LESLELY UNIVERSITY DIVERSITY TIMELINE
1909 – 2009
1909
• Lesley College is founded as a normal school to train young women in kindergarten
education. The term “normal” is based on the French ecole normal superieure, a
school to educate teachers.
• Miss Anna Tikkanen Savolainen, an international student from Finland, is the first
student enrolled. Initial enrollment is 11 students. Ms. Savolainen graduates in 1911.
1927
• Lesley College considers itself “non-sectarian;” students are not required to attend
church.
1930
• International students from China are admitted as “special” students in the Domestic
Science department. The students study embroidery.
1940s – 1950s
• Lesley is predominately a school for Caucasian women. An influx of Jewish students
during this time provides a major cultural shift.
• Lesley’s first African American student is Margaret Therestine.
1962
• Mr. Charles Tsoukalis is the first male graduate student admitted to Lesley College.
He majors in elementary education, earns a Master of Science degree in Education,
and graduates in 1963.
1969
• Lesley offers majors in Urban Education and Urban Studies to prepare students for
teaching in predominately Black schools with an emphasis on learning Black History
and Literature.
1970
• Lesley students go on strike and demand a certain percentage of Black construction
workers and an integrated work force for the new campus building project. The
administration responds with changes in curriculum, curfew, scheduling, and living
arrangements.
1973
• Lesley’s Association for Afro-American Students is founded. The Association later
changes its name to the Black Student Union.
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1982
• Professor Arlyn Roffman, Graduate School (now School of Education), launches
Threshold, the first comprehensive college-based transition program in the United
States. The program focus is on preparation of youth with learning disabilities and
other special needs for all aspects of adult life. Initial enrollment in this non-degree
program is 15 students; through 2009 there are over 550 graduates from all over the
world.
1985
• The Board of Trustee appoints Ms. Margaret McKenna, a civil rights lawyer, as
President of Lesley College. After several career moves in government and
education, one of her primary motives in assuming the presidency is the opportunity
to create an institution that attracts and retains students, faculty, and staff from all of
America’s populations. Early in her presidency Ms. McKenna encourages the college
community to engage in transformation toward achieving this goal and she boldly
leads the college to create a truly multicultural environment.
1986
• The Intercultural Relations Program, the first of its kind, focuses on the interpersonal
aspects of cross-cultural communication and understanding.
1987
• Lesley’s first Affirmative Action Policy and Anti-discrimination Policy is approved
by the Board of Trustees.
1988
• The Affirmative Action Committee sponsors a Valuing Diversity Day.
• The Affirmative Action Committee sponsors a training program which consists of
three modules: Managing Differences; Diversity at Work; and Communication
across Cultures. Managers and employees participate in this program and learn how
to improve their performance while working in a multicultural environment.
1990
• President Margaret McKenna appoints Mr. Sam Turner as the Special Assistant to the
President for Affirmative Action. Mr. Turner serves in this capacity from January 22,
1990 to June 28, 2002. Mr. Turner coordinates the Affirmative Action Advisory
Committee and promotes support for Affirmative Action.
• The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee sponsors a workshop and features Dr.
David Hall, Associate Dean of the Northeastern University Law School as the
keynote speaker.
• The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee sponsors a Valuing Diversity
Workshop; Dr. Helen Moore facilitates.
• Ms. Eunice Senat accepts an appointment into the Minority Fellowship Program in
Washington D.C. She is the first Lesley student to receive this honor and she attends
the program from 1990 to 1993.
• There are 24 Trustees; 13 are female and two are African American.
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1991
• Lesley hosts the Association of Affirmative Action Professionals (AAAP)
conference. Dr. Alvin Poissant gives the keynote address.
• The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee sponsors a year-long program that
includes celebration for Black History Month; Women’s History Month; Native
American Awareness Day; United Nations Celebration Day; and Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual Awareness Day.
1992
• President Margaret McKenna announces to the deans and search committees a goal
that all fifteen open faculty positions are to be filled with people of color as a remedy
for historical discrimination.
• President McKenna announces that any student of color from Boston or Cambridge
who is accepted to Lesley’s Women’s College is guaranteed tuition and funds for
book expenses. In three years the number of students of color increases from 7% to
19%.
