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Connecting Diverse Professionals to Diverse CareersTM WINTER 2013
www.insightintodiversity.com $1.95
Florida State University’s
New Veteran Center
FSU Aims to Become Top Veteran-Friendly Campus
2012 HEED Award
Alcorn State University St. Cloud State University
Alliant International University Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Capital Community College Southwestern Law School
Case Western Reserve University SUNY College at Brockport
Catawba Valley Community College SUNY System
Davenport University Texas Tech University
Delta College Trident Technical College
East Carolina University Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Ferris State University United States Air Force Academy
Gadsden State Community College University of Akron
Georgia State University University of California, San Francisco
Hodges University University of California, Santa Barbara
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis University of Central Florida
Louisiana State University University of Cincinnati
Marshall University University of Minnesota
Michigan State University University of North Texas
Michigan Technological University University of South Carolina
Millersville University University of Texas at Austin
Moraine Valley Community College University of the Rockies
New Mexico State University University of Virginia
Oklahoma State University Virginia Commonwealth University
Pensacola State College Wake Forest University
Phoenix College Western Oregon University
Raritan Valley Community College William Mitchell College of Law
INSIGHT Into Diversity
Congratulates the Recipients
of the 2012 Higher Education
Excellence in Diversity Award
WINTER 2013 2 www.insightintodiversity.com
CONTENTS Winter 2013
editorial IID features
4 10
Diversity and Inclusion: It’s Not Just HEED Award Spotlight
For Big Companies Anymore University of Central Florida
By Julia Méndez By Lenore Pearlstein
6 17
Next Steps for Building a Culture of Recruiter’s Corner
Inclusion at the U.S. Air Force Academy Great Expectations
By Dr. Adis Maria Vila, U.S. Air Force With Vicky Ayers
Academy Chief Diversity Officer
9 22
Socioeconomic Status Is Not a Proxy for INSIGHT Sports
Race in Higher Education Admissions Sports and Religion in the Era of Tim Tebow
By Shirley J. Wilcher, J.D. With Andrea Williams
12 27
A Green Light for DREAMers?
By Susan Borowski Career Opportunities
18
14
Lest We Forget: The Voter Rights Act
By Dr. Edna Chun
From the Military Ranks
20
HEED Awards Bring to Light the Absence
to the College Campus
of Diversity on Governing Boards Florida State University’s mission is
By Susan Borowski to be number one in student veteran success
By Lenore Pearlstein
24
Entrepreneurs Call For More Support
to Launch New Ventures
By Jamaal Abdul-Alim
26
A Call for Cultural Competence
Education in Higher Education
By Jennifer Wade-Berg, Ph.D.
Judith Y. Weisinger, Ph.D.
Anne Hicks-Coolick, Ph.D.
The views expressed in the content of the articles and/or advertisements
published in INSIGHT Into Diversity are those of the authors and are not to
be considered the views expressed by Potomac Publishing, Inc.
Student Veterans at the 2012 Film Festival
INSIGHT Into Diversity | Connecting Diverse Professionals to Diverse CareersTM | 11132 South Towne Square, Suite 203 | St. Louis, Missouri 63123 | 314.200.9955 • 800.537.0655 • 314.200.9956 FAX
info@insightintodiversity.com | www.insightintodiversity.com | ISSN: 2154-0349 © 2013 Potomac Publishing, Inc. | Volume 80 - Number 4, 5
Contacts : Lenore Pearlstein - Publisher | Holly Mendelson - Publisher | Daniel Hecke - Art Director
Diversity and Inclusion:
It’s Not Just For
Big Companies Anymore
By
Julia
Méndez
As
our nation becomes more and more of a melting pot ity, and age, I thought a diversity program was important. Such a
with people of all nationalities, religions, political views, program would give us opportunities to have open, honest and re-
economic backgrounds, lifestyles and upbringings, spectful conversations about how we are different and yet similar so
the importance of acknowledging and accepting these differences be- that we could understand each other better and work together more
comes increasingly critical to the success of an organization. In the last effectively as a team. Another incentive of diversity training was the
decade, the terms “diversity” and “inclusion” have become widespread fact that we interacted with clients from across the United States on
in conversations among human resources professionals. Although a daily basis. It was, therefore, also important to understand differ-
when we hear of diversity and inclusion programs – oftentimes it is in ences in regions, religions, cultures, etc.
reference to large Fortune 500 companies, – these programs can
have a very positive impact with companies of all sizes. We have Below is a list of things any company with little-to-no budget can do
learned through feedback from research and surveys by various to enhance their diversity and inclusion efforts.
groups that there are many benefits of having and valuing a diverse
group of people. These benefits include reduced turnover, increased • Speakers: Employees enjoy having people from diverse
employee morale, increased productivity and creativity, more effec- backgrounds come to the workplace and educate them on
tive marketing efforts, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, their experiences, cultures, and beliefs so that biases and
and a decrease in complaints and lawsuits. Why can’t small compa- stereotypes can be broken. For our small group, I decided
nies reap the benefits of having diversity and inclusion initiatives in to expose our office to people that they typically would not
the workplace? Well the answer is, “they can.” interact with on a day-to-day basis. One of the speakers
was a rabbi from a local synagogue. Since we had employ-
Smaller companies tend to believe that a big budget is necessary ees in other offices, as well as clients, who were Jewish, this
to have diversity and inclusion programs or initiatives in place. Who provided an excellent opportunity to understand how their
says you have to have a big budget in order to have an effective different religious beliefs might impact how we interact with
diversity program? In fact, you can have a program in place with them. We had a lively discussion and learned a lot, espe-
little to no budget at all. How? Let me give you a glimpse of what I cially regarding the importance of being sensitive to the days
experienced years ago when I managed a remote office of less than of religious observances as well as dietary restrictions. This
20 employees. Although the company was growing to several hun- is important when planning a company event where food will
dred employees at the time, there was no diversity program in place. be served, and it is something to be mindful of when setting
Because the small group of employees who worked with me at our a date for a company event so that it does not fall on a day
remote office was diverse in areas such as race, ethnicity, national- of their religious observances.
