Using Civic Reflection to Address Issues of Diversity

Wisconsin Campus CompactNetwork Gathering- Northwest

October 2, 2013 9:00am – 2:00pm UW-Eau Claire

Mary McManus, Assistant Director, Memorial Student Center UW-Stout

Diversity in Service: enhancing student engagement, exploring regional scenarios, listening to “The Drum Major Instinct”

Exploring the breadth of social group memberships, participants will engage in small group exploration of scenarios typical to service activity in rural/semi-urban communities.

The synergy of the small group experience will provide multiple perspectives on intentional structure of pedagogy in preparing students to serve others.

In “The Drum Major Instinct”, “The Drum Major Instinct”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told us “ …everybody can be great, because everybody can serve….” Today, history and research tell us our service will be stronger and have more impact if we take the time to learn about and appreciate the experiences of those around us.

A suggested (student) orientation to volunteering/serving in the local community (DRAFT)

(Please note: This process is under discussion on the campus and has not yet been implemented)

• Welcome

• Your community– (Review key highlights/demographics of the WestCAP 2013 report, pp 9-13 appendices) http://westcap.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2013-West-CAP-Community-Needs-Assessment-Final-Report.pdf – Other Agencies and services – Brief area history – economics, generations, issues and identities (per discussion at WICC mtg: “…sense of place…”)per discussion at WICC mtg: “…sense of place…”)

• Social group memberships• The student

The Faculty????• Community members to be served

• Intersections with your values • A. What makes it easier to speak and act on our values? (Gentile, 2010, appendix)• Enlisting allies…starting with questions rather than assertions….appealing to shared

purpose…playing to one’s own strengths…

• B. Reviewing Organizational context • Policies, values…. Mechanisms for open debate/discussion… systems for raising

questions…

• Service models (from charity to empowerment)

• Case scenarios

• Q&A

SOCIAL GROUP MEMBERSHIP Social Group Memberships indicate who you are and how your identity develops in terms related to gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability, veteran status, socio-economic condition, and how you operate in a sustainable world.

Who are you? Think about where you fit in each of the social groups noted below. For each

group, does your status give you any special power or privilege over others? Are there things you can do, places you can go that others in the group with an identity different from your own may not be able to

access? What is your comfort level with your knowledge about each of these membership areas? In which of these memberships do you experience being in a position of “power” or privilege?

Gender Identity | One’s personal sense of their gender.

Gender Expression | External manifestation of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through masculine, feminine or gender-variant behavior, clothing, haircut, voice or body characteristics.

Sexual Identity - What people call themselves with regard to their sexuality and who they are sexually or erotically attracted to. Labels include “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” “bi,” “queer,” “questioning,” “undecided,” “heterosexual,” “straight,” and “asexual.” Sexual identity also refers to a person’s erotic and affectional response to another with respect to gender: someone may be attracted to others who identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, androgynous, or transgender.

Sexual Orientation The scientifically accurate term for an individual’s enduring physical, (also Orientation) romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual (straight) orientations. Avoid the offensive term “sexual preference,” which is used to suggest that being gay or lesbian is voluntary and therefore “curable.” http://www.glaad.org/reference/lgbt

Ethnicity: (Latino, Hmong, Asian, Pacific Rim/Islander, African American, Native American, Caucasian/of Northern European descent, other_____________) Age: _____ yrs. (child, youth, teen, adult, middle-aged, elder)

Ability: (cognitive- physical- emotional- or other challenges…)

Faith Perspective: (practicing or non-practicing)

Veteran status: (Have you served in the military? Are you part of a military family? Are you familiar with issues faced by persons who serve?)

Socio-Economic condition: (Have you lived or do you live in a poverty situation, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, part of the “1%”?)

Sustainable practices: (Do you understand and practice behaviors that support sustainability efforts & actions we can take toward a more sustainable world culture?)

WHAT ARE MY OWN SOCIAL GROUP MEMBERSHIPS?

Service Models

• From charity to empowerment…(I wish that darned PREZI would copy here!)

• Why serve? • "...to prepare lifelong learners, ethical leaders

and responsible citizens...“ (campus VISION statement)

"Like any experience, college is what you make of it. There are lots of things to do around campus and in Menomonie. We "Like any experience, college is what you make of it. There are lots of things to do around campus and in Menomonie. We encourage you to meet new people and try new things. Get involved; it's fun. You'll learn things about yourself and others, and encourage you to meet new people and try new things. Get involved; it's fun. You'll learn things about yourself and others, and

you'll gain skills that will help you in your career and life...." (University Housing website)you'll gain skills that will help you in your career and life...." (University Housing website)

• Charity Model Charity Model - This model focuses on contributions: non-perishable food items, clothing drives, fundraising events.... The Charity model is important and relatively easy, but allows us to keep a distance from the real issues, and sometimes has a lower direct impact on participants than other social actions.

