Prepared by Dr. Raquel Cortina,
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Diversity Programs

Programs/Lectures

Programs and lectures sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs provide UNO students and faculty with opportunities to learn about recent research in various disciplines, particularly Africana Studies scholarship and creative arts. Several lectures co-sponsored by the New Orleans Public Schools Africana Studies and Culture Unit or presented at SUNO (*) have reached a wider audience through broadcast on public television. Liberal Arts, Education and CUPA faculty were often involved in these events.

The following are samples of programs, activities, and faculty grants awarded:

Africana Studies Program - The Africana Studies Minor in the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Earle Bryant (English Department), Director.

Africana Studies Program - double-bill theater presentation with Chakula ChaJua Productions
UC Center
Ritual Murder by Tom Dent
Has Anybody Here Heard of Langston Hughes? by Chakula ChaJua

Kwame Yao Anku - a film and discussion on race, education and the new millennium
"Black Minds--White Lines: The Mis-education of the Human"
SUNO students and faculty also participated.

Jacob Carruthers, Northeastern Illinois University public lecture
Classical African Philosophy and Morality: Lessons for the 21st Century

Steve Kroll-Smith, Colloquium Organizer, with Gerianne Alexander, Pamela Jenkins, Ruth Seydlitz, Edward Johnson, and Martha Ward
Race, Culture and Intelligence--What the Disciplines Know.

Cynthia Lopez, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University, Environmental Epidemiology
Public lecture: The Experience of Chicana Women in the US-Mexico Border Colonias.

Midlo Memorial Lecture Program and Luncheon Honoring civil rights activists, Robert F. and Mabel Williams: Armed Self-Defense Movements Against the Ku Klux Klan during the Civil Rights Era. Participants: Melinda Bartley, SUNO; Joe Caldwell and Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, UNO; Akinyele Umoja, Georgia State; Timothy Tyson, Univ. of Wisconsin; Charles Payne, Northwestern Univ.; Mabel Williams; Lance Hill, Tulane; Kalamu Ya Salaam and UNO student Kyesha Brown. A photo exhibit was held at the Amistad Research Center.
History Department event.

Dr. Louis F. Miron, UC Irvine, public lecture
An historical Analysis of the Social Construction of Urban Schooling
College of Urban and Public Affairs and the College of Education event.

Ivan Van Sertima, Rutgers University, public lecture, McDonogh 35.
Blacks in Science*
A panel of UNO faculty read Dr. Van Sertima's publication prior to the lecture and responded to his presentation at a workshop for teachers and the community at Livingston Middle School (Joe Caldwell, Ed Lazzerini, Greg Levitt); UNO/SUNO faculty joined Dr. Van Sertima for a breakfast/discussion (Yvelyn Germain-McCarthy, Ida Altman).

Sylvia Wynter, Stanford University
The Third Event: Africa, Laws of Culture and the Invention of the Human, Public lectures, UNO and SUNO

Faculty Grants

Altman, Ida -- $ 700
Latin American & Caribbean Studies / Seminar--The Hispanic Community-New Orleans & Latin America: Ties and Traditions

Cassimere, Ralph -- $ 400
History Department / Monograph reproduction
The First Louisianians, 400 copies for public school distribution

Kieff, J. & Wellhousen, K. -- $518
Depart. of Curriculum & Instruction / Purchase diversity videos
The Early Childhood Training Series

Mann, Susan -- $ 850
Sociology / Lecture/workshop
Mean Streets: Youth and Violence in a Leaner America (canceled)
Race, Class & Gender Issues in Multicultural Curricula (alternate)

Munns, J. & Sturges, R. -- $ 450
English/Women's Studies / Colloquium
Towards 2000: Gender Diversity in the Next Century

Payne, D. & Hartmann, S. -- $ 650
Management Department / Grad. Research Asst.
Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Payne, D. & Hartmann, S. -- $ 650
Management Department / Grad. Research Asst.
International/intercultural modes of ethical consciousness

Screws, Doris P. -- $ 675
Human Performance & Health Promotion Depart. / Research
Minority student achievement and retention

White, E. & Lacho, K. -- $ 860
Management Department / Community Outreach
Diversity/Gender Issues for Female Entrepreneurs

Community Service/Outreach

Academic Affairs has been designated as the central contact office for Community Outreach inquiries. UNO was represented at the Community Outreach events at SUNO and the Total Community Action headquarters. A booklet identifying Community Outreach Programs at the University of New Orleans was developed and is available in Academic Affairs.