WINTER 2013 4 www.insightintodiversity.com
We brought in another speaker who was a college profes- our country on dates such as Veterans Day. There are lots of
sor and in charge of the training program for persons with things an office can do to celebrate these special dates. For
disabilities at a local university. This also proved to be a very diversity celebrations which focus on a particular ethnicity
informative discussion about how persons with disabilities are or culture, you can have employees bring food from different
able to do things that most people would think they are unable countries. Our office celebrated a different culture for several
to do. We learned about different assistive devices available to months by not only having food brought in by employees, but
help someone with physical impairments to do a job, and we also having employees give us a presentation on what they
also were given the names of agencies and resources available learned about the culture.
to assist with accommodation requests if we ever needed to
accommodate an applicant or employee due to a disability. • Acknowledge the accomplishments of all persons: This is
something that is simple yet powerful in boosting morale within
Our third speaker was in charge of a local gay, lesbian, bisexual the organization. You can have a bulletin board posting accom-
and transgender group in our area. This proved to be the most plishments of employees both at work and in their community.
powerful discussion of the three because there were so many Some companies use emails, newsletters or their intranet to
stereotypes formed about persons with a different sexual post these accomplishments.
orientation than those who worked in the office at the time.
Some had very deep-rooted religious beliefs and that made • Outings/cultural events/read books: Why not have a
the topic a bit uncomfortable. My response to the concerns field trip once in a while? It doesn’t have to be during work
raised by a few was, because of their discomfort level, that hours. Many employees would enjoy meeting after work
it was even more important to keep an open mind and really or on the weekend if taking some time during the workday
try to understand other people’s points of view. The speaker would present an issue. We took a field trip to the World
proved to be very effective in helping us break through some War II Museum in honor of Veterans Day. They showed a
of the stereotypes. At the end of the day, everyone appreciated short film on the war effort and the important role Americans
having the session. played, then we took a tour through the museum. Another
idea is to watch a movie. It can be during the lunch period
The key to these learning opportunities is to focus on respect- and it doesn’t have to be seen all in one day. We watched
ing everyone, even if you do not agree with their lifestyle or films such as Philadelphia and Schindler’s List – both of
viewpoints. which were powerful in helping us understand injustices that
people of different backgrounds have had to face. Another
How much did these training sessions cost us? Nothing. option is to have people read a book, such as Blink, and
It’s not that difficult to find people who are willing to share a discuss it during lunch.
little bit about themselves to a group of eager listeners. And
since we had these sessions during lunchtime, there was no • Surveys: Surveys are a powerful tool to help understand
missed productivity. your employees and then tailor teaching techniques or other
things to motivate them to be more productive and to be
• Share articles from publications on diversity: INSIGHT Into happy at work. We created our own short surveys, which
Diversity is a shining example of one such publication that can asked questions such as “Are you a visual or oral learner?,”
be of great use to a group of employees. and “How do you like to be rewarded for a job well done?”
These are pretty straightforward, but the answers to these
• Social media: There are a large number of online groups, such questions can give insight to some rather powerful informa-
as LinkedIn, that address diversity and inclusion. They provide tion that, when used properly, can really help your employ-
a wealth of resources and opportunities for training, as well. In ees be more productive and stay motivated. Rewarding
addition, you get connected with other professionals who are employees for a job well done does not necessarily cost the
experts in this arena and most of them are usually very open to company a dime. Some employees will let you know they
answering questions from other members. enjoy public acknowledgments for a job well done while
others find it embarrassing and would rather get a private
• Outreach: Many surveys have resulted in feedback that thank you in such instances. Other surveys can be used to
employees enjoy doing volunteer work. It is a great tool for not measure how the company feels about inclusiveness within
only giving back to the community, but also building teamwork the organization.
skills and boosting morale. Groups such as Ronald McDonald
House, veterans’ rehabilitation services, nursing homes, and • Team-building Exercises: This is a fun but effective way
Habitat for Humanity are just a sample of the many great orga- that employees can get to know one another and appreciate
nizations that are always looking for volunteers. differences. We had a day where everyone answered a list of
questions ranging from “How many brothers and sisters do you
• Implicit bias test: A key to overcoming behaviors based on have?” to “What is your favorite song?” The employees then had
biases and stereotypical thinking is to acknowledge that you lots of fun when the facilitator would give us the answers one by
have biases to begin with. There is a free testing tool open to one, and the group had to guess who answered in that manner.
the public that gives you insight on where you might hold bi-
ases. To take the available tests, go to https://implicit.harvard. So, you see from the above list of examples that having diversity
edu/implicit/. and inclusion initiatives can be fun, free (or cheap), informative and
effective. Don’t just focus on getting a diverse group of people hired;
• Celebrate diversity dates: Participation in special diversity it’s necessary to go above and beyond to keep your employees
events or months – such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian/ happy in order to retain the most valuable pool of talented people.
Pacific Islander Month, Black History Month and Disability
Awareness Month – is both fun and educational. If you have Julia Mendez is Director, Workforce Compliance and Diversity Solu-
veterans employed with your company, they would appreci- tions for the Peoplefluent New Orleans office, and is a member of
ate a simple email or card thanking them for their service to the INSIGHT Into Diversity Editorial Board.
5
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013
WINTER 2013 6 www.insightintodiversity.com
Mentor trainers with CDO Team. Pictured above from left to right: Major Jonathan Murphy,
Second Lieutenant Zachary Bennett, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Russ, mentor trainer Mrs. Tamra
Gauthier, mentor trainer Mrs. Debora Cruz, Dr. Adis Vila, Dr. Jackie Wilks, and Mr. Moses Stewart.
