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SOUTH DAKOTA
SCHOOL OF MINES
& TECHNOLOGY
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Office of Multicultural Affairs
The Office of Multicultural Affairs actualizes a dimension of the university's core value of diversity by empowering students of color and facilitating cross-cultural interactions through educational opportunities and programmatic initiatives for the university community. We work with students, faculty, and staff to define and respond to the needs of undergraduate & graduate Native American, African American, Latino/a, Asian American, and other under-represented students. OMA supports the retention of its students through a structured support network that includes academic support services, peer mentoring, workshops focused on career and personal development, and promotion of cultural competence through access to community diversity education seminars.
Our goal is to make student’s time at SDSM&T a great experience in learning. We can assist you in many ways; from admissions advice and registration help to scholarship identification. We invite you to visit our offices,lower level in the Surbeck Center.
VISION
The Office of Multicultural Affairs' commitment is to work with, support efforts, and provide leadership in the quest for a multicultural environment at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. To this end the Office of Multicultural Affairs has a dynamic definition of multiculturalism: the interweaving of culture, race/ethnicity, social class, religion, geographic location, age and gender. Through this definition we embrace similarities, respect the differences among groups, and discourage assumptions based on stereotypical notions about someone's culture.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs' immediate mission is to advance racial and ethnic equity within South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Our office is committed to working closely with and supporting the activities and efforts of groups that historically have been excluded from the opportunities enjoyed by members of the predominant culture. They are: African Americans; Asians; Pacific Islanders; Latinos; American Indians; and Alaskan Natives. These groups continue to find obstacles that hinder them from having full participation in our society.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs long-term mission is to create learning and working environments on campus where all voices are welcome and all groups count.
Campus diversity cannot be obtained just by the efforts of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The celebration of diversity and equity is the collective work of the whole institution and its constituencies. The unfolding of this process can only take place only if the basic principles of respect and dignity are honored. Our experiences, philosophies, and perceptions regarding racial/ethnic and gender equity, as well as levels of social responsibility to deal with these inequities, vary among all of us. A frank dialogue, activities, and collective actions will facilitate diversity on our campus and deconstruct ignorance, fears, bias, and prejudices.
SPECIFIC SERVICE AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
· Identify, motivate and prepare SDSM&T and disadvantaged students at the college and pre-college level to enter and successfully progress through the science, engineering and mathematics educational pathway;
· Provides supplemental tutoring and other academic enrichment programs for students;
· Administers scholarship programs and identifies other sources of financial assistance for students;
· Sponsors social and cultural enrichment events and activities nurture cross-cultural understanding through the efforts of the Multicultural Affair’s Activity Office in the Surbeck Center;
· Organizes time management, test taking, study skills, and stress management workshops;
· Provides a student lounge equipped with computers and telephone where students can relax or engage in fellowship and pursue network opportunities;
· Coordinates service projects and other outreach opportunities to help students establish and sustain contact with the community;
· Conducts cross-cultural and diversity training seminars.
· Maintains a reference library of cross-cultural and diversity literature, demographic data available to the campus community.
· Serves as the principal sponsor for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s campus chapter. In spring 2005, AISES sponsored the Region V conference in Rapid City.
A Multicultural Study Center and Activities Center
These centers were established as a mechanism to facilitate collective activities among the students of color and maximize involvement in campus and community based activities. The mission of the Study Center is “to provide a center dedicated to promoting and preserving American Indian, African American, Asian American and Latino(a) culture on campus, also to provide space for students to study and learn. Support staff is available to assist students as they maneuver through a sometimes confusing and difficult journey. The Study Center serves as a central meeting place for students and organizations.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Bruce Carter-- Director,
Gwenn Markham, Program Assistant
Office of Multicultural Affairs.
501 East St. Joseph Street
Rapid City SD 57701
Telephone: (605) 394-1828
Fax: (605) 394-2444
Email: Bruce.Carter@sdsmt.edu
Gwenn.Markham@sdsmt.edu
Web Site: www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/multicultural
Contact: Department of Multicultural Affairs
This page has been visited 22,765 times since 04/22/2004
| http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/sdsmt/multicultural |
Last Modified: 02/07/2007 |
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