Muslim 'Hipsters' Turn A Joke Into A Serious Conversation; NPR, 12/28/13

Amarra Ghani, NPR; Muslim 'Hipsters' Turn A Joke Into A Serious Conversation: "It started off as a joke, calling themselves Mipsterz, which is short for Muslim hipsters. "It's almost like a very lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek kind of thing where we wanted a space to share ideas that in some way fuse cultures. It's like we're almost creating our own culture by being ourselves," says Abbas Rattani, a curator of the email listserv that calls itself Mipsterz. "The tag line I ended making up was, 'Wait a minute, people hate us because we're Muslim? I thought they hated us because we're hipsters.' It kind of encapsulates the vibe." Late last month, Rattani and a group of Mipsterz released a video to the tune of the Jay-Z song "Somewhere in America" (Full disclosure: I am on the listserv, and I appear in the video.) 　 The video shows diverse Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab, or head covering, and do so with individual style. The women are also seen doing quirky, random things like skateboarding, walking around a forest, and other hipster-esque escapades. The video has sparked huge amounts of commentary."

A Campus More Colorful Than Reality: Beware That College Brochure; NPR, 12/29/13

Deena Prichep, NPR; A Campus More Colorful Than Reality: Beware That College Brochure: "Even without Photoshop, colleges try to shape the picture they present to prospective students, says Tim Pippert, a sociologist at Augsburg College in Minnesota. "Diversity is something that's being marketed," Pippert says. "They're trying to sell a campus climate, they're trying to sell a future. Campuses are trying to say, 'If you come here, you'll have a good time, and you'll fit in.' " Pippert and his researchers looked at more than 10,000 images from college brochures, comparing the racial breakdown of students in the pictures to the colleges' actual demographics. They found that, overall, the whiter the school, the more diversity depicted in the brochures, especially for certain groups. "When we looked at African-Americans in those schools that were predominantly white, the actual percentage in those campuses was only about 5 percent of the student body," he says. "They were photographed at 14.5 percent.""

Boy Scouts Start Accepting Gay Youth On New Year's Day; Associated Press via HuffingtonPost.com, 12/28/13

David Crary and Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press via HuffingtonPost.com; Boy Scouts Start Accepting Gay Youth On New Year's Day: "The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year's Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications — ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades... The new policy was approved in May, with support from 60 percent of the 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council. The vote followed bitter nationwide debate, and was accompanied by an announcement that the BSA would continue to exclude openly gay adults from leadership positions. Under the new membership policy, youths can no longer be barred from the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts or coed Venturers program solely on the basis of sexual orientation. However, gay Scouts will face some limitations."

Diversity Prompts Increased Racial Isolation; ABC News, 12/28/13

Martha Mendoza, ABC News; Diversity Prompts Increased Racial Isolation: "Rising immigration hasn't made Watsonville more diverse; it is a community heading toward racial isolation, a growing phenomenon in a state that offers one possible look at how the nation may change as non-Hispanic whites become a minority in the coming months... Current Mayor Lowell Hurst, who is not Hispanic, said in his 30 years in Watsonville, the community has changed a lot. "We have more people that probably lack legal status and that means more people that are really kind of living in the shadows," he said. "Certainly there's been white flight from this city as people's economic status improves and they wish to have better opportunities. He added: "But do people flee because of race or language? I don't know." Hurst said many residents appreciate the Latino influence. "I think a lot of people would like to put the differences of race on the back burners and focus more on economic opportunity and celebrate the diversity of cultures that exist," he said."

More Diversity in New York City’s Police Dept., but Blacks Lag; New York Times, 12/26/13

J. David Goodman, New York Times; More Diversity in New York City’s Police Dept., but Blacks Lag: "It is among Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly’s prouder legacies: A majority of the police officers in New York City are now members of minorities, and have been since roughly 2006. But as the Police Department has attracted an increasingly kaleidoscopic range of nationalities to its ranks in recent years — officers hail from Albania to Yemen — department statistics reveal a decline in new recruits among black New Yorkers. The decline comes despite aggressive recruitment efforts in places like central Harlem and the Bronx, where the department regularly assigns friendly recruitment officers to visit."

Missing From Podiums: Women; New York Times, 12/20/13

Zachary Woolfe, New York Times; Missing From Podiums: Women: "“Dinosaur, go back to your cave!” the British conductor Sian Edwards said over the phone with a laugh, her eyes audibly rolling. I had asked for her response to the bizarrely retrograde comments a few respected male musicians had made recently about female conductors. In August, the young Russian maestro Vasily Petrenko told an interviewer that players, presumably men, “react better when they have a man in front of them.” He added, “A sweet girl on the podium can make one’s thoughts drift toward something else.” Not long after, controversy erupted over comments that Bruno Mantovani, a composer and the director of the Paris Conservatory of Music and Dance made on French radio. “Sometimes women are discouraged by the very physical aspect,” he said. “Conducting, taking a plane, taking another plane, conducting again.” Then the New Yorker critic Alex Ross provided a translation of an interview that the venerable Russian conductor Yuri Temirkanov, one of Mr. Petrenko’s mentors, gave last year. “The essence of the conductor’s profession is strength,” he said. “The essence of a woman is weakness.” The pace is agonizing, but things are improving. Recent conversations I’ve had with conductors at various stages of their careers, as well as administrators, artist managers and teachers, suggest that what’s preventing equity is now less overt sexism, though those comments by the Russian maestros and Mr. Mantovani have made clear it still exists, than simply time — the trickle of a younger, more heterogeneous generation as it permeates the field — and incremental societal shifts in attitudes about the face of leadership."

‘Duck Dynasty’ and Quackery; New York Times, 12/20/13

Charles Blow, New York Times; ‘Duck Dynasty’ and Quackery: "Robertson’s interview reads as a commentary almost without malice, imbued with a matter-of-fact, this-is-just-the-way-I-see-it kind of Southern folksiness. To me, that is part of the problem. You don’t have to operate with a malicious spirit to do tremendous harm. Insensitivity and ignorance are sufficient. In fact, intolerance that is disarming is the most dangerous kind. It can masquerade as morality... Let me first say that Robertson has a constitutionally protected right to voice his opinion and A&E has a corporate right to decide if his views are consistent with its corporate ethos. No one has a constitutional right to a reality show. I have no opinion on the suspension. That’s A&E’s call... Robertson’s comments conjure the insidious mythology of historical Southern fiction, that of contented slave and benevolent master, of the oppressed and the oppressors gleefully abiding the oppression, happily accepting their wildly variant social stations. This mythology posits that there were two waves of ruination for Southern culture, the Civil War and the civil rights movement, that made blacks get upset and things go downhill. Robertson’s comments also display a staggering ignorance about the place and meaning of song in African-American suffering."