At
the 24-month mark, we have engaged leaders across the identifying blind spots, bridging cultural gaps, and advancing as
United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in D&I conver- a premier learning organization.
sations through brown bag lunches, a series of articles in
the base paper, monthly celebrations of the contributions of different We have built a core of advocates and 400 Team USAFA members that
groups and employee training. While communicating the organiza- have gone through skill-building training. It is essential that all USAFA
tional imperative for D&I will remain important as we move forward, I Team members who interact with cadets complete this training as soon
believe that to integrate D&I principles at USAFA, a more integrated, as possible and that others in support roles follow. All USAFA mem-
team-based approach is required. bers must develop skills to address diversity dynamics, identify their
own biases, recognize the assumptions we make in relating to others
Team USAFA largely understands that equal opportunity, fair treat- different from ourselves, and use techniques to clear our thinking when
ment, and compliance with laws and regulations (discrimination- confronted with practices different than our own. Having this training
and-fairness paradigm) and the access-and legitimacy paradigm that in common fosters greater involvement and helps Team USAFA accept
have guided D&I historically are at the base of creating an inclusive that a more inclusive USAFA is a more effective USAFA.
organizational culture. However, only pockets are cognizant of
the third paradigm, the learning-and-effectiveness paradigm. The In the federal government, of which USAFA is part, the President,
learning-and-effectiveness paradigm incorporates aspects of the Secretaries of Defense and Air Force, and the Air Force Chief of
first two paradigms and goes beyond them to clearly argue the Staff have provided USAFA its guiding principles in the form of
importance of valuing and leveraging diversity within the workforce. Executive Orders, a Diversity Road Map, and Air Force Instruc-
As examples, if we asked colleagues, some would say that barriers tions. The USAFA Diversity Plan 2012, presently being updated with
exist in our hiring practices, promotion opportunities, retention of the assistance of a cross-functional team representative of Team
cadets of color, and opportunities afforded those cadets. USAFA, is an important next step.
The goal of our tripartite focus on workforce diversity, workplace For USAFA to transform its organizational culture into a more
inclusion and sustainability is to create an organization where in- inclusive one it must focus its efforts on top-down direction-setting,
dividuals participate and contribute fully. Moving forward, USAFA broad-based, bottom-up performance improvement, and cross-
must change policies and practices and become more adept at functional core process redesign. The top-down efforts would focus
on employee performance improvement including feedback, profes-
sional development, and timely employee performance reports
where performance improvement expectations are clear, consistent,
transparent, and equitable. The bottom-up efforts will require man-
agers to empower their subordinates to aggressively take ownership
of processes, identify opportunities, and develop plans to eradicate
gaps in career performance and advancement. The cross-functional
efforts must be at the heart of all core processes which themselves
must be focused, integrated, balanced, and team-based.
Going forward, USAFA’s efforts to create a more inclusive organiza-
tional culture should:
• Link ad hoc initiatives and individual silos to improve processes
and better utilize all assets
• Translate beliefs into a coherent basis for conversations across
differences
• Communicate our shared framework for structuring all activities
and responsibilities
2012 USAFA Ambassadors of Inclusion
7
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013
Dr. Vila speaks at a women’s initiative meeting -- brown bag event.
• Build cross-functional teams that can effectively work together Diversity competencies are explicitly included as cultural competen-
as an inclusive, cohesive unit cies in the Department of Defense Cross-Cultural Roadmap, a study
• Develop diversity leadership competencies across USAFA by designed to support the Department of Defense in the development
challenging members to evaluate their biases, assumptions, of cultural competencies:
values and behaviors as it relates to diversity and inclusion
• Monitor diversity and inclusion transformation initiatives, make There are many different definitions of cross-cultural competency
corrections as necessary, while learning along the way (3C) depending on the context, but they all have the same essen-
• Ensure that the Annexes that are part of the updated Diversity tial outcome, i.e., 3C is broadly defined as the ability to operate
Plan 2012 are monitored, and that successes in meeting the effectively in any culturally complex environment. It is based on a
requirements set out in the Annexes are celebrated set of knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes (KSAAs) developed
through education, training and experience that promote cross-
While the discussion here has focused on USAFA, others who cultural competence and enhance that ability. The KSAAs offer
lead organizations in efforts to become more inclusive may have a conceptual framework for learning about and understanding a
heard from D&I experts that similar next steps are required in your particular culture or cultural group, which can range from a unit’s
organizations. own cultural diversity to the various cultures in joint, interagency,
coalition and multinational contexts.
Organizations have wrestled with attracting a more diverse work-
force, developing that workforce, and retaining it for more than 30 Many of the characteristics required for an effective diversity and
years. As the Assistant Secretary for Administration at the United inclusion executive are the same as those required of any leader in an
States Department of Agriculture from 1989-1992, I was tasked by organization contemplating change. Of those characteristics, no two
then USDA Secretary, Clayton Yeutter, with creating a more diverse are more important than courage and integrity. Ralph Waldo Emerson
workforce and a more inclusive organizational culture. said: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there
is no path and leave a trail.” Day in and day out, this is what coura-
Yet, for all of the good that organizations have done and continue geous diversity and inclusion professionals do.
to do to manage diversity, the challenges have not decreased. In
fact, as our world has become more global, our workforce more Similarly, integrity requires that we try new approaches or get stuck
diverse, and the work required of each employee more expansive on the same results no longer applicable to the new demographics
and complex, organizations have become more concerned with facing organizations. As Henry Ford said, “If you always do what
attracting “the best and the brightest,” given the ever increasing you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got.”
competition for talent.