• Fifteen faculty members participate in a year-long faculty development grant-funded
workshop, “Cultural Perspectives at Lesley College.”
• The Counseling Psychology and Expressive Therapies Division receive a grant to
transform the curriculum. Dean Mary Ann Gawelek leads the project. Faculty meets
monthly, discuss and reflect on multicultural issues, and revise syllabi for a variety of
courses.
1993
• Lesley College receives a generous gift, $225,000, from private donors John and
Tashia Morgridge. President Margaret McKenna charges Mr. Sam Turner, the
Special Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action and Diversity, with the
responsibility coordinating and promoting strong campus-wide support for diversity.
The donors particularly emphasize their interest in preparing teachers for working in
multicultural classrooms.
• In May, Lesley inaugurates a curriculum project which provides resource funds to
faculty interested in modifying existing courses, or creating new ones, to incorporate
the perspectives of multiculturalism and gender.
• On July 8th, faculty members whose proposals were funded by the curriculum project
are the principal participants in a day-long faculty development day, conducted by
Dr. Betty Schmitz, a multicultural curriculum expert. Each faculty member submits a
revised syllabus to his/her School Dean in September. Early reports indicate that this
approach to curriculum revision and development will generate deeply rooted
changes in the way material is presented to Lesley students.
• More than sixty employees and forty faculty members volunteer to serve on a crosscultural diversity task force, led by Mr. Sam Turner, Special Assistant to the President
for Affirmative Action.
• On September 2, 1993 the President of Lesley College establishes a campus-wide
Diversity Initiative and directs that the purpose of the Diversity Initiative Task Force
is to find ways to make the campus environment and culture hospitable and
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welcoming to a community of people from many different lifestyles and cultures. A
group of twenty, including faculty, students, and staff is invited to serve on the
Diversity Initiative Executive Committee. Diversity is defined along many
dimensions including: level, function, school, race, gender, religion, and sexual
orientation.
The Diversity Initiative Executive Committee delineates the purpose of the initiative
and writes a vision statement with desired outcomes. Inclusion is acknowledged as
one of the powerful elements of the Diversity Initiative. Faculty, senior
administrators, staff, and students work inclusively to radically transform the culture
of the college to that of a multicultural learning organization. Together they plan and
implement a broad spectrum of activities, programs, and initiatives that address
diversity issues.
Specifically, the task forces identifies and implements an array of programs,
workshops and seminars on diversity and multiculturalism for the faculty, the staff
and the students of Lesley College. Additionally the task force assists in efforts to
continue to increase the number of students, faculty and staff of color on the Lesley
campus.
The Diversity Initiative Executive Committee establishes task forces devoted to:
(1) recruitment and retention of minority faculty and students; (2) curriculum and
instruction; (3) institutional assessment and evaluation; (4) quality of life;
(5) diversity training and development; and (6) student diversity issues. The Chairs
of these various committees and the Executive Committee form the Diversity
Initiative Steering Committee.
The task forces are charged with the responsibility for creating a campus living and
learning environment that prepares Lesley students to become positive forces for
diversity in their professional lives and within their communities. Each of these
efforts demonstrate that the “commitment to addressing diversity is essential to our
academic mission.”
On September 13, 1993 a faculty development day is devoted to diversity awareness
training. The day begins with the entire faculty gathering for a key note address and
workshop, led by Elaine Pinderhughes, author of the acclaimed book Understanding
Race, Ethnicity and Power. Ms. Pinderhughes is an acknowledged expert in the field
of diversity awareness training. In both her speech and workshop sessions, she asks
the audience to examine how their own ethnic and racial identities influence their
interactions with persons from diverse backgrounds. Ms. Pinderhughes brings
valuable insight to the subject matter.
In the fall, the model created by the Counseling Psychology and Expressive Therapies
Division in 1992 is adopted by the graduate school faculty and the three-year
Curriculum Transformation Project is launched. The Project is designed to facilitate
faculty awareness of cultural identity; power and privilege; infuse multicultural
perspectives into course content; and develop courses to prepare graduates to engage
effectively with mainstream and marginalized populations. A committee coordinates
and fully designs the program; over 40 faculty from across the college participate in
the Project. The first year is devoted to exploring a range of identity/social and
cultural diversity topics; year two is spent revising curriculum; and year three is
devoted to developing guidelines for cultural competence. The Transformation
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Project is described in the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice, (JPPP),
spring/fall 2004.