‘S.N.L.’ Stops Joking About Casting Problems; New York Times, 12/20/13

Editorial Board, New York Times; ‘S.N.L.’ Stops Joking About Casting Problems: "After coming under intense criticism for its lack of onstage diversity, “Saturday Night Live” is poised to hire its first black female cast member since Maya Rudolph left the show in 2007. Lorne Michaels, the executive producer, told The New York Times that “S.N.L.” recently held special auditions and that one or two black women would most likely join the cast in January — a good thing for notions of balance, of course, but also for the show’s relevance. Over nearly four decades, “S.N.L.” has had only three black female repertory players."

3 Diversity Strategies To Help Companies Thrive; Forbes, 12/4/13

Richard Levychin, Forbes; 3 Diversity Strategies To Help Companies Thrive: "Diversity is one of the core growth principals of entrepreneurship with the concept of ROI-Based Diversity following a simple proposition: the more audiences you market your services or products to, the more opportunities you create to generate revenue. Accordingly, the more diverse potential customers that you have in your pipeline, the more opportunities you have to increase your revenue... In the most basic of terms, Diversity = Revenue. Here’s how to implement it in your company: 1. Expand Your Scope... 2. Mirror your Desired Demographic... 3. Communicate Your Diversity Plan"

Why the Dutch Love Black Pete; New York Times, 12/4/13

Arnon Grunberg, New York Times; Why the Dutch Love Black Pete: "In a debate in Parliament, Mr. Wilders’s party asked the minister of education, culture and science whether she shared the view held by some that “Dutch traditions” should be made subordinate to “multicultural drivel.” Not to be outflanked, both Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the mayor of Amsterdam recently spoke up in defense of Black Pete, albeit with reservations. Sinterklaas, Mr. Rutte said, would not be Sinterklaas without Black Pete. Of course, there were Dutch people who saw things differently, and there were many with no opinion either way. Yet the general tenor among the Dutch public was that “they” should keep their mitts off “our tradition,” an opinion you can hear in any number of variations on any street corner. By “them” people mean the United Nations and “unnatural” Dutch citizens, by both birth and naturalization, who want to put an end to this admittedly dubious tradition. The Black Pete debate underscores how deep within the Netherlands’s prosperous and safe society lies the fear of losing identity, undoubtedly fueled by globalization, migration and the notion that the European Union is gradually doing away with the European nation state."

Over the rainbow: what is it like to be gay around the world?; Guardian, 11/15/13

Paddy Allen And Nicole Jackson, Guardian; Over the rainbow: what is it like to be gay around the world? : "Russia introduces an anti-gay law, while Britain makes marriage legal. So what's it like to be gay around the world in 2013? Men and women from Afghanistan to Uruguay talk about love, the law and coming out to your mum. Roll over the portraits below to see where the interviewees are from, and click to read their stories."

Siding With Google, Judge Says Book Search Does Not Infringe Copyright; New York Times, 11/14/13

Claire Cain Miller and Julie Bosman, New York Times; Siding With Google, Judge Says Book Search Does Not Infringe Copyright: "“It advances the progress of the arts and sciences, while maintaining respectful consideration for the rights of authors and other creative individuals, and without adversely impacting the rights of copyright holders,” Judge Chin wrote in his ruling. “Indeed, all society benefits.”... [Judge Denny Chin] cited the benefits for librarians, researchers, students, teachers, scholars, data scientists and underserved populations like disabled people who cannot read print books or those in remote places without libraries. He said it also helped authors and publishers by creating new audiences and sources of income... Paul Aiken, the executive director of the Authors Guild, said in an interview that the result was “obviously disappointing” and that the authors would appeal. “Google created unauthorized digital versions of most of the world’s copyright-protected books — certainly most of the valuable copyright-protected books in the world,” he said.“Google created unauthorized digital versions of most of the world’s copyright-protected books — certainly most of the valuable copyright-protected books in the world,” he said. Google issued a statement that said, “Google Books is in compliance with copyright law and acts like a card catalog for the digital age — giving users the ability to find books to buy or borrow.”

Fox Says Diversity Leads To Good Ratings And Better Business; NPR, 11/13/13

Eric Deggans, NPR; Fox Says Diversity Leads To Good Ratings And Better Business: "It's easy, when writing about network TV, to be cynical. For example, when I heard the Fox network had been holding annual conferences on diversity, telling top show producers their casts and crew had to feature more people of color, I remained skeptical. What's the catch, I wondered? Turns out, the network began talking about diversity as a business imperative about three years ago, shifting the conversation to the need for TV programing that reflects the multicultural reality of today's world to keep younger viewers... I'm told such casting at Fox is often a result of the diversity sessions, which now include corporate siblings such as FX and Fox Searchlight studios. In the sessions, the case is made that diversity is good business as well as a good deed."

Lack of Diversity In STEM is Dangerous For Our Students; HuffingtonPost.com, 11/11/13

Natalia Chabebe, HuffingtonPost.com; Lack of Diversity In STEM is Dangerous For Our Students: "Perhaps my school and guidance counselor didn't think I had it in me because they didn't see other Latinos excelling in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, collectively known as STEM. According to a 2011 National Science Foundation report, the U.S. science and engineering workforce is comprised of 55 percent white men and just 1 percent Hispanic women. This lack of diversity in STEM is dangerous. It's what makes teachers and students doubt what is possible... It is imperative that we have more diverse individuals leading the way in STEM fields, to give not only themselves a voice, but to speak on behalf of their communities."

The Coach Who Exploded; New York Times Magazine, 11/6/13

Jonathan Mahler, New York Times Magazine; The Coach Who Exploded: "Toward that end, Rice has volunteered his services to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. “You know how much courage it takes for a kid to come out in high school?” Rice asked me after his first meeting with a group of gay high-school students in New Jersey. In late July, the organization invited Rice to a daylong professional-development seminar in Chicago. The objective was to help educators make gyms and locker rooms more inclusive."

Senate Bill on Bias Against Gays Finds Support in Mormons; New York Times, 11/7/13

Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times; Senate Bill on Bias Against Gays Finds Support in Mormons: "The bill, which passed by a vote of 64 to 32 with 10 Republicans joining, was a priority of Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, who, as the Mormon Church’s highest-ranking member in the government, put the nondiscrimination measure at the top of the Senate’s agenda once the government reopened last month. “People shouldn’t be able to fire them because of their sexual orientation any more than you can fire them if they’re Mormon,” Mr. Reid said Thursday in an interview... Mr. Heller, who voted against a similar nondiscrimination measure in 2007 when he was a member of the House, said he was typical of members of his faith who had come around on the issue. “Where American families are becoming more inclusive, I think the same is true of the L.D.S. faith,” he said. “We believe we should treat people with dignity, and you saw that on the immigration reform issue as well. It’s an issue of fairness.”