Justice/Utilitarian Models Justice/Utilitarian Models

• - "Righting the Wrongs" - "Righting the Wrongs" through time spent is typical in this model. March for a cause, "make a difference in the world", protect fundamental rights & equity... this moral/ethical approach blends the "greatest good" community model with rules of law. This model has a moderate impact on the desire to serve others as well as in real impacts on those served. Raising awareness is critically important, but where are the action where are the action steps to resolve the issue?steps to resolve the issue?

Citizenship Model Citizenship Model • Work within the community also combines utilitarian

and moral rights perspectives. Examples might include building a local playground or school and community gardens; campus/community committees; participation/City Clean-up; WinterDaze Parade; civic organization membership (Rotary, Lions Club, Scouts); voting; involvement in Veteran's Day; neighborhood watch. This model demonstrates participant recognition of role in the greater community (responsible citizen-participant-neighbor)... this model is also somewhat aligned with the service tenets of Corporate Social ResponsibilityCorporate Social Responsibility, and has moderate impact on participants.

Empowerment ModelEmpowerment Model“Seeking Common Ground – Moving Social Action”“Seeking Common Ground – Moving Social Action”

(the “tag line” at UW-Stout’s Ally Initiatives for Civil Rights and Civic Responsibility)(the “tag line” at UW-Stout’s Ally Initiatives for Civil Rights and Civic Responsibility)

• This model attaches personal values and ethics to the active service effort. Opportunities that leave lasting impacts include: youth mentoring/tutoring/coaching, literacy/computer literacy volunteers, farm-to-school projects, water quality testing, court observer (domestic violence), family table projects, aid for homebound/elderly (to maintain independence). This is a high-impact model.

SERVICE SCENARIOS: SERVICE SCENARIOS: Each scenario will require students to develop an understanding of the clients and issues at hand. Please review

the scenario and determine who the clients may be as well as determining a focus for the issues at hand.

• EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE: Welcome to Tainter Menomin Lake Improvement Association!• The purposes and goals of the lake association are as follows: To support the protection and improvement

of Lake Menomin and Tainter Lake waters by providing educational information on water quality and environmental issues affecting these bodies of water and their corresponding watersheds. In order to do so the association communicates and cooperates with conservation and environmental organizations whose goal is to do the same. As various projects arise the organization seeks funding from local, state and federal sources to accomplish such projects.

• Projects may include aiding citizen landowners with establishing appropriate lake set backs, assisting with water quality testing at various points in the watershed, and hosting fundraising events in the community that will support education efforts.

Stereotypes and Power dynamics?

Social Group Memberships?

Critical Service Learning: Why are conditions this way?

Intercultural Competence, Empathy and Humility…

What type(s) of service model is this?

Teasing out the concepts…. Teasing out the concepts….

Simple Stereotypes? Power Dynamics? (these ARE examples of simple stereotypes!)•Wealthy property owners don’t care about the greening of the lakes; •County Board and City Council members are in agreement with the Mayor about dredging to remove algae bloom; •University faculty are using/abusing/exaggerating the situation to advance their own research;•State Laws and county regulations play a role…

Social Group Memberships?•Men, women; upper middle class to upper class; middle aged to retired; college educated; urban/rural/suburban…

Critical Service Learning: “Why are conditions this way?”Why are conditions this way?”•Amount of phosphate run-off from agriculture, overt chemical dumping, “modern” chemical lawn care products, history of the development of the lakes (from riverbed to logging holding ponds to???)

• Intercultural Competence, Empathy, and Humility … possible urban/rural/suburban differences; strong environmental stance v. strong libertarian (leave my property alone) stance; seeking shared values

• How might a student gain/use characteristics of empathy and humility in this situation?

RESOURCES AND NOTES:

•Adams, Maurianne., Bell, Lee., Griffin, Pat (2007) Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (2nd ed). Rutledge, New York.

•Gentile, Mary C. (2010) Giving Voice to Values. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.

•King, Martin Luther Jr. http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/documentsentry/doc_the_drum_major_instinct/

•Mitchell, Tania D. “Critical Service-Learning as Social Justice Education: A Case Study of the Citizen Scholars Program” Equity & Excellence in Education, 40: 101–112, 2007 Copyright University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Education ISSN 1066-5684 print /1547-3457 online DOI: 10.1080/10665680701228797

•WestCAP Community Needs Assessment, 2013 http://westcap.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2013-West-CAP-Community-Needs-Assessment-Final-Report.pdf

Contact: Mary McManus, Assistant Director of the Memorial Student Center, UW-Stoutmcmanusm@uwstout.edu 715.232.2503