The budget for the Diversity Initiative is $228,581.25
1994
• The faculty of the Graduate School undertakes a close examination of its curricula as
part of the Transformation Project. Well more than half of the entire faculty in the
Graduate School participates in the project which entails explicit shared examination,
critique and development of course content, materials, pedagogy, and assessment
practices with the intention of including diversity in the curriculum.
• The Faculty Development program focuses on gender issues and multiculturalism in
the curriculum.
• The African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Native American
(AHANA) Alumni Association is established. The name is later changed to African
American, Latina/o American, Asian American, and Native American (ALANA)
Alumni Association.
• The Center for Special Education at Lesley College creates a stronger collaboration
among faculty in areas such as early intervention, inclusion and autism, and allows
faculty to use their expertise to enhance existing programs for the benefit of special
needs children.
• The Center for Special Education at Lesley College has heightened visibility in the
Greater Boston community and earns the reputation as a place where educators and
practitioners can seek information, resources, and expertise on matters related to
special needs education.
1995
• Lesley College receives the Ray Frost Award from the Association of Affirmative
Action Professionals (AAAP). The citation lauded the College for “setting high
standards and challenging the system in pursuit of affirmative action, equal
opportunity, and social justice.” Lesley is the first institution of higher education to
receive the award.
• Dr. William Dandridge is hired as Dean of the School of Education. Dr. Dandridge
serves in this capacity from July 1, 1995 until he is promoted to Vice President for
Urban Affairs on July 1, 2003. As Vice President, Dr. Dandridge expands his scope
of responsibility and simultaneously engages in leading Lesley’s diversity efforts and
works tirelessly on Lesley’s behalf in the Greater Boston Community with Boston
Public Schools. Dr. Dandridge retires on June 30, 2007.
• Lesley College publishes Kaleidoscope: Lesley College’s Community Resource
Guide. Ms. Dolita Cathcar, Minority Recruiter in the Graduate and Adult
Baccalaureate Admissions Office is the author for the publication. The guide is
divided into sections and each section provides services for African Americans, Asian
Pacific Americans, Hispanic/Latino/a Americans, Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals &
Transgender, Native Americans, People with Disabilities, and Women. The content
lists clothing stores, bookstores, communication, personal services, entertainment,
grocery stores, and the like. A copy of the guide is on reserve in the Lesley Library.
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Lesley launches the Adjunct Faculty Project to hire minority faculty with the goal of
increasing AHANA student retention.
President Margaret McKenna hires Ibis Consulting Group and Ibis conducts a
college-wide Cultural Audit to learn more about the Lesley environment and
diversity. A comprehensive survey and focus groups generate data. Ibis produces a
voluminous study and documents 22 critical issues that provide direction for future
diversity work. The source document is on reserve in the Lesley library.
A two-day Diversity Writing Retreat is held to support faculty writing initiatives.
Discussions there lead to the beginning of the Power, Pedagogy and Pluralism Group,
which focuses on issues of teaching, diversity and power. Members advocate for the
establishment of the Lesley on-line journal.
There are 30 Trustees; 19 are women, two are African American and one is Asian
American.
1996
• President Margaret McKenna and the Diversity Committee sponsor a Diversity Day,
a gala celebration of the many facets of diversity on the Lesley campus and symbolic
of how Lesley values multi-ethnic and multi-cultural communities. The event
features keynote speaker, The Reverend Doctor Cornell West, Harvard University
Professor of Afro-American Studies and Philosophy of Religion. Dr. West said: “To
talk about diversity, destiny is talking. It’s not simply a question of various peoples
of various colors and genders and sexual orientation and physically challenged, and
old, somehow coming together and feeling happy about being different. More than
that, it’s that we have the audacity to cut against the grain of human history which is a
history of overlooking so many other people’s suffering and pain and harm.”
Dr. West goes on to ask, “Are we willing to struggle against the history of
overlooking other people’s suffering and unite so that we may [have] impact on a
larger scale. Are we willing to talk about diversity with some moral vision, some
social analysis and some way of mustering the courage to follow through and address
multiculturalism?”