Wilson Writes the New Ms. Marvel, a Teenage Muslim Shape-Shifter; ComicBookResources.com, 11/5/13

Albert Ching, ComicBookResources.com; Wilson Writes the New Ms. Marvel, a Teenage Muslim Shape-Shifter: "Last month, Marvel Comics teased a "Ms." joining their ranks as part of their ongoing All-New Marvel NOW! promotional and editorial initiative. Tuesday, the New York Times revealed the publisher's new "Ms. Marvel": Kamala Khan, a teenage Muslim shape-shifter. The character will star in a series debuting in February 2014 written by G. Willow Wilson, known for comic book work including "Air" and her World Fantasy Award-winning novel "Alif the Unseen," and illustrated by Adrian Alphona, the original "Runaways" artist recently seen on "Uncanny X-Force."... The "Ms. Marvel" team is quoted as expecting the book to receive some negative reaction from multiple sides. "I do expect some negativity," Amanat said in the article. "Not only from people who are anti-Muslim, but people who are Muslim and might want the character portrayed in a particular light.""

Fixing a Gender Pay Gap Can Lead to Faculty Discord; Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/31/13

Audrey Williams June, Chronicle of Higher Education; Fixing a Gender Pay Gap Can Lead to Faculty Discord: "Institutions that discover widespread pay disparities by gender, with female professors earning less than their male counterparts, and then try to remedy the gap can find themselves mired in a process that is fraught with tension and results in faculty discord."

At Grambling, a Proud Football Program at Risk; New York Times, 10/25/13

Greg Bishop, New York Times; At Grambling, a Proud Football Program at Risk: "Players returned to practice, and this was significant because late last week, they did not practice, and last Saturday, they did not play. As a proud university rich in tradition sorted through the disarray of the past 10 days — the boycott, a campus rally, the suspension and reinstatement of two student journalists, the removal of a second football coach this season — two issues emerged as primary causes: the brutal financial strains confronting the nation’s historically black colleges and universities and the region’s public universities; and the common discord on college campuses between powerful football coaches and administrators who want to exert control."

Americans See Opportunity in Rising Diversity; HuffingtonPost.com, 10/301/3

Sally Steenland, HuffingtonPost.com; Americans See Opportunity in Rising Diversity: "The United States lags behind other countries in a number of areas, such as infant mortality and educational achievement, but there is one place where we can claim to lead the way: We are rapidly becoming a more diverse nation. Today, more than half of the babies born in the United States are children of color, and, according to the Census Bureau, our population will have no ethnic or racial majority by 2043. In many important ways, this is a good thing. A recent CAP and PolicyLink book, "All-In Nation: An America that Works for All," spells out the benefits..."

For ‘SNL’ Cast, Being Diverse May Be Better Than Being ‘Ready’; New York Times, 10/29/13

Jason Zinoman, New York Times; For ‘SNL’ Cast, Being Diverse May Be Better Than Being ‘Ready’ : "Let me state the obvious: That “Saturday Night Live,” once home of the Not Ready for Prime Time players, has hired only three black women for its main cast— in addition to Yvonne Hudson, a featured player in 1980 — in four decades says more about the show than about the talent pool. That doesn’t mean that the show’s executive producer, Lorne Michaels, discriminates so much as he doesn’t put a premium on this kind of diversity."

Open-access harassment: science, technology and women; Guardian, 10/24/13

Georgina Voss Alice Bell, Guardian; Open-access harassment: science, technology and women: "Not of all these responses have been received well as their comment streams often stand testament to. Offering up the tech sector as a bastion of good practice around gender discrimination when such issues are ongoing and unresolved is incongruous, particularly given that pink-collar work is still prevalent in the industry. Making the call on whether to identify personal instances of harassment – and in particular, naming harassers – remains an impossible dilemma. However, academia’s steep and closed ranks are lesser (although not absent) which means that more open conversations with larger groups of participants can take place. The people – mostly men – at the top of the tech world wield considerably more power than those below, but not to the gatekeeper extent of the senior academics who are both untouchable for the millions of pounds they bring in in grant money for their institutions, whilst acting as gatekeepers to the entire system. These might be small mercies, but mercies they remain. One thing both science and technology communities share is an assumed neutrality combined with the mythos that career progression is egalitarian and meritocratic. Both academia’s hierarchies and tech’s allusions to freedom mean these go unquestioned. Moreover, this renders structural issues around sexism, racism and other areas of prejudice invisible, further disempowering those who find themselves at the receiving end. Want to start solving gender problems in science and technology? Bugger Google Glass: build the spectacles which render visible the invisible inequalities of power, culture and mythologies of meritocracy. In the absence of such a techno-fix, we should call those myths and issues out for what they are. In doing so, we can address a swathe of other problems too and make the fields more inclusive, productive, safe and fun for everyone."

Amid Rising Discord Over Indian Images, F.S.U. Has Harmony; New York Times, 10/23/13

Mike Tierney, New York Times; Amid Rising Discord Over Indian Images, F.S.U. Has Harmony: "The Seminole Tribe of Florida has granted written permission for the university to borrow symbols of its heritage. While other tribes have pressed institutions to amend certain traditions or abandon nicknames and logos, Florida State enjoys the imprimatur of its sports teams’ namesake. “We Seminoles embrace that mascot,” Chief James Billie, the tribe’s chairman, said. “They honor us.”... Regarding opposition from American Indians outside Florida, Billie summons the notion of tribal self-determination, with each Indian people setting its own course. “We tell them to go back to their own territory,” he said. “Leave us alone. This is my place, my home.”... Wickman, author of the book “Warriors Without War: Seminole Leadership in the Late Twentieth Century,” considers the use of Indian representation distasteful and wishes Florida State would follow suit. “It is a profound insult to the Native American people,” said Wickman, who contends that support for the symbols among tribe members is not universal. “It is a white arrogance that is long due to end.”"

National Parks Try to Appeal to Minorities; New York Times, 9/5/13

Kirk Johnson, New York Times; National Parks Try to Appeal to Minorities: "“We’ve been here for two days, walking around, and I can’t think of any brown person that I’ve seen,” said Carol Cain, 42, a New Jersey resident of Dominican and Puerto Rican roots, who was zipped up tight in her hooded, dripping rain jacket. The National Park Service knows all too well what Ms. Cain is talking about. In a soul-searching, head-scratching journey of its own, the agency that manages some of the most awe-inspiring public places is scrambling to rethink and redefine itself to the growing number of Americans who do not use the parks in the way that previous — mostly white — generations did. Only about one in five visitors to a national park site is nonwhite, according to a 2011 University of Wyoming report commissioned by the Park Service, and only about 1 in 10 is Hispanic — a particularly lackluster embrace by the nation’s fastest-growing demographic group."

