Vassar College
Tier2-3: Student Training Opportunities

Vassar First Year and Student Orientation
All first year students participate in an orientation session entitled “I am Vassar” (originally “Belonging to a Diverse Community”) that engages students in understanding an appreciation of difference. Matters of community, race, class, sexuality, gender, religion, ability status, political perspectives, etc. are raised to invite students to conceive how their experience will be at Vassar. The recent conceptualization (I am Vassar) is designed to not only frame diversity but add a sense self-responsibility and ownership to building a community. An additional 2-3 programs during the year attempts to re-introduce certain diversity topics for first year students

Website: http://campuslife.vassar.edu/firstyear/index.html

Conversation Dinners and All College Day
In the spring of 2000, a racial incident led the college into intense discussions. Students emphasized that long-term and sustained conversations and responses were required rather than a reactionary measure. February 2001 marked the beginning of All College Day and regular Conversation Dinners for open dialogue about community and diversity. The events have continued as a tradition. The Conversation Dinners, held twice a semester, bring approximately 50 students, faculty, administrators and support staff together for dinner and dialogue on a range topics always entailing an aspect of diversity. Intentional efforts are made to diversify the room and table facilitators are trained. The Campus Life Office coordinates the planning through the Campus Life Resource Group, a committee of 10-15 students, administrators and staff.

Student Leaders Training
The Campus Life and Diversity Office collaborates the Campus Activities Office to lead a session on diversity for student leadership training in late August. The focus of this session is to support student leaders in becoming more competent leaders around matters of community and diversity. In August 2010 the sessions focused on competence in programming to avoid insensitive or offensive advertising of events. The office has participated in this arena for the last twenty years.

Campus Life Response Team (CLRT)
In response to incidents of a bias or campus crisis nature, the CLRT attempts to respond as quickly as possible to support individual students and the broader community. Following bias-related incidents, the CLRT is charged with proposing educational interventions for the campus community. On average there is at least one incident per year that requires the team to meet and respond. The Associate Dean of the College for Campus Life and Diversity is the Coordinator and the team consists of representatives from the Vassar Student Association, a faculty member, Counseling Service, Dean of Students, Safety and Security, Director of the Equal Opportunity Office and Affirmative Action, and College Communications.

Website: http://campuslife.vassar.edu/clrt/index.html

The Office of International Services also offers programs on intercultural competency for international and domestic students:

English language Assistance

The Office of International Services is collaborating with the Writing Center & the Learning and Teaching Center to enhance existing resources to help students who are not native English speakers. During International Orientation we offer an introduction to the Writing Center and talk about how these resources can prove to be instrumental in their academic success at Vassar. We have also identified a peer consultant who will work closely with the Office of International Services throughout the year to reach out to international students and offer them the resources available at the Writing Center.

Intercultural communication

“Around the World”

Around the World is a series of cultural-specific events intended to bring together International and American students so they may experience different regions of the world through food, country facts presentation and discussions on relevant topics and current affairs. Students from a particular region are invited to be “experts” and to share life experiences so as to enlighten others as how the world varies in cultural, linguistic, and other contexts. One of this semester’s editions will focus on a region in Asia.

“Lenses”

This year we planned and executed a collaborative, multidimensional event that focused on overcoming cultural barriers. This program was designed for Asian students and was co-planned by the Asian Student Alliance, the South Asian Students Alliance, and the Vassar International Student Association in conjunction with the Offices of Campus Life and International Services. The event included remarks by Professor Yu Zhou, a prominent Asian faculty member, a keynote by an International Vassar Alum and a panel discussion with three international alumnae. This was followed by a dinner where freshman and sophomore Asian students participated in round table discussions about transitioning to Vassar College. Upper class Asian students, faculty members and alumnae/i who were either of Asian descent or have a particular interest in Asia facilitated the discussions.

“Discover America”

Currently we are planning a program that will provide international students with the opportunity to immerse in American culture. The goal of this program is to introduce new international students to American culture/people, geography, economics, history and government/politics. We hope this event will be interactive, multidimensional and multidisciplinary. In order to do so we plan to highlight different aspects of life in the United States of America and work with faculty members who have expertise in the different areas. We hope that this event will inspire further inquiry and confidence in our students to expand their academic and social experiences while at Vassar and in the United States of America. Targeted for November 2nd, 2011.

http://campuslife.vassar.edu/clrt/index.html
http://campuslife.vassar.edu/firstyear/index.html
http://internationalservices.vassar.edu/