Unity StarNewsletter Summer 2015

Distribution: All Without OPS and F

Applications are now online, if you or someone you know has shown exemplary service and commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion here at UCF. Please consider nominating them before August 14. Award categories include Community Partner Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award, Faculty/Staff Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award, and Student Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award. Complete eligibility requirements are on our website. Winners will be announced during the Diversity Breakfast on October 12.

Although it may not seem like it, October is right around the corner, and the summer for ODI means Diversity Week planning is underway. This year, Diversity Week will take place from October 12-16, with the Diversity Breakfast happening on Monday, October 12 at 8 AM. As our signature event, we always invite our UCF family to participate in, create, host, or present an event that will reflect the year’s theme. This year, it is: RESPECT UCF: Engaging, Exploring and Advancing an Inclusive Culture. You also may offer any other activity that you believe encompasses the ideals behind diversity and inclusion here at UCF and/or in the Central Florida community at large. More information about how you can be a part of Diversity Week, and how to submit a program request will be available on our website mid-summer.

Diversity Week 2015Mark Your Calendars!

Diversity Week Student Poster ContestLast year, we held the Diversity

Week Student Poster Contest. We had so many great submissions from our talented and creative Knights that we brought it back. This year’s theme is RESPECT UCF: Engaging, Exploring and Advancing an Inclusive Culture, and we’d like to encourage our artistic students to submit a poster design which could serve as

WWW.DIVERSITY.UCF.EDU Gets a Facelift

Diversity and Inclusion Impact Awards

On March 28, we joined this year’s AIDS Walk Orlando, as part of Team RESPECT UCF. As a group, we raised over $800 in support of the work the Hope & Help Center does in its mission to end HIV/AIDS in Central Florida. On May 2, Team RESPECT UCF joined the Best Buddies Friendship Walk, to support leadership development and integrated job opportunities for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Take note of RESPECT UCF as you’ll be seeing this message a lot this year. We’ll be bringing you more walks you can join and more event presentations.

Walk On!

We are excited to announce that this summer there will be a new look to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s website. We’ll still bring you the information you need about the diversity and inclusion climate here at UCF, training, events, and our wonderful mentoring programs, but on a more dynamic platform, with a modern look. Keep checking our website for updates on this, and many new projects coming to you from your Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

the representative image for the 2015 Diversity Week. Students are asked to visit our website, www.diversity.ucf.

edu, for complete rules and entry form. Please send your poster design to us by 12 Noon on June 30, 2015. The top 15 selections will be

announced on July 13. This is a great opportunity for student designers to gain exposure not only within the UCF campus, but within the Central Florida community. Happy designing, and good luck!

Two submissions from 2014’s Diversity Student Poster Contest

Team RESPECT UCF at AIDS Walk Orlando in Lake Eola. Photo courtesy of Hank Lewis.

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ODI Spotlight

April 13 saw the closing ceremony of another successful year with the members of the 2014-2015 Leadership Enhancement Program. The outstanding women and men of this year’s class worked together to produce a great Leadership Institute on March 27, where close to 200 guests attended a variety of breakout sessions on Inspiring Leadership through Diversity: A Mosaic of Opportunities. From the exhilarating keynote speaker, Dr. Pamela McCauley’s presentation on “The Incredible Power of Resilience,” to Mr. Jacques Werleigh’s reflections on “Dreaming Big,” this year’s LEP members brought together a group of individuals which reflected the “mosaic” that makes up UCF. To the 2014-2015 LEP Scholars, we wish you much success in your UCF careers.

Exactly three days prior, we were congratulating the senior scholars of the LEGACY Leadership and Mentoring Program on their commitment to reaching their graduation goals. As a team, this group of scholars worked to inspire an even younger group of future leaders. Their participation

Cheers and Standing OvationsCongratulations to our LEP and LEGACY 2014-2015 Scholars

in this year’s LEGACY Connect program aimed at motivating the junior and senior students at Evans High School to continue their educations beyond the high school corridors was exemplary. For their dedication to LEGACY, and the scholars they collaborated with during their time in LEGACY, we thank you and wish you only the best in your future endeavors.

2014-2015 LEP Members: Front Row: Mr. Rupert A. Neish II , Ms. SueAnn Mann, Ms. Traci A.

Milbuta, Dr. Baiyun Chen, Ms. Jennifer A. Elliott, Ms. Vanessa B. Cogswell, Ms. Kallie A. Reyes, Mr. Rhodney L. Browdy Back Row: Ms. Lisa A. Cruz, Ms. Jenna R. Nobili, Ms. Brittany L. Blount, Dr. Vanessa A. Lopez-Littleton

2014-2015 LEGACY Graduating Scholars

Seated: Mareysha Romero, Gelissa Bultron, Rechelle

Lambert, Christal Peterson, Sylvia Revangile, Andrea

Young, Louise Bass, Erin Pearson

MentorsStanding: Mr. A.J. Range, Ms. Holly McDonald, Ms.

Kathy-Ann Daniels Gittens, Mr. Franklin Soares,

Dr. Lisa Barkley

Applications for the LEP Program will be available online in January of 2016.LEGACY Applications will be available online during the summer semester for fall enrollment.

ABCs OF DIVERSITY (DIV008)Tuesday, June 2, 1:30 - 4:30 PM Location: Research Pavilion, Suite 169 Facilitator: Barbara Thompson

DIVERSITY CERTIFICATE SERIES (Attend all four modules to receive completion certificate):MODULES 1 & 2 (DIV210)

Monday, June 15, 1:00 - 5:00 PMMODULES 3 & 4 (DIV211)

Tuesday, June 16, 1:00 - 5:00 PM Location: Research Pavilion, Suite 169Facilitator: Barbara Thompson

INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION (DIV053)Friday, July 24, 1:30 - 4:30 PMLocation: Research Pavilion, Suite 169Facilitator: Barbara Thompson

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR UCF’S CULTURAL COMPETENCIES (DIV150) ONLINE

Visit: www.diversity.ucf.edu/online_workshops.asp,and follow the instructions. You must complete all three sections with a score of 75% or higher to receive credit.

SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS MINORITY AWARENESS (DIV224)• Wednesday, May 27, 2:30 - 4:30 PM• Friday, June 26, 2:30 - 4:30 PMLocation: Research Pavilion, Suite 169Facilitator: Tee Rogers

UNDERSTANDING POWER AND PRIVILEGE (DIV016)

Friday, July 31, 1:30 - 4:30 PMLocation: Research Pavilion, Suite 169Facilitator: Barbara Thompson

Summer 2015 Workshop and Training ScheduleTO REGISTER:

• Faculty and Staff ONLY, register online via your My UCF account at https://my.ucf.edu.• Students or OPS, please e-mail your name, phone number, and PID/employee I.D. number to

diverse@ucf.edu. • For the Safe Zone LGBTQ+ 101 workshops, use http://safezone.sdes.ucf.edu/training.

For detailed descriptions of the diversity workshops offered, visit www.diversity.ucf.edu. Other opportunities for diversity workshops may be scheduled by calling the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at (407) 823-6479, or by e-mailing diverse@ucf.edu. All workshops are FREE unless otherwise noted. Please note that LOCATIONS VARY.

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ODI ServicesThe Office of Diversity and Inclusion is available for individual, group, or classroom meetings in the form of Consultations, Presentations, and Training. For more information visit www.diversity.ucf.edu.

The Diversity Activity Grants program is designed to help fund activities and/or speakers that will enhance the UCF goal “to become more inclusive and diverse.” Grants of up to $250* may be awarded.

This program is limited to UCF registered student organizations and faculty and staff organizations. Please note: We only are accepting applications from organizations who have not received this grant within the past two years.

You may download an application from our website, www.diversity.ucf.edu.

*Your request may not be fully funded. DAG funds cannot be used for food or any other items restricted for purchase with E & G funds.

Have You Applied?Diversity Activity Grants - We’re Taking Applications

We started in January with Do All Lives Matter? The first two-person panel on January 29 discussed the Tragedy in Sanford and the community’s response. The follow up event was held on February 23 and welcomed four panelists as they discussed the public’s response to the incidents in Ferguson, Staten Island, Cleveland, and Brooklyn. With more than 230 p a r t i c i p a n t s in attendance for both dates, conversations were lively, informative, and the audience’s participation was welcoming. We would like to thank everyone who attended for their insight and c o n s i d e r a t i o n on these critical subjects.

On February 11 we co-hosted the movie presentation of Endless Abilities alongside UCF Housing and Residence Life and the Recreation and Wellness Center. This was followed by the presentation of Cinemability on March 27 co-sponsored by our colleagues at

CAH, SVAD, and Student Disability Services (now Student Accessibility

Services). Not only was this a free movie presentation, but the writer/producer/director, Jenni Gold, was in attendance and held an open Q&A

session with those present.

Also in March, we kicked off the

first in what will now be known as the RESPECT UCF Series, with Ms. Maria Beckman, Director, UCF Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, and her presentation of Title IX’s Requirements for Addressing Sexual Harassment in University Environments.

Diversity Includes All of Us - - All the Time

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12424 Research Parkway, Suite 169, Orlando, FL 32826Ph: (407) 823-6479 F: (407) 823-6480 E: diverse@ucf.edu W: www.diversity.ucf.edu

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @UCFODI

Do All Lives Matter? February 23rd Panel. Left to right: Robert B. Fisher, Esq., Chief Richard Beary, Dr. Kareem Jordan, and Commissioner Regina Hill. Photo credit: Abi Bell/UCF

Spring Activity at ODIHosting and co-hosting with much success

Definitions Document and Committee Formation

Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competency are all aspects of the inclusive culture we strive for here at UCF. “Recognizing that each of us is an intersection of many aspects of diversity emphasizes the complexity of our experiences and the need to develop a culture that appreciates difference and sees diversity as a strength in our role as educational leaders.” This is an excerpt from the Definitions Document currently available in English and Spanish on our website. In the words of our CDO, Karen Morrison, we’re setting up the platform “to lead the university’s efforts to improve communication about our collective diversity and inclusion efforts and to facilitate greater collaboration.” We hope you’re ready to join us.

We recently started two new committees designed to improve cross-campus coordination: the UCF Diversity and Inclusion Working Group (DIWG) and the Hispanic Serving Institution Exploratory Committee (HSIEC).

The Mission of the DIWG is to support the University of Central Florida’s (UCF’s) goal of becoming more inclusive and diverse, by seeking to:

• improve cross-campus communication and collaboration;

• exchange supportive data and strategies for improving culture and recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students;

• discuss policy and procedure for campus diversity and inclusion efforts, training and events;

• cross-promote programs and events; and

• anticipate issues and opportunities to improve diversity and inclusion at UCF.

There currently are 26 participants in the DIWG, and we invite you to learn more about it.

Diversity and Inclusion Staff Karen Morrison, J.D.

Chief Diversity Officer

Barbara Thompson Assistant Director

Katie Pomp Administrative Assistant,

Diversity Breakfast Coordinator

Carmen I. Afonso Executive Secretary

Dayanara HudsonProgram Assistant

Stefanie CampbellLEGACY Coordinator

Judith GeneusOffice Assistant

Morgan Forestier Student Assistant

Adrieanna WilcherStudent Assistant