Posted March 30, 2018
by Rebekah Friedman, communications manager
The College of Information and Communications will showcase its diversity research and hear from a leading authority on social justice in librarianship at the inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Research Panel and Luncheon on April 13.
Dr. Nicole Cooke, an assistant professor with the Information School at the University of Illinois, will keynote the event. Her research focuses on diversity and social justice in librarianship. Cooke is the 2017 recipient of the American Library Association Achievement in Library Diversity Research Award and the 2016 recipient of the ALA Equality Award and the Larine Y. Cowan Make a Difference Award for Teaching and Mentoring in Diversity.
The event will also feature a panel exploring the college’s own diversity, equity and inclusion research, moderated by Dr. David Lankes, director of the School of Library and Information Science. Panelists are:
- Dr. Kenneth Campbell, SJMC associate professor; civil rights and African American images in the media
- Dr. Clayton Copeland, SLIS assistant professor and director, SLIS Laboratory for Leadership in Equity of Access and Diversity; ability and disability, universal access and design
- Dr. Darin Freeburg, SLIS assistant professor; information access and religion
- Dr. Dick Kawooya, SLIS assistant professor; global issues and and The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled (The Marrakesh Treaty)
- Dr. Vanessa Kitzie, SLIS assistant professor; information practices of LGBTQ and other marginalized groups
- Dr. Ran Wei, SJMC professor; international issues and processes of mass communications and message effects
After the panel, Denise McGill, associate professor in the SJMC, will provide a special presentation on her award-winning documentary short film, “The Gullah Project.” The film explores South Carolina’s shrinking Gullah community and the difficult choice its members must make to either sell their land or preserve their culture.
“Diversity makes us stronger, not just as a college, but as a university and a community,” said Dr. Tom Reichert, dean of the College of Information and Communications. “That’s why we believe in fostering an environment that supports diversity-related dialogue and research. This event will be an opportunity to do just that, and we’re looking forward to learning from Dr. Cooke and sharing some of our own findings.”
The event, which includes lunch, is free and open to all students, faculty, staff and alumni.