Awards will be given in each of the five IOWA Challenge areas (EXCEL, STRETCH, ENGAGE, CHOOSE, and SERVE). One winner will be selected from each area. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of students, faculty and staff. The winners will receive a $500 award sponsored by the Office of the Provost. Here is the link to a more detailed description and the application form.

Deadline for nominations is March 23rd, 2012 so start thinking of amazing students to recommend for this honor.

In an effort to demonstrate our agency’s valuing of the diversity of cultures represented by students here at the University of Iowa, we created this “UCS Staff: We Welcome Diversity” video.  All staff members at the University Counseling Service are present in this video to welcome all students to our agency.  We invite you to take a minute-and-a-half to check out our video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Wd0YlDMcA

We know many staff members within the Division have had the opportunity to learn from Kathy at various social justice and diversity conferences.

As a part of her time here on January 10^th, Kathy will deliver a morning keynote presentation, titled:

Creating a Campus Culture Committed to Equity and Inclusion: Our Roles and Responsibilities

Everyone is invited to attend and you may RSVP at this link:
https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d5caEQsFf8nvvfe

We hope you will join us at Kathy’s session!

TransWeek provides excellent opportunities for our academic and cultural communities to be more inclusive of all gender identities. We seek to host programs and events this year that reaches out to other oppressed and under-represented groups AND challenges everyone to grapple with inter-sectional forms of oppression. All events are free and open to the public. Check out the UI LGBTRC web site for a full schedule and descriptions of each event.

Events Schedule for Transweek! 2011:

Sunday, November 6th 6-9 pm
Candlelight Vigil & Coffeehouse-Style Open Mic The UI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center

Monday, November 7th 4-9 pm
Collaborative Art Project & Dance Party
The UI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center

Tuesday, November 8th 8-9:30pm
Connections’ Transgender Panel/Q&A Session Hotel Vetro

Friday, November 11th 6-9pm
Transcending the Wall 2: An Exhibition of Art Exploring Gender Identities The UI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center

Saturday, November 12th 2-5pm
Intersections of Boxes & Bodies: A Dialogue Between Health Care Providers & Trans-Identified Individuals University Capitol Center, Room 2520D

Sunday, November 13th 3-5pm
Film Screening & Discussion: She’s a Boy I Knew Iowa City Public Library, Room A

Everyone is encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Center for Student Leadership & Involvement in advance at 319-335-3059.

TransWeek 2011 was made possible by the generous support from: Chief Diversity Office; Connections; Emma Goldman Clinic; Executive Council of Graduate & Professional Students; GLBTAU; Student Health Services; The Carver College of Medicine Office of Cultural Affairs and Diversity Initiatives; The Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies; The UI LGBT Resource Center; UI Center for Human Rights; University of Iowa Student Government; Women’s Resource & Action Center

As it turns out, I probably have more student encounters in which students are selling me things than any other kind of encounter. I’m a pretty good consumer of our division’s goods and services. When I go to the CRWC before work, a student checks my ID. After my workout, I nearly always buy a smoothie (Hawaiian Breeze, with Splenda and soy, thank you). When I get to my office, I usually get coffee (decaf, unless it’s one of those days) at the River Room, and a student rings me up. I’m back in River Room for lunch often, and I’ve certainly been known to hit the C-store for a snack. So, more student encounters.

I try to bring up academics in each encounter. Now, sometimes it would just be weird to try to bring it up. For example, if the same student just rang me up an hour ago, I might skip the conversation. But often, I have really pleasant micro-conversations.

Yesterday, I asked the student at the register at the C-store how classes were going, and then remembered that a few days ago he told me that he had a presentation coming up, so I asked if he had done it yet. He had just done it, and he was pretty proud of how it had gone.

This morning, the fellow who sold me my smoothie (they were out of pineapple, so I had to get a different smoothie– still prefer the Hawaiian Breeze) responded pretty prolifically to my “How are classes going?” I learned that he is taking mostly GERs and prerequisites and is looking forward to getting into classes in his major. I commented that there was always something to get out of a class, even if it wasn’t something you would have chosen, and he politely agreed. He also mentioned that three of his classes are talking about food in one way or another at the moment, and that he had his first tests coming up next week, but felt like he had been keeping up.

