REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the
Multicultural and Diversity Committee
Of the Academic Senate
Eureka: 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, CA100
Arcata: 435 Crestwood Drive
Bayside: 1501 Irene Street
Del Norte: 883 West Washington Boulevard, Room E3
Point Arena: 41341 Harris Ranch Road
Friday, December 2, 2011
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
NOTES
Members present: Philip Mancus (Phone), George Potamianos, Ryan Emenaker, Justine Shaw, Peter
Blakemore, Michael Dennis, Deanna Herrera-Thomas
Also Present: Kyler Tidwell
1. Call to Order 11:20am
Introductions and Public Comments: Members of the audience are invited to make comments
regarding any subject appropriate to the Multicultural and Diversity Committee - Pete B. Said that
that all should check out the SST plan and ASCR'S response to this
Minutes from 11/18 will need to be approved next time since they were not yet available; Ruth
Moon has them but has been out of town so they have not yet been circulated
4. Discussion Items
4.1 Possible Multicultural and Diversity Curriculum Requirement, Peter Blakemore: Now would be
a good time to raise in the CC if we need a more formalized diversity requirement; this has been
initiated in the past. There was a single line on the course outline form for a period of time that
prompted authors to relate their course to issues of diversity but this has been removed. When GE
was revised, this became "Global Awareness" as a requirement but was watered down from a
separate global context and a separate diversity area. Justine said that the global awareness outcome
could be the subject of the GE spring assessment in order to gain better data about how faculty are
interpreting and applying the outcome in their classes. Pete said that next Friday the CC would be
discussing the need to infuse diversity into courses, so that GE courses would all be required to
include this emphasis. Several members thought that it should be possible to infuse this content into
any class.
Deanna suggested that we model a proposal after what a similar, small community college
requires. Deanna will send members a list of colleges to review and each will report to her what
requirements are in place. This would also help students transferring to HSU, which has a diversity
and common ground requirement. Mike Dennis brought up that some CTE faculty would like a
technology requirement, and technology being integrated into all courses; he suggested that we
might partner up to achieve both. As CC members, George, Toby, and Pete will attend next week's
meeting. Pete thinks that a requirement, rather than a GE area, would be more likely to be
successful but the CC as a committee will need to discuss how this might be infused.
4.2 Diversity Training, Deanna Herrera-Thomas: Deanna would like to postpone this until Ruth
Moon is present because of some questions about what is the pervue of HR. The MDC might make
an administrative recommendation about trainings that are needed. The SEP does stipulate what
trainings should be offered. There may be some misunderstanding about the difference between
EEOC and sensitivity/ diversity awareness trainings for faculty. Deanna does have the expertise to
do the latter, but outside, licensed professionals should do the former. She offered to train
committee members, and recommended that administrators receive trainings in sensitivity training.
On our next agenda, we will begin drafting a recommendation to the administration to reinstitute
EEOC trainings. Justine suggested having a diversity-related session at the associate faculty
orientation each semester.
4.3 Multicultural and Diversity Committee Participation in Book of the Year Activities, Ryan
Emenaker: There will be two separate events. The main one is two scholars, Morris and Crosby,
talking about their perspectives on The Help on April 5 (CR) and April 6 (HSU). Our participation
will be to help increase attendance. The second event, involving a day labor center (Greyson?), will
include a discussion of domestic work in the modern era. Dana and Ryan are working on a proposal
to fund this. It would take place in March sometime.
4.4 Student Equity Plan Committee Status, Deanna Herrera-Thomas: Members are being appointed
to an SEP committee (not to update, just to implement). Deanna will be one faculty representative,
Tony Sartori and Lisa Liken are also appointed, as is Keith Snow-Flamer and other members of the
administration. There will also be a classified appointment. Deanna thinks that there will be an
ASCR representative. This is different than the committee makeup stipulated in the SEP, but it does
increase focus upon the plan and provides a stopgap until the SEP Oversight Committee can be
formed. The makeup of the Oversight Committee may need to be changed to make it more
functional because the number of high-level administrators may make it difficult to convene.
4.5 Committee Meeting Day and Time for Spring 2012: The MDC will meet on the 2nd and 4th
Friday from 11:15-12:30 (same time as current meeting, but switched to 2nd and 4th Fridays).
5. Report
5.1 Multicultural and Diversity Committee Spring 2012 Activity, Ryan Emenaker: Activities related
to More Than a Game (movie) should begin taking place in February.
6. Action Item
6.1 Response to BP/AP 5300 Student Equity - no final draft was available, so this item will be
continued to the next meeting's agenda. Justine will check with Ruth to see if a special meeting
during finals' week is needed to approve the MDC feedback or whether this can wait until the
spring.
7. Open Forum/Announcements
8. Adjournment - George moved, Mike seconded to adjourn at 12:33pm
Next Meeting:
Friday, January 27, 2012