Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Action Schedule*

*Schedule Subject to change.

Time Event Location
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Plenary Session Foss Center, Hoversten Chapel
9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions 1 Oren Gateway Center
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions 2 Oren Gateway Center
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation Foss Center, Hoversten Chapel

PLENARY SESSION

8:30 am-9:15 am, Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

Refreshments will be available.

Anticipated Speakers*: Paul Pribbenow, Karen Kaivola, Joanne Reeck, Michael Grewe, and Brandon Williams *Subject to change.


BREAKOUT SESSIONS: OREN GATEWAY CENTER

Because there are more opportunities than time allows for, these workshops and discussions will be repeated throughout the Spring Semester and the next Academic Year. We invite you to attend future sessions of those that you are unable to attend today.

All breakout sessions are designed for the entire Augsburg Community, unless denoted with (F/S) for Faculty/Staff or (S) for Students.

** (Offered in Both Sessions)

Breakout Session 1: 9:30 am-10:45 am

Working Group: What’s Next?
OGC 100

This collaborative and interactive workshop will further flesh out  the ASDG What’s Next? document. A very brief summary of progress to date will kick off the workshop. Then, working in small groups, participants will (a) strategize and develop specific action steps, (b) identify a desired timeline, and (c)  identify those responsible for following up. Student participation in this workshop is key to ensure the vision of What’s Next? is upheld. Organizers: Katie Bishop, Bibiana Koh, Joanne Reeck, Jennifer Simon, Taiwana Shambley, and Jennifer Simon.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Honors Program: Recommendations Moving Forward (S)
OGC 111

PROCESS: Engage in circle work with honors students and others to propose actions for being an anti-racist program. Evaluate the “Give to the Max Day” initiative for diversifying the honors program. Rewrite the mission statement of the honors program. TOPICS: Diversifying the honors program, coursework in the program, inclusion, racial slurs. Organizers: Ani Cassellius, Charles Adams, Jr, and Stacy Freiheit.

Deliberative Dialogue: The Use of Racial Slurs in the Classroom**
OGC 113

In this session participants (ideally a mixed group of faculty, staff, and students) will identify the advantages, disadvantages, and considerations for implementation of four potential policies on the use of racial slurs in a college classroom setting. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding the use of racial slurs in an academic environment and the varied perspectives on it. Moderated by Elaine Eschenbacher and Bob Groven.

Recognizing and Resisting White Supremacy in the Classroom**
OGC 114

Participants will explore how white supremacy and racism manifest themselves within classroom and co-curricular spaces, including but not limited to the ways we process knowledge, engage with conflict, think about power dynamics, deliver content, and design assignments. Attendees will discuss ways of creating classes, programs, and events that resist white supremacy and embrace other forms of cultural knowledge and understandings. Hosted by Michael Grewe.

Faculty Accountability: Faculty Handbook Language, Staff Handbook Language, and Tenure and Review Policies
OGC 200

This workshop and dialogue will explore how best to ingrain anti-racist policies and practices into the institutional fabric at Augsburg, including the Faculty Handbook, Staff Handbook, and tenure and review procedures. Organized by Joe Underhill.

Building Classroom Community Using Circles (F/S)
OGC 201

In this session, participants will engage in Circle Work to experience circle as a means to discuss and engage students in the classroom, to develop relationships, and to discuss tense moments in the classroom. This session will include a brief discussion of the history of the circles and the circle process, and will lead into a circle discussion and processing. This session is largely focused on faculty and staff learning the Circle Process as a method for discussing and relationship building in the classroom. Organized by Lori Hale and Joaquin Muñoz.

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: Theory and Practice (F/S)
OGC 202

Dr. Ladson-Billings researched successful teachers of students of color. This session will historicize and describe Dr. Ladson-Billing’s work on culturally relevant teachers and her ideas about student learning, cultural competency, and sociopolitical consciousness. How might we think differently about freedom and safety on campus and in the classroom? How do we create certain kinds of communities of learners? What does it mean to teach and to learn at Augsburg University in 2019? Presented by Jennifer Diaz, Audrey Lensmire and Rachel Lloyd.

