Invisibility 

Gender and sexual identities are often marginalized or excluded in graduate student education, research, practice and interpersonal interactions. There are policies and laws that prohibit the discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. However, there are no requirement to include gender and sexual identity issues. Does the pursuit of equity result in the invisibility of LGBTQIA individuals?

Fall 2012 Events

Alliance Social
October 19th, 3-5pm
Come and meet fellow grad students from across the campus

Courageous Conversations – a series of cross cultural dialogues

Courageous Conversations is a series of cross-cultural dialogues for graduate students and allies (including faculty, staff, admin, undergrads, partners, etc.). We strive to create a safe and confidential space to have genuine discussions about topics that are relevant to our experiences. All are welcome!

November 2nd, 2:30 – 4pm Grad School and Poverty

This conversation is focused on issues of socioeconomic status, financial considerations and experiences of classism of graduate students. We will be discussing how the graduate school experience can be financially and culturally challenging for first generation students, non-traditional students, part-time students, students with families, and international students. We will talk about classism in higher education. We will also be discussing the state of the economy and how it impacts our graduate school decisions.

November 16th, 2:30 – 4pm  Religion in Academia

This conversation is focused on how religion, faith and spirituality (including atheism and agnosticism) is addressed and treated in academia. We will discuss the invisibility of religion, faith and spirituality and how that may impact the personal lives of graduate students. Are there discrimination against religious beliefs in higher education? Should religion be separated from academia? How can we hold a conversation about religion, faith and spirituality without conflict? To explore these questions, come and be apart of this dialogue.

November 30th, 2:30 – 4pm  Talking about Race as an Ally

This conversation is focused on the challenges and rewards of being an anti-racist ally. Being an ally is a difficult and demanding role. One has to navigate the vague line between being “too vocal” and “too silent.” When do you speak up? How do you recover from mistakes? How can you tell when help is wanted and when it is not? What happens when you are not taken seriously? How can you tell when you perpetuate racism? How can White people be better allies to people of color and to each other? How can people of color be better allies to each other and to White people?

November 30th, 4pm End of the Year Gathering at Falling Sky

After Courageous Conversations, we will head over to Falling Sky for an informal end of the year gathering to discuss next term’s Conversation topics and facilitator training. Come and join us! Friends and family welcome!

Refreshments will be served. All events are free and will take place at the Graduate Student Center in Susan Campbell Hall.