Oregon Father’s Memorial Trek Across Country Ends in a Family’s Second Tragedy; New York Times, 10/15/13

Jack Healy, New York Times; Oregon Father’s Memorial Trek Across Country Ends in a Family’s Second Tragedy: "For nearly six months, Mr. Bell, 48, had been on the road, sharing his son’s story and trying to salve his own grief. He spoke at motorcycle rallies and college bars, schools, diners and gay-outreach centers, telling people about his sensitive, artistic son who hanged himself from a piece of playground equipment on Jan. 19... The day he died, Mr. Bell had been trying to log a few more miles before speaking at a Methodist church in Hugo, Colo. A day earlier, he and the sheriff of Lincoln County had started chatting on the side of the road, and bonded quickly as fathers of gay sons. The sheriff, Tom Nestor, set up a talk for Wednesday evening. Mr. Nestor had been planning to fetch Mr. Bell when he got word that a pedestrian had been hit along Highway 40. He raced to the scene. Mr. Bell’s cart was lying in the road. Medics were already covering his body. On Thursday, he will be remembered at a memorial service in Oregon. “I got down on one knee and put my hand on Joe’s head and said a silent prayer,” Sheriff Nestor said in an e-mail. “I only knew him for a very short time but this man had to of made a huge difference in everyone he met. He made me realize how important basic humanity still is.”"

Redskins’ Owner Stubbornly Clings to Wrong Side of History; New York Times, 10/12/13

William C. Rhoden, New York Times; Redskins’ Owner Stubbornly Clings to Wrong Side of History: "[Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's] refusal to change an offensive name is emblematic of our society’s tendency to wrap ourselves in the armor of self-interest regardless of who might be wounded or offended. Sports has historically been a vehicle to bring us together. Increasingly, the enterprise is becoming one more tool of divisiveness. Those of us who are appealing to Snyder’s sense of ethics and morals are barking up the wrong tree. If this were about morality, Snyder would not need surveys and handpicked American Indians to validate his point. He would stand alone on principle. Snyder’s fight is an economic issue, revolving around licensing, marketing and branding. His stridency is based in money, not morality. When you follow your wallet and ignore your conscience, you’re headed for moral bankruptcy."

Redskins’ Name Change Remains Activist’s Unfinished Business; New York Times, 10/9/13

Ken Belson, New York Times; Redskins’ Name Change Remains Activist’s Unfinished Business: "Since the 1960s, Ms. Harjo has been at the center of efforts to persuade schools, colleges and professional sports teams to drop American Indian names and mascots that some consider derogatory. The fight has escalated in recent days as groups have intensified lobbying efforts and organized protests, even prompting President Obama to weigh in. The debate tends to settle on one question: how many people must be offended by a team’s name for a change to be warranted? The Redskins and the National Football League cite polling in which most respondents said they were not offended by the name, while those lobbying the team to drop its name dispute the accuracy of that data and say that no matter, the word is widely regarded as a slur. More than two-thirds of the roughly 3,000 teams with American Indian mascots have dropped them, many voluntarily and without incident. Along the way, Ms. Harjo, the director of the Morning Star Institute, a group that promotes Native American causes, became something of a godmother to the cause of eliminating disparaging mascots."

Jason Collins, Openly Gay and Still Unsigned, Waits and Wonders; New York Times, 10/10/13

Harvey Araton, New York Times; Jason Collins, Openly Gay and Still Unsigned, Waits and Wonders: "The issue of what might be a challenge for an individual team versus what is best for the league’s overall image figured to be a thorny one for the N.B.A. from the moment Collins publicly declared his intention to be the first openly gay man playing a major American team sport. (Robbie Rogers of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy has since filled the breach.)"

Scientist or 'Whore'? Incident Symbolizes Familiar Struggle for Women of Color in Science; Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/15/13

Stacey Patton, Chronicle of Higher Education; Scientist or 'Whore'? Incident Symbolizes Familiar Struggle for Women of Color in Science: "Some scholars say Ms. Lee's treatment highlights daily battles against racism and sexism that are exacerbated by the lack of meaningful diversity in academe. If such examples are an indicator of climate, they reveal why the sciences remain disproportionately white and male. Though women's participation in doctoral programs in science has increased in the past 40 years, national data show that only small numbers of black women earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the STEM fields... Among the many challenges facing black women who pursue science careers are isolation, lack of mentors, limited access to financial resources, and time-consuming duties like serving as the voice of color on countless university committees and responding to media inquiries on race and gender, assignments they take on in order to challenge negative stereotypes and to demonstrate that they are "team players."

Sexual orientation added to U.S. code; Associated Press via ESPN, 10/11/13

Associated Press via ESPN; Sexual orientation added to U.S. code: "The U.S. Olympic Committee board revised its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation, a nod to its disapproval of the Russian anti-gay law recently passed by the Olympic host country... The board passed the measure Thursday, a week after chairman Larry Probst, a new member of the International Olympic Committee, said he would support a similar change to the IOC Olympic charter. Currently, it does not mention sexual orientation as a form of discrimination. "We thought it would be good to take a look at our own code of conduct," Probst said after the USOC's quarterly board meeting. "It was the appropriate thing for us to do. It's important to us to walk the talk.""

In Russia, Every Day Should Be National Coming Out Day; HuffingtonPost.com, 10/10/13

Boris Dittrich, HuffingtonPost.com; In Russia, Every Day Should Be National Coming Out Day: "On October 11, National Coming Out Day will be celebrated in many countries of the world. That day gives lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people an opportunity to talk about their coming out. Their stories might inspire others who are still in the closet, to open the door and make a new start in life without hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity... The Russian authorities ignore that children also have the right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds to develop their identity and assess their health and sexuality. This includes information about homosexuality. This right is protected by article 13 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child."

A Woman to Serve on Twitter’s Board? Here Are 25; New York Times, 10/8/13

Claire Cain Miller, New York Times; A Woman to Serve on Twitter’s Board? Here Are 25: "There has been quite a kerfuffle over Twitter’s lack of gender diversity at the top, including my Saturday New York Times story about the issue and a stream of tweets in response from Dick Costolo, its chief executive. Twitter executives have said they care deeply about the issue, but have found it challenging because of the small pool of qualified technical women. And, as Mr. Costolo said on Twitter, the company does not want to appoint a woman just to check a box. I asked various tech insiders, executive recruiters and academics studying tech or corporate governance for nominations. One of them, Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a professor specializing in chief executive leadership and corporate governance at the Yale School of Management, said he came up with at least 20 names in 10 minutes and could easily name 20 more. As a start, here is a list of 25 women who could serve on Twitter’s board, from industries like tech, media, entertainment and advertising. Surely at least one would bring value beyond a checked box."