• Dr. Sharlene Cochrane, Professor of American History, Mr. Sam Turner, Special
Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action, Mr. Erik Rosengren, Assistant to
the Affirmative Action Officer, and Ms. Beverly Faison-Sneed, Administrative
Assistant School of Education, present a paper entitled: “The Diversity Initiative at
Lesley College” at the Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education Conference in San
Antonio, Texas.
• The Creative Arts and Learning Division implements bi-cultural team teaching model
in the Arts Approach to Multicultural Education course and the Creative Arts
Symposium. The curriculum is built around this team-teaching approach.
• Lesley faculty member Vivian Dalia Carlo with Judith Hudson, Ella Barnett, Mary
Ann Gawelek, and Mary Huegel present a paper on the Transformation Project at the
National Association for Multicultural Education. The paper is published in the 1996
Proceedings.
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1997
• Lesley makes recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, administrators and students
of color a priority. People of color comprise:
Job Group
1989
1997
Administrators
4%
16%
Faculty
7%
18%
Non-faculty
8%
18%
Students (Women’s College)
7%
17%
College-wide student population
8%
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The Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice, (JPPP), a peer-reviewed, on-line
journal, is initiated to advance multiculturalism and encourages dissemination of
innovative conceptual work and research.
Lesley College makes strides toward keeping the commitment articulated in the
Diversity Initiative vision statement. Accomplishments are listed herein.
Human Resources train supervisors how to work with employee in defining one
diversity- related goal each year.
Lesley offers spousal benefits to same-sex partners for health, dental, and tuition
benefits.
Lesley gives faculty course release time in exchange for faculty assuming leadership
roles. Staff is allowed the same benefit.
The Training and Development Committee provides an educational foundation for
change by establishing a three tier program with sequential knowledge and skill
development workshops on five related topics: Claiming Cultural Identity; Exploring
Differences in the Workplace; Power and Conflict in the Multicultural Workplace; a
Diversity Encounter Series; and a Home Group.
The Deans ask faculty in each school to develop a module and offer diversity-related
training for at least 25% of the Adjunct faculty.
Lesley forms partnership with Boston elementary and middle schools to provide
immersion experiences for Lesley students.
Lesley College Diversity Day Keynote Speech by Cornell West appears in the spring
1997 issues of Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Teaching as Possibility: A Light in Dark Times” by Maxine Greene appears in the
spring 1997 issue of Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“What Student Think if Funny: Gender and Class Issues in the Humor of Woody
Allen, Grace Paley, Marietta Holley and James Thurber” by Judith Beth Cohen
appears in the spring 1997 issues of Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
“A New Paradigm of Learning for Urban Adult Learners: Challenges for Educators
and Policymakers Regarding Education and Community Service” by Carroy U.
Ferguson appears in the spring 1997 issues of Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
“A College’s Diversity Initiative Finds its Way into Student Teachers’ Lesson Plans”
by Sheryl Boris-Schacter and Susan Merrifield appears in the spring 1997 issues of
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
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“Education for What and for Whom: Challenges, Visions and Realities in the 21st
Century, A Third World Perspective” by Dr. Marjorie Jones appears in the spring
1997 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Ode to Black Men” by Merlin Langley appears in the spring 1997 issues of Journal
of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Stories of the Holocaust: Teaching the Hidden Narrative” by Barbara Vacarr
appears in the spring 1997 issues of Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
“Power Poem” by Sebastian Lockwood appears in the spring 1997 issues of Journal
of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“The National SEED Project on Inclusive Curriculum: Developing Teachers as
Sources of Systemic Inquiry & Transformation: by Peggy McIntosh and Emily Style
appears in the fall 1997 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
“Creating a Multicultural Learning Environment at Lesley College,” by Patricia L.
Jerabek, appears in the fall 1997 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
“A Comprehensive Approach to Changing the Culture of a Four-year College,” by
Ella Glenn Burnet, Sharlene Cochrane, and Patricia L. Jerabek is presented at the
National Association for Multicultural Education national conference, in
Albuquerque, NM.
