Does Race Still Matter?
Interrogating “Post-Racial” Notions in the Age of Obama

Panel Discussion / Open Forum
Tuesday, May 12
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Memorial Union, Room 213

Google the term “post-racial” and one will find plenty of debate
surrounding our current historical moment and the significance-or
insignificance-of race in US society today. After all, did we not elect
our first African American President? How then can one argue that race
is still a factor of any substantive consequence in American life?
Clearly, given Obama’s election we have reached a point in our history
where race no longer constitutes a barrier to opportunity or
socioeconomic mobility-or so the argument goes.

What exactly does it mean to assert we are now living in a “post-racial”
US? What is at stake? Does race still matter, and if so, in what ways?

Join the Association of Faculty for the Advancement of People of Color
(AFAPC) in a panel discussion and open forum as we grapple with these
very questions.

Panelists:
Patti Sakurai – Ethnic Studies
Dwaine Plaza – Sociology
Sunil Khanna – Anthropology
Joseph Orosco – Philosophy
Deb Rubel – Teacher & Counselor Education

Moderator:
Celeste Walls – Speech Communication

Sponsored by the Black Cultural Center and the Association of Faculty
for the Advancement of People of Color (AFAPC)

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made to Anne
Gillies, 541- 737-0865.

As a follow-up to last night’s discussion at AFAPC, Dawn forwarded the following link from the Gazette-Times:

OSU’s global recruitment good for Corvallis (Gazette-Times)

Some recent news out of Oregon State University suggests how the university is reaching out beyond this country’s borders to find new students. It’s a worthy goal, and one that makes good sense for OSU and Corvallis.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2009/02/25/news/opinion/6edi01_osuglobal0224.txt

The Philosophy Department presents

IDEAS MATTER Lecture Series

THE UN DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT 60

Jorge Valadez, Philosophy
Our Lady of the Lake University

February 12, 2009
7:00 pm
Gilfillan Auditorium

The primary focus of this talk will be on the issue of whether immigration should be regarded as a universal human right. Dr. Valadez will critically examine some of the justifications that have been given for the view that immigration should be added to the list of commonly recognized human rights. His primary contention is that national policies on immigration, in order to be considered moral or just, should be understood within the context of a global theory of justice. When seen from this context, we will be able to appreciate the problems with the claim that immigration is a human right, even while recognizing that countries owe strong moral obligations to one another that can be partially discharged by more liberal immigration policies.

These lectures are open and free to the public.

For more information, contact Leonora Rianda at 737-2955 or check out the Philosophy Department website at: http://oregonstate.edu/cla/philosophy/

We’ve had fairly low traffic until now, but with the new effort underway to create a more effective communication system for AFAPC it is undeniably time to perk up the site a bit. With any luck, by the next AFAPC meeting this blog should boast a nice set of new graphics and updated permanent content. Thanks for your patience and for your suggestions on how to make this part of our communication network work for you.

Colleagues:

Please come to an American Association of University Professors open strategy meeting, December 15, 12-2 pm, in Hovland 104.  We will continue dialogue begun last year about ways to create an improved work environment at OSU.   Craig Flannery, AAUP West Coast representative, will lead the discussion and answer questions you may have.

How can we expand the shared governance at OSU?  Are faculty salaries where they should be?   Are there tenure and promotion issues that you think can be improved?  Does the noticeably expanding ranks of administration seem a wise and efficient use of resources?  Can we find a way to be more equitable to contingent, adjunct faculty and professional faculty?

Do you have ideas about alternative ways that the university could be organized and function?   This meeting is an opportunity for you meet with other faculty and discuss these issues and others you may think important. We will be serving a light lunch so please join us.

–

José-Antonio Orosco, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Philosophy Department
Peace Studies Program, Director

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331
541-737-4335

Beginning today, messages intended for the AFAPC membership will be processed by a moderator before being posted. Messages deemed to be of importance to the regular function of AFAPC will be forwarded to the mailing list, and messages that are not will be posted as a discussion item on the AFAPC blog.

The general membership of AFAPC will not be able to post articles to the blog without moderation, but anyone — member or not — may post comments. In order to facilitate civil discourse, comments with personal attacks or other forms of hostile language will be removed.

The AFAPC blog, though functional, is not particularly attractive at the moment. When time allows we will spend some time on blog beautification. Your patience is appreciated.

Please feel free to add your suggestions for topics to discuss at the meeting on Tuesday. Thus far we have the following:

1) Program update – collaboration with the Bias Response Team

2) Residence hall issue

3)  Warren Suzuki memorial scholarship fund

4) Discussion with Sabah about campus climate

Candace and I will be posting the agenda for the February meeting soon. The meeting is scheduled for 11-1 on Tuesday the 19th. We will be joined by the provost at 12. Stay tuned for more information!

Janet Nishihara forwarded the sad news of Dr. Warren Suzuki’s passing this past week. Warren was on the Education faculty and was among the founders of AFAPC before his retirement. He will be greatly missed.

The message from Sho describing the circumstances of his passing is included after the jump.

Read more »

Here are the minutes from the January meeting.

Meeting was 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in McNary

Action items:

*    Contact Juan Trujillo to nominate someone or express interest in
serving on the Steering committee for this year.  6 members are needed.
*    Prepare discussion topics for February meeting with Provost
Sabah Randhawa
*    Report from program committees on progress; follow up on program
ideas and select dates

Read more »