Accessibility Makes Incremental Gains | Reinventing Libraries; Library Journal, 10/9/13

Char Booth, Library Journal; Accessibility Makes Incremental Gains | Reinventing Libraries: "Spaces. Services. Digital content. Collections. Learning experiences. Interfaces. Any way you consider it, there is no library practice that doesn’t intersect with accessibility. Accessibility is the principle that the fullest use of any resource should be given to the greatest number of individuals. More than compliance with laws and guidelines, accessibility is a form of social justice. As the most established cultural providers of public space and digital content, libraries share a responsibility to promote universal access to our full range of services for all users, regardless of whether they rely on adaptive technology or not... The work to create inclusive libraries will never end, but small and large actions can continue to advance the cause. For those of us who don’t experience disability personally, one of the best ways to understand the importance of inclusive design is by attempting to experience the path users with different types of disabilities take through our stacks, sites, and learning materials. Try accessing and navigating an ebook or online journal article using screen-reading software or another assistive technology, engage with a video tutorial with no sound or visuals and see if you can follow the content, or accompany a patron who negotiates your library with a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or service animal. While you will not be able to experience truly their path, you will perceive why removing barriers to access of any sort should be a priority of all librarians."

Diversity and ‘Doctor Who’; New York Times, 8/6/13

Jennifer Finney Boylan, New York Times; Diversity and ‘Doctor Who’ : "Still, I suspect that some institutions continue to view diversity as they view cholesterol — there’s a good kind and a bad kind. I attended a meeting of college department heads some years ago in which I, among other campus leaders, was urged by a dean to recruit faculty members from more “underrepresented groups.” I had to ask: “What kind of diversity are we talking about? Are you really telling me you want more transgender men and women?” There was, unsurprisingly, a little ripple of laughter in the room, as if the very idea of a community needing more people like me was amusing. The dean, to his credit, said: “Yes. We want everybody.”"

Stick, Ball, Breakthrough: Adding Diversity to Lacrosse in New York City; New York Times, 9/27/13

Liz Robbins, New York Times; Stick, Ball, Breakthrough: Adding Diversity to Lacrosse in New York City: "Her children’s father, she added, was blunt when Joshua, 8, began playing last summer. “He’s like, ‘What are we putting him in lacrosse for, that’s a white person’s sport!’ ” It is a perception that still resonates in urban communities. But across New York City, the image of lacrosse is shifting. Nonprofit groups have been attracting a racially and economically diverse population to play a sport, created by Native Americans, that has long been associated with elite prep schools and colleges."

Is Your Library Plus-Size Friendly?; American Libraries, Sept./Oct. 2013

Lori L. Smith, American Libraries; Is Your Library Plus-Size Friendly? : "Most libraries are conscientious about providing accessible facilities and services tailored to specific populations, yet some forget the needs of their plus-size patrons. Make room for plus-size patrons.More than one-third of US adults and nearly 17% of children and adolescents were obese in 2009–2010, according to a January 2012 data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Those numbers mean that every public service facility in the country—including libraries—should be prepared to meet the needs of plus-size patrons... The obesity epidemic is unlikely to go away anytime soon. In the meantime, libraries should continue their long tradition of offering a warm, welcoming space to people of all ages, races, shapes, and sizes."

The Log Cabin Republican; New York Times, 9/28/13

Frank Bruni, New York Times; The Log Cabin Republican: "The university president, Karen Whitney, said that the warm reception she and her partner had received in their community had convinced her that a big part of progress in rural America depended on gays and lesbians showing up, sticking around, weaving themselves in. “People meet you and they don’t immediately change their stereotypes, but they do have to adjust,” she said. That’s what Fleck is hoping for and counting on, an adjustment. If it proves to be too much to ask and he’s defeated in the primary next May, he said he would nonetheless feel that he had accomplished something, noting that many closeted gay men in rural Pennsylvania had sought him out for counsel. He recalled one in particular. “I had a Mennonite drive two hours to my house to ask if I thought he could still go to heaven,” Fleck told me. Before last December, that man wouldn’t have known where to turn. He wouldn’t have found an ear and solace in an overgrown log cabin on Fleck Road."

It's another bad week to be gay; Guardian, 9/27/13

Nancy Goldstein, Guardian; It's another bad week to be gay: "Sometimes it really does suck to be gay. In addition to the usual hard work – the recruiting of innocents, the destruction of the institution of marriage, compulsory brunch – there's been an unusually high volume of international bigotry and bad news to put up with this week."

Gay senior seeks University of Pittsburgh Homecoming King title; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/22/13

Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Gay senior seeks University of Pittsburgh Homecoming King title: "With the help of a counselor, he made the decision to reveal his sexual orientation -- something that was completely accepted by members of his fraternity Sigma Chi, "a real brotherhood," he said. In fact, Sigma Chi's president, Andrew Hansen, was the first to suggest that Mr. Patton run for Homecoming King. As president of the school's Fraternity Council, Mr. Patton, who is majoring in philosophy and communications, hopes his candidacy will also send a message that fraternities are inclusive places -- "not the stereotype out of 'Animal House,' " he said."

Bob Moritz, on How to Learn About Diversity; New York Times, 9/14/13

Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Bob Moritz, chairman and senior partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers: Bob Moritz, on How to Learn About Diversity: "In my sixth year, I went off to Japan for a couple of years. It was amazingly difficult, and it taught me big lessons that I actually have developed into a leadership style. Q. Please walk me through them. A. First, it taught me about diversity. Over there, I was the minority. I was the guy outside of the circle. I couldn’t speak the language. I was the guy who was discriminated against. So it gave me a different perspective of diversity, and it influenced the diversity agenda we have now. The second thing it taught me was about diversity of thought and cultural diversity. In Japan, you respect titles. You respect age. And you don’t challenge authority. If you’re going to do your job in Japan, how can you ask challenging questions to get the right answers without making people feel threatened? In the role I’ve got today, diversity of thought is hugely important. How do you get people to understand global business practices and do it in a way so that people feel good and not threatened? How do you set that tone and that environment?"

Russia Is Persuaded to Alter Statement to Call for Inclusion; New York Times, 9/14/13

Mary Pilon, New York Times; Russia Is Persuaded to Alter Statement to Call for Inclusion: "The controversy was over a rough draft of the truce that mentioned a promise to include “people of different age, sex, physical capacity, religion, race and social status,” according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. It made no mention of gay or transgender people, a particularly sensitive omission given the uproar in the West over a Russian law that has been criticized as antigay. United Nations representatives from around the world spent weeks pushing Russia to amend the language to include gay people, according to interviews with representatives from eight countries. This week, after extensive negotiations behind the scenes, Russia altered the truce’s language to say that it would “promote social inclusion without discrimination of any kind.”"