1998
• “Fostering Gumption: Helping Community Service Learning Interns Integrate Their
Personal, Professional and Political Selves” by Luke Baldwin and Linda BrionMeisels appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
• “Stories From The Other Side of the Screen: Identifying social construction within
educational software” by Brenda Matthis appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal
of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “The Grand Bazaar: Trust, Multicultural Education, and the Education of Teachers”
by Wade A. Carpenter appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy,
Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “Cultural Identity and Bilingualism the Puerto Rican Reality” by Sarah NievesSquires appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
• “The Ebonics Debate: Perspectives and Possibilities: Personal Reflections” by Mary
Ann Johnson appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism
and Practice (JPPP).
• “His-panics and mine” by Angela Maria Perez-Mejia appears in the fall 1998 issue of
the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “English as a Second Language: In memory of a Lesley College student” by Donna
Cole appears in the fall 1998 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
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1999
• In the fall the provost announces the beginning of a three-year effort to determine the
long range academic goals of the institution. The Steering Committee of the Faculty
Assembly, the Faculty Affairs and Academic Planning Committee and the School
Deans delineate a planning process and working groups are created to write a
“position paper” on identified themes. The faculty generated a list of eleven or
twelve themes for academic planning. The list of themes is narrowed to five:
(1) Teaching & Learning; (2) Quality; Assessment; (3) Critical Thinking;
(4) Communication; (5) Diversity and Global Perspectives. The various working
groups are charged with answering three questions with respect to the curriculum:
Are our students being exposed to a global awareness?
How are we providing critical perspectives in our curriculum?
Where are we addressing a social justice perspective in our curriculum?
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The Diversity and Global Perspectives Committee Members are: Don Boyle –
Writer; Dina Comnenou – Reviewer/Writer; Nancy Heims – Writer; Roberta Jackson
– Reviewer; Marjorie Farrell – Writer; Solange de Azambuja Lira – Writer; Sarah
Nieves-Squires – Writer; Prilly Sanville – Reviewer; Maria de Lourdes Serpa, -- CoChair & Writer; Cheryl Smith – Reviewer; William T. Stokes – Co-Chair & Writer.
The Diversity and Global Perspectives: Walking the Talk position paper is published
in the fall of 2001 and is on reserve in the Lesley library. The position paper presents
University-wide Recommendations as well as School-based Recommendations for
achieving concrete diversity-related results.
“The University of Puerto Rico: Colonialism and the Language of Teaching and
Learning” by Pablo Navarro appears in the fall 1999 issue of the Journal of
Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Bilingual Education and the Law” by Solange de Azambuja Lira, Maria de Lourdes
B. Serpa and William T. Stokes appears in the fall 1999 issue of the Journal of
Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Beyond the Illusion of Human Rights” by Barton Kunstler appears in the fall 1999
issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
2000
• Lesley officially becomes a university and its undergraduate program is renamed
Lesley College.
• “Official Knowledge and the Relations of Ruling: Explorations in Institutional
Ethnography” by Peter R. Grahame and Kamini Maraj Grahame appears in the fall
2000 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “If You Only Knew: Lessons Learned from Successful Black Women
Entrepreneurs” by Cheryl A. Smith appears in the fall 2000 issue of the Journal of
Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• There are 30 Trustees; 16 are women, two are African American and one is Asian
American.
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2002
• Mr. Sam Turner retires as Special Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action
and leaves Lesley on June 28, 2002.
• “Projected National Demographic Changes and the Future Composition of Higher
Education’s Student Body by Harold Hodgkinson appears in the fall 2002 issue of the
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• Affirmative Action in Higher Education: The Impact of Gender” by Elsa Nunez
appears in the fall 2002 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
• “Issues in Pluralism: A Unique Gospel Choir’s Experience” by Katherine A. Barone
appears in the fall 2002 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
2003
• President Margaret McKenna appoints Ms. Gwendolyn Bates as the Special Assistant
for Diversity from March 3, 2003 to July 2, 2004.
• John Robert Lewis, born February 21, 1940, U.S. Congressman from Georgia and
leader in the American Civil Rights Movement, gives a stirring keynote address at
Lesley’s graduation ceremony. Congressman Lewis’ remarks are aired on National
Public Radio.
