The University of California, San Diego, will mark the campus’s efforts toward building a diverse community at the Teaching Diversity Conference on Jan. 27, an educational event where participants will share strategies for teaching diversity in university classrooms.

“Diversity is an integral part of UC San Diego’s excellence and this event helps illustrate the university’s commitment to social justice and equality,” said Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. “As we celebrate UC San Diego’s 50th Anniversary, we continue to focus on programs and policies that enhance the campus climate and broaden the richness and diversity of our community and curriculum.”

The Teaching Diversity Conference, hosted by UC San Diego’s John Muir College and the Cross Cultural Center, is an all-day event where educators, students and alumni will discuss how to create and sustain a community that acknowledges and respects the diversity of all students.

Some 150 students, staff, faculty and community people will attend the conference, where there will be more than 120 presenters. The day will include four concurrent sessions at the Cross Cultural Center to accommodate the event’s various speakers. The conference sessions will focus on how to incorporate diversity in the college experience.

“The Teaching Diversity Conference will be a public conference, where we build from a grassroots level,” said former acting Provost of John Muir College, James Lin.  “This event is designed so that students know and see that there are many people on this campus who have been deeply committed to these issues for more than 20 years.”

The topics of discussion during the various sessions include science and diversity, the role of media, identity development and student activism.
            
The conference is organized to examine the campus’s various resources that teach diversity. College resident deans, college advising staff, psychological and counseling services, student clubs and organizations, the Cross Cultural Center and Office for Students with Disabilities will all play a key role in the day’s activities.

“Many of the people attending the conference want to know how to be more effective in teaching diversity,” Lin said.  “We will be asking students how their perspectives changed as a result of having taken diversity courses.  Teachers will share their best practices and alumni will describe how they how they used knowledge about diversity in the work world. Our goal is to help UC San Diego sustain a culture of inclusion, respect and excellence.”

John Muir College is a part of the university’s unique six-college system which offers undergraduate students the benefits of a small-campus neighborhood atmosphere for social life, housing and dining along with opportunities for involvement in student government and community activities — while retaining the academic advantages of a major research university.

Social justice and cultural innovation topics discussed at the Teaching Diversity Conference will be continued Feb. 22-25 as part of UC San Diego’s 50th Anniversary signature event, Innovation Day Expo and Symposia (IDEaS).  Please visit 50th.ucsd.edu and click “IDEaS” for details and registration.