UNO has participated in a number of community outreach activities, including:

• Ogden Museum Focus Groups/Steering Committee
• National Parks Commission Lower
• Mississippi Delta Heritage Study Initiative
• Minority Tourism Seminar, SUNO
• Mayor's Town Meeting on International Trade and Development
• UNO Speaker's Bureau

Desegregation Settlement Agreement/Liaison with SUNO

Aspects of the collaborative agreement that the Office of Academic Affairs continues to monitor include: Cross Registration (enrollment) opportunities; the Ernest G. Chachere Graduate Fellowship Program; SUNO-uno Shuttle Bus; Student Housing Agreement; Library Cooperative Borrowing; and UNO-SUNO Faculty Collaboration. Other collaborative activities have been undertaken in Women's Studies and Africana Studies.

Development

Dr. King , former Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity Programs and Dr. Blanton worked with the Development Office on the establishment of the Partnerships 2000 campaign, an initiative to generate greater financial support for the university in the diverse communities of New Orleans. The Office of Academic Affairs and the Campus Diversity Advisory committee three proposals for funding. In addition, the two offices were involved in the development of a state-funded economic development program to increase minority involvement in the hotel and tourism industry ($600,000 to Metropolitan College).

Faculty Recognition and Support

Chancellor's Award. The Campus Diversity Advisory Committee awarded, for the second time, a $1,000 prize to a faculty member for outstanding community involvement in teaching, research and/or service (Joseph Logsdon). This year the selection process included extensive input from recognized community leaders.

Black Faculty Receptions. Receptions for Black faculty at the Chancellor's home have provided an opportunity for dialogue regarding diversity-related campus needs and priorities. The need to recruit African American faculty more effectively has been a strongly-voiced concern.

Graduate Student Programs/Support

In addition to working with the Dean of the Graduate School in the selection of Ernest G. Chachere Fellowship recipients, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Campus Diversity Advisory Committee have sponsored several activities to support African American graduate students.

Chachere Fellows Reception. This annual event brings together alumni, faculty, students and community members, including SUNO faculty, to recognize the achievements of outstanding African American graduate students.

African American Graduate Student Seminar. Demetrius Eudell, Thurgood Marshall Fellow, Dartmouth College and Ph.D., Candidate in History, Stanford University. October 1. The Mind of Emancipation: Towards a Comparative History of Post-Slavery Thought in the Americas

Readers' Theater Performance, Turned On, Turned Off. College of Education. Chachere Fellows, Cirecie Olatunji, Alfred White and Beverly Joseph, were involved in this research and presentation program.

Instructional Resources

The Office of Academic Affairs has videotaped campus events and purchased selected videos for instructional use. Sylvia Wynter's papers and video are available in the UNO Women's Center.

Recorded videotapes:

• The AKA Forum Ebonics
• Race, Class and Intelligence: What the Disciplines Know--Colloquium
• The Midlo Memorial Lecture Program
• Public Lectures by Sylvia Wynter, Jacob Carruthers, Ivan Van Sertima (which were televised throughout the New Orleans Public Schools)

Purchased videotapes:

• Aime Cesaire : A Voice for History (French, History, Africana Studies)
• W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography (English/History)
• Lumumba (History, Africana Studies, Political Science)
• Freedom on My Mind (History, English, Africana Studies)

Morial Alumni Chapter Advisory Group to the Chancellor/Academic Affairs

Meetings with representative of the Morial Alumni Chapter focused attention on ways to improve the campus climate and provided more effective academic support for students. Initiatives have included developing early warning letters for students at risk academically and a "Buddy Program" was developed by former Dean of Student Life, Dr. Janet Caldwell.

Ongoing Activities

The following activities will be continued or implemented in the 2001-2002 academic year:

• Calendar of Religious Holy Days
• Discussion with Deans regarding African American faculty hiring/retention.
• Diversity Newsletter
• Diversity Development Film
• Establish an Africana Studies Advisory Boar
• Equity Advisor raining
• Faculty Community/Professional Service Outreach opportunities
• Marcus Christian Papers Project
• Policy Development for Hiring International Faculty and Scholars
• Publication of the Midlo Memorial Lecture papers
• Round Table Discussion: African American Women's Experiences at UNO
• Scholarships/waivers for minority graduate students and Chachere Scholars
• Service Learning opportunities

• Director of the Women's Center, Janelle L. White.