WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.000 singing. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.000 applause. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:30.000 Rex Fuller: Thank you for being here, welcome to the Martin Luther King celebration dinner for 2016. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.000 Well in April 2016 will have been 47 years since Dr. King was assassinated. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:43.000 And I believe all of us here tonight believe that much work remains to be done to achieve the goals that Dr. King has identified for America. 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:48.000 At your tables I'm pleased to see that one of the quotes I want to use is at some of your placemats. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000 And that is that Dr. King knew the power of education. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.000 And his quote around education that I selected, there are many 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:59.000 is "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively," 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:10.000 So I'll try to build on that in terms of what we do here at Western Oregon University. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:15.000 I am convinced that Dr. King would have been a leading voice promoting access and affordability, 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:20.000 of higher education if he were here today. Educational attainment is crucial to our efforts 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.000 to understand and embrace diversity and difference. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.000 Our mission statement at Western includes a statement which says 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:45.000 Key words here is community of course "And that we improve continuously the educational, financial and environmental sustainability of the university." 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:50.000 Western takes great pride in it's ability to educate a diverse community of students. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:56.000 The commitment to diversity is a core value for Western and it's reflected by our students, faculty and staff. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:64.000 It's stated in our mission "Western is dedicated to preparing our diverse community of learners for their place in a global society." 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:12.000 Graduates of Western's programs are prepared to make a positive contribution to their communities and societies at large. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:17.000 In this sense the experience for our students at Western is transformational. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:23.000 That's seen in the experience of our first generation students who will be the first in their families to graduate. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:29.000 And set in motion change within their families for years to come, something Dr. King would be proud of. 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:34.000 For Western to be successful and more important for you students to have academic success, 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:40.000 Western needs to value difference and we must challenge ourselves to challenge assumptions about power and privilege. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Recently the Chronicle of Higher Education reported on the black experience at University of Missouri. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:52.000 I wonder if Western has some of the same attributes as experienced at University of Missouri. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.000 So what is a challenge at the university is social segregation. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:63.000 Does Western foster an environment where we can learn from each other or do our differences separate us? 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:10.000 For cultural diversity to have an learning experience we must see ways in which that draws us together to learn from one another. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:15.000 Stereotypes, do we assume that African American students at Western are athletes? 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:21.000 Last week I was at an NCAA conference where a black alumni of University of Utah, 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:26.000 spoke of the common assumption that because of his height, people thought he was a basketball player. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.000 And not a PhD student. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:33.000 Not a person who now is in a leadership position at Pensilvania State University 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:41.000 And because of that factor of stereotypes, I wonder whether or not, do we make and tolerate assumptions based upon race and ethnicity. 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:47.000 Do we do that in ways that are subtle but yet penetrating and powerful? 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:55.000 Our curriculum. Western requires 6 credits of diversity courses through a list of over 300 diversity courses. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:60.000 Ranging from American Sign Language, to German, to International Trade. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:08.000 How do these types of diversity courses and requirements prepare Western's graduates to understand difference, power and privilege in today's society? 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:15.000 I think we need to do better. If our diversity conversation is going to be a point of strength and resiliency, 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:21.000 we need to find a way to include that in our curriculum in a way that's different than the menu of courses we have today. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:26.000 A recent book by Dee Hock who was the founder of Visa, the credit card, 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:32.000 it's called Birth of the Chaordic Age. He makes the following observation about today's society, 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:39.000 he says for nearly 3 centuries, we have worked believing that evermore scientific knowledge, evermore specialization 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:45.000 evermore technology and evermore hierarchal command and control we could learn to engineer organizations. 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:53.000 While the real need has become the understand of coordination of variability, complexity and effectiveness. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:60.000 So how can your education here at Western help you be prepared to be successful in a complex global society? 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:05.000 I believe another insight is from a book by Daniel Goldman, Working With Emotional Intelligence. 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:09.000 The main thesis of this book is that we are judged by traditional measures, 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:15.000 but our success will be dependent upon how well we handle ourselves and interact with each other. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.000 Employers want listening and oral communication skills 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:23.000 adaptability and creative response to obstacles, personal confidence, 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:29.000 motivation to work toward goals, pride in accomplishments, group and interpersonal effectiveness, 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:32.000 cooperative and teamwork skills, 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:37.000 effectiveness and a desire to make a positive contribution, and finally leadership potential. