SCOR Weekly Newsletter
Students of Color of Rackham Newsletter
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Let’s Get this Fall Term Started!
Guess what y’all? The SCOR Welcome Back BBQ was a great success (Over 80 people came out!) and we appreciate your enthusiasm as well as the multiple representatives of students of color organizations that gave announcements and introductions during the event. Now that the welcome is behind us and we are all getting back into the groove of the school year, it’s time to get serious. As an organization SCOR plans to have some discussions surrounding social justice and campus climate which need a diverse breadth of voices and experiences. So, when reading this newsletter keep in mind the role that you want to play in these important dialogues as you note the date and time for these events.
Many Thanks for Subscribing!
But if you have not subscribed or you would like to be removed from the SCOR newsletter/listserv please complete this form: http://goo.gl/forms/5nK0xok4kc
Also, if you have not, please take the SCOR Climate Survey Below: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jve1VqVOqiuRiR
And please Follow us on Twitter (@scor_umich) and Like our Facebook page (SCOR- Students of Color of Rackham). XOXO Newsletter Girl
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT:
Sharing Gratitude
Normally after a major event such as the SCOR BBQ, you would receive a cookie-cutter “Thank you for coming, and make sure you come to our next event X”. And while I can’t promise that my note to you this week won’t have some element of this, I wanted to think a little bit deeper about what gratitude means and why it is so important to me.
Showing gratitude to others means acknowledging the fact that someone took out time to help out, make you feel special, or make life a little easier in some way, big or small. It means taking into account that someone set aside some time in his or her day to see you, to listen to you, and to really hear what you have to say.
In a world where social media reigns supreme and spaces such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can be filled with billions of voices talking past one another rather than with one another, I truly value when people take the time to acknowledge my place in this world. Additionally, as a person who has an extremely hard time asking for help, it means everything to me when people come to my aid, even at times when I don’t explicitly ask for it. Being grateful is my way of recognizing the gift of who you are and how your gifts have touched me. Whether it is just calling to check in, or making sure that I remember my purpose in pursuing a higher education, I recognize that it takes time and effort to be a part of my support network.
So, instead of giving a general thanks to all of you who came out to celebrate a successful first week of school with the SCOR BBQ, I want to give a few specific shout outs:
Thanks to my E-Board, who teach me the importance of trust and patience when we do this work.
Thanks to our advisor Mark Kamimura-Jimenez, whose passion for SCOR shines through his mentorship and his presence at our events.
Thanks to everyone who has taken a second to reach out and say “How are you doing?” in the hectic times of planning a BBQ, prepping for school, and adjusting to life at the Telluride House (see announcements for more details).
But most importantly, thanks to you all who came out. You could have spent your Sunday doing many other things, but you enriched our community by your laughter, your fellowship, and by just being you in this space.
Not to mention you also provided some solidly entertaining pictures!
On behalf of the SCOR e-board, THANK YOU for coming to our first event.
And if you missed it, the good news is, there is more to come! Our Welcome Dinner, co-sponsored with Rackham, is another opportunity to come hang out with us and share a meal (and let’s be real, Rackham feeds us ALL well). Remember to RSVP to the link here: https://secure.rackham.umich.edu/Events/wssel.php
Furthermore if you are interested in contributing to our conversations about communities of color at U of M and beyond, RSVP for our Multicultural State of the Union Event. RSVP Here: http://goo.gl/forms/LZUXtlnRV9
One more thing: remember those super fly SCOR t-shirts that we were raffling off? We will be giving 100 of them away to those students who attend the event. But do remember to RSVP HERE first…that way we can be sure to feed you properly.
See…I told you this wouldn’t be completely without a cookie cutter ending .
Until Next Week,
Channing
MESSAGES FROM MICHIGAN
Hi Again SCOR members!
Below please find enclosed a description of the Telluride House, which offers a five year room and board scholarship opportunity. I am currently a house member, so feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Please note that the deadline is approaching quickly and the application is intensive...but just keep thinking about the greatness of the scholarship!- Channing
The Telluride House is accepting applications for the 2015-2016 academic year.
