Diversity Awareness Committee
The mission of the Diversity Awareness Committee (DAC), and the Diversity Peer Educators, its student affiliate, is to provide educational programs, training sessions, and experiential activities on issues of diversity relevant to our campus community and in our society. The Committee strives through these events to bring positive change to attitudes, values, and behavior. The Committee also explores issues of advocacy and leadership in enhancing the expansion of diversity.
For more information about Diversity at Ithaca College please see: www.ithaca.edu/sacl/diversity/
Funding Support
We provide funding and other types of support for events and activities that encourage positive thought and action related to diversity. If the event you are planning fits this mission, we encourage you to apply for DAC funds. Please download and complete the Diversity Awareness Committee Support Request Form located on the sidebar of this page. The application should be emailed to DAC Chair, Rebecca Borowski for consideration.
The DAC can provide funding for diversity related events at a maximum of $300 for the 2011-2012 academic year. While we prefer not to be the largest donor, in making its decision the DAC Funding Allocation Committee will consider the possibility of becoming the largest donor if your event cannot obtain money from other requested sources. If your proposal includes the request for DAC to be the largest donor, please provide as much detail as you can in your proposal about the status of your other funding sources. The committee may, in certain circumstances, fund up to 40% of your request, not to exceed $300. We prefer to receive requests 2 months before the date of the event. Our deadline for proposal submission is 2 weeks prior to the event.
Recently Funded Events
The Diversity Awareness Committee has awarded funds for events, activities, and initiatives that celebrate, reflect, or critically engage the campus on issues of diversity. Financial support for diversity issues has brought to campus scholarly speakers, activist poets, as well as cultural performers such as actors, dancers, and musicians. Please see sidebar content for a list of past events.
Funded Events for 2011-2012:
-African-Latino Society, speaker Bobby Seale, Co-Founder of the Black Panther Party, presentation & book signing September 22, 7pm, Park Auditorium
-PODER: Latino Student Association, Latino Heritage Month banquet "NOSOTROS: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For" keynote speaker Gustavo Licon Friday September 30, 7pm Emerson Suites
-Tuvan Throat Singer band Alash (Anthropology department) Performance of Tuvans with IC modern dance students Tuesday October 11, 5:30 7:00pm Dillingham Studio 2
-Native American Celebration Month: Native American Comedian (Onieda) Charlie Hill speaker event Wednesday November 9, 8pm in IC Square
-Native American History Month: Film Screening of "Bright Circle" with filmaker Shawn Kakuk Thursday November 14, 7pm Textor 103
-Ithaca College STAND: The Student Anti-Genocide Coalition guest speaker John Dau, a human rights activist and member of the Sudanese disapora community, one of the "Lost Boys" featured in award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us, will speak November 10th, 7pm Textor 102
-IC Teatro student production of the 2003 Pullitzer winning play Nilo Cruz’ play "Anna in the Tropics" about Cuban-Americans working in a Florida cigar factory in the late 1920s. Friday December 9 & Saturday December 10, Park Auditorium
-Race, Poverty, and the Achievement Gap: A Panel on Educational Inequity in America Teach for America Panel Discussion Thursday, February 2, 2012 7-8:30pm Clark Lounge, Campus Center
-Politics Dept. sponsored talk by Padre Alejandro Solalinde, a Mexican priest who began his mission with migrants, Monday February, 13 7pm, Taughannock Falls room
-Talking Circles on Race and Racism presented by the DAC with facilitators from the Multicultural Resource Center for students who have submitted the application to participate- beginning Wed Feb 1, 7-9pm, and continuting for 5 consecutive weeks every Wednesday evening.
-Amani Gospel Singers 35th Anniversary Festival of Black Gospel February 24th – 26th, 2012 (Emerson Suites, State Theatre of Ithaca, Cornell University)
-Fifth Annual Gospel Invitational Music Festival organized by Dr. Baruch Whitehead at Ithaca College Saturday March 31 8:15pm Ford Hall School of Music
Disability Awareness Month workshops presented by Patrick Walsh through the Student Leadership Institute
Interrogating Ableism, Exploring Universal Design- Tuesday October 18- Over Lunch Hour (12:05-1:10)- Taughannock Falls room
The goal of this presentation is for participants to understand and recognize Universal Design. Universal Design is not about evolution, the dinosaurs or the big bang theory. Universal Design is the intentional creation of products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible. Participants who experience this session will understand how we live in a world of accommodations and inequality rather than a just environment.
Being a Disability Ally- Tuesday October 25- Over Lunch Hour (12:05-1:10)- Williams 211
The goal of this session is to understand the definition of disability and its relationship in American Culture. Why do we say the "R" word so much? How do we define normal as it relates to ableism? Through personal stories, research and media we will reveal disability in America. Participants will walk away knowing how to be advocates for everyone regardless if a person considers themselves disabled or temporarily abled.
