OMSA Advisory Board Update by Karim Rupani

On November 6^th, the Advisory Board held its third meeting of the year and was finally able to meet its Student Government Representative, Benjamin Hammer. Benjamin’s role as liaison is essentially to listen to concerns OMSA raises and then bring them up in student government meetings so that they can be addressed openly. In addition to meeting Benjamin, the Advisory Board also undertook the task of beginning to unpack a few of the goals that it has set for itself (in terms of the most pressing issues and concerns that need to be addressed). To this end, the Advisory Board made significant headway in assessing the situation of numerous groups on campus, differentiated by both race and gender.

OMSA Advisory Board Update by Alexandra Halladay

For our second Advisory Board Meeting on October 23rd, 2012, we began by discussing briefly a new Campus of Student Life initiative that is taking shape this year; the Campus Dialogue Fund is a new committee on campus that will distribute funds and approve proposals for speakers on campus. The Campus Dialogue Fund is a new program that provides annual funding of $15,000 to bring speakers that address issues relevant to campus, including: education, access, disparity, racial bias, class privilege, justice, equality, healthcare, housing, income inequality, religious diversity, non-partisan political topics, immigration, LGBTQ equality, and more! You can find a more in depth description of the roles of committee members and the application below, the application is due November 16th, 2012 so be sure to hurry!

(http://csl.uchicago.edu/diversity-inclusion/initiatives/campus-dialogue-fund)

OMSA Advisory Board Update by Alexandra Halladay

Welcome to the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Advisory Board for the 2012-2013 school year. With 17 members, some returning and some new, undergrad and grad students alike, we’re excited to kick the off our year. Our first meeting was on Tuesday October 9th where we became more familiar with each other by sharing what we love about our school, what we dislike, what we do to destress and three parts of our identity.

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights!

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago’s multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA and the university administration is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure that broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!

Meeting Date: November 15, 2011

Special Guests:

• Kim Goff-Crews, the Vice President for Campus and Student Life/ Dean of Students
• Yusef Al-Jarani, Student Government Liasion

Highlights:

• The OMSA Advisory Board is making changes with its strategy in approaching student concerns. Be on the look out for any upcoming events or presentations in your RSO meetings!
• University of Chicago has contracts with CTA that allows the 170, 171, and 172 to run with no cost for students. As such, this is why the University does not have the CTA UPass of some form. This was actually determined several years ago based on students preference from surveys. If you have questions concerning transportation or the CTA UPassfeel free to contact the new Director of Transportation & Parking, Theresa Brown

Overview:

• The Board expressed concerns over the recent controversy of freedom of expression. They asked: How do you strike the balance between the freedom of expression for students with the institution?
• Goff-Crews stated: Students are always trying to bring in different aspects of the events from very controversial to popular among the community and they are encourage to do so. The administration enjoys and appreciates students expressing their beliefs and passions, all the while ensuring that students are safe and secure.
• She asks groups to be very prepared in order to run successful protest or demonstrations and that is what the university strives for. Overall, Goff-Crews and the university staff supports protests and student’s willingness to speak at events, but asks that student groups prepare for all outcomes that could arise
• Students should also be aware the University’s policy for demonstrations and protests
• The Board has previously expressed concern over what the message of where to travel in Hyde Park was being distributed. They asked Goff-Crews how the message of “don’t go to these places” could be given to not limit students to travel around the community.
• Goff-Crews responded that the University’s position is that one can travel wherever they please so long as they do so safely. There is no reason why students should be limited to where they travel, but they do have to be mindful of their own safety.
• There is the Safety Awareness Program and the Common Sense Manual that students can use to become more aware of the community and how to travel. The university strives to make sure that students are aware of their communities and activities that may be taking place but not to scare students and prevent them from traveling to certain places.
• The Board expressed concerns over how Goff-Crews attends to the concerns of undergraduate and graduate students. How does her department balance between both and how do they attempt to integrate the different graduate schools between each other?
• Goff-Crews has departments that are dedicated to targeting both undergraduate and graduate students equally. She tries to address the specific and unique needs of different students by attending to their needs and requests. An example is there is a bigger issue for undergraduates in terms of housing specifically, where undergraduates will live if the incoming class keeps getting bigger. Many of the issues will not have short-term results, but are being looked at for the long-term solution.
• Goff-Crews has met with students from each of the various departments in the graduate divisions to better understand and address graduate needs. The primary needs are academic and career support and social support. Campaigns are being held to raise funds for more social support and activities.