Dr. Adis Vila is the Chief Diversity Officer for the United States Air
If organizations are to recruit the best and the brightest, then no Force Academy. USAFA is a recipient of the 2012 INSIGHT Into
organization can limit its recruiting to candidates from one race, one Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award.
ethnicity or one gender. Organizations must attract, develop and re-
tain a diverse workforce, even if they are more challenging to manage. References:
Thus, employees, managers, and leaders at all levels of an organiza- Dichter, S. F., Gagnon, C., and Alexander, A. “Leading Organizational Transfor-
tion must be taught the skills required to lead a diverse workforce. mations.” The McKinsey Quarterly, 1993 taken from https://www.mckinsey-
quarterly.com/Leading_organizational_transformations_863
Diversity skills have been perceived as an “add-on” – that is, not core
Miller, F.A. "Strategic culture change: The door to achieving high performance
behaviors. I believe such a perception is incorrect. But until diversity and inclusion." Public Personnel Management, 1998, 27(2), 151-160.
as a leadership competency is fully embraced by the general popula-
tion, separate competency models for diversity have a place and are Thomas, R.R., Jr. "From affirmative action to affirming diversity." Harvard
useful and necessary to set objectives for training. As workforces Business Review, 1990, 90(2), 107-117.
become ever more diverse and we learn more about leadership com-
petencies, I believe that leaders will conclude that effective manage- Thomas, D.A. and Ely, R.J. "Making differences matter: A new paradigm for
ment of diversity is a fundamental leadership skill. Similarly, the term managing Diversity." Harvard Business Review, 1996, 74(5) 1-12.
diversity should be understood to encompass all the characteristics
Vila, A. M. “Building a Culture of Inclusion at the U.S. Air Force Academy.”
and attributes of individuals, with no group excluded.
National Civic Review, 2012, p. 49-53.
WINTER 2013 8 www.insightintodiversity.com
Socioeconomic Status
Is Not a Proxy for
Race in Higher
Education Admissions
By Shirley J. Wilcher, J.D.
C
ritics of affirmative action have suggested that if the United slight. Professor Deborah C. Malamud of the New York University
States Supreme Court prohibits the use of race among other School of Law writes that “Eliminating a number of high SES Blacks
factors in higher education admissions, socio-economic to take up more slots for low SES White students is not going to
status should be used as a non-racial proxy for race. In its amicus make much of a difference because their numbers are simply too
curiae brief in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case, the small to have a large impact.” As important, she suggests that
American Association for Affirmative Action (AAAA) argues that removing the higher income minority students would result in a loss
there are no alternatives that are truly and effectively “race-neutral.” of students of color who can perform as well as their nonminority
Moreover, socio-economic status cannot serve as a proxy for race. peers, leading to a drop in overall performance of this group. This is
an undesirable result.
Race continues to matter in America. Segregation patterns in hous-
ing, persistent racial disparities in unemployment rates, the vast Abandonment of race considerations in favor of SES would worsen
wealth gap between racial minorities and non-minorities, inequalities the racial divide in higher education. Indeed, even Professor Rich-
in elementary and secondary education, disparities in sentencing ard Sander of the UCLA School of Law, who is the leading advocate
and arrests, and the thousands of race discrimination charges filed of the SES alternative, concedes that a substitution of SES for race
every year serve as ample indicators of the continuing problem of in the admissions process would result in a diminution of racial and
the “color line” in the 21st Century. One study of “ethnic sounding ethnic diversity.
names” serves as a cautionary tale for those who would suggest
that race is no longer an issue. The burden of affirmative action programs on Whites or Asians is
actually quite small. As Goodwin Liu, Associate Justice on the
Advocates for socio-economic status (SES) insist that a system California Supreme Court, reminds us:
based on SES would be fairer because it would avoid giving dis-
advantaged minorities more preferences than others, including low Using 1989 data from a representative sample of selective
income White students. Research shows, however, that Whites schools, former university presidents William Bowen and Derek
outperform underrepresented minorities in standardized testing Bok showed in their 1998 book, “The Shape of the River,” that
within income groups. The consideration of class or SES cannot eliminating racial preferences would have increased the likelihood
compensate for these deficiencies: of admission for White undergraduate applicants from 25 percent
to only 26.5 percent.
When we assume that class-based affirmative-action policies will
automatically help low-income minority students get into college, While there may be a good reason to increase the emphasis on
we also assume that poor minority students are just as prepared as SES-based affirmative action for students of color as well as non-
poor White children for higher education, which is not the case. Low minorities, this does not mean that there are good empirical reasons
socioeconomic status has not been the basis for systematic exclu- to abandon race-based or ethnically based affirmative action, either
sion of students from higher education; race and ethnicity have. as a separate strategy or as a factor in class-based affirmative
action. Anthony Carnevale , director and research professor of the
AAAA disagrees with critics who argue that race as a factor in Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, ar-
admissions has a stigmatizing effect and perpetuates stereotypes gues that the disadvantages of low socioeconomic status are more
against those who are the beneficiaries of such programs. Racial “onerous” for minorities, especially African Americans.
discrimination and exclusion are more stigmatizing than receiving
an opportunity to compete. Moreover, race should not be viewed AAAA is not advocating for race-only considerations, but for having
as any more stigmatizing than legacy admissions (preferences for several criteria including socio-economic status. Both factors may
children of alumni) or athletics. have a beneficial effect in admissions decisions. In fact the Univer-
sity of Michigan’s undergraduate school provided points for SES as
The suggestion that going to a socioeconomic model would make well as race. This is a little-known fact.
the beneficiary less visible and susceptible to isolation and stigma
is also without merit. Professor Eli Wald of the University of Denver It is not clear why advocates of SES-based affirmative action insist
Sturm College of Law suggests that successful socioeconomic on substituting race for SES. Maintaining race-based diversity
“passing” is doubtful: “One might be asked where one attended in admissions - as well as adding considerations for low SES
school, whether there are any lawyers in one’s family, or why one students - not only benefits students of color, it promotes the kind
chooses to forego competing for law review in lieu of working in of diversity approved by the Supreme Court in Grutter v. Bollinger.
the library.” There are differences in the experiences of lower SES Everyone benefits.
students that become apparent over time.