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:43.000 A deep understanding of diversity is core to these issues, so how can we learn to manage ourselves? 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:51.000 I believe we need to have a conversation around self awareness. Emotional self awareness means recognizing ones emotions and their effects on each other. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:56.000 We have to have an accurate self assessment of who we are so we can grow and mature. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:63.000 And we have to have self confidence, a sense of self worth in capabilities and we need to go out on a limb for what's right. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:08.000 We need to have the ability to be decisive, to make sound decisions under uncertainty and under pressure. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:11.000 These are positions of self awareness. 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:18.000 We also have to be people of self control, trust worthiness, honesty, we must be above reproach and build trust. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:23.000 Additionally we need to think in terms of being conscientious and taking responsibility for our actions. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:28.000 Be careful in our work and hold yourself accountable and others accountable. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:31.000 We also need to have a spirt of adaptability. 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:36.000 Building change between task and understand and learn and grow. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:43.000 And finally, we have to be willing to be comfortable with creative ideas and new information and seek out fresh ideas and perspective. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:48.000 We also have to be motivated individuals, the university can help with that as well. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:53.000 We have to have drive and achievement, striving to meet standards of excellence. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:58.000 We need commitments to align our goals with goals of the organization. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:68.000 Initiative means readiness to act on opportunities and go beyond what is required, cut through red tape when necessary, and be able to take a principled stand. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:20.000 Finally, a sense of optimism is an important attribute that we need to identify according to Daniel Goldman, persistence in pursuing goals and seeking goals to spite obstacles that we face. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:32.000 So another key piece is how we manage our relationship with others through understanding others, sensing their feelings, listening well, walk a mile in their shoes, understanding other's perspectives. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:42.000 Developing others, be a person who's going to develop your team. Not only develop yourself but see areas where you can be an inspiration to your teammates. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:52.000 A service orientation, be willing to make a difference in your communities. And yes, diversity, cultivating opportunities through different kinds of people. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:60.000 Respect and relate to one another from varied backgrounds, a sensitivity to group differences, and challenge bias and intolerance. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:06.000 Social skills include building consensus, communicating, conflict management, and leadership. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:16.000 All of these are what is required to have the emotional intelligence to be successful beyond the intellect and the academic basis that your university will give you going forward. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:26.000 One of the challenges we have here at the university and throughout the United States is to develop a community where difference becomes a strength. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:42.000 At Western I challenge us to learn from each other. As is at your table, in many cases, the function of education according to Dr. King is to teach one to think intensively and think critically and intelligence plus character, that's the true goal of education. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:51.000 So thank you for those...time you've given me. I want now to turn to introducing tonight's keynote speaker, Dr. Moore. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:17.000 It's not often I get a chance to howl...at a microphone...and be well received. So what's up wolves! 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:24.000 My primary message to Western Oregon University tonight is really tied to the word of action. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:34.000 Particularly the young people. I think we are now living in a day and age where I think young people need to be more active, more participatory. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:46.000 We're going to review some of what Dr. King and those in the Civil Rights Movement did in the past, kind of do a check up of where we are today, but most importantly where do we want to be in the next 25 years. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:58.000 I think it's important when we're commemorating the work of Dr. King and many of those from all of our communities that died, that it had a specific focus in this nation for a specific reason. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:71.000 The reason I'm so passionate about the work that I'm doing today is because for some reason I've been able to come into this work and realize it's the work I've been called to do. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:20.000 I feel like it's making a positive impact on the world. I am as energetic and motivated as I hope my audiences are when I'm done. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:26.000 I put this poem up here because it really relates to the question, are we going to really see any change any time soon? 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.000 I want to be really specific about what students can do to help. 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:39.000 Number one is you need to work on your unconscious biases and prejudices. So that's number one, challenging them to do their individual work. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:50.000 Number two, students need to understand that they're going to be a part of institutions and systems and organizations and they're not going to be just working in those institutions, organizations, they're going to be leading them. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:63.000 So they need to understand the concepts of power and privilege. But the biggest and most, I think, critical message for young people in the 21st century, and I'll be challenging the students tonight with this, is silence. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:13.000 The best friend that hate has is silence. When you see oppression, when you see discrimination, when you see prejudice, and you know it's wrong, say something. 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:21.000 I think we have too many good people with good hearts not giving voice to those who are being oppressive, degrading, and discriminatory. 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:26.000 Voice is another key piece that I'll be challenging students with tonight. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:39.000 Music