Weekly Schedule: October 11 -13

Tuesday, October 11

Grad Social Food Truck Picnic
Presented by Office of the Reynolds Club & Student Activities (ORCSA))
4:00 – 6:00 PM
First floor lounge at Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street

Fall Kick-Off Grad Social
Presented by Office of the Reynolds Club & Student Activities (ORCSA))
4:00 – 7:00 PM
Cloister Club of Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street

Grad 101
Presented by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
6:30 – 8:00 PM
5710 South Woodlawn Avenue

Wednesday, October 12

Library Sale of Withdrawn Materials
Presented by: Joseph Regenstein Library
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Joseph Regenstein Library, 1100 East 57th Street

Wellness Fair
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Main Quad

Free, Walk-In Flu Immunization Clinic
Presented by: Primary Care Service
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Main Quad

Graduate and Professional Student of Color Welcome (Back) Mixer
Presented by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
6:00 – 8:00 PM
5710 South Woodlawn Avenue

Thursday, October 13

LGBTQA College Student Social
Presented by: Office of LGBTQ Student Life
6:00 – 8:00 PM
5710 South Woodlawn Avenue

Great Chicago Book Sale
Presented by: International House
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Assembly Hall, International House, 1414 E. 59^th Street
All books just $5.  University ID required from 8 Am – 1 PM.  Open to all after 1 PM. 

Human Rights Intern Report Back Panels: Working with Vulnerable Populations; Human Rights are Universal
Presented by the Human Rights Program
7:00 PM
Harper 130, 1116 E. 59th Street

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago’s multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA and the university administration is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure that broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!

Meeting Date: November 1, 2011

Special Guests:

• Office of the Provost: Dr. William McDade, Deputy Provost for Research and Minority Issues; Dr. Chinonye Nnakwe, Director of Graduate Diversity Recruitment; and Nicole Woods Diversity Educator
• The University of Chicago Police Department: Marlon Lynch, Associate Vice-President for Safety and Security and Chief of Police; and Kevin Booker Commander of Community and Support Services Division

Highlights:

v You can have a say on the type of food served. If there is a specific dish or type of food that you would like to see served, then you can contact Richard Mason rmason@uchicago.edu. An overview of the process, is provide a recipe, the cooks prepare the meal, and then it is tasted by you and the group who made the suggestion, and once approved is added to the meal rotation. Also dining is open for suggestions. Simply email dining@uchicago.edu.

v Kim Goff-Crews the Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students, will be at the next meeting if you have any questions that you would like to her to answer please contact an advisory board member or the OMSA staff .

v OMSA is looking to refine its goals for this year to make sure it is effectively meeting the needs of students of color on campus. Continue to talk to Advisory Board members and OMSA staff about how we might better serve you in our mission!

Overview:

· The Board asked about the diversification of Faculty here at the University

§ Dr. McDade and his office are pursuing a targeted approach to recruiting, including identifying potential faculty candidates in specific fields.

§ Data will also be collected in the future through interviews from current faculty of color here, faculty that has left, as well as faculty that decided to attend other institutions to better understand how to recruit and retain excellent professors from different departments.

§ Each department has their own identity and philosophy, and Dr. McDade and office is working with a specific set of departments to increase diversity.

· The Board asked about safety concerns in traveling especially when dark

§ Marlon encouraged using the bus routes which are redesigned every year based on the population of the campus

§ Also the security guards are able to walk with you on the block that they are on.

§ Marlon also shared city safety tips such as not getting off on the L’s last stop. Other tips can be found on common sense. Also while more expensive Marlon did state that the metra may be better for using because the Universtiy invests in safety measures at the metra station.

§ Also other safety measures that the University has invested in is smart cameras which are across the campus and at doors and exits such that if items are left for a period of time, an officer is contacted to go and inspect the area.

§ The Board asked about safety concern

· The board asked about the UCPD being racially sensitive

§ Marlon said that officers should be able to clearly articulate if they ask for your student id. If they do not you should still comply and then file a complaint. To file a complaint you can go to their website safety-security.uchicago.edu, a complaint form is posted on the website or you can go to the UCPD headquarters at 6054 S. Drexel Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 and file a complaint in person.

§ Other resources that a student may use if they feel disrespected or profiled are: calling the dean on call, bias response team, or speak to someone on the OMSA staff . Complaints are taken seriously and an appropriate response will be pursued.

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights!

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA and the university administration is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!


Meeting Date: January 25, 2011

Special Guest(s):

• Eleanor Daugherty, Assistant Vice President for Student Life, Associate Dean of the College Office of the VP, and Dean of Students in the University, Campus and Student Life

Highlights:

• OMSA is looking to refine its goals for this year to make sure it is effectively meeting the needs of students of color on campus. Continue to talk to Advisory Board members and OMSA staff about how we might better serve you in our mission!
• Meredith Daw, Director of CAPS will be in attendance for the February 22nd Advisory Board meeting. As always, continue to check back for updates!
• Ben Yu, SG Liaison to the OMSA Advisory Board suggested that all interested international students should apply to the International Student Advisory Board.

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights!

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA and the university administration is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!

Meeting Date: January 11th, 2011

Special Guest(s):

• Josh Singh, Ph.D - Counselor, Student Counseling and Resource Service

Highlights:

The earlier part of the Advisory Board's meeting was all about stress, how it operates, its effects, and the best ways to manage it. Learning how to control your amounts of stress during the gloomy winter months is an important tool for all students, regardless of color.

According to Josh, anxiety is one of the biggest problems for students on campus. In efforts to relieve both stress and anxiety, the Student Counseling and Resource service offers Let's Talk.

Let's Talk is a program that provides informal and confidential consultations with counselors from the Student Counseling and Resource Service. No appointments or fees are necessary!

