College Diversity Committee

2011-2012 Final Report

Members of the 2011-2012 College Diversity Committee (CDC) were Ana Puig and Bridget Franks (committee chair) from HDOSE, Erica McCray, Maria Coady, and Brianna Kennedy-Lewis from STL, Elayne Colón and Shelley Warm (FPC liaison) from SESPECS, and Theresa Vernetson and Michael Bowie from Administration.

The CDC met six times: November 29, December 15, January 23, February 21, March 15, and April 20. Its main focus was the continuation of initiatives begun in the previous academic year, such as revising the Student Survey on Diversity, administered during the 2010-2011 academic year, for faculty and staff, implementing a Facts and Figures signage project, and continuing with a film-video series. Special thanks to Erica McCray for preparing the minutes.

At its 2011-2012 meetings, the CDC:

(a) Planned and implemented the showings of two diversity-related films and discussion sessions for the College community. The two films, shown in January and April, were “Ma Vie en Rose” (My Life in Pink) and “American History X.”

(b) Planned and implemented the Facts and Figures project, renamed “Did You Know…” In this project, posters illustrating diversity-related activities of faculty and staff were distributed throughout the college. Each poster opened with a quick and eye-catching statistic, followed by a description of the faculty activity and online sources of more information. Topics included racial differences in school suspensions, differences in ethnic representation between practicing teachers in Florida (29% minority) and students (57% minority), anti-gay slurs experienced by LGBT teenagers, numbers of English language learner students in Florida, the role of school counselors with students at risk of dropping out, and percentages of individuals with disabilities both in the labor force and unemployed.

(c) Reviewed results from the Student Survey on Diversity.

(d) Revised the Student Survey on Diversity for a survey of the social and professional climate regarding diversity for faculty members, to be distributed in the fall of 2012.

(e) Assisted with the production of an article on the history and accomplishments of the Diversity Committee, prepared by Nicole, LaHoz, intern, News and Communications Office.

Respectfully submitted on May 10, 2012 by Bridget Franks, CDC Chair