Conference

Stories and Strategies: Listening to Students’ Voices

---

Abstract

Given the recent discriminatory events at ISU, there is an increased need and interest to understand the everyday struggles of Racial/Ethnic Minorities (REM) on campus. First, this session will present data from a survey, conducted in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, that examined the discomfort students feel within/outside the classroom; it will focus specifically on the significantly greater proportion of discomfort reported by REM students compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Second, the presenters will share the stories and experiences of these students to inform the audience of the covert and overt ways discrimination occurs in the classroom and in the community. We will also share the suggestions proposed by the students to increase/foster inclusiveness within/outside the classroom. Third, we plan to have a group of REM faculty and graduate students share their own experiences and/or witnessed experiences of discrimination within and outside the classroom. Last, we will engage the audience in meaningful dialogue on how to confront and deal with discrimination that occurs within/outside the classroom. Attendants will leave session with a heightened knowledge of the discrimination that occurs at ISU as well as some formidable actions to implement and create a more positive environment within/outside the classroom.