In my last blog, I wrote about the difficulty people of different races and ethnicities often experience when trying to discuss their differences.  I posited that not much will change with respect to racial and ethnic mistrust and misunderstanding  in this country until  "folks learn how to have open and honest conversations about race and ethnicity."  Fortunately, an intercultural dialogue model has been used successfully to engage people in conversations about difficult subjects.

The notion of using such a model has been discussed by the President's Action Committee on Inclusive Excellence (PACIE) since its inception.  Indeed, it was decided about three years ago that we would implement this model as a method of engaging the campus in dialogue about some of the areas of concern identified in our campus climate survey.   This year PACIE has been sharing the student results from the climate survey, the last group of those surveyed to be analyzed;  and in the spring of 2009 the first two Dialogue Action Teams (DAT) were organized.

Dialogue Action Teams are organized by a diverse group of people representing the entire community.  They include folks who represent the numerous perspectives in the Wheaton Community. They are guided by two trained facilitators who also represent the community's diversity, and employ a fair-minded discussion format.  The primary intention of the DAT is to move a community from talk to action.

A DAT consists of a small, diverse group of eight to twelve people;  the groups meet for five two-hour sessions.  Each DAT sets its own ground rules, which helps the group share the responsibility for the quality of the discussion.  The role of the facilitators is to help manage the flow of the group discussion.  The sessions begin with personal stories and examine the particular problem identified by the group. The ultimate goal of the DAT is take dialogue and turn it into a plan for action and change.

The two DAT's that have been operational this spring appear to have been successful.  I look forward to learning more about their action plans.  

It is my intention to participate in a DAT this summer.  I need to find two facilitators and an additional five to nine people who are willing to commit to participating in five two-hour sessions. I would like to begin in early June.  If you are interested in joining me, please send an email to:  president@wheatonma.edu.

The April 13th edition of the New Yorker featured an article by cultural critic, Alex Ross, about the 70th anniversary of Marian Anderson's historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Ms. Anderson had been denied access to perform in the historic Constitution Hall by the Daughter's of the American Revolution, because of the [...] Read more…

Even though we're small in rank We've only just begun We join you Eliza's Daughters We're Eliza's Sons. Those are the closing lines of the song, "Men of '92," which was penned by former Dean of Students Sue Alexander at the start of Wheaton's transition to coeducation. The song was first performed by the men of the Class of '92 [...] Read more…

With our own reaccreditation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in the fall, the opportunity to lead the review of another school proved to be extremely valuable. Indeed, it affirmed the power of a community united around a common purpose.  Read more…

Welcome. I’m pleased you have found my blog. My intention is to use this as a space to share what I’m seeing, hearing and doing in the Wheaton community. Read more…

The Wheaton College Board of Trustees approved a comprehensive fee of $49,440 for the 2009-2010 academic year. The new comprehensive fee, a 3 percent increase over last year, represents the lowest percentage increase in ten years.  Read more…

Earlier today, the Budget Advisory Committee reviewed preliminary budget options for FY'10, and I want to share the major outlines of those projections with the entire community. My hope is that this information informs our discussions during the open office hours I will hold next week. Read more…

Wheaton can and will weather this economic storm. Your active support and commitment will make an enormous difference, and I will be calling on all faculty, staff and students to contribute their best thinking and energy. Read more…

Wheaton’s success depends upon how well we work together toward common goals. Open communication and transparent decision-making are vital to the collaboration that will be required from each of us. To that end, I will write to you again with updates on our progress, as more information becomes available. Read more…

Wheaton needs to take steps now to prepare for potential future impacts. Given the depth of the financial problems besetting our economy, we should anticipate the possibility of a substantial increase in demand on the college’s financial aid budget this spring and next year. To help our students and families, the college must prepare to allocate more resources now for scholarship support. Read more…