Homophobia and Hip-Hop: A Confession Breaks a Barrier; New York Times, 9/13/13

Jon Caramanica, New York Times; Homophobia and Hip-Hop: A Confession Breaks a Barrier: "Mister Cee’s confession comes in the middle of a stretch that has seen the gradual easing of hip-hop’s internalized homophobia. Over the last couple of years Frank Ocean, the soul singer and affiliate of the hip-hop crew Odd Future, openly discussed his love for a man; ASAP Rocky and Kanye West have loudly disavowed homophobia (though Rocky visibly struggled at the MTV Video Music Awards when put on stage next to the openly gay basketball player Jason Collins), and Jay-Z voiced his support for marriage equality. This reflects a generational shift in attitudes, a slight class shift in hip-hop’s mainstream, as well as a broadening of hip-hop’s fan base. Anti-gay sentiment has long played a part in hip-hop, but as hip-hop becomes more central to pop culture, its values are evolving. A decade ago this scenario would have probably been unthinkable. But there was Mr. Darden assuring Mister Cee, “There’s nothing wrong with being who you are,” and at one point encouraging him by exclaiming, “You’re free, Cee!”"

A Few Takes On How To Fix The Tech Industry's 'Bro' Problem; NPR, 9/13/13

Elise Hu, NPR; A Few Takes On How To Fix The Tech Industry's 'Bro' Problem: "The tech industry's sometimes sexist "brogrammer" culture came into focus at least , making it as good a time as any to highlight the running conversation about how to constructively change the systemic, entrenched issues that allow for offensive apps like Titstare, which was presented at a tech industry hackathon."

Class Is Seen Dividing Harvard Business School; New York Times, 9/9/13

Jodi Kantor, New York Times; Class Is Seen Dividing Harvard Business School: "Is class a more divisive issue at Harvard Business School than gender?"

Andrew Garfield: 'Spider-Man stands for everybody: Gay, straight'; Entertainment Weekly, 7/201/13

Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly; Andrew Garfield: 'Spider-Man stands for everybody: Gay, straight' : "During the Amazing Spider-Man 2 panel at Comic-Con today, one attendee asked Andrew Garfield about comments he made to EW last week about the possibility of Spidey engaging in a gay biracial romance. The attendee explained that, as a gay Asian-American, he found Garfield’s words extremely encouraging, and asked if the star found it hard to openly declare his stance on controversial issues. The Hall H audience cheered the question. Then Garfield responded, and the cheers got louder. “Spider-Man stands for everybody: black, white, Asian, gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual,” Garfield said. “To me, love between two consenting adults is love. To me, that anyone would bat an eyelash at what I said is interesting.""

The Court’s Immeasurable Impact; New York Times, 6/26/13

Frank Bruni, New York Times; The Court’s Immeasurable Impact: "As for the Supreme Court, it didn’t go as far on Wednesday as it theoretically could have, nor did it speak in a unanimous voice. The journey toward full equality for LGBT Americans is a long way from over. But what happened was progress. It was hope. James Clementi, Tyler’s brother, is himself gay, and he told me on the phone on Wednesday afternoon that he felt different than he had a day earlier. He felt more included. Jane said that while the court’s rulings in the DOMA and Prop 8 cases were “just a start,” they affirmed her belief in “the trajectory of where we’re going.” They might even save lives, she said. From what she’s lost and from what she’s learned, she knows that there are many wounded and fretful young gay people out there, along with many straight peers who may or may not decide that it’s O.K. to ridicule them. And there’s a chance, a crucial and wonderful chance, that the ripples from Wednesday will reach and teach all of them."

Supreme Court Bolsters Gay Marriage With Two Major Rulings; New York Times, 6/26/13

Adam Liptak, New York Times; Supreme Court Bolsters Gay Marriage With Two Major Rulings: "In a pair of major victories for the gay rights movement, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that married same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits and, by declining to decide a case from California, effectively allowed same-sex marriages there."

Boy Scouts End Longtime Ban on Openly Gay Youths; New York Times, 5/23/13

Erik Eckholm, New York Times; Boy Scouts End Longtime Ban on Openly Gay Youths: "The Boy Scouts of America on Thursday ended its longstanding policy of forbidding openly gay youths to participate in its activities, a step its chief executive called “compassionate, caring and kind.” The decision, which came after years of resistance and wrenching internal debate, was widely seen as a milestone for the Boy Scouts, a symbol of traditional America. More than 1,400 volunteer leaders from across the country voted, with more than 60 percent approving a measure that said no youth may be denied membership “on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”"

N.B.A. Center Jason Collins Comes Out as Gay; New York Times, 4/29/13

Howard Beck and John Branch, New York Times; N.B.A. Center Jason Collins Comes Out as Gay: "Jason Collins, a 12-year N.B.A. veteran, has come out as the first openly gay male athlete still active in a major American team sport. “I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” Collins writes in the May 6 edition of Sports Illustrated. The magazine published the article online Monday morning. The announcement makes Collins a pioneer of sorts: the first player in the N.B.A., the N.F.L., the N.H.L. or Major League Baseball to come out while still pursuing his career."

Alan Gendreau, Gay Middle Tennessee State Kicker, Wants A Shot At The NFL (VIDEO); HuffingtonPost.com, 4/23/13

Cavan Sieczkowski, HuffingtonPost.com; Alan Gendreau, Gay Middle Tennessee State Kicker, Wants A Shot At The NFL (VIDEO) : ""We have seen time and time again that diversity is a benefit," Hudson Taylor, founder and executive director of pro-tolerance nonprofit Athlete Ally, previously told The Huffington Post. "It's a benefit in corporate America; it's a benefit in schools; and it's a benefit in sports. An athletic culture that welcomes and includes LGBT athletes will ultimately draw improved talent and create more unified and respectful team cultures.""

Major Sports Leagues Prepare for the ‘I’m Gay’ Disclosure; New York Times, 4/11/13

Jeff Z. Klein and Judy Battista, New York Times; Major Sports Leagues Prepare for the ‘I’m Gay’ Disclosure: "With growing expectations in recent weeks that a gay male athlete in one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States will soon come out publicly for the first time, the leagues have begun exploring ways to accommodate and respond to such a landmark announcement."

An openly gay player in the NFL is not a distraction; CNN.com, 4/1/13

Chris Kluwe, CNN.com; An openly gay player in the NFL is not a distraction: "It's not right that professional sports, and especially the professional sports media, have created an environment where gay players are willing to hide essential components of themselves as human beings in order to pursue their dreams, in order to not be a distraction. It's not right that our insatiable lust for sports coverage creates an atmosphere where someone would willingly subordinate his life to a backward and bigoted worldview in order to stay employed. It's not right that we can't just accept someone for who he is."

