Multicultural and Diversity Committee Notes of Friday, October 7, 2011
1. Meeting was called to order at 11:20am. Members present: Justine Shaw, George Potamianos,
Philip Mancus, Ryan Emenaker, Ruth Moon, Ana Maria Mease; members arriving later Toby Green
and Deanna Herrera-Thomas; Guest Vincent Peloso
2. No public comments
3. Motion to approve the minutes of the Sep 16, 2011 meeting by Ruth Moon; second by Ana Maria
Mease, minutes approved unanimously.
Discussion item 5.4, MDC Participation in BOTY, was moved to the top of the agenda to
accommodate guest Vincent Peloso, who provided the committee with the following Book of the
Year (BOTY) update:
The CR BOTY has been given a verbal assurance of an $8K budget from Utpal Goswami. HSU
BOTY committee has not yet committed to any funds. It seems unlikely that the author will be
affordable, and the CR BOTY committee is looking at options for events and/or speakers that could
be funded solely with CR funds if necessary, pending word from the HSU committee. The HSU
committee has offered to conduct an in-service workshop for faculty, on the CR campus, on October
21, 10-11am.
A Survey Monkey vote on Dana Maher’s and Ryan Emenaker’s proposal for BOTY guest speakers
has received mostly YES votes. The proposed speakers are both affiliated with the Hamer Institute in
Jefferson MS.
Vincent asked if the MDC wants to help with BOTY activities and suggested we could help with 1) a
movie screening; 2) a recipe book; or 3) a student essay contest with prizes, suggestions for prizes to
include a trip to the Hamer Institute to attend workshops or training for students, or a trip to
Washington DC. Ryan Emenaker reported that the Hamer Institute runs diversity and advocacy
workshops all summer long, specifically for students.
Vincent reported that usually BOTY events are planned in the Fall to occur in the Spring. Members
discussed various statewide and national events that both MDC and BOTY could align with, such as
Juneteenth, Black History Month in February, or the UC Santa Cruz Multicultural conference.
Vincent closed his report by stating that the BOTY is all-volunteer and anyone is welcome to
participate.
Action Item 4.1, Approve Committee Statement. Justine Shaw summarized her report to the
Academic Senate on the BP/AP 3430 Prohibition of Harassment policy. She had forwarded the
markup version from MDC to Sally Frazier, and to MDC members. Motion was made to approve the
action by Deanna Herrera-Thomas, seconded by Ryan Emenaker, after which the item was opened for
discussion. After extensive discussion, the committee agreed to remove the language about providing
some leeway for cultural differences in behavior, and to emphasize that regular trainings are required
as a preventive measure, on motion by Ana Maria Mease to vote to approve as amended, seconded by
Ryan Emenaker, roll call as follows:
Toby Green = Y; Philip Mancus = Y; George Potamianos = Y; Deanna Herrera-Thomas = Y; Justine
Shaw = Y; Ryan Emenaker = Y; Ruth Moon = Y; Ana Maria Mease = Y; motion carried.
Discussion Item 5.2 Diversity Training, Deanna was able to provide helpful specifics on the various
type of diversity training that the college could choose to pursue. Any training that involves matters
where employees, or the district, can be held legally liable should most appropriately be conducted by
the district and not a faculty committee, however, the committee could host workshops, brown bags,
or events in conjunction with district training programs. Ana Maria suggested we need better outreach
as most attendees are those already interested in diversity.
Discussion Item 5.3, Short and long term goals. While committee members agreed diversity
awareness workshops should be integrated into convocation and other flex activities, it was admitted
that no one really knows how convocation is planned and it seems often a last minute effort. Some
suggestions were to incorporate diversity into classroom management or sessions with other focus.
Discussion Item 5.1, ESOL program. The difficulty of getting ESOL courses in the schedule, should
it be scheduled by English or by Languages, how current is the curriculum, is there faculty to teach it,
the changing role and relationship with CR of the Adult School, the role of DSPS, were some of the
issues discussed. Ana Maria Mease reported that the Adult School does not have a good program, it’s
too casual with no accountability for students to attend, they don’t always offer the classes, and they
do very little outreach. Toby Green gave an update on the progress of ESOL classes at MC, credit and
non-credit. Ruth Moon proposed the committee urge Dean Anderson to schedule at least one class, as
a pilot, and to give us some data to go on, such as fill rate, retention, completion, etc., which data
could be compared with other classes, or with the current practice of shunting ESOL students into one
section of ENG 350. Justine reported that she had requested current demographic data from the new
IR Director, Angelina Hall. Ana Maria stated that we need a good placement test and student services
support for ESOL students, and also suggested we reactivate 153 and 353. Justine Shaw said she
would try to schedule a meeting with Utpal Goswami to request the one class pilot idea for Spring.
Discussion Item 5.5, Draft language to tie committee activities to college mission. Justine Shaw
explained that accreditation expects all college activities, including committees, to demonstrate how
their charge or purpose and what they do is linked to the college’s overall mission. After discussion,
several core ideas were agreed to be incorporated into draft language which will be brought forward
as an action item at our next meeting.
Agenda Item 6, Report on Fall 2011 Activity, Ryan Emenaker, was deferred to our next meeting.
Agenda Item 7, Open Forum / Announcements there were none.
Agenda Item 8, Adjournment, move to adjourn by Ruth Moon seconded by Ana Maria Mease,
meeting was adjourned at 1:05pm