Dear SCU Community:

We hope everyone had a restful and restorative Spring Break as we begin the Spring quarter. 

As our grounds begin to bloom from the wisteria to the roses, the campus is brimming with exciting energy. There is much to look forward to—from graduating seniors beginning their final quarter, to the breadth of different campus programs that will be taking place. April is also an important religious and spiritual time for many in our community, whether it is those who just celebrated Easter, or folks observing Ramadan, Passover, and other faith and non-faith related practices, rituals, and traditions.

Honoring Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

This year, in revamping the Heritage month celebrations, we are also being more intentional in lifting up and celebrating key civil rights leaders in efforts to better educate our community. It is in this light that we honor the life and legacy of two civil rights and labor rights activists – Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Cesar Chavez is typically celebrated on March 31st, and Dolores Huerta on April 10th. However, due to the timing of Spring Break, we are kicking off our efforts this Thursday, April 4th and leading throughout the next few weeks. To learn more about the different activities, please visit the website for the latest updates. A special thanks to our campus partners for making this happen.

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UNIT UPDATES

I. Inclusive Excellence Division

• The Inclusive Excellence Division now has a new location in Nobili Hall, Suite 120. The offices of our division’s Vice President, Assistant Vice President, the Office of the Ombuds and the Office for Diversity and Inclusion are now co-located in the space. A formal open house will be scheduled later in the spring term.
• Inclusive Excellence in partnership with Enrollment Management is pleased to be working on the new Posse initiative. Mo Lotif, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning, is working closely with Becky Konowicz, Dean of Admissions to select the inaugural Posse mentor and welcome the  first cohort of Posse Scholars into the SCU community this fall. We are excited that members of this cohort will be visiting SCU during the Open House Weekend on April 13th.
• We are gearing up for the Annual Day of Giving on April 10, 2024. There are a number of Diversity-related funds that could use your support to help make a difference within our community. To learn more about these funds, please visit here.
• We are pleased to join various campus partners in co-sponsoring the SCU visit by Javier Zamora, the author of Solito on April 24th from 5 - 7pm in the St. Clare Room, Library.
• Save the Date – Spring Quarter Diversity Forum will be held on Monday, April 29th from 5:30pm – 7pm in Benson. More details will be shared via email.

II. LEAD Scholars

• The Undocumented Students and Allies Association successfully hosted Solidarity through Storytelling: A Migration Gala. Over 100 students, faculty and staff joined the event which featured local poet and activist Deyci Carrillo Lopez and campus community members who shared their migration stories. 

• In April, the LEAD Scholars Program is looking forward to hosting a welcome back brunch, Salsa dancing workshop with Folklorico, LEAD Karaoke, and LEAD Senior and Alumni Happy Hour. We will also begin training our new student staff members as they prepare to welcome our incoming students during our LEAD Week Orientation. 
• Our annual Senior Celebration will be held Monday May 13, 2024 5:30pm-7:30pm in Locatelli. This event celebrates all of our graduating LEAD Scholars, and highlights them officially being the first in their family to graduate from college! RSVP here if you would like to attend.
• Recruitment of our incoming 1st year LEAD Scholars is in full swing. Admitted students are receiving our email and postcard invitation to join LEAD. We anticipate an incoming class size of 105 1st year students and 20-30 transfers. As a result of the high number of first-generation college students who were admitted to SCU, we anticipate that we may not be able to accept all new first-gen students this year and, if so, will prioritize those who are from limited-income backgrounds or have other life experiences that may indicate a higher need for support.

III. Multicultural Center (MCC)

• Global Village is set to be hosted on Saturday, April 13th! This year's theme is "Crossroads - Where Culture and Identity Meet." It will be held on Alameda Lawn from 12 pm - 4 pm. Attendees can expect to see performances from various clubs on campus, purchase food from various MCC Clubs, and buy exclusive Global Village merchandise.

IV. Office of Accessible Education (OAE)

• The Office of Accessible Education wants to thank all the students and faculty who helped make Winter finals a great success. The OAE processed and administered almost 400 exams during finals week for our undergraduate and graduate students. 

• The OAE wants to remind everyone that in order to use your accommodations for Spring 2024, you will need to log into your portal and request those accommodations for each class. These do NOT automatically apply. If you have any questions or concerns, please always feel free to reach out to the OAE at OAE@scu.edu, 408-554-4109.

V. Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX

• The Supportive Measures Resource Fair will be held on April 30th from 6-8 PM in the California Mission Room. The purpose of this event is to educate students, staff, and faculty on supportive measures available when people engage with the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office- both directly from our office and with other campus partners. No RSVP is required.

VI. Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)

• A special thank you to the students, faculty and staff that engaged in the Focused Community Conversations that were held in March 2024. We are working on providing a summary of those conversations and an update on future activities.
• Religious Observances: With the conclusion of Lent, we will be approaching different religious observances throughout the month of April. For faculty and students, please note that Ramadan continues through Week #2 (March 10-April 8).  In addition, Passover will take place from April 22 - April 30. Please be mindful of the needs of students and others in the community during this time. 
• The 2nd Annual Native American Symposium on Friday, May 2, 2024 from 9:00am – 4:00pm in the Mayer Theatre. The focus of this year’s Symposium is Reconciliation.

• The 4th Annual SCU PowWow for Saturday, May 4, 2024 on the St. Ignatian Lawn. Marketplace opens at 10am, with activities starting from 11am – 6pm. Don’t miss the Grand Entry at 12 Noon followed by the dance competitions and drumming.
• We are gearing up for the planning of Asian Heritage Month, PRIDE month and activities for Arab American and Jewish American Heritage month. 

