PNC Brownbag Series Looks at Diversity

Purdue University North Central will present a Brownbag Series in the coming months, with PNC faculty, staff and community members leading programs that center on the topic of "diversity." PNC

The seminars will vary in style and subject, but all will share the intent of presenting topics and issues that can contribute to the development of a tolerant, inclusive campus and community cultural practices. Some presenters will feature short film clips or interactive pieces that will stimulate conversation and discussion, others will present ideas for open dialogue and sharing of views and experiences.

The Brownbag Series is coordinated by Bob Mellin, continuing lecturer of English.

The seminars will be presented in the PNC Library-Student-Faculty Building Room 170A, located just off the PNC cafeteria, from noon to 1 p.m. They are free and open to the public and guests may bring their lunch. Varying opinions are welcome.

Oct. 6 - Deepa Majumdar, associate professor of Philosophy, will present "Mahatma Gandhi: Apostle of Peace." This will tie the details of Gandhi's concept and practice of non-violence (ahimsa) with his theology - especially his convictions about divine omnipresence. Majumdar's area of specialization is Neoplatonism. Majumdar has published a book and academic papers on the philosophy of Plotinus. She has also published on Gandhi and has authored several pieces on topics ranging from environmental issues to feminism. Her areas of interest include Comparative Theology, Philosophy of Religion, Politics and Eastern Thought.

Dec. 1 - Vanessa Allen, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, Inc., will speak about the Urban League of Northwest Indiana. The Urban League promotes services in the areas of education, economic empowerment, health & wellness, civic leadership and civil rights and social justice for all people. It serves Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.

Feb. 2 - Dominic Micer, assistant professor of English, will discuss the ways students have used multi-modal discourse to overcome their struggles with prejudice against Mexicans while reading Modernist Mexican authors. Multiple layers of difficulty create a critical awareness of self.

He received his bachelor's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.; his master's degree from the University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt. and his Ph.D. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

March 2 - Carla A. Pfeffer, assistant professor of Sociology, and Janusz Duzinkiewicz, associate professor of History, will present "Creating Safe Spaces and Building Community for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Students at PNC." This open discussion will consider factors that lead to the creation of safe spaces and community building for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. This is an opportunity to assess interest of PNC students, faculty and staff in building safe spaces and community around LGBTQ issues and identities. The group will brainstorm options and ideas for building a university community inclusive of all gender and sexual orientation identities and expressions. The conversation is open to all.

Pfeffer's research on LGBTQ topics has been published in a number of journals. She teaches courses at PNC on Shifting Family Forms in The U.S., Gender in Society and Sex, Gender, and Sexuality in Sociology. She is a member of the PNC Oversight Committee for a new Gender Studies minor.

Duzinkiewicz has published "Fateful Transformation: The Four Year Parliament and the Constitution of May 3, 1791," edited "States, Societies, Cultures: East and West (Essays in Honor of Jaroslaw Pelenski)" and is translating a biography of the 19th Century Galician statesman, Mikolaj Zyblikiewicz. Since March 2008, Duzinkiewicz and Daniel Krsak have been officially recognized as domestic partners by Purdue University.

April 6 - Laura Odom, PNC assistant director of EEO and Training, will lead "Understanding and Valuing Diversity," an interactive session designed to build diversity awareness and foster a culture of respect. After attending this session, participants will be able to define diversity, identify his/her personal attitudes and behaviors toward differences and enrich his/her diversity perspective by understanding the different stages of intercultural learning and cultural responsiveness.

At PNC, Odom works to ensure compliance with nondiscrimination and affirmative action laws and is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring the PNC Affirmative Action Plan. Odom is the campus contact for employees requesting reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.

Further information about the series can be obtained by contacting Mellin at 219.785.5200, ext. 5215. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations should contact ext. 5215.