About Telluride:
Telluride House is a merit-based residential scholarship committed to establishing a vibrant community supporting democratic ideals of self-governance, a stimulating intellectual environment, and a commitment to public service. Housemembers (all on room and board scholarship at the House) range from freshman to Ph.D students, and are joined in residence by faculty fellows from several fields. By living with a commitment to our self-governing community, Telluride House strives to foster the moral and intellectual growth of its members. Past winners of theTelluride scholarship include a diverse set of luminaries such as philosopher Francis Fukuyama, postmodern scholar Gayatri Spivak, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, and several Nobel prize winners including Steven Weinberg and Linus Pauling. Others include journalist and philanthropist Esther Dyson and former Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins. For more information please see our website: http://www.telluride-house.com/
Open House Dinner + Information Meeting:
Wednesday September 23rd @ 5:30 PM
Telluride House (1735 Washtenaw Ave: corner of Washtenaw and Cambridge)
RSVP for the dinner + info meeting by September 21st here: http://www.telluride-house.com/student-applications
(scroll to the bottom of the page, fill out your information, and check the 3rd box)
Fall 2015 Application Deadline:
Monday, October 12th @ 4:00 PM
Applications are available at: http://www.telluride-house.com/student-applications. To receive updates about our campus recruiting events, please sign-up here: http://www.telluride-house.com/student-applications. We will email you only 3 times in the semester with pertinent information. Please feel free to contact mbta.apply@tellurideassociation.org with any questions.
Greetings SCOR Members,
On behalf of the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, I would like to give you a bit of information about the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities which is the University's code of conduct for students. The Statement provides a framework for the creation of a supportive and scholarly community. This community-owned document sets forth the University’s values and expectations for learning through resolving conflicts peacefully. The Statement’s purpose is to maintain a campus climate that supports the learning experience here at Michigan for all students.
About every three years, the University community is invited to review the document and propose amendments. We're currently in the middle of an amendment year, with any proposals for changes due by November 2nd. The Office of Student Conflict Resolution's role in this process is to provide information and support to the community as they consider submitting amendments and to ensure that the process runs smoothly.
Our event on North Campus tomorrow is the first one this semester which will give students, faculty and staff an opportunity to provide feedback and input on, and to ask questions about the Statement.
We will have similar events on North, Central and South campuses:
TOMORROW September 17th from 3- 5 p.m. at 1116 Duderstadt and Connector hallway
October 1st from 3-5 p.m. tentatively at Weill Hall
October 7th from 3-5 p.m. at the West Quad Connector Room 1520
For those not able to attend an event, we also have information on our website here and welcome invitations to speak at student group meetings by emailing me directly at sschoem@umich.edu.
I'm hoping that you might be able to share this message with your networks to help us get the word out. I'm also attaching a document we created to help folks begin to think about ways they may get involved in the process.
Thanks very much for your help!
Shana
Below you will find a message from the MLK Symposium Committee, if you have not yet, please send your feedback by the deadline (Thursday, September 17th):
Greetings SCOR Members and e-Board,
Based upon the submissions for keynote suggestions in the spring, here are the speakers that are currently being weighed as options for the MLK symposium:
Please use this link to vote on your top 2 speaker choices. There is also a write-in option for new suggestions.
We encourage you to research these speakers through YouTube, their social media platforms, and their websites for more information. Based on the votes here we will pursue the most popular speaker.
Please forward widely so as many people as possible from across campus can weigh-in. We will bring updates from the poll to the committee meeting on September 17th.
Thank you,
Mary
HEALTH EQUITY SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS: Sherman James, PhD
Please join us at 4:00 pm, Thursday, October 8, 2015 in room M1020, School of Public Health II, Sherman James , PhD, will present “The Black Image in the White Mind: Implications for Achieving Racial Equity in America ”. If you would like the opportunity to meet with Dr. James, please select a time from the SIGN UP SHEET link listed below (reflected in Real Time) No later than Thursday, September 24, 2015. All meetings with Dr. James will be held in SPH Crossroads, 2655. Please include your academic department or research area of interest. ****Meeting Sign-Up Link: Dr. Sherman James Sign up Link
INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER:
Below are the upcoming events and opportunities for SCOR and other organizations that you might be interested in during the coming months.
