UW–Madison Diversity Forum set for Oct. 6

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate will host the annual Diversity Forum from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, at Union South.

The event is free and open to the public; however, to accommodate guests for lunch, participants are asked to register.

“The forum is a great chance for us to not only give an update on diversity issues at the University, but to focus into diversity topics and initiatives of critical importance,” says Damon A. Williams, UW–Madison vice provost for diversity and climate, who will give a campuswide update on diversity efforts during the luncheon.

The forum’s keynote presentation, “Creating the Schools Where Black and Latino Males Can Thrive,” will be presented by New York University education professor Pedro Noguera, followed by reflections from Kaleem Caire, Urban League executive director, on how these issues are affecting local students and the Urban League’s plan to open gender-specific charter schools to address the problems.

Noguera, an urban sociologist whose scholarship and research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions in the urban environment, is the executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education and the co-director of the Institute for the Study of Globalization and Education in Metropolitan Settings. The author of more than 150 published research articles, monographs and research reports on topics such as urban school reform, conditions that promote student achievement, youth violence, the potential impact of school choice and vouchers on urban public schools, and race and ethnic relations in American society, Noguera is a regular commentator on educational issues on CNN, National Public Radio and other national news outlets.

“This year’s forum and the focus on the educational crisis facing male youth of color, the barriers to opportunity for undocumented students and issues involving LGBTQ community and campus climate are of critical importance,” says Williams.

Other topics to be explored during at this year’s Diversity Forum during afternoon breakout sessions include:

• Educational Access for Immigrant and Undocumented Students with John Burkhardt of the University of Michigan;
• Presentation of “Examining Campus Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allied Students at UW–Madison: The Results of a Qualitative Study,” by Ryan Adserias, Amanda Erdmann, Desiree Alva and Erich Pitcher of the Wisconsin Equity and Inclusion Laboratory;
• A discussion on the “Delta Achievement Gap Project: Faculty and the Classroom” with Donald Gillian Daniel, associate director of the Delta Program in Teaching, Research and Learning; and Jennifer Sheridan, executive and research director of the Women In Science and Engineering Leadership Institute (WISELI), will discuss campus efforts to engage the faculty in diversity efforts.

“I think that our community will truly benefit from these discussions and the updates that will happen from the Delta program, WISELI and others who make contributions daily to advancing our institutional diversity strategy in so many important ways.” Williams says.

For a closer look at the operative side of education from the student perspective, several students representing key campus organizations and experiences will speak throughout the forum on their experiences at UW–Madison. The day will close with an afternoon reception.

For questions or more information on the Diversity Forum, call the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate at 608-265-5228.