This week my Institution held a campus community event to provide a space for knowledge around the election, the future of US politics and more in light of the dramatic 2016 Campaign and election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States.
As a co-leader for an elected body that represents staff interests on my campus and as one of the co-sponsors of the event I was asked to speak during the event's introductions on the topic that is the title for this post.
Sadly, because of nerves I didn't actually write a speech (I typically don't stick to them anyway), I jotted down some bullet points and just spoke to what made sense to me. The theme that continued to be the heart of what became the thread of my conversation was Universities are meant to be a space where education in all opportunities can and should happen.
As I continued to think about this statement and also reflect on the words that I did share I figured I should probably pen my statement (ha, better late than never). But I thought this was the forum considering that the audience I speak to through these posts.
So here it goes:
My name is Keesha Ceran, I am a proud double alumna of this institution. I graduated from the School of Public Affairs in 2010 with my Bachelors in Political Science and a short 2 years later I completed my Masters from SPA in Applied Politics. I have spent 8 years on this campus, as a student and now as a staff member. As the co-chair for Staff Council, an elected body who represent staff interests on campus, I was excited and eager to participate in an event such as this.
I would be remiss to say that the excitement came out of the opportunity to reclaim something that was lost for me last semester (our campus like many others, have been ripe with issues of racial tension and the results of the election caused additional tension, that we have not completely addressed) -----that thing that was lost was CIVILITY.
I was equally excited to be faced with a statement such as this, as part of today's introductions--- What Universities Must Continue to Represent.
That statement is complex, but let me make an attempt to do this justice:
Universities must continue to represent a space where people can learn and be challenged in what they think they know.
For my colleagues in the room, those who already hold degrees, remember that you also have much to learn and that your title doesn't limit your ability to learn. Take time today to learn from our students, to challenge yourself TO NOT BE RIGHT.
Universities must continue to be a space where we embrace difference. Not for the sake of tolerance, but from an aspect of vulnerability. We only fear what and who we don't understand. Universities are a space in which we have the freedom to learn about a wide range of people, but it means that we have to let our own walls down. One of the themes I have taught my students that I work with are, that relationships matter.
Universities must continue to be a space where we challenge ourselves, when tested, to not try to WIN. But instead to take the opportunities to understand people and their hearts, again relationships matter.
When I think about the current climate, I see that Universities are micro experiences of the world outside of them. Ghandi said it best, Be the Change you want to see in the world. If we want to see change out there, we have to start with the change here. What impact do you want to have reflected in the world around us, if we can't fix or begin to address the issues or experiences of the community within?
Throughout the day, I encourage us all not to just look at what's happening nationally, but also what we can do to build and transform the community here. To restore and make AU a place that is better 5, 10, 20 and forever years from now, that this Institution stands.
