Rotary Wheel Newsletter
September 25, 2002

Amy Phillips MSUM & Larry Pederson NDSU
TOCAR Training Our Campuses Against Racism
http://www.mnstate.edu/mhdrights/TOCAR1.htm

Today's program: TOCAR, an acronym for Training Our Colleges Against Racism, was presented by professors: Amy Phillips, MSUM and Larry Peterson, NDSU. Under a grant from the Bremer Foundation, the 4 colleges in our community have the mission to improve campus environment for diversity and accessibility for minorities. TOCAR attempts to deal with these goals of diversity to broaden our perspectives and understanding.

Minorities have doubled in our community in the last 10 years. At Edison elementary school in Moorhead, there are almost 25% students of color, according to Professor Phillips. But at MSUM, only 3.6% are students of color. So the question arises, are we doing all we can to attract students of color at our local colleges?

Professor Peterson introduced us to another acronym:
SWOT Analyses, which are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, as they are used for strategic planning to achieve campus environment for diversity and accessibility.

He also pointed out the Land Grant Act (The Morrill Act) was set up for poor people (white folks) to attend college who could not afford to attend private institutions of higher learning. He was trying to give us a historical perspective on lack of diversity in our universities, but hey, that was in the 1850's!

It appears to this editor, which our educational intuitions are already ahead of the community at large for cultural diversity and acceptance. Our opening song for this week had the following verse: "Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day." Appropriate words for today's topic.

Pam Easterday finished out her month as song leader in great form. Snyder Gokey spoke on being open and accepting others. Craig Sandstrom carried out the Sgt of Arms duties. Ankush Joshi, a Ph. D. student at NDSU and an ambassadorial scholar from India presented the club a flag from his sponsoring Indian Rotary club.