Let's Talk Meeting Times

• Wednesdays, 11am-1pm, Rockefeller Chapel - Uncommon Room.
• Tuesdays, 2:30pm-4:30pm, International House - Suite 291 (Office of International Affairs Suite)
• Fridays, 1pm-3pm, 5710 S. Woodlawn (Right here at OMSA!)- LGBTQ Lounge

Visit the Student Counseling and Resource Service's website for more info on stress relieving resources and Let's Talk!

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Hightlights

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!

Meeting Date: November 16, 2010

Special Guests:

• James (Jim) Nondorf - Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
• Rose Martinelli - Assistant Vice President for Enrollment
• Colin Johnson - Sr. Assistant Director, Director of Multicultural Recruitment

This meeting was all about enrollment and admissions at the University of Chicago. Students on the OMSA Advisory Board expressed a wide array of concerns in regards to these topics.

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!

Date: November 2, 2010


Special Guests:

• Robin Graham, Associate Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 
• Bora Un, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Preparation,Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS)

Member Concerns:

• Members still expressed concerns about student demographics for the Class of 2014.
• Representatives from admissions will be at the November 16^th board meeting to give more detailed information.
• Members discussed the accessibility of voting information on campus, and political awareness of campus.

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Hightlights

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog includes meeting highlights!

Date: October 19, 2010

Special Guests: Kim Goff-Crews, Vice President of the Office of Campus and Student Life and Dean of Students.


Overview:

• Kim Goff-Crews gives general introduction and explains University offices under her control. Check here to find out: It’s a lot!
• Board Members presented a wide array of concerns to which Kim offered various initiatives going into consideration. Note that most of these ideas are tentative. These involved:

• Greater retail, grocery, and hotel options in Hyde Park.
• The plausibility of a “student center.”
• Efforts are being made to streamline and make SCC more effective, including a director specifically in control of SCC.
• Board Members expressed possibility of more housing.
• Board Members expressed Bookstore availability concerns.
• Board Members expressed concerns with CAPS.
• Board Members expressed concerns with General/Academic Advising for Minority Students, conversation included discussion of Faculty of Color.

The OMSA Advisory Board is dedicated to making sure that students’ concerns and voices are being heard. Unsatisfied with discussion topics? Let us know what you would like to be added to the conversation!

OMSA Advisory Board Meeting Highlights

The OMSA Advisory Board meets bi-monthly to address the concerns of UChicago's multicultural community. It is an important asset in helping to ensure that OMSA is effectively meeting the needs of the diverse student body. In order to make sure the broader campus community is aware of the concerns the Advisory Board are addressing, the OMSA Blog will now include meeting highlights!

Date: October 5, 2010

Overview:

• Advisory Board Members expressed concerns over career fairs and the resources they provide.
• In response Ana Vázquez will contact OMSA Associate Director Robin Graham, and CAPS.  
• Board members would like to know demographics for class of 2014.
• Information will be available at November 16^th Advisory Board Meeting.  
• Vice President of the Office of Campus and Student Life and Dean of Students, Kim Goff-Crews will be in attendance for next meeting.  
• See more info about Kim Goff-Crews and the Departments under her jurisdiction! 
• Updates were given on Ad-Hoc Committee formed as a result of last year’s Regenstein Incident. 
• Kim Goff-Crews will meet with leadership of University of Chicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights to discuss issues and the university’s response.  
• Updates were given on the new Bias Response Team Website. 
• Learn more about the Office of Campus and Student Life

Keep checking back to stay abreast of the Advisory Board's Activities!

Guest Blogger: The OMSA Advisory Board

The OMSA Advisory Board met with a key administrator this past week! Ken Warren, Professor in the Department of English and Deputy Provost for Research and Minority Issues, came to address matters concerning diversity within the faculty, curriculum, and student body on campus.

With respect to faculty, we discussed, among other things, the rising number of African-American faculty at the University. It appears as though the University is “winning more frequently than it is losing” with regards to attaining and retaining faculty of color. At the same time, the University appears to be struggling to attract certain candidates who are not particularly drawn to the campus environment at UChicago. I cannot say that this comes as a surprise, but it appears as though the administration is working hard to draw in a qualified and diverse pool of potential candidates. Furthermore, the board addressed concerns with respect to the time that professors have available to engage with the study body. Both undergraduate and graduate students expressed that their professors are spread too thin while trying to keep up with their personal research efforts, teach the required amount of courses, and meet departmental obligations. Students expressed that a serious effort to recruit more faculty of color would significantly reduce the work load of current faculty, as well as provide more opportunities for meaning faculty-student engagement in the form of longer office hours; faculty contribution to student-organized events; and more substantive faculty advising for student research efforts. There was also discussion regarding post-doctoral positions, and the possibility of hiring future post-docs as potential tenure-track faculty members. We will update you with developments regarding this matter.

Guest Blogger: The OMSA Advisory Board

For those of you not familiar with the OMSA Advisory Board, we are a group of students that meet every other week with AnaVázquez, Deputy Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, and members of the administration to discuss various issues concerning the student body. We work with the administration to discuss and attempt to resolve a wide array of issues, ranging from cultural studies programs to safety concerns on campus.