Dean of Students Unit Cultural Competency

The Dean of Students Unit, including the Office of Student Life, is committed to fostering an environment of cultural sensitivity, awareness, freedom in identity, and engaging community.  The Dean of Students Unit values cultural competency education, training, and community building.   As such, it has been engaging in this important, unit-wide, and on-going work through summer 2020. The information below attempts to summarize this work.

• To develop and enhance communication skills with co-workers, students and across cultures
• To be mindful of cultural competence in all areas of service delivery to students, staff, and community
• To foster individual and departmental awareness in how we interact in a multi-cultural environment
• To examine and discuss the implications of assimilation in higher education and student activity environments

Upon conclusion of this series, DOS Unit staff will be able to

• practice community and trust building within the DOS Unit
• identify and review resources related to privilege, oppression, and identity
• define and recognize multiple privilege and ism’s by the end of the year
• begin to analyze and identify ways in which privilege and ism’s intersect with each other and in work environments
• identify through reflection and summarize how the training is informing work and work environments

October 8, 2013: The Color of Fear & discussion (cultural competency committee)

October 29, 2013: Ability Privilege – Jessie Myles (visiting guest speaker)

November 12, 2013: Allies – Dr. Vero Velez (Woodring)

December 3, 2013: Reflection and Application (cultural competency committee)

January 7, 2014: History of Oppression and Socialization/Privilege and Oppression  – Dr. Kristen French and Dr. Karen Dade (Woodring)

January 28, 2014: Race/Ethnic Privilege - Dr. Gregory Vincent (visiting guest speaker)*

February 11, 2014: Reflection and Application (cultural competency committee)

March 11, 2014: Gender Privilege - Dr. Raine Dozier (Woodring)

April 8, 2014: Heterosexual Privilege Dr. Joanne DeMark (LEADS) and Hui-Ling Chan (University Residences)

April 29, 2014: Nationality Privilege - Dr. Larry Estrada (Fairhaven) and Dr. Maria Timmons-Flores (Woodring)

May 13, 2014: Intersectionality - Dr. Karen Dade (Woodring)

June 3, 2014: Reflection and Application (cultural competency committee)

March 17, 2015: True Colors – Dr. Jeff King (Psychology)

April 28 – 29, 2015: Cultural Humility - Dr. Larry Roper (visiting guest speaker)*

May 26, 2015: Debrief Dr. Roper sessions (cultural competency committee)

September 29, 2015: Multicultural organization – Eric Alexander & Michael Sledge

December 8, 2015: Racism and mental health – Dr. Shari Robinson (Counseling Center)

January 19, 2016: Cultural Competence Portfolio of Opportunities for Professional Development (cultural competency committee)

April 12 – 13, 2016: White fragility & whiteness in daily life – Dr. Robin DiAngelo (visiting guest speaker)*

January 10, 2017: Critical thinking and theoretical frameworks (cultural competency committee)

March 7, 2017: Reflection (cultural competency committee)

April 18 – 19, 2017: Creating Inclusive, Socially Just Campus Environments; Facilitating Difficult Dialogues (Navigating Triggering Events & Responding to Macroaggressions in the Classroom) – Dr. Kathy Obear (visiting guest speaker)*

May 23, 2017: Incorporating cultural competency into staff evaluations and supervisor conversations (cultural competency committee)

November 7, 2017: Blue Group – Emmanuel Camarillo

November 21, 2017: Undocumented students – student guest speaker with facilitator Nick Sanchez

December 5, 2017: Courageous Conversations & White Nationalism – Dr. Joanne DeMark and Michael Sledge

January 9, 2018: Reflection on undocumented students (cultural competency committee)

January 23, 2018: Sexism part one – Leti Romo and Cynthia Sandstrom

February 20 & 21, 2018: Social Justice and Supporting Students – Gyasi Ross (visiting guest speaker)*

March 6, 2018: Debriefing Gyasi Ross sessions

April 17, 2018: Sexism part two – Leti Romo and Cynthia Sandstrom

May 8, 2018: Gender – Leti Romo and Dr. Joanne DeMark

May 22, 2018: Fostering Trans Inclusive Environments – L.K. Langley (Equal Opportunity Office)

* denotes multiple sessions, sometimes over two days

Updated September 2018