I want
to express
my appreciation to those who have been working diligently to
develop programs on
inclusion, including the IUP Diversity and Inclusion Symposium
on April 26 at
the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
The
symposium will
feature Peggy McIntosh, anti-racism activist and women’s studies
scholar, as
keynote speaker. She will present “Coming to See Privilege
Systems: The
Surprising Journey” at 8:30 a.m. Following her talk will be a
panel discussion,
“Microaggressions and Macro Effects: Learning to Recognize,
Interrupt, and
Navigate Colorblind Racism,” featuring African American alumni
spanning four
decades at IUP. Lunch will include facilitated discussions, and
the afternoon
session will focus on the Pittsburgh-based Dignity and Respect
Campaign. Please
see the symposium schedule for
further details. The symposium
is free, but preregistration is
requested and will guarantee
your lunch.
In addition to the symposium,
I encourage you to
attend, as your schedules permit, other upcoming events planned
around the
theme of diversity and inclusion. They include tonight’s
screening and
discussion of the film White
like Me at
6:00 p.m., in Wallwork Hall, room G98; the QueerPosium, a
celebration of
research and creative works, April 15 at the Hadley Union
Building; and a
presentation by Marc Lamont Hill, television news host and
commentator on race
and politics, April 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Kovalchick Complex’s
Toretti
Auditorium. These are just a few of the events planned for the
remainder of the
semester; please visit the Diversity Events calendar
for additional programming and information. I also ask that you
mark your
calendars for continued discussion of this important issue at
the State
System Summit, “Rising to the
Challenge: Making
Inclusion Matter,” planned for November 2–4 at IUP.
As you attend these events
and talk with one another,
I encourage you to be part of the social media discussion about
our work at #IUPTogether.
Thank you for all of your
good work. Best wishes for a
productive and positive end to the semester.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Driscoll
President