Diversity & Retention Initiatives

Diversity & Retention Home Office of Diversity and Retention Initiatives

Cultural Center Women's Center News, Events, Opportunities

Diversity & Retention offers the following

• An American Ethnic Studies Course (AME 201Z) – Winter Quarter
• Bias Incident Response/Support Team
• DRUM Book Club (Diverse Readings to Understand Multiculturalism)
• Leadership training opportunities
• Multicultural events and programs
• President’s Committee on Diversity and Retention
• Safe Zone
• Resources, referrals, and advocacy for your social and educational needs Textbooks and diversity books/films loan libraries (JMB 148/RS 158)

AME 201 Z DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

This Diversity and Social Justice course puts together theoretical frameworks, practical issues and experiential activities to help students develop skills and identify plans of action in eradicating the multiple forms of social oppression. Students will be expected to use critical analysis as an investigative tool to examine racism, sexism, heterosexism, able-ism, class-ism, religious oppression and aspects of internalized oppression. Fulfills the multicultural requirement.

The Bias Incident Response/Support Team (BIRST)

Bias Incident Response/Support Team addresses campus climate and advocacy for persons affected by bias motivated incidents at South Seattle Community College. BIRST consists of a team of campus employees who are standing members or appointed by campus employees and trained in identifying, addressing, and documenting incidences of bias on campus. In cases where an offender can be identified, there are existing campus procedures to follow (as outlined in this document); however, instances in which the offender is unknown, the BIRST acts as the primary point of contact and advocate. BIRST works closely with other campus departments to ensure the appropriate documentation and reporting of all bias incidences.

DRUM Book Club

Faculty, staff, and students are welcomed to join this quarterly activity. For more information, contact Ricardo Leyva-Puebla. DRUM stands for Diverse Readings to Understand Multiculturalism. This book club was initiated to bring campus members together to explore and create dialogue around the many facets of diversity. We live in an increasingly multicultural society where we are constantly learning and evolving our own ideas about the world through other peoples’ experiences. If you are looking for a fun and safe environment to discuss these issues, this is the activity for you!

Leadership Training Opportunities

Both the Cultural and Women’s Center annually hire and trains a team of student leaders who will support the academic, personal, and professional success of its constituents in the campus community by providing resource referrals, educational programs addressing pertinent issues impacting students and by creating a friendly, supportive environment for all.

Multicultural Events and Programs

For a full list of programs check out our Calendar of Events.

President’s Committee on Diversity and Retention

The President’s Committee on Diversity and Retention serves as an advisory committee to President of South Seattle Community College and the staff of the Office of Diversity & Retention. Standing members will include: Cultural Center Coordinator, Women’s Center Coordinator, Director of Office of Diversity and Retention and Dean of Diversity, Retention and Student Life. PCDR’S goal is to provide advice and oversight into the campus’ efforts to improve the institutional climate and practices regarding diversity, persistence and retention of students and faculty and staff of color and underrepresented groups. The PCDR facilitates the achievement of this goal through college-wide strategies, activities, initiatives and community outreach.

Safe Zone

Safe Zone is a project that has been created on many college campuses around the U.S. At South, it is a series of workshops offered and available to individuals interested in being Safe Zone Ally for our College District.

Previous Safe Zone training focused on one human developmental area (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning). This new series will not only focus on how to provide a welcoming and safe environment for individuals who are LGBTQ, but will include any other underrepresented groups. Our goal is to provide opportunities where individuals could gain knowledge and understanding to further equity and social justice for students and staff of underrepresented religious affiliation, social economic status, race, undocumented and more.

Workshops will include current issues and trends in higher education, case studies, panel, history and resources.

Outcomes:

1. Acquired knowledge and understanding of oppression and how it operates at various individual, cultural and institutional levels.
   
2. Demonstrate skills to provide support to members of targeted groups.
3. Developed, facilitated and completed specific plans to change individual and institutional actions, climate and policies that discriminate against groups.
   

Resources, referrals, and advocacy

For your social and educational needs Textbooks and diversity books/films loan libraries –  At the Cultural and Women’s Center and the Office of Diversity and Retention (JMB 148,146, and  RSB 158 respectively) you will find several resources, we encourage you to come by and visit.