This session will feature a unique panel of the only three African Americans currently serving as president of a predominantly white public university. Appearing together for the first time ever, these exceptional leaders will explore diversity issues impacting higher education in general, their institutions in particular, and the global implications of technology and curricular reform for U.S. colleges and universities. The backdrop for the panel will be a report of findings from data collected in the past year regarding awareness among college/university personnel of the diversity of the Boards of Trustees governing the institutions where they are employed.  The cruciality of trustees’ primary role in selecting and supporting presidents committed to leading with vision in a diverse “flat” world will provide a context for this session. 

Portia L. Hunt, Ph.D., Professor, Counseling Psychology, Psychological Studies in Education, Temple University; and President, Eclipse Consultant Group—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Roderick J. McDavis, Ph.D., President, Ohio University—Athens, Ohio

Sidney A. McPhee, Ph.D., President, Middle Tennessee State University—Murfreesboro, Tennessee 

Sidney A. Ribeau, Ph.D., President, Bowling Green State University—Bowling Green, Ohio

Patricia A. Ackerman, Ph.D., Trustee Emerita, Ohio University; Trustee, Lake Erie College; President, Chalkdust Inc.—Bedford, Ohio (Moderator)    

Talking about race is now becoming commonplace in higher education institutions and beyond. Yet, our understandings of race and racism are shifting, as are our experiences and understandings of RaceTalk, racial justice and inter‑racial alliances. We are confronted with examining more deeply the impact of White supremacy and racism not only on relations between people of color, multiracial and White people, but also among communities of color and within White communities. We are challenged to examine the intersectionalities of racism, ethnocentrism, linguicism and xenophobia with religion, gender, class, sexual orientation, nationality and more. 

In this highly interactive session, we will engage with participants in honest, deep and meaningful small group dialogues to grapple with the difficult issues in these changing times. What does it mean to have a voice in dialogue? What does being real look like to you and me?  How do we hold the truths of many voices? How do we truly and genuinely listen across our relational positions of privileges and oppressions? What responsibilities do we carry in listening to each other? How do we move forward together in genuine connection and community that honors the conflicts we face? How do we move from “RaceTalk” to “RaceWalk“ for inclusion and justice? Presenters for this dialogue session bring a wealth of experience in developing, facilitating and teaching about intergroup dialogue over the last 18 years. They will provide an overview of intergroup dialogue principles and methods as a foundation for the experiential, small group facilitated conversations. Participants will benefit in experientially engaging with others concerned about similar issues, as well as learning strategies to use in their own efforts to promote meaningful dialogues. We will share a set of printed resources that include intergroup dialogue activities and tools.

Roger Fisher, Associate Director, Intergroup Relations, University of Michigan—Ann Arbor, Michigan

Judy Hamilton, Non-Academic Instructor, Reading and Language Arts, Syracuse University—Syracuse, New York

Biren (Ratnesh) Nagda, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Social Welfare Doctoral Faculty, School of Social Work, University of Washington—Seattle, Washington

Monita Thompson, Co-Director, Intergroup Relations, Conflict and Community (IGRCC), University of Michigan—Ann Arbor, Michigan

Thomas Walker, Assistant Director, Intergroup Relations Center, Arizona State University—Tempe, Arizona

Ximena Zúñiga, Assistant Professor, Multicultural Education, Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts—Amherst, Massachusetts