NDSU: Diversity Council

Diversity Council ::: Meeting Minutes ::: November 14, 2003

Present: Anderson, Boswell, Brudey, Burnett, Holbrook, Kamel, Kitch, Kostecki, Nesemeier, Okigbo, Peterson, Schnell, Spiering, Stack, Taylor, Thoennes, Trautman, Davis Wallette, Ussatis

Guest speaker: Tom Thompson, Rehabilitation Consulting & Services, North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation

I. Announcements

A. Council member Rhonda Kitch unveiled the new tablecloth that will be used on the President's Diversity Council table in the Memorial Union and other places in the future.

B. TOCAR (Training Our Campuses Against Racism) Level I training for NDSU students, staff, faculty, and administrators is scheduled for Nov. 20, and there are some openings still available.

C. Seven NDSU persons recently participated in Level II training.

D. Level III training is scheduled to be presented on two consecutive weekends in late January and early February 2004.

E. Multicultural Student Services will host a "Mix-it-up" Luncheon at the Memorial Union on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

F. The concluding segment of "Race: The Power of Illusion" will be screened at Century Theater, Memorial Union, on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

G. TOCAR will conduct a Collaborative Campus and Community Climate Survey. It is designed to capture the racial and ethnic climates at our institutions and in the Fargo-Moorhead community. The survey at NDSU will be available by Nov. 19.

H. With help from a Bremer Foundation Grant, NDSU's TOCAR Anti-racism Team recently hired Tegan Henke as a Graduate Assistant.

I. Tom Thompson, business consultant from the Rehabilitation Consulting & Services, North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation, gave an informative presentation on the various services provided by his agency. Council member Cathy Anderson had invited Mr. Thompson to speak to the group. Mr. Thompson was pleased to report that Rehabilitation Consulting & Services has recently benefited from a major restructuring in an effort to make the agency more business-oriented and client-friendly. The agency is designed to receive walk-in, handle referrals from other professionals, and provide many services to individuals with different disabilities. At the same time, the agency strives to match clients to professional opportunities that fit physical capabilities as well as personal interests. With the benefit of research, the agency determines the regional job market while also making sure that the individual is qualified to do specific jobs. The agency offers a variety of group and individual training, manages different work incentive programs, as well as provides an on-site supervisor if necessary. In some cases, the agency will even provide financial support to train individuals to do specific jobs. "We have talented people out there looking for the opportunity to get back into the work force," said Mr. Thompson, who encouraged NDSU officials to contact his office for help. "We can fit a lot of people into whatever positions you have." Mr. Thompson's office is located at the Southeast Human Service Center, 2624 Ninth Ave. SW, Fargo. His business phone number is 298-4575.

J. A subcommittee which includes Ann Burnett, Jaclynn Davis Wallette, and Allyn Kostecki shared a draft of a brochure to recruit a greater diversity of staff and faculty to the University. The brochure will be distributed whenever potential employees receive information about NDSU. The subcommittee encouraged other Council members to provide feedback.

K. International student Jyoti Chowdhury and Memorial Union staff member Kara Stack were announced as the two newest inductees to NDSU's Tapestry of Diverse Talents. The ceremony was scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12.

L. International Programs Director Kerri Spiering encouraged all Council members to attend a series of events to be presented during International Education Week Nov. 17-21.

M. Council members will consider adopting a new meeting day and time for Spring 2004. Wednesdays at 8 a.m. was suggested.

II.Other business

A. Next meeting: Friday, December 12, 8:00 a.m., Meinecke.