Shirley Wilcher is Executive Director of the American Association
As there are relatively few minorities attending institutions of higher for Affirmative Action and a member of the INSIGHT Into Diversity
education, the contribution of minorities to SES diversity is also very Editorial Board.
9
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013
HEED Award
Spotlight
By Lenore Pearlstein
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is the nation’s second- The learning environment is described as relaxed and low-key.
largest university. With 12 colleges on its 1,415-acre Orlando “We always have about a 45-minute presentation and about 15
campus and 10 regional locations throughout central Florida, minutes for questions and answers,” says Judy Thames, vice
UCF serves over 59,000 students. The university was founded president of the LIFE program. “Our members are so entrenched
in 1963 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013. This in the discussion issues of the day. I’ve never been involved in
young metropolitan research university has a strategic goal anything that has so many older people of such diverse interests
to become more inclusive and diverse. The diversity trans- who are just excited to be at the university and involved in an
formation process is spearheaded by the Office of Diversity academic atmosphere.”
Initiatives and departments and organizations at UCF assume
a variety of roles in transforming the culture and character of
this dynamic community. This has resulted in many unique
programs that target various dimensions of diversity — contrib-
uting to UCF’s selection as one of the 48 recipients of the 2012
INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diver-
sity (HEED) award. Three such examples include the Learning
Institute for Elders (LIFE) program, the Community Veterans
History Project and the Trauma Management Therapy.
The Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE) Program
LIFE is a community educational program for people of retire-
ment age in the central Florida area who thirst for continued
learning. This non-profit organization began 22 years ago with
the purpose of providing classes for participatory group study
on a variety of topics, all of which are selected by an 18-mem-
ber curriculum committee. LIFE and UCF have formed a unique LIFE students wait for class to begin.
partnership – the school does not run the LIFE program; rather,
it hosts it. This is unique among the more than 400 college- LIFE classes meet during the fall and spring semesters. Mem-
affiliated programs nationally. LIFE is a member-run organiza- bership also comes with a parking pass, a UCF student ID, and
tion with no paid staff. Anyone age 50 or older can join for benefits such as access to the school’s library, theatre, and
$125 annually. Membership includes the opportunity to attend sporting events. This program has been a wonderful asset to
any lecture series of interest. Each lecture lasts just one day the UCF educational profile; the effect on campus has been
and is taught by a UCF faculty member or a professional in the profound and wide ranging.
Orlando community on a volunteer basis. This allows for a wide
range of topics to be covered and provides a more comprehen- “I think the impact has been a benefit both ways,” says Thames,
sive learning experience. The hour-long lectures are conducted a three-year member of the LIFE program herself. “As older learn-
in an auditorium located in UCF’s student union. This is one ers, all the feedback we get from our membership is how exciting
of the few spaces on campus large enough to house the this is at an advanced age. Our average age is around 70, but we
530-member group, of which roughly 400 attend each class. just had a member who was 102 pass away – that was our oldest
WINTER 2013 10 www.insightintodiversity.commember. Everyone loves being there. They love learning, and The Trauma Management Therapy Program
they love being among the younger students. We have benefitted
tremendously as older people instead of going quietly into retire- When people experience or witness a traumatic event, they
ment. It has allowed us to keep physically and mentally active. can develop a condition known as post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). This severe anxiety disorder often occurs in
The benefit to the university is that because we meet in the stu- soldiers who have lived through war and combat. PTSD is
dent union, we have a lot of interaction with young students who characterized by intrusive thoughts in which a person continu-
are always surprised to see these elderly people in their building. ally experiences the traumatic event in their mind, has difficulty
It leads to a lot of engaging conversation. We also provide about sleeping, and avoids places or situations that trigger anxiety.
$50,000 a year in grants and awards to the university’s students
and professors who are engaged in research.” To help veterans recover from PTSD, UCF offers trauma manage-
ment therapy, a cutting-edge, $5.1 million program for soldiers
The LIFE program currently has a waiting list of 125 people. About who have returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Oper-
50 spots are available per year in the program.
For more information about the LIFE program, contact Judy
Thames, Vice President, Board of Directors, at Life@UCF.
Community Veterans History Project
The UCF Community Veterans History Project collects, pre-
serves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of
central Florida’s veterans so that future generations will better
understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor
supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. Selected
veterans’ histories are contributed to the Veterans History Project
at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This is an ongoing
project in which members of the faculty share information and
teach a variety of skills such as critical listening, interviewing, ed-
iting, and composing digitized documents for archival purposes.
Graduate student Brian Bunnell demonstrates the use of the virtual
Because of the complex skill sets needed to implement this reality equipment used in the Trauma Management Therapy program.
program, students from a wide variety of majors and interests
engage in this project. For example, two UCF classes (ENG- ation Enduring Freedom (OEF) with a diagnosis of combat-related
Creative Writing and HIST-Ancient Rome) conducted interviews PTSD. The program consists of individualized virtual reality-based
during the Fall 2012 semester. A total of 17 veterans were exposure treatment sessions, followed by group therapy. The
interviewed including a 102 year-old Pearl Harbor survivor. group work includes anger management training and social rein-
Overall, the project has registered 196 veterans and 134 have tegration that addresses anger, grief, guilt and social isolation.
completed interviews. This relatively new project has already
submitted approximately 100 documentaries to the Library of “The reason that we have both individual and group sessions is
Congress. The program has also been cited as a model for that they work on different aspects of PTSD, which is a compli-
other universities and communities. cated psychological condition,” says Deborah Beidel, professor
of psychology at UCF and director of the trauma management
In addition to the many veteran outreach programs and initiatives therapy program. “In anxiety disorders, the treatment that is the
at UCF, the university proudly christened a Veterans Commemo- most empirically supported is something called exposure therapy,
rative Site on Memory Mall in late 2010. The $250,000 structure which can be boiled down to ‘if you’re afraid of a dog, how do you
was constructed exclusively with donated funds. get over your fear of a dog?’ Well, you have to be around a dog.