VII. Office for Multicultural Learning (OML)

• Student Hiring as an SIE: Student looking for a campus job during the 2024-25 school year? Are you passionate about social justice and community building? Apply to be a Student Inclusion Educator (SIE) with OML/RRC! Applications are due by Sunday, April 14.

• Word on the Street Podcast: Check out the second episode of Word on the Street: An OML/RRC Podcast! In this episode, SIE Suzan Amiri is joined by Dr. Farid Senzai, Professor of Political Science. Together they share their personal experiences as Afghan-Americans in this heartfelt reflection of joy and identity. Find the episode on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
• The F.A.M. and Rainbow Buddies: The OML/RRC formal mentoring programs, The F.A.M. and Rainbow Buddies, are now launching. Complete your registration now to be matched with an SCU alumni, faculty, staff or student with shared identities as a BIPOC or LGBTQ+ community member!
• ClipDart Free Haircuts: OML is partnering with ClipDart, an organization that provides free culturally competent haircuts, on Tuesday, April 9 from 10am - 4pm. Due to limitations on time and stylings, only short hair cuts will be accommodated. Preference will be given to students. Details for haircut reservations and appointments will be shared with campus soon!
  • Tuesday, April 9th from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • OML House, 832 Market Street

VIII. Office of the Ombuds

• The University Ombuds is a confidential, informal, independent and impartial communication resource for the campus community. Ombuds services include no-obligation consultation to unpack issues, identify goals, and explore options; communication coaching to navigate interpersonal episodes; mediation between parties in need of dialogue; and facilitation for groups to explore questions and challenges in-depth.
• If you’d like consult confidentially with the Ombuds, contact the Office of the Ombuds at ombuds@scu.edu; 408-551-3542

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DEI RESOURCES FROM THE LIBRARY

The library is celebrating Arab American Heritage Month with a book display. The display highlights authors and stories from Arab American backgrounds in the Middle Eastern and North African communities. 

*To access the SCU library resources you must login with SCU username and password. 

eBook Recommendations

Sajjilu Arab American: A Reader in SWANA Studies (Critical Arab American Studies)

Description: this multidisciplinary reader addresses issues central to the fields of Arab American, US Muslim, and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) American studies. Taking a broad conception of the Americas, this collection simultaneously registers and critically reflects upon major themes in the field, including diaspora, migration, empire, race and racialization, securitization, and global South solidarity. - Provided by Publisher 

Beyond memory : an anthology of contemporary Arab American creative nonfiction

Description:  This anthology brings together the voices of both new and established Arab American writers in a compilation of creative nonfiction that reveals the stories of the Arab diaspora in styles that range from the traditional to the experimental. Writers from Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, and Syria explore issues related to politics, family, culture, and racism. Coming from different belief systems and cultures and including first- and second-generation immigrants as well as those whose identities encompass more than a single culture, these writers tell stories that speak to the complexity of the Arab American experience. - Provided by Publisher

An anthology of modern Arabic poetry

Description: This bilingual anthology is the first attempt to present a substantial collection of contemporary Arabic poetry in the English language. It acquaints the English-speaking reader with the modern development of one of the world's major poetic traditions, and affords insight into the contemporary cultural situation of the Arab peoples. - Provided by Publisher.

Streaming Media Recommendations: 

Kanopy: A streaming video service containing thousands of videos from leading producers around the world, including PBS, BBC, California Newsreel, A&E, and more. 

The First Movie:  Filmed in a village in the north of Iraq, Goptapa, THE FIRST MOVIE explores and revels in the magic of children’s imaginations against the backdrop of a highly troubled region, where thousands of families have been expelled and been victims of chemical weapons. Life is a struggle for many, with Goptapa's children terrified of war and insecure about the future. Yet their sense of play, creativity and adventure is robust. Acclaimed filmmaker Mark Cousins captures this robustness through a groundbreaking experiment, loaning the children video cameras and encouraging them to make their own first movies. In a vivid, unfolding and engaging way, the film shows how their personalities emerge, how they respond to movies, and how inventiveness in children works. 

Music & Performing Arts: A comprehensive online resource that cross-searches and gives access to nearly 8 million music tracks in the following streaming music databases: American Song, Classical Music Library, Contemporary World Music, Jazz Music Library, and Smithsonian Global Sound. 

Listen to the album: The Music Of Arab-Americans: A Retrospective Collection 

Remember to Ask a Librarian for Additional Resources!   

If you wish to collaborate with the POP Committee on an upcoming library display for a heritage month or theme. Please fill out the form. 

The Bias Inside Us

We're excited to share that from March 23 - April 21, the SCU Library will be hosting The Bias Inside Us - a Smithsonian travelling exhibition. The community engagement project from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) raises awareness about the social science and psychology of implicit bias, its impact, and what people can do about it. See the press release and a dedicated website.

On Tuesday, April 2nd at 6pm-8pm we will be hosting The Bias Inside Us Opening Reception located in the Learning Commons and Library, lower level. This special evening will feature opening remarks by Nicole Branch, Dean of SCU Library, and Nanci Nishimura, a member of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service | Smithsonian Affiliation Advisory Board and a Partner at the law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy.

All members of SCU and the general public are welcome to the reception. Food and drinks will be provided. Register Here

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CAMPUS DIVERSITY CALENDAR

The Inclusive Excellence Division is committed to expanding awareness of the different diversity-related programming taking place on-campus. For those that use the Live-Whale Calendar, you can use the “diversity” tag to ensure that events will appear on the Diversity calendar on the Inclusive Excellence website.  You can also send your program information to inclusiveexcellence@scu.edu.