A Sea Change in Less Than 50 Years as Gay Rights Gained Momentum; New York Times, 3/25/13

John Harwood, New York Times; A Sea Change in Less Than 50 Years as Gay Rights Gained Momentum: "The struggle for African-Americans’ rights, symbolized by the bloody 1965 Selma march, is as old as the nation. The effort for American women’s rights began at Seneca Falls, N.Y., more than 150 years ago. The modern fight for gay rights is, by contrast, less than a half-century old, dating from the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York. But this week, as the Supreme Court hears two landmark cases on same-sex marriage, the speed and scope of the movement are astonishing supporters."

Acceptance by Example, on the Field and at Home; New York Times, 3/23/13

Scott Fujita, New York Times; Acceptance by Example, on the Field and at Home: "Sometimes, people ask me what any of this has to do with football. Some think football players like me should just keep our mouths shut and focus on the game. But we’re people first, and football players a distant second. Football is a big part of what we do, but a very small part of who we are. And historically, sports figures like Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King and Muhammad Ali have been powerful agents for social change. That’s why the messages athletes send — including the way they treat others and the words they use — can influence many people, especially children. Believe it or not, conversations about issues like gay marriage take place in locker rooms every day. In many respects, the football locker room is a microcosm of society. While there is certainly an element of bravado in our sport, football players are not the meatheads many think we are. For some of my friends who raise personal objections to marriage equality, they still recognize the importance of being accepting. And many of them also recognize that regardless of what they choose to believe or practice at home or at their church, that doesn’t give them the right to discriminate. I am encouraged by how I’ve seen such conversations evolve."

Boy Scouts Sends Questionnaire to Members About Ban on Gays; New York Times, 3/12/13

Kirk Johnson, New York Times; Boy Scouts Sends Questionnaire to Members About Ban on Gays: "The Boy Scouts of America is reaching out to parents and scouts as it decides whether to continue or rescind the group’s ban on gay members and leaders. Surveys went out in recent days to 1.1 million scouts and their families around the nation... A spokesman for the Scouts, Deron Smith, said the answers to the survey would be provided to national leaders before the May meeting. A second round of surveys, he wrote in an e-mail, will be sent soon to about 325,000 people in scouting alumni groups, including members of the National Eagle Scout Association. The survey was developed by a third-party research provider, North Star Opinion Research, with assistance from volunteers and professionals, Mr. Smith said, with “diverse viewpoints.”"

2 Awards Given to Promote Multicultural Children’s Books; New York Times, 3/10/13

Leslie Kaufman, New York Times; 2 Awards Given to Promote Multicultural Children’s Books: "A month ago a nonprofit called First Book, which promotes literacy among children in low-income communities, announced the Stories for All project, a program intended to prod publishers to print more multicultural books. Kyle Zimmer, First Book’s chief executive, says that part of the motivation was the “chasm” between the number of people who want such books and what is available. On Wednesday, First Book will announce that awards of $500,000 will go to two publishers for their proposals for the project: HarperCollins, the big publishing house owned by News Corporation, and Lee & Low, a minority-owned independent publisher."

NFL Combine Gay Questions: Teams Prying About Sexual Orientation, TE Nick Kasa Says; HuffingtonPost.com, 2/26/13

HuffingtonPost.com; NFL Combine Gay Questions: Teams Prying About Sexual Orientation, TE Nick Kasa Says: "NFL prospect Nick Kasa was asked by scouts about his sexual orientation at the NFL Combine, the tight end said in a radio interview on Tuesday. Kasa, a senior at the University of Colorado, is one of a few hundred players who participated this week in the NFL Scouting Combine, an annual showcase for NFL prospects in advance of April's draft. Over the course of the Combine, participants submit themselves for a variety of physical and mental tests, as well as interviews with NFL teams. According to Kasa, it was during these interviews that the topic of his sexual preferences came up. “[Teams] ask you like, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ Are you married?’ Do you like girls?’” Kasa told CJ and Kreckman of ESPN Radio Denver on Tuesday. “Those kinds of things, and you know it was just kind of weird. But they would ask you with a straight face, and it’s a pretty weird experience altogether.”"

Making Good on Our Commitment to Needy Students; Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/21/13

Kate Queeney, Chronicle of Higher Education; Making Good on Our Commitment to Needy Students: "Even as colleges and universities redouble their commitments to first-generation and low-income students, it's clear we still have a great deal to learn. Last December, The New York Times published an article on this topic, "For Poor, Leap to College Often Ends in a Hard Fall." In lengthy and provocative profiles, the story reflected on how students at even the most well-intentioned colleges and universities are held back—by family pressures, self-doubt, and deceptively "small" barriers—from reaching their educational potential. The profiles in The Times did not have happy endings. Fortunately, Anna's story does. She enrolled in a Ph.D. program closer to home and finished her degree while helping to care for her mother. She is a postdoc now at the same university and, with luck, will make a fine professor, if that's what she chooses. At Smith, a commitment to students of promise is a fundamental value. While not every story ends as positively as Anna's did, many do. And when disadvantaged students succeed in college and beyond, their experiences teach us what we do well and how we can do it better...As a faculty member, I have come to understand that asking questions, and being prepared to hear the sometimes difficult answers, can mean the difference for students between simply making it through college and truly reaping the benefits of higher education. When my colleagues found that first-generation students and students of color weren't persisting in STEM fields at the same rate as Smith students at large, we created a program focused on mentoring and supporting those students."

Online Courses Could Widen Achievement Gaps Among Students; Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/21/13

Jake New, Chronicle of Higher Education; Online Courses Could Widen Achievement Gaps Among Students: "Low-cost online courses could allow a more-diverse group of students to try college, but a new study suggests that such courses could also widen achievement gaps among students in different demographic groups. The study, which is described in a working paper titled “Adaptability to Online Learning: Differences Across Types of Students and Academic Subject Areas,” was conducted by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center. The researchers examined 500,000 courses taken by more than 40,000 community- and technical-college students in Washington State. They found that students in demographic groups whose members typically struggle in traditional classrooms are finding their troubles exacerbated in online courses. The study found that all students who take more online courses, no matter the demographic, are less likely to attain a degree. However, some groups—including black students, male students, younger students, and students with lower grade-point averages—are particularly susceptible to this pattern."

