Community Talk: Brave New World
Thank you for joining us on our 2020 inaugural油C+V油event to油explore ideas on油belonging.油油
We will soon hear several answers to the question: Faced with reestablishing a civilization for humankind on another planet, how would you build and foster community?油
I am pleased that Ann and the organizers chose a space theme in honor of the new Star Trek series that will油feature Jean Luc Picards return in the油premier油on Wednesday January 23rd油on your local CBS station.油
Seriously, the question is hypothetical but the spirit油behind it油is applicable油right now in this unique moment in history,油not just here at 91心頭, but nationally, globally油
In many ways, building and participating油in community today油can feel like we are starting fresh due to many forces:油
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Rapidly changing technology油
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鴛稼界姻艶温壊庄稼乙油沿看鉛庄岳庄界温鉛油糸庄厩庄壊庄看稼油油
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Cultural and demographic shifts油油
At 91心頭, and everywhere, people are wondering what community means, what it looks like, how we can benefit from it and foster its success油
After all, when we are connected,油we are happier and healthier across the many dimensions of our lives. This is especially true for our students.油
Just this month,油油published a story about the importance of belonging to students油success. The research shows that there is much room there is for improvement for minority and first-generation students to feel that powerful sense of belonging and community on four-year油college油campuses.油油
Thats why the Community + Values油Initiative油 the host of this event is so essential.油油
Here on campus, we talk about油One91心頭油and its central role in our 91心頭 IMPACT 2025, but without community and without a clear sense of our shared values, we can never油achieve油our highest and boldest油One91心頭油potential.油油
Through油C+V, together, we are being courageous; we are asking big, complicated questions油油
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What better place than a University to do this work?油
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How are we, and how should we, interact with one another?油
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What changes do we want to see in our communities?油
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What do we need to do different now and in 10 years?油
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What do we value? And how does油our community, our work, and our studies reflect those values?油
For me, however, all of this is about the objective of油strengthening our collective and individual sense of belonging. I think we do a terrific job at creating a welcoming institution our orientation of new students is a superb example.油Student and parents remark consistently how we outshine our competition.油油
But Ive also detected, from our students and our油faculty/staff, we have some room for improvement to create a sense of belonging. A sense of油tribe and identity where we feel we belong. This is likely to happen locally but we must strive to make it an institutional objective.油
Creating a sense of belonging is not easy it is incredibly hard.油And it takes our effort constantly. One objective that I see is that we must develop our muscle to have difficult conversations. Hard, hard, hard. But this is why Im excited by our work with the油4D油Student Experience which will build programming to have difficult conversations.油油
And油I believe to develop this capacity for difficult conversations, we must油make sure we are a campus that empathizes and listens to divergent油perspectives. It is the only way we are going to tackle learning to have difficult conversations and ultimately油build that sense of belonging.油
Belonging: the final frontier.油These are油events of Community + Values.油Its油continuing mission, to油explore油empathy油and master difficult conversations. To seek out divergent thought and new perspectives. To boldly go where no油University油has gone before.油油
Todays speakers will present their ideas for how to build community from the ground floor up.油油
How can we incorporate their油big ideas into our lives and work here at 91心頭?油油