COMMITTEE ON MULTICULTURAL CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Notes from Meeting of
18 September 2012
The first meeting of the Committee on Multicultural Curriculum Transformation was held on
Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. in Altgeld 203.
Attendance
Gary Chen (Engineering & Engineering Technology), Carolinda Douglass (Vice Provost for
Academic Planning & Development), Bill Goldenberg (Visual & Performing Arts), Michael
Gonzales (CMCT Chair; Director, Center for Latino and Latin American Studies), Janice
Hamlet (Coordinator, Academic Diversity Programs), Murali Krishnamurthi (Director, Faculty
Development & Instructional Design Center), Robin Moremen (Liberal Arts & Sciences),
Kristen Myers (Director, Women’s Studies), Jane Rose Njue (Health & Human Sciences), Mark
Rosenbaum (Business), Donna Smith (Supportive Professional Staff), Beth Towell (Curricular
Dean), and Kayla Schnacky (CMCT Graduate Assistant).
Introductions
Gonzales introduced the new graduate assistant, Kayla Schnacky, and the new Vice Provost for
Academic Planning and Development, Carolinda Douglass.
Announcements
Vacant positions were mentioned and Douglass said she will follow-up with Provost Alden about
filling the vacancies. Laverne Gyant, Director of Black Studies, will be unable to serve on the
committee because of a teaching conflict. Gonzales said he hoped Black Studies could be
represented on the committee.
Minutes
The minutes from the meeting of March 20, 2012, were approved with one amendment.
Institute
Dates: The dates of the Institute are May 13-17, 2013.
Invitations: Gonzales said that invitations are ready to go out to faculty and Douglass confirmed
that they will be sent out this week. The deadline for applying is December 3, 2012.
Stipend & Budget: Gonzales shared that the Provost’s Office has determined that Institute
participants will receive the full $1,000 stipend in the fall, rather than $500 in the spring and
$500 in the fall. This will streamline the paperwork. Douglass mentioned that individual lunches
will not be covered, but that coffee and pastries will be provided in the mornings. If budgetary
reductions can be identified elsewhere, it may be possible to retain the lunches. The committee
agreed that we should encourage participants to continue discussions during lunch, and
suggested reserving the East and West Blackhawk rooms. Douglass asked Schnacky (GA) to
reserve these rooms as soon as possible. Krishnamurthi suggested holding the reception at the
University Suite rather than the Barsema Visitor’s Center to save on costs. Douglass and
Schnacky will check the availability of the University Suite.
Procedures: Gonzales indicated that rooms for the Institute have been reserved, and reminded
the committee of the importance of determining presenter’s audiovisual needs. The committee
discussed the feasibility of a panel of past participants to discuss examples of successful
transformation of courses. Gonzales said he would like participation from all of the colleges.
Identity of the plenary speakers: Gonzales announced that Amy Levin had invited Dr. Mathew
Ouellett from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Dr. Christine Stanley of Texas A&M
University to be the plenary speakers for the May Institute. Gonzales will re-confirm the
speakers’ availability. Douglass said she will initiate the contract with the plenary speakers.
Workshop themes and preferred speakers: Gonzales encouraged the committee to begin thinking
of speakers and themes for Institute workshops. He suggested we review the assessments from
the last Institute to help determine which panels and speakers were well-received and why.
Schnacky will distribute assessments to the committee and will make this an agenda point for
October’s meeting. Towell mentioned the possibility conducting post-Institute evaluations
online. After further discussion, the committee agreed to return to this question. Moremen
requested that Schnacky bring a copy of the previous Institute’s daily schedule to the next
meeting.
Assessment
Gonzales recalled that there had been pilot assessments of two transformed classes run last year.
Moremen requested that Schnacky distribute the pre- and post-test results to the committee.
Other Business
Moremen announced that an Institute participant from Rock Valley College has implemented a
MCTI seminar at his college patterned from NIU’s. She and Laverne Gyant had been invited
presenters. Douglass suggested NIU’s MCTI website have a link to the Rock Valley College’s
MCTI website. Chen expressed interested in a panel of past participants for the upcoming NIU
Institute.
Gonzales thanked Moremen for her participation in the Rock Valley seminar, and for being an
ambassador for multicultural curriculum transformation.
Hamlet announced her intention of compiling a database of transformed courses, and she shared
a survey form that she will be distributing to past participants in the MCTI. She indicated that her
intent was to collect data about the frequency that transformed courses have been offered, and if
instructors have transformed courses, as they had promised to do. She indicated that she had
received approval from the Provost’s Office to conduct the survey. She indicated that she would
be willing to share the data with the MCTI committee. Gonzales said that the committee should
receive the data.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:34 a.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday,
October 16, 2012 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in Altgeld 203.