• “Holding to Basics and Investing for Growth: Cuban education and the economic
crisis of the 1990’s” by Miren Uriarte appears in the fall 200 issue of the Journal of
Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “?Patria? ?Potestsad?” by Flora Gonzalez and Raysa Mederos appears in the fall 2003
issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “Fictional grounds and culinary maps art performance” by Vivian Poey appears in the
fall 2003 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “La Revuelta: A Political Autobiography” by Berta Berriz appears in the fall 2003
issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “Ramirez – A Poem” by Nicole T. Clark-Ramirez appears in the fall 2003 issue of the
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “Caminando por La Habana” by Dalia J. Llera appears in the fall 2003 issue of the
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
2004
• On May 6, 2004, the Lesley College Board of Trustees votes and approves Lesley
University becoming co-educational. Male transfer students are accepted in January
2005; men are admitted into the incoming undergraduate class in the fall of 2005.
• Lesley co-sponsors the Race, Culture, Identity, and Achievement Series and features
nationally recognized scholars, researchers, and practitioners as speakers. The
presentations deepen understanding about what it takes to normalize high academic
standards and achievement for students of color. Lesley faculty and students are
participants in the annually sponsored event.
• The Diversity Committee rewrites its mission and vision statements. The Committee
has 23 members. Dr. William Dandridge works with Co-Chairs Dr. Priscilla Sanville
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and Ms. Phil Waters and continues the work initiated by Ms. Gwendolyn Bates,
Special Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action, and the Diversity
Committee. The Diversity Committee’s year long program offers a Career Panel
discussion, Thanksgiving Dinner for the Cambridge community, a multicultural fete,
and on-going Dialogue Discussion Groups that discuss issues relevant to the Lesley
community.
Gene Diaz and Danielle Georges serve as co-editors for the Journal of Pedagogy,
Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“What Nicks’ Careless Laughter Both Reveals and Obscures: Reading Race in
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s’ The Great Gatsby by Caroline Brown appears in the spring/fall
2004 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Multiculturally Transforming Teaching” by Vivian Dalila Carlo, Judith Hudson, Ella
Burnett, Mary Ann Gawelek, Mary Huegel, appears in the spring/fall 2004 issue of
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Research in New Keys: An Introduction to the Ideas and Methods of Arts-Based
Research” by Shaun McNiff appears in the fall 2004 Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism
and Practice (JPPP).
“Playing for Real: Drama in Colombian Schools” by Gene Diaz and Zayda Sierra
appears in the fall 2004 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
“Reflections on the Embodied Voices of Six Egyptian Muslim Women: An Artist
Inquiry” by Lenore Wadsworth Hervey and Nancy Toncy appears in the fall 2004
issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“Remembering the Holocaust: An Arts-Based Inquiry” by Vivien Marcow-Speiser
and Phillip Speiser appears in the fall 2004 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy,
Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
2005
• Mr. James Parker, a transfer student, is the first male undergraduate student admitted
to Lesley University in January 2005. He majors in Global Studies, earns a Bachelor
of Science degree and graduates May 19, 2008.
• The Creative Arts and Learning division host a weekend retreat for all core and
adjunct faculty nationwide, in Providence, Rhode Island. During the retreat, faculty
of color shares their teaching challenges and decides to continue the dialogue for
faculty of color across the campus.
• Danielle Georges serves as editor for the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP) until 2008.
• “Travel as Transformation: A Cuban Experience in Education” by Phyllis C. Brown
and Cheryl A. Smith appears in the fall 2005 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy,
Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “The Traditions and Cultures of the Southwest: Teaching and Learning in Sante Fe,
New Mexico” by Sharlene Cochrane and Martha McKenna appears in the fall 2005
issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “With/Out Sanctuary: Teaching Race, Trauma, and Collective Memory through
Photography in a Graduate Humanities Course” by Deborah Whaley appears in the
fall 2005 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
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“A Postcard for the Lynched” by Deborah Whaley appears in the fall 2005 issue of
the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
There are 30 Trustees; 13 are women, two are African American and one is Latino/a
American.
2006
• After over 21-years tenure marked by growth and expansion of the Lesley University
mission, President Margaret McKenna announces she will step down at the end of the
2006-2007 academic year. Lesley’s Board of Trustees undertakes a national search
for new leadership for the University. Ms. Deborah Schwartz Raizes, Vice Chair of
the Board of Trustees (Lesley’69) chairs the search committee.