I got a mid-morning snack and asked the clerk if he had any tests coming up. He has some starting next week, too, and also felt OK about them. Both of these students, I’m pretty sure, were first year students. I hope they do perform up to their expectations next week. Unfortunately, first year students tend to over estimate their preparedness.

In these conversations, I sometimes had an opportunity to provide a little bit of advice or encouragement, but that’s not the important part. What’s important was that I conveyed an institutional expectation of excellence in academics.

Will you join me in asking students about academics at every opportunity? If we can surround them with a climate of high expectations, they are going to try to meet them. EXCEL is the first challenge in the Iowa Challenge. Let’s ENGAGE students– every student, in every encounter– to help them meet that challenge.

I don’t usually get many comments on my blog postings. How about this time, you share your stories of the micro-conversations you’ve had with students in the comment section below?

Schedule of Events

*All events will be held at the LGBTRC (125 Grand Avenue Ct.) unless otherwise noted.

Friday, October 28

3-9 p.m.
Check in
Registrants can check in and pick up registration materials at the LGBTRC.

Alternate check-in time: Those attendees who don’t pick up their registration packets on Friday, October 28, can collect their materials beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 29, at the LGBTRC Continental Breakfast.

5-7 p.m. (Rededication Ceremony at 6 p.m.)
Reception and Rededication Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Join current UI faculty, staff, students, and alumni as we celebrate our community on campus and rededicate our home. Enjoy reflections from the LGBT alumni and remarks from current students and University officials.

7 p.m.-midnight
LGBTRC Open House
Tour the LGBTRC and spend time socializing with friends.

9 p.m.
That’s So Gay!: The Play
Levitt Auditorium at the Boyd Law Building
That’s So Gay!: The Play is a one-person performance that explores the coming out process of a first-generation Croatian American. This original work chronicles the personal and public struggles of coming to terms with one’s sexuality. That’s So Gay! is an experience which insists that heteronormativity and its prevalence be examined, especially since coming out undermines and challenges dominant expectations about sex, gender, sexuality, and sexual performance.

Saturday, October 29

8 a.m.-9 p.m.
LGBTRC Open House
The house will be open throughout the day for touring.

8-10 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
Pastries, fruit, juice, and coffee will be served while participants reminisce about their time together at the LGBTRC.

1-3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Roundtable Discussions and Educational Presentations at the four UI Cultural and Resource Centers
Attend programs on topics ranging from the current state of LGBT campus life to scholarly research presentations on LGBT issues.

5:30-9 p.m.
Anniversary Celebration Reception, Dinner, and Program, University Club East II ($25)
(Reception begins at 5:30 p.m.,President Mason’s remarks at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m.)
Join UI President Sally Mason and celebrate the rich traditions and historic contributions of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered communities at the University of Iowa. This event is sponsored by the LGBT Faculty and Staff Association, TransCollaborations, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allied Union (GLBTAU).

10 p.m.-12 a.m.
GLBTAU Drag Ball, University Club East II
Sponsored by the GLBTAU.

Sunday, October 30

11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Anniversary Celebration Luncheon and Program, University Club East II, ($20)
Sponsored by the LGBT Faculty and Staff Association, TransCollaborations, and the GLBTAU.

FALL 2011:

 WINTER BREAK:

SPRING 2012:

Do they know we care? Supporting first-generation college students at Iowa
Presenters:
Dr. Will Liu, Professor, Counseling Psychology, College of Education
Michelle Cohenour, Director of Retention, University College

Join us for a psychological perspective and case studies that illustrate campus resources for first-generation college students and their families.

Wednesday, November 9^th, 3-4:30 pm, South Room, IMU
Refreshments provided.
Click here to RSVP.

Sponsored by The University of Iowa Chief Diversity Office, the Disability Awareness Celebration includes the presentation of the Braverman Award, Above and Beyond Award, and celebrates Disability-related accomplishments.

The Council on Disability Awareness will host a writing contest and reception from 5:15-6:15, immediately following the Disability Celebration. Judges will share a few words about the winners and winners will be able to read their pieces.