But how do you get over horrific events experienced in combat?
UCF is dedicated to the success of its student veteran popula- Those are not things that one can re-create in real life.
tion. The Veterans Academic Resource Center (VARC) recognizes
and supports student veterans as they transition from military to “What we do in exposure therapy is use virtual reality to
student life. The VARC, a unit of the Registrar’s Office, is a col- expose participants to the sights, the sounds and the smells
laboration among the offices of Career Services, the Counseling that accompanied the original event. If we do that over a
Center, the Student Academic Resource Center, Student Disabili- number of days, it’s the same as just being around a dog for
ties Services, and Transfer and Transition Services, and provides a number of days. The more time you spend around dogs, the
the home for veteran services. VARC has been designated as a more you lose your fear of being around dogs. So the more
center for excellence for veteran student success and is partially we expose people to the traumatic events they experienced
funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education Fund and keep them in the situation until their anxiety decreases,
for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). the more likely it is that the (continued on pg. 23)
11
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013A Green Light
for DREAMers?
By Susan Borowski
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
The results of the presidential election have wide-reaching implications on many
fronts, but one of the areas of greatest impact may be on the Latino population. In
the election post-mortem analysis, Republican politicos are acknowledging they
must find a way to win more of the Latino vote (and other minorities, for that matter)
or risk being unelectable.
The numbers say it all: Latinos are becoming a larger share of the electorate —
comprising 10 percent in 2012 — and approximately 71 percent voted for President
Obama. The Latino vote made the difference in swing states such as Nevada, New
Mexico, Colorado, Virginia, Ohio and Florida. Mitt Romney came away with a dismal
27 percent of the overall Latino vote, falling far short of the 44 percent that George
W. Bush received in 2004 — an indication, according to many conservatives, that the
Republican party’s policies have become too unpopular.
President Obama’s efforts to move the DREAM Act forward and his adoption in June
of a non-deportation policy (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program)
were popular among Latino voters. Romney’s position in favor of self-deportation
and against passage of the DREAM Act may have been popular with one block of
voters, but not the block that mattered.
The proposed DREAM Act (the acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for
Alien Minors) would allow undocumented immigrants to go to college, work, and
enter the military, as well as provide a pathway to citizenship.
The DREAM Act was first introduced in 2001. Since then, there have been several
versions. On May 11, 2011, a new version was introduced in both Houses as S. 952
and H.R. 1842. In this latest version, to be eligible, an individual must:
• Have graduated from high school or obtained a GED;
• Have been in the U.S. for a minimum of five years;
• Have entered the country at 15 years of age or younger; and
• Be of good moral character.
Eligible individuals would be entitled to conditional lawful permanent resident sta-
tus. This would be valid for six years, during which time the individual is authorized
to attend college or vocational school, enter the military, and work. After six years,
if a degree is obtained or the individual has served at least two years in the military,
the “conditional” aspect is removed, and the individual is eligible for lawful perma-
nent status. Students would not be eligible for Pell Grants, but would be eligible for
federal work-study programs and student loans. States could choose to provide
financial aid, however.
WINTER 2013 12 www.insightintodiversity.comThe DREAM Act has always enjoyed some measure of bipartisan who are undocumented. Some of them turn to a life of crime, be-
support, but there has never been enough to pass it. The most cause that is an avenue where there is opportunity. But that is not a
recent attempt at passage was in December 2010, when the House decision that we as a society want people to make. If they do gradu-
passed the measure 216-198, but the Senate failed to obtain ate and want to go to college, they find it difficult because they
enough votes to invoke cloture and put it to a vote. can’t get scholarships, and since they can’t get a driver’s license,
transportation is an issue.”
Leave It to the States
“If they do graduate and want to go to college, they find it difficult
Since 2001, 11 states have passed laws to allow undocumented im- because they can’t get scholarships, and since they can’t get a
migrants to pay in-state tuition. These states are California, Illinois, driver’s license, transportation is an issue.”
Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah,
Washington, and Wisconsin. In addition to those issues, the cost of tuition is prohibitively high,
except in those states that allow undocumented students to pay
Maryland’s law, which was passed in 2011, made implementation in-state tuition rates.
conditional on a statewide referendum, the only state to put such
legislation to a popular vote. In November, voters approved it by a Change of Heart
wide margin, with 58 percent voting in favor.
Some key Republicans are having a change of heart in regard to the
States with their own DREAM Acts allow undocumented students to DREAM Act, or at least considering a compromise. House Speaker
pay in-state tuition, but otherwise put their own spin on the law. For ex- John Boehner, (R-OH), who previously took a hard line on immigra-
ample, Maryland’s law requires students to obtain 60 credits at a com- tion, is now calling for comprehensive immigration reform including
munity college before attending a four-year a method to legalize undocumented im-
university. The law does not grant access to migrants. In an interview with ABC News
financial aid, but in-state tuition (around $7,000 two days after the election, Boehner said,
per year) is one-fourth the cost of out-of-state “A comprehensive approach is long over-
tuition (around $25,000). The out-of-state due, and I’m confident that the President,
tuition rates makes going to college extremely myself, and others can find the common
prohibitive for this group, since they are not ground to take care of this issue once and
eligible for scholarships or financial aid. for all.”
