Commission Sponsors Multiculturalism Workshop

2-20-97

University Park, Pa. --- The President's Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity (CORED) will sponsor a one-day workshop, "Diversity ... Beyond Awareness and Education" on Monday, March 31, at the Nittany Lion Inn.

This workshop is open to the entire University community and is designed to provide Penn State employees with an opportunity to share their ideas about multiculturalism and experiences with the Commission and with each other.

"In addition, there are sessions planned to provide new employees, particularly people of color, with resources for professional success," said Charles Clark Jr., chair of the Commission. "We also hope to stimulate dialogue among the participants, and to encourage professional and personal networking.

"The Commission has been working on several issues over the past year, but we would like fresh input on strategic directions for the future and hear directly from members of the University community in an informal dialog," Clark said.

The tentative schedule includes sessions on affirmative action in the 21st century, career opportunities and networking, defining multiculturalisim broadly, thriving in a majority environment, and the mentoring process. A representative from Corning Asahi Video Products Co. in State College will provide a viewpoint about diversity from industry.

There is a registration fee of $20, which includes lunch and some resource materials. Registration deadline is March 21.

For questions about the program, please contact Vicki Fong, CORED member and workshop coordinator, at 814-865-9481 or at vyf1@psu.edu; for questions on registration, contact Shannon Hoover at 814-863-9493 or at sqh7@psu.edu. Other organizing committee members are Susan Hayya, Ossie Parker and LaTrelle Jackson.

CORED was appointed in 1989 as a University-wide advisory body to the President in matters relating to cultural diversity throughout all its locations in the Commonwealth, and to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas within the University. For more information, check the home page at http://www.psu.edu:80/staff/diversity/racial.html

Most recently, the CORED issues management teams have submitted recommendations on issues such as general education and an update of the diversity course requirement, the impact of the Commonwealth Campus Redesign on diversity, and strategic planning and diversity. CORED will sponsor a Best Practices in Diversity conference this September, along with the College of Education and the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities and the University of Chicago.

The conference will provide a structured opportunity for academia, organized labor and private industry to meet and share their ideas and practices. For more information, contact the home page at http://www.cde.psu.edu/C&I/BestPracticesinDiversity/

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