iSchool Diversity Resources
The ISchool actively seeks to promote diversity in its student body and staff. It boasts a truly international faculty and attracts students from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds.
Diversity Events
The Information School sponsors activities that highlight diversity in our community and also in the information field. The following is a sampling of the types of activities offered throughout the year. We encourage your participation and also your ideas on future activities to pursue.
- “iSchool Diversity Event Series”
Each quarter an event is hosted by the Diversity Committee in order to encourage conversation and engagement in diversity-related issues. Quarterly events include guest speakers, movies, and workshops. Here are a few examples of events that have taken place:
- Screening and discussion of “Half of Anything”, a documentary by UW filmmaker Jonathan Tomhave. The film examined the construction of Native American identity through four personal narratives.
- Workshop featuring Dr. Spencer Shaw, master storyteller, on the “Art and Technique of Storytelling and Reading Aloud”. Dr. Shaw discussed how to be more effective at telling stories and reading aloud. He incorporated stories from various cultures and demonstrated various techniques to address a diverse audience.
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Compassionate Listening Project workshop by Leah Green. Ms. Green spoke about the non-profit organization, which teaches skills for peace building and reconciliation in our families, communities, on the job, and in the world:
www.compassionatelistening.org/. Attendees also participated in a listening workshop, focused on values, facts, and feelings.
- iSchool Diversity Town Hall
The iSchool Diversity Town Hall is a quarterly event that provides students, faculty, and staff with an open forum to discuss issues of diversity and the opportunity to positively impact diversity efforts at our school. A well-rececived event, the Town Hall is a time to talk, reflect, debate, share, and grow.
- Tribute to Diversity Potluck
In spring 2005 we hosted the 1st annual Tribute to Diversity Potluck. It was designed as a time for the iSchool community to celebrate our cultures and heritages while sharing our favorite dishes. This annual celebration is a great way to honor our individuality within the iSchool community.
- Support of university-wide diversity efforts
o The Information School is committed to not just fostering diversity in our own community, but also in the university community at large. We have sponsored events such as the Annual OMA Welcome Daze and the UW First Nations Annual Spring Powwow. We have also attended a number of diversity events on campus such as the EOP Celebration of Excellence and the GO-MAP Graduate School Fair. Please send requests for sponsorship to diversitycommittee@ischool.washington.edu.
The iSchool Diversity Committee
The iSchool Diversity Committee is a resource to all faculty, staff, and students. They meet a few times a quarter and plan events for the iSchool community as well as provide support to other University of Washington diversity endeavors. You are encouraged to share your ideas, concerns, and announcements with the Diversity Committee.
DISC
The group DISC (Disabled, International, and Students of Color) provides both a forum for students to air their concerns on diversity issues and to engage in further discussion. The faculty contact for DISC is Dr. Raya Fidel.
Courses
Information processionals have a duty to provide all members of our society with equitable access to information. With this in mind the iSchool offers Special Topics courses that are designed to teach students to meet the needs of diverse populations. Check the course offerings each quarter to see when a Special Topics course arises.