In Texas, undocumented students are eligible A Republican version has emerged
to receive state-funded financial aid for col- called the Achieve Act, which allows
lege. In California, undocumented students undocumented immigrants to obtain a
will be eligible for state aid in 2013 and low- college degree, but grants a longer path
income students will be eligible to have their to citizenship than the proposed DREAM
fees waived for community college. Act, and carries more requirements. It is
similar to a compromise version proposed
In Illinois, the DREAM Act established a by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) earlier
privately financed DREAM fund to provide in 2012, which was rejected by House
scholarships to undocumented high school Republicans. Senator Rubio is reported to
graduates. be working on another version similar to
the Achieve Act.
Potential Impact
The Achieve Act would allow undocu-
An estimated 2.1 million youth would be- mented immigrants to obtain an educa-
come eligible under the DREAM Act. An Oc- tion. Those with a W-1 nonimmigrant visa
tober 2012 study by the Center for American would have six years to obtain a degree
Progress concluded that if the DREAM Act from a college, university, vocational or
passed, it would add $329 billion to the U.S. economy by the year technical school, or they could serve four years in the military. Then
2030. According to the Congressional Budget Office, passage of the they would get a four-year work visa, after which they could apply
DREAM Act would reduce deficits by at least $1 billion between the for a permanent visa.
time the bill is enacted and the year 2020; possibly more, depending
on which version should pass. To be eligible, individuals would have to have been 14 years old or
younger when they entered the country, have been in the U.S. a
Andres Mejer, founder and principal of Andres Mejer & Associates, a minimum of five years, and be age 28 or younger (32 if already in
New Jersey law firm that concentrates on immigration law, says the possession of a bachelor’s degree).
economic impact comes from a variety of sources. “When undocu-
mented immigrants can work legally, they generate tax revenue in Opponents of this version argue that it does not necessarily provide
the form of income taxes,” he explains. “Once you bring them out a pathway to citizenship.
of the shadows and into normalcy, their ability to purchase things
like cars and homes increases, which means the tax revenue that is According to Mejer, there is no downside to the DREAM Act. “The
generated increases. Their purchasing dollars have a ripple effect downside is in not doing something,” he says. “I was born in San-
throughout the economy.” tiago, Chile. I came here in 1981. Thanks to the laws that were in
place at the time, my family was able to get a green card in 1988.
There would also be a ripple effect in regard to education. Accord- If not for that, I would be a DREAMer. I was educated in the United
ing to the DREAM Act portal, 65,000 young people are denied the States from age six. Because of my legal status I was able to go to
opportunity to go to college every year. college and then to law school. If I had come here a decade later, I
would be in their position.”
“Historically, the way to succeed in America has been through either
entrepreneurship or education,” Mejer says. “This group doesn’t have On the chances of the DREAM Act passing, Mejer says, “I’m very
those options. Many undocumented youth have been here since hopeful that the DREAM Act will be just one component of compre-
before they were 10 years old. They’re more comfortable speaking hensive immigration reform. We have a President who says we want
English than Spanish. They’re fully familiar with the culture and way of to do something, and we have an opposition party saying we have
life, and they consider themselves Americans in everything but name. to do something because we can’t afford to ignore this large and
growing demographic. So we’re in a unique position to get some-
“Right now they graduate high school and can’t get a legal job; thing done. It’s just a question of what it’s going to be.”
that’s if they graduate. There is no incentive for them to finish high
school, because there is no opportunity for upward mobility. That’s Susan Borowski is a contributing writer for INSIGHT Into Diversity
why you have a disproportionate amount of high school dropouts magazine.
13
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013From the Military Ranks
to the College Campus
Florida State University’s mission is to
be number one in student veteran success
By Lenore Pearlstein Student veterans, faculty members,
filmmakers and the subjects of
"The Invisible War" discuss the film.
WINTER 2013 14 www.insightintodiversity.comAs thousands of young men and women
return home after serving in the military,
they are looking to their future.
These veterans are intelligent, mature adults who shouldered a great FSU for a visit and observed a different “vibe” on the campus with
deal of responsibility during their service years. Having just been regard to the student veterans.
through the horrors of war, they now want a college education to help
advance their careers. The question they ask is, “Which school do I Billy Francis, director of FSU’s Student Veteran Center explains why
apply to that understands who I am and where I have come from?” the program is working: “We have three things happening here at
FSU. First, you’ve got a very engaged student veteran population. I
Florida State University’s (FSU) president Dr. Eric J. Barron, set an don’t want to assume it’s more engaged here than anywhere else in
ambitious goal in 2011 when he stated that he had a vision for the the country, but I know the one here is unbelievable. The sense of
university to become the most veteran-friendly university in the family amongst the veterans has significantly increased. When we
country. “With nearly 25 percent of recently separated-from-the- started two years ago, the annual return rate for student veterans at
military veterans enrolling in college within two years, the need for Florida State was 75 percent, but it is up 3.7 percent over the past
support and assistance in the transition from military service to year. And 87.5 percent of student veterans that started in the fall of
college life is obvious,” says Barron. “Florida State University is 2011 either graduated or returned to campus in the fall of 2012. Our
committed to creating the most veteran-friendly and empowering goal is to get those numbers upwards of 90 percent.”
public university in the country through an institution-wide initiative
to help veterans successfully transition from the military to college “Second, you’ve also got higher level leadership engagement – the
life, retain them through graduation, and help them find jobs when president, the provost, and the vice president of the university,
they get their degree.” There are already several ambitious efforts across the board, are very supportive of student veterans, their
underway to make Barron’s vision a reality within the next few years. transition, and the desire to help these veterans have the most suc-
cessful collegiate experience possible,” Francis says.