• The Faculty of Color formally organizes as a group. Ms. Shirley Basfield Dunlap
initiates a telephone conference call to other faculty to continue the dialogue started
the year before.
• Lesley’s first Coordinator of MultiCultural Student Services, Anhar A. Mulla
provides advising and counseling, and offers a network of academic, social, and
recreational support for all students of color. The Coordinator also assists students in
assessing resources, assists with the development of student organizations, supports
student activities, and serves as an advocate for the ALANA Student Organization.
• The International Students and Scholars Office, the ALANA Student Organization,
and Multicultural Student Services co-host the annual Thanksgiving Day celebration.
• “The Role of Women in Kemet, Dogon, Mayan and Tsalagi Societies” by Aziza
Braithwaite Bey appears in the fall 2006 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism
and Practice (JPPP).
• “The ACLE and Civil Liberties in Puerto Rico” by Pablo Navarro-Rivera appears in
the fall 2006 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• Creating a Sense of Community in the Classroom” by Jesus Nieto and Suzanne
Valery appears in the fall 2006 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and
Practice (JPPP).
• “Six Images” by Karl Jean Petion appears in the fall 2006 issue of the Journal of
Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
• “Builders of a Racial Bridge: Biracial College Students” by Atina Andrea White
appears in the fall 2006 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice
(JPPP).
2007
• The ALANA Student Organization hosts a gala event in February to celebrate Black
History Month. Professor Larry Watson provides a wonderful audio-visual/musical
tribute to important figures of the past and Dr. Marjorie Jones is the keynote speaker.
Dr. William Dandridge is presented with an award by the ALANA Student
Organization for his contributions to the Lesley community in general and to students
of color in particular.
• The Lesley University Board of Trustees announces the unanimous selection of
Dr. Joseph B. Moore as the next President of Lesley University. Dr. Moore served as
President of Empire State College in New York from 2000 to 2007, and previously
served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Mansfield University in
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Pennsylvania. Dr. Moore assumes his new role as President on July 10, 2007
President Moore meets with the Diversity Council and expresses his goal of
increasing the diversity of students and employees to reflect the populations that
Lesley serves.
Creative Arts in Learning faculty Aziza Braithwaite Bey, Danielle Georges, Abigail
Jefferson, and Shirley Basfield Dunlap convene as a committee and host the first, and
very successful, Divisional retreat for Faculty of Color.
Representatives of ALANA and the Lesley community attend Mayor Tom Menino’s
annual “We are Boston Event,” a celebration of Boston’s Immigrant Heritage,
Contributions, and Diversity.
The Career Resource Center launches the Alumni Career Network which provides
networking opportunities for Lesley students and alumni/e. Ten percent of the
members self identify as ALANA alumni/e.
Dr. William Dandridge, Vice President for Urban Affairs, retires on June 30, 2007.
“Mr. Ricky, I’ve Got Two Cheeks: The Body, Mind, and Spirit of Jackie Robinson”
by Nathaniel Mays appears in the summer 2007 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy,
Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
“A Needle in the Head is Worth Two in the Back: A Journey into Japanese
Traditional Medicine” by Jana van der Veer Mays appears in the summer 2007 issue
of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
2008
• Creative Arts and Learning (CAL) Division conducts a workshop for New England
Teaching Artists of Color on March 14 – 16, 2008.
• The Dean appoints Dr. Aziza Braithwaite Bey as the Coordinator for Faculty of
Color. The Faculty of Color hosts its first campus-wide retreat facilitated by Attorney
Roberta Wright. The focus of the workshop is, “Diversity and Achievement.”
• Lesley University is proud to be a founding signatory of Governor Deval Patrick’s
Commonwealth Compact and the first institution of higher education to sign. The
Compact created a survey of benchmarks which organizations can use to measure and
promote progress toward achieving diversity goals.
• The Diversity Council works with the President to rewrite the job description for the
Director of Diversity and Affirmative Action. Representatives from the Diversity
Council participate in the search process to select finalists for the position.
