2006-2007 Diversity Seminar Series Cultural Diversity and Altruism

Coordinator: Dr. Melinda Weinstein

The Lawrence Technological University Diversity Seminar Series program accesses both organizational and community resources to present programs that recognize the diversity of all its learners, constituencies, and the greater society it serves. Such an approach enhances support for diversity and multicultural knowledge throughout the institution and community. Lawrence Technological University's Diversity Seminar program provides 1) a diversity education program serving students, faculty and staff as well as the general public, 2) an ongoing adaptation of such a program relevant to the needs of a heterogeneous campus and community population, and 3) an involvement of the university's human resources and community organizations to enhance focus on diversity. Through exploiting organizational and community resources, as well as in gaining support from the private sector, such an approach may facilitate the mission and vision of a university with regard to diversity.

The Diversity Seminar Program was developed and has been adapted in response to the increasingly key role of diversity in education, the business and professional context, and our communities.

Diversity Seminars and Breakout Discussion Sessions
The central component of the Diversity Seminar Series involves presentation sessions throughout the semester. Speakers and performers representing various elements of the community's diverse cultural make-up present ninety-minute programs in which relevant issues are discussed in lecture-based, arts performance, panel discussion, and multimedia presentations. Audiences for these seminars include Lawrence Tech's students, university employees, and interested members of the general public. Given the large audiences at each seminar, they are typically held in one of the auditoriums on campus. Each seminar is then followed either immediately or later in the same week by breakout discussion sessions in which persons who attended the seminar are divided into groups of 10-20 and assigned a group discussion facilitator. Representatives from the presenters' organizations are also present in many of these breakout sessions. Each breakout discussion session offers seminar attendees the opportunity to discuss the content of the seminar and concomitant issues. Key members of the Lawrence Tech. staff, faculty and administration volunteer or are recruited as the breakout discussion facilitators along with the representatives of the presenters' organizations or related community resources. The discussion facilitators for the breakout sessions are given guidelines and some minimal training in how to maximize the goals of the breakout sessions.

The breakout discussion sessions provide a context in which an open discourse regarding issues of diversity may be explicated, discussed, and/or debated. The breakout discussions, in facilitating such an open discourse, take on both consciousness-raising and instructional functions relative to diversity. For example, prejudices, myths, and issues contributing to community divisions are identified and analyzed critically; solutions to such problems are sought out and relevant multicultural skills are addressed. Overall, the seminar presentations and the proceeding breakout sessions focus on student learning relative to diversity and underscore the university's commitment to diversity and to the community. Such a program structure and the involvement of university personnel and community members may promote a vision of the university as an exemplar of fairness, equity, and diversity. The students and other audiences also gain practical cross-cultural and multi-cultural skills applicable for the social, professional, and business contexts. The university's vision regarding diversity is also accentuated through the Diversity Seminar Launch and Capstone events.

Diversity Launch and Capstone Events
At the beginning of each academic year a large-scale Diversity Seminar Launch event is planned and executed. A similar Diversity Seminar Capstone event occurs in the second half of the academic year.

Both the Launch and the Capstone Events are funded by grants from private sector organizations with strong commitments to diversity. The Launch and Capstone events, rather than accessing community or regional resources as is the case with the regular diversity seminars, feature a nationally-recognized figure to discuss issues of diversity in a presentation open to both members of the university and the general public. The Launch and Capstone events are highly publicized to maximize community turnout. Local organizations, high schools, and other community populations receive invitations to the event and are encouraged to attend along with the university community. Several of Lawrence Tech's resources, departments, and office are used to plan and execute the logistics of the Launch/Capstone events, even organizing transportation to the event for students from local schools.

Examples of past Diversity Seminar Series Launch and Capstone event presenters include Juan Williams (National Public Radio and Fox News commentator and author of Eyes on the Prize), Dr. Mae Jemison (the first woman of color to travel on a N.A.S.A shuttle mission), Herman Boone (coach of an interracial high school football team in the early 1970s and the subject of the film Remember the Titans), and Ron Bachman (disabled advocate and music industry personality). Breakout sessions for members of the university community also follow these events. The Diversity Seminar Launch and Capstone demonstrate the valuing of diversity by the institution to the community. Outside funding for the Diversity Launch and capstone events frees up university funds for other aspects of diversity education programming.

2006-2007 Partnership with the Detroit Holocaust Memorial Center’s International Institute of the Righteous
This year the Diversity Seminar Series is proud to join with the Detroit Holocaust Memorial Center's International Institute of the Righteous. This Institute is devoted to the study of altruism in the face of social and ideological repression. Each Diversity Seminar this year will have a social responsibility and service component.

It is the goal of the Institute to create "ambassadors of altruism" from among our students to share what they have learned about social responsibility and altruism with other students and with the larger community.  It is our hope that by introducing our students to the idea of selflessness though vivid examples, students will be inspired to help others. 

Click here to view the Diversity Series schedule for the 2006-2007 academic year.