500 Anti-Racist Actions
OGC Atrium**

Visualize what is and what can be with a visit to the interactive anti-racist action idea board.  What do you need? What does the university need? What would you hold up? What is something you can do to be anti-racist? Share your thoughts and help build an inventory of 500 anti-racist actions. Use sticky notes to examine: What is one thing you will do to be anti-racist?, What does our community need to do to be anti-racist?, Where is change needed?

 


There will be a 15 minute break between Session 1 and Session 2.
Refreshments will be available in the Oren Gateway Center Atrium.


 

Breakout Session 2: 11:00 am-12:15 pm

My Sister’s/Brother’s Keeper (Led by ADSG President Brandon Williams)
OGC 100 (S)

Join ADSG’s President Brandon Williams in a discussion about the tension that exists among students at our University. As Augsburg grows, its diversity continues to expand. Our campus is filled with students of diverse religious beliefs, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and political views. Come with an open mind and an honest heart. Be ready (if you are willing) to speak on your truth as a student and how to support others, while being supported by those around you.

Intentional Diversity in Hiring
OGC 111

How diverse are we?  How can we recruit and retain faculty and staff of color? In the session, HR will provide a focused snapshot of factors related to intentional diversity in hiring.  The Dean(s) will also share with us the steps they are taking with HR to live up to our mission of intentional diversity. Erin Sugrue – Moderator; Lisa Stock- Director & Chief HR Officer; Joanne Reeck – Chief Diversity Office; Monica Devers – Dean of Professional Studies; Dave Matz – Interim Dean of Arts & Sciences.

Deliberative Dialogue: The Use of Racial Slurs in the Classroom**
OGC 113

In this session participants (ideally a mixed group of faculty, staff, and students) will identify the advantages, disadvantages, and considerations for implementation of four potential policies on the use of racial slurs in a college classroom setting. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding the use of racial slurs in an academic environment and the varied perspectives on it. Moderated by Elaine Eschenbacher and Bob Groven.

Recognizing and Resisting White Supremacy in the Classroom**
OGC 114

Participants will explore how white supremacy and racism manifest themselves within classroom and co-curricular spaces, including but not limited to the ways we process knowledge, engage with conflict, think about power dynamics, deliver content, and design assignments. Attendees will discuss ways of creating classes, programs, and events that resist white supremacy and embrace other forms of cultural knowledge and understandings. Hosted by Michael Grewe.

Praying with James Baldwin
OGC 200 (Max of 25 Participants)

The writers of this resource say, “We turn to Baldwin as a witness, so that we might hear his words of truth on issues of race and violence. We turn to Baldwin as a prophet, so that we might see his vision of hope for our collective future. We turn to Baldwin as a teacher, so that he might teach us to pray when the words feel so difficult to find. We turn to his books, interviews, and stories to ask how we might pray in this time of #BlackLivesMatter.” Organized by Pastor Sonja Hagander, Fardosa Hassan, and Pastor Babette Chatman.

Circle Work for Anti-Racism
OGC 201 (Max of 25 Participants)

In this session, students, faculty, staff and community members will have the opportunity to participate in Circle to discuss experience, ideas and beliefs around race, racism, and anti-racism. Facilitated by Joaquin Muñoz.

Undoing White Body Supremacy: An Introduction to Upcoming Work for White Faculty and Staff (F/S)
OGC 202

This session is intended for white faculty and staff, and is an introduction to the work of understanding and addressing the harm caused by white bodies’ subconscious stress responses to daily experiences involving race. By learning to track the sensations (not just the thoughts) that accompany these responses and expand our capacity to stay engaged through them, we can learn to replace habits that uphold white supremacy with habits that undo it. In this session, you can expect an intro, a few practical concepts and tools, and information about the next steps of this work at Augsburg. (Based on the work of Resmaa Menakem MSW, LICSW, SEP and Rachel Martin M.S., LMFT) Facilitated by Rachel Svanoe and Allyson Green.

500 Anti-Racist Actions
OGC Atrium**

Visualize what is and what can be with a visit to the interactive anti-racist action idea board.  What do you need? What does the university need? What would you hold up? What is something you can do to be anti-racist? Share your thoughts and help build an inventory of 500 anti-racist actions. Use sticky notes to examine: What is one thing you will do to be anti-racist?, What does our community need to do to be anti-racist?, Where is change needed?