• Dr. Barbara J. Addison Reid is appointed as Director of Diversity and Affirmative
Action effective October 27, 2008.
• Dr. Addison Reid conducts Wisdom Circle discussions with Diversity Council
members to explore perception about the Diversity Council’s past successes and
opportunities for growth. Six meetings are held and twenty people or 65% of
Diversity Council members participate. The results of the Wisdom Circle discussions
is used to help define the future work of the Diversity Council.
• Pablo Navarro-Rivera is elected by the Board to serve as the Executive Editor of the
Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism & Practice.
• “A View into Literacy in Cuba’s Early Grades” by Naomi Mulvihill Mays appears in
the summer 2008 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
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“Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy for the Children of the Oppressors: Educating for Social
Justice among the World’s Privileged” by Chris Van Gorder Mays appears in the
summer 2008 issue of the Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism and Practice (JPPP).
2009
• The Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action changes its name to the Office of
Equal Opportunity and Inclusion (OEOI). To guide the Lesley community in
achieving the University’s educational mission and nurture the University’s four core
values – democracy, inquiry, equity, and community – the OEOI’s mission is to:
1.
Ensure that Lesley University employs and enrolls individuals of diverse
backgrounds reflective of the increasingly diverse demographic profile of the
region and country; and
2.
Create an environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential.
• The Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy; Discrimination, Harassment, and
Sexual Harassment Policy; Unequal Consensual Relationship Policy; and Complaint
Resolution Procedure are updated, approved by the President’s Cabinet and
President’s Council, and released to the Lesley community.
• The Affirmative Action Advisory Board (AAAB) is created to appreciate and
leverage diversity so that:
1.
Employees from underrepresented groups are recruited and hired;
2.
Students from underrepresented groups are recruited and hired;
3.
The Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) is monitored annually;
4.
Hiring and Admissions data is reviewed annually;
5.
Strategies for diversifying the racial and ethnic composition of Lesley are
identified and implemented; and
6.
New initiatives are launched so that Lesley reflects the region and country
we serve.
• The Lesley University Faculty Recruitment and Hiring Protocol is created and
approved by the President’s Cabinet.
• Dr. Priscilla (Prilly) Sanville speaks at the Race, Culture, Identity, and Achievement
Series. Dr. Sanville is Associate Professor in Creative Arts and Learning and her
background is in Multicultural Education with a focus on culture, learning styles,
drama, dance, group facilitation, social justice through the arts, and curriculum
integration.
• Graduate Admissions holds a half day retreat on March 6, 2009. The focus of the
three hour workshop is on team building and identifying opportunities and goals for
increasing diversity among incoming graduate students. The data gathered to support
the work of the participants is provided by Dr. Lan Gao, Assessment and Institutional
Research Associate, Provosts Office. The data analyzed includes college-going
populations for 2005-2007 with race/ethnicity availability data for 2007.
Geographical areas surveyed include Cambridge, Boston, Massachusetts, New York
City, Washington D.C., Raleigh North Carolina, and Atlanta Georgia. The result of
this endeavor is a commitment to strive for modest increases in the diversity of the
admitted graduate student population over the next five years.
• The Faculty of Color’s second facilitated workshop/training, coordinated by Dr.
Aziza Braithwaite Bey, is conducted by Dr. Cheryl Giles, Harvard University
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Divinity School, and Ms. Donna Bivens, Consultant and Massachusetts “SOMBA”
(State Office of Minority Business Assistance) business owner. The workshop
provides strategies for participants to deal with difficult diversity-related issues when
teaching in Lesley’s National Programs. Faculty agrees to meet monthly to discuss
and write about their unique experiences in teaching courses, taught both on and off
campus in the National Programs, which address diversity-related issues.
Dr. Aziza Braithwaite Bey writes a Faculty Develop grant proposal to garner support
for future Faculty of Color workshops/training. The grant is funded by the Faculty of
Life Committee for the 2009-2010 academic year for $1,050.00
The Diversity Council grapples with its mission, reorganizes the leadership structure,
and selects a date for a fall 2009 strategic planning retreat. Ms. Fiona Edwards
continues as the staff Co-Chair serving a final year in a two-year term; Dr. Dalia
Llera is elected as the faculty Co-Chair serving a two-year term.
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