These plans began nearly two years ago when Jared Lyon and Raul
Perez, two FSU student veterans, learned about lower graduation rates “The third and most unique project at FSU is the vision to build a
for those who attempt to begin or complete an academic career after three-building complex for all things veteran, named the Veterans
serving in the military. They were baffled as to why this often-ignored Legacy Complex,” he says. “The goal here is to educate, motivate
segment of the population was struggling so much in an academic en- and commemorate veterans past, present and future.”
vironment. After exploring the problem, they decided to tackle solutions
head-on and devised a plan to make FSU more veteran-friendly. A Veterans Sanctuary
They met with President Barron to discuss the lack of veterans’ suc- The Student Veterans Center is the cornerstone of FSU’s veteran
cess in college and proposed creating a Student Veterans Center to efforts and outreach. It serves as a one-stop information center
address the issues. Barron, along with other members of the FSU for all student veterans’ needs. Students receive help with
leadership team, loved the idea, and on Veterans Day 2011, the everything from understanding the complexities of the GI Bill to
Student Veterans Center became a reality, opening its doors in a registering for the right classes and finding housing. Services are
temporary space inside the school’s Pearl Tyner House. The center accessible to veterans from before they step foot on campus and
was designed to provide assistance to veterans as they transition into their endeavors beyond graduation. “Florida State needed
from the military to campus life. There are at least 340 self-identified a place where a veteran could go and get all the answers they
student veterans at FSU, and the university’s focus is on providing need,” Taylor explains. “Coming from the military and approach-
each of them with individual attention. ing a campus as large as Florida State University is not some-
thing that a lot of veterans are familiar with. They have a lot of
FSU’s model for student veteran assistance is unique in that it is questions, and the answers to those questions are usually strewn
driven student-to-student, with faculty and staff providing support. throughout campus. Now they have a place to come to find those
“I think that is what sets us apart from a lot of institutions around the answers, all under one roof.”
country,” says Ryan Taylor, president of the Collegiate Veterans As-
sociation at FSU. The organization currently has 140 members. The Center also acts as a career center for students preparing to
Lyon now serves as national program director for the Entrepreneur- graduate. Staff members assist the University in recruiting veterans,
ship Bootcamp for Veterans’ Families at the Institute for Veterans as well as promoting awareness of veteran issues throughout the
and Military Families at Syracuse University. He recently returned to campus and to alumni.
“The third and most unique project at FSU is
the vision to construct a three-building com-
plex (right) for all things veteran named the
Veterans Legacy Complex. The goal here is to
educate, motivate and commemorate veter-
ans past, present and future.”
- Billy Francis
15
www.insightintodiversity.com WINTER 2013Veterans Legacy Complex
The ultimate goal at FSU is to have the Student Veterans Center
serve as the centerpiece of a three-building complex. The Center
will also be home to the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
training facility. This area will feature a 300-person conference
room, four 50-person classrooms, and real-time distance learning
and video-conferencing capability.
The second building will house all of the school’s veteran-centric
programs and exhibits, including the Institute on World War II and
the Human Experience, the nation’s largest private collection of
6,500 plus documents and memorabilia from World War II – with
many being donated by former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom
Brokaw. A reading room will make these archived documents
accessible to researchers and students who will use the facility as
a working laboratory. A public gallery will showcase a permanent
exhibit used to educate the FSU community and visitors about the
history of World War II and the “The Greatest Generation.”
Retired Colonel Billy Francis speaks at a recent event honoring the Collegiate
A memorial to FSU veterans past, present and future is being Veterans Association and Thank a Soldier Organization at Florida State University.
planned for a location adjacent to the new Veterans Center.
a blueprint, but the hope is that ground will be broken on the new
The entire complex will be located in an area near the Doak Camp- Student Veterans Center – the first of the three buildings to become
bell Stadium. The site was strategically chosen for its campus vis- a reality – sometime in 2013.
ibility and access. There is still a good deal of fundraising that has
to be done to make the Veterans Legacy Complex more than just Annual Film Festival
The student veterans at FSU have drawn accolades for many of the
unique events they host, especially a film festival held each Novem-
ber on Veterans Day. The annual event features a film focusing on
issues faced by U.S. military men and women. The documentary,
Hell and Back Again, directed by Danfung Dennis, was featured in
2011, the festival’s inaugural year.
The 2012 Veterans Day film festival featured The Invisible War, di-
rected by filmmaker Kirby Dick, a nominee for both Emmy and Oscar
awards. The film, which uncovered the pervasiveness of rape and
sexual assault in the military, spurred some controversy but Taylor
was undaunted. “We want to engage the issues instead of turning a
blind eye,” he says. The Invisible War won the 2012 Audience Award
at the Sundance Film Festival, the Nestor Almendros Award for Cour-
age in Filmmaking at the 2012 Human Rights Watch Film Festival, and
the Silver Heart Award at the 2012 Dallas International Film Festival. It
also has been nominated for an IDA Award for Best Feature.
Above: Ryan Taylor, president of the FSU Collegiate Veterans Association and Dick also received the inaugural FSU Student Veteran Torchlight Award
a former Marine, takes part in a panel discussion as part of the Student Veteran for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking. The award, which comes
Film Festival. Below: Director Kirby Dick discusses “The Invisible War” prior to with a $25,000 stipend, is given annually to a filmmaker who illuminates
its screening at Florida State University. issues affecting veterans. “As part of Florida State’s commitment to
become the most veteran-friendly and veteran-empowering public uni-
versity in the nation, we would like to recognize filmmakers who have
the courage to explore the full range of issues that affect military service
members, veterans and their families,” says President Barron. “I am
pleased to honor Kirby Dick with this inaugural award for his powerful
film that has already changed the way the military investigates sexual
assault. It is my hope that this award will encourage other filmmakers to
seek out the stories that need to be told.”
Many of the programs and initiatives at FSU are unique to a college
campus and the university is well on its way to reaching their goal of
becoming the most veteran-friendly campus. The hope is that they
can soon boast: Mission Accomplished!
For more information about the Student Veterans Center at FSU,
visit http://veterans.fsu.edu/Mission-and-Vision. You can also
contact Ryan Taylor at RRT11@my.fsu.edu.
Lenore Pearlstein is the publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
WINTER 2013 16 www.insightintodiversity.comYou can also read
