As is the case every fall, we’re all settling into our respective Penn State grooves. We’re making things and sharing them. We’re getting to know each other in classrooms, committees, meetings, and informal interactions. We’re meeting old and new friends and sharing our commitments to creativity and craft. In short, we’re making community.
The decision made by the Supreme Court that struck down Affirmative Action will have a significant impact on what our community will look like in the years to come, threatening to decrease social and economic diversity on the campus and in the College, skewing admissions to the extremes. For the College, this means fewer voices to express empathy and inclusive communities in the arts. It is difficult to imagine how we can live up to the motto “we are” if we cannot acknowledge our different backgrounds and experiences in our state, nationally, and internationally.
The Committee for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) calls on everyone in the College to reflect on how our different experiences shape new perspectives for emerging landscapes. The ways we see, hear, and occupy our communities are beholden to the experiences we bring to Penn State. Our ability to listen to and learn from diverse voices is central to how we express our craft, including art, design, music, and performance.
This year, the College Committee for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion will host a series of open discussions titled “Breaking Bread and Barriers.” Students, faculty, staff, and administrators alike. Join us to talk about issues that are important to you, share ideas, and develop approaches to make an inclusive and equitable environment that spans the entire College.
Join us for the first of several gatherings hosted by ED&I representatives in the Stuckeman Jury space on October 13, (12:00 –1:30). Our discussion will focus on curriculum.
In the meantime, here are some resources provided by the Office of Access & Equity to understand the SCOTUS ruling and various responses to it.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Marc Miller, Landscape Architecture
Co-Chair, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Gwen Walker,
Co-Chair, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
