Quest 2006: Lunchtime Roundtable Discussions Summary

In response to the statement "Our table would like to share the following with all Quest participants," the following was compiled. Please note that not all tables completed this activity, and that participating tables might have different ways of sharing this "snapshot" of their conversation.

Table 1: Accessibility in the Classroom & Workplace
The term accessibility needs to be more broadly understood to include all differences and individual abilities, for example fine motor skills, hearing, sight, etc.

Table 2: Accessibility in the Classroom & Workplace

• Focus on including all students in the classroom.
• Look at strengths, not weaknesses.
• Be open-minded.

Table 3: Activism & Human Trafficking
Human trafficking can take place anywhere in the world. It can happen in a variety of ways, such as drug trafficking, sexual activity, organ donation, and money incentives. The brochure "How Can You Tell" gives information on the victims and how human trafficking happens. It is important to become informed on signs to look for, not only while traveling but even in your hometown. The spreading of HIV/AIDS is a concern as well. Force, fraud, and coercion are ways to compel women, men, and children to engage in trafficking activities.

Table 4: Beyond Regional Stereotypes

• Prejudice is "normal" in that it is natural to fear difference. Prejudice can both help and hurt.
• Educating our youth is the key.
• Prejudice will always exist on some level, but we can provide the tools for education.

Table 6: Clothing and Culture

• Different levels of dress do exist
• It’s all about presentation
• People should not expose themselves. Certain things should remain private.
• Dress code should be based on how/if dress interferes with job performance.
• Length of hair should not matter.

Themed lunchtime discussions allowed conference participants the opportunity to explore an area of interest, as well as network with people who share their concerns.

Table 7: Ending Genocide

• Increasing civic engagement is a way to end genocide.
• The Peace Corps and Mary Knoll offer service worldwide as well as educational awareness.
• "Road to Rwanda" is recommended for further education.
• Education about global issues is necessary in our global society.

Table 8: English as a Second Language

• We request a Quest session next year for ESL-challenges, issues, experiences.
• We should help students from Dayton understand people of diversity, ESL and people from different cultures. Education must start before college.
• American students do not respect students from other cultures and countries even though we live in an international world.
• International students are learning English because of NEED.
• Students need to respect non-native faculty members and work to understand them.
• More training needs to be in place. Ideas include classes on cultural diversity, diversity training within departments, and training on how to counsel non-native speakers. Particularly, diversity workshops for faculty should address grading, writing intensive courses, and speaking classes for ESL students.

Table 9: Environmental Racism
More people need to become interested in this topic because it is alive and thriving. Because people are not willing to discuss the issue (I am alone at this table), it can never be addressed properly or eradicated. Environmental racism can be seen by exploring cities like Dayton, where the majority of Blacks live on one side of town and the majority of Whites live on the other. Without conversations pertaining to this topic, it will continue be an issue for society and its members.

Table 10: Exploring Transgender Issues

• Need to do this more often!
• Discussion was great.
• We struggled with why being transgendered is part of GLB issues when it is not GLB.
• We need to be more aware of the needs of transgendered individuals.

Table 11: First Generation College Students

• WSU continues to serve one of the largest groups of first generation students in Ohio.
• Many of these students are studying majors that are career-directed such as business, nursing, or education.
• First generation students may be under more pressure to succeed than other students.

Table 12: Immigration Reform
First, we are all immigrants! There is a fear/insecurity about personal employment and this is coupled with a lack of accurate information about the real facts/statistics related to the immigration issue. For example, the U.S. has a 4.9% employment rate while European nations have a 9 - 12% rate. Immigration is not taking jobs.

Table 13: Intergenerational Work and Study
There is a difference among generations and how they value service. We need to look at it to understand it better. The difference in the generations is to find a balance with job, family, and free time. If we want more civic engagement, find a way to involve family during work hours.

The theme of this year's day-long Quest conference, designed to encourage understanding of and commitment to diversity issues, was "Higher Education and Civic Engagement: Formulating Strategies to Improve Access and Enhance Diversity."

Table 15: Intersections of Race, Gender, and Class
" Each of us is a multicultural being with multiple interlocking variables that offset who we are and how others see us, and we need to get to know the individual!" --Charlotte Harris, WSU

Table 16: Invisible Disabilities
Our table discussed the following topics:

• You never know the impact of invisible disabilities on a person.
• How stereotypes or assumptions affect interactions.
• Don’t make assumptions; be more open-minded.
• How false assumptions can affect employment availability.
• To get informed and advocate for people with disabilities.
• To disseminate information or awareness about disability.

Table 19: Learning Communities Tackle Diversity
It’s important to strive to achieve diversity in the faculty of learning communities because it reflects the diversity of the learning community students. Having so striven, it is contingent upon the learning community faculty to lead students in valuing the gifts of every individual in the learning community.

Table 21: Pop Culture T.V. & Language

• How we perceive roles (e.g. parental, gender, family relationships) in society has changed.
• There are a lot more channels/sources of media and information.
• Advertising has changed dramatically.

Table 22: Regional Unity = Better Communities

• Do not always believe what you see on the news.
• Take the opportunity to experience the realities and separate fact from fiction for yourself.
• We need to look at more regional, new ways to fund K-12 education to provide parity and higher quality education for all the region’s citizens.

Table 23: Religious Pluralism

• We all need to learn about other religions.
• We all need to be more open-minded about different religions and beliefs.

Table 25: Service Learning

• Must be direct and open communication/understanding between university and partner organization.
• Service learning participation can provide cultural experiences.
• The university must provide training and education to all instructors, etc. who engage in service learning.
• The university should consider creating an Office of Service Learning to coordinate efforts and provide leadership and resources in this area.

Table 26: Students with Children

• Students with children bring much to Wright State University through their commitment to learning and their desire to provide their children with an educational foundation. Additionally, WSU is a great environment to raise children who are well-rounded and who are also Wright State University’s future.
• There needs to be more attention to planning events/activities which are inclusive of students who have children.
• WSU needs to increase scholarships for students with children, acknowledging that there is a significant population of students who are parents.

Table 28: Tactics for Addressing Bias

• We need to lead by example.
• We need to address issues of oppression when they are encountered.
• It is important to have an oppression reduction training session and then enforce those teachings in every workplace.
• As a university we take great pride in our diverse campus and the minorities that attend, but we need to address their unique needs more than we are.

Table 29: Tactics for Addressing Bias

• Provide immersion opportunities.
• Confrontation isn’t easy.
• Education is about change.

Table 30: Violence in Our Communities

• Everyone should be at our table, because violence affects everyone in our communities.
• Some children are angry and they need support to express and overcome this anger. They need help to find and practice alternatives to violence.
• Drugs have created a subculture of violence in our communities.
• We need to focus on community solutions to violence.

Table 31: Women's Health
The effects of poverty on women’s health transcend the immediate family and affect the whole community. Poverty severely restricts access, education, and opportunities for health care in a population.

Table 32: Working for Inclusion
To truly include persons with disabilities in residential communities, neighbors need to be accepting of them in all ways. We talked specifically about persons with MRDD living in the community.