Upcoming SCOR Events & Opportunities:
SCOR/Rackham Welcome Dinner-September 29th, 5:30-7 PM, Rackham Graduate School
Multi-Cultural State of the Union/SCOR Happy Hour: Friday, October 2, 2015, starting at 5pm
Join SCOR as we address social justice issues both on and off campus, with an open discussion on what we can do to make a difference.
Make sure to RSVP to the event so that we know how many people to expect and how much food to order.
Spoken Word Night: Friday, November 6, 2015
SCOR Members Choice: Friday, December 4, 2015
December is your chance to decide the SCOR programming for the day, so make sure to keep your suggestions and event ideas in mind.
Prospective Events & opportunities in Ann Arbor:
1. 2nd Annual MBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND – October 9-11, 2015 is an opportunity for Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students from all over the country and the graduate student community at the University of Michigan to celebrate during a weekend they will never forget.
Schedule of Events:
Friday, October 9th, 2015
~ House Party (FREE; Location will be sent to ticket buyers)
Saturday, October 10th, 2015
~ BUS Tailgate (Ross Tradition featured in BusinessWeek)
~ Football Game vs. Northwestern @ the Big House or Watch Party
~ Study Break Party (Location will be sent to ticket buyers)
Click HERE for Ticket Information
Other events & opportunities on campus:
Dear Fellow Graduate Students,
The new school year is underway, and local youth are waiting for caring, committed mentors to serve as their friends and role models.
That's where SLATE comes in. SLATE (Service Learning for Transdisciplinary Education) engages graduate students from around the University of Michigan in direct service, mentorship skill-building, and pure fun as students are partnered together to mentor two middle or high school youth from the local community.
Who are the kids?
One to two dozen middle and high school students who attend after-school programming through the Community Action Network (CAN) of Ann Arbor. They tend to be low-income and identify as African American. One goal we have is to recruit mentors that share one or more of these identities from their own childhoods/backgrounds, primarily because children often benefit greatly from having a role model that is close to them in that regard. However, anyone is welcome and encouraged to apply!
Want to write a short piece/letter/essay for the newsletter? Please contact scor-communications@umich.edu to sign up!
AND LET’S GET EVEN MORE RESPONSES FOR THE CLIMATE SURVEY!
Fill out the SCOR climate survey below: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jve1VqVOqiuRiR
This survey is based on your experiences with and expectations of SCOR. Your responses will inform our programmatic and membership goals for the year, including:
· Expanding membership to represent all students of color and their communities within Rackham
· Supporting graduate students of color in both their social/community affiliation needs and their affiliations with political activism/social justice;
· Increasing networking opportunities for students of color within the Michigan community as well as with Michigan alumni
· Facilitating opportunities for community engagement for members of SCOR and their affiliates.
Your feedback is invaluable to our work and efforts to serve you well this school year. Your responses will be kept confidential, so please feel free to speak/write freely throughout the survey. We look forward to your responses HERE!
As Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR) we…
Enhance the campus and community environment to promote academic growth, professional development, and general well-being among students of color.
Build an environment in which all persons can network and acquire opportunities for professional development.
Encourage and enable service and awareness at the University, within local communities, nationally and internationally. Sponsor cultural, educational, social programs and activities, which appeal to graduate students of color.
Sincerely,
2015-2016 SCOR EBoard
Channing Mathews- Doctoral Student CPEP, President
Pete Haviland-Eduah- Master of Public Policy, Vice President
Michael Medina- Doctoral Student CPEP, Treasurer
Asya Harrison- Doctoral Student CPEP, Secretary/Symposium Co-Chair
Courtney McCluney- Doctoral Student P&SC, Rackham Liaison/Alumni Relations Coordinator
Aliza Kazmi – Master of Public Policy, Political Action and Community Service Chair
Demar Lewis IV- Master of Public Policy, Symposium Co-Chair