August 26, 2008   Email     Print   PDF

Attending: Tom Farrar, David Gaylord, Annette Hynes, Peggy Rose, Ami Scheltema, Joan Watring, Sheri White (all WHOI Diversity Committee).

Brochure update
The draft is ready to go to Graphics, once we determine the proper project number.

WHOI-wide event proposal
A group is being formed by members from various committees to hold a WHOI-wide event on Saturday, October 18^th.  The Diversity Committee is supportive of this effort and a couple of members are interested in participating in the organization.  As we understand it, this is a WHOI-wide event that is not sponsored by a particular committee(s), similar to the WHOI Summer Picnic.

Overview of Meeting with Susan Avery
Members of the Diversity Committee meet with Susan Avery on August 12^th.  We reviewed with her the Diversity Status Report and the Diversity Strategic Action Plan.  She was very supportive of our efforts, but also realistic with regards to funding issues.  She encouraged us to look into the development of “programs” that could be funded by NSF programs such as AGEP or through new capital campaigns.

Future Meeting Dates
Upcoming meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations.  The October meeting in the Village will be the Diversity Committee’s annual Open Meeting.  The November and December meetings will be one week earlier than usual so as not to conflict with the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.

      August 26^th             1:30-2:30 pm – Blake Conf. Room (Village)

      September 23^rd       1:30-2:30 pm – Carriage House (Quissett)

      October 28^th          1:30-2:30 pm – Smith Conf. Room (Village)  OPEN MEETING

      November 18^th       1:30-2:30 pm – TBD (Quissett)

      December 16^th       1:30-2:30 pm – TBD (Village)

Election Details
This Fall/Winter will be the first election of the WHOI Diversity Committee.  In order to maintain continuity, seven of the existing members will continue to serve for an additional year and six new members will be elected.  Members will be given their preference to remain on the committee or step down.  Nominations for new members will be collected at the Open Meeting and on a webpage on the Diversity Committee website through November.  Required information for nomination includes: name, department, position, and a short sentence on “Why I would like to serve on the Diversity Committee?” which will be included on the ballot.  Ballots will be formulated in December to ensure distribution of members across the Institution as dictated by the Diversity Committee Membership Policy.  Voting will take place over two weeks in mid-January.  New officers (co-chairs, secretaries, webmaster, etc.) will be determined by the new committee at the February meeting.

Program Development & Funding
As noted by Susan Avery, we need to think about “Diversity Programs” that we can seek funding for through NSF, capital campaigns or other sources.  Another mechanism for reaching our diversity goals is funding through NSF grants for individual PIs or NSF Science and Technology Centers.  STCs are required to have significant components for Education and Diversity.  One thing the Diversity Committee can do is have a page on our website with information on different (existing) outreach programs that PIs can include to fulfill Criterion II as well as improve diversity here at WHOI.

Movie Night
The next Diversity Movie Night will be held on Thursday, October 2^nd, 2008 in Redfield Auditorium.  The movie will be Europa, Europa (1990) which is based on the true story of a Jewish German boy who survived the Holocaust by falling in with Nazi soldiers and becoming a member of the Hitler Youth – living in constant fear that his true identity will be discovered.  This movie focuses on religious diversity which has not yet been addressed by previous Diversity Movie Night showings.