A Titan’s How-To on Breaking the Glass Ceiling; New York Times, 2/21/13

Jodi Kantor, New York Times; A Titan’s How-To on Breaking the Glass Ceiling: "Before Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, started to write “Lean In,” her book-slash-manifesto on women in the workplace, she rereadBetty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique.” Like the homemaker turned activist who helped start a revolution 50 years ago, Ms. Sandberg wanted to do far more than sell books. Ms. Sandberg, whose ideas about working women have prompted both enthusiasm and criticism, is attempting nothing less than a Friedan-like feat: a national discussion of a gender-problem-that-has-no-name, this time in the workplace, and a movement to address it. When her book is published on March 11, accompanied by a carefully orchestrated media campaign, she hopes to create her own version of the consciousness-raising groups of yore: “Lean In Circles,” as she calls them, in which women can share experiences and follow a Sandberg-crafted curriculum for career success. (First assignment: a video on how to command more authority at work by changing how they speak and even sit.)"

Sewers, Curfews and a Ban on Gay Bias; New York Times, 1/28/13

Dan Barry, New York Times; Sewers, Curfews and a Ban on Gay Bias: "Admit it: The Commission’s anti-discrimination vote seems at odds with knee-jerk assumptions about a map dot in the Appalachian coal fields, tucked between Sassafras and Happy. For one thing, Vicco embraces its raucous country-boy reputation — home to countless brawls and a dozen or so unsolved murders, people here say. For another, it is in Perry County, where four of every five voters rejected President Obama in the November election. But the Vicco Commission’s 3-to-1 vote this month not only anticipated a central theme in the president’s second inaugural speech (“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law ...”), it also presented a legislative model to the nation’s partisan-paralyzed Capitol, 460 miles away. You discuss, you find consensus, you vote, and you move on, explained the mayor, Johnny Cummings. “You have to get along.”"

Revolution Hits the Universities; New York Times, 1/26/13

Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times; Revolution Hits the Universities: "LORD knows there’s a lot of bad news in the world today to get you down, but there is one big thing happening that leaves me incredibly hopeful about the future, and that is the budding revolution in global online higher education. Nothing has more potential to lift more people out of poverty — by providing them an affordable education to get a job or improve in the job they have. Nothing has more potential to unlock a billion more brains to solve the world’s biggest problems. And nothing has more potential to enable us to reimagine higher education than the massive open online course, or MOOC, platforms that are being developed by the likes of Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and companies like Coursera and Udacity...YOU just have to hear the stories told by the pioneers in this industry to appreciate its revolutionary potential. One of Koller’s favorites is about “Daniel,” a 17-year-old with autism who communicates mainly by computer. He took an online modern poetry class from Penn. He and his parents wrote that the combination of rigorous academic curriculum, which requires Daniel to stay on task, and the online learning system that does not strain his social skills, attention deficits or force him to look anyone in the eye, enable him to better manage his autism. Koller shared a letter from Daniel, in which he wrote: “Please tell Coursera and Penn my story. I am a 17-year-old boy emerging from autism. I can’t yet sit still in a classroom so [your course] was my first real course ever. During the course, I had to keep pace with the class, which is unheard-of in special ed. Now I know I can benefit from having to work hard and enjoy being in sync with the world.”"

Diversity Never Happens: The Story of Minority Hiring Doesn’t Seem To Change Much; Library Journal, 2/20/13

Michael Kelley, Library Journal; Diversity Never Happens: The Story of Minority Hiring Doesn’t Seem To Change Much: "African Americans and Hispanics are some of the strongest supporters of libraries, and yet they continue to be thinly represented among the ranks of librarians. It’s a familiar story and always a bad trade-off that hurts the profession and, more important, hurts our society... However, as usual, the most disfavored group is African American males, who number only 563 among the credentialed librarian ranks, or 0.5 percent of the total. There are 2,865 library assistants who are African American males; still a small number but not a fully tapped pool, nonetheless. Why? There are untold well-intentioned programs, such as ALA’s Spectrum Scholarships or the Association of Research Libraries’ Initiative To Create a Diverse Workforce, that do help, without a doubt. Equally doubtless, and without casting an aspersion, is that the results fall short, year after year. We need to do more (including LJ), even if that may mean rethinking aspects of credentialization—a third rail of library politics."

In Hiring, a Friend in Need Is a Prospect, Indeed; New York Times, 1/27/13

Nelson D. Schwartz, New York Times; In Hiring, a Friend in Need Is a Prospect, Indeed: "Ms. Swan of Manpower cautions that although employee referrals are a valuable tool, “you have to watch the ultimate long-term result in terms of diversity and skills.” Otherwise, she warned, “you’re going to get people like you have.” People tend to recommend people much like themselves, economists say, a phenomenon known as assortative matching. Mr. Topa’s study for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that 63.5 percent of employees recommended candidates of the same sex, while 71.5 percent favored the same race or ethnicity. As a result, some companies are trying to make sure the proportion of employees who are recommended doesn’t get too high even as they expand their referral programs."

She’s (Rarely) the Boss; New York Times, 1/26/13

Nicholas Kristof, New York Times; She’s (Rarely) the Boss: "In America, only 17 percent of American Fortune 500 board seats are held by women, a mere 3 percent of board chairs are women — and women are barely represented in President Obama’s cabinet... So what gives? A provocative answer comes from Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, who has written a smart book due out in March that attributes the gender gap, in part, to chauvinism and corporate obstacles — but also, in part, to women who don’t aggressively pursue opportunities... [W]e need more women in leadership positions for another reason: considerable evidence suggests that more diverse groups reach better decisions. Corporations should promote women not just out of fairness, but also because it helps them perform better. Lehman Brothers might still be around today if it were Lehman Brothers & Sisters."

Openly Gay, and Openly Welcomed in Congress; New York Times, 1/25/13

Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times; Openly Gay, and Openly Welcomed in Congress: "For some of the gay members, their freshman orientation sessions were a reminder of just how unequally the law treats them, since the entity that cuts their paychecks and provides benefits — the United States government — is barred from recognizing their relationships. “They would be explaining what your benefits were, then all of a sudden this embarrassed look would flash across their face like, ‘Oh, sorry. I guess this doesn’t apply to you,’ ” Mr. Maloney said. At a ceremonial swearing-in this month by John A. Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House, standing alongside Mr. Maloney were his partner of 20 years and their three adopted children."

Stonewall? Explaining Obama's Historic Gay-Rights Reference; NPR, 1/22/13

Liz Halloran, NPR; Stonewall? Explaining Obama's Historic Gay-Rights Reference: "From the Stonewall uprising came activists groups, gay-rights organizations, and in 1970, the first Gay Pride marches in New York and other major American cities on the anniversary of the first night of the riots. In 1999, the Stonewall Inn building, and the small streets around it, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. M. John Berry, then the assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior, told The New York Times that Stonewall was the "first such historic site recognizing the national significance and contributions of lesbians and gay men." "Even those of us who became active immediately after Stonewall never dreamed that even 40 years later there would have been enough progress to be noteworthy," Duberman said. "We would never have dreamed that a president would mention Stonewall in the same breath as Selma.""

A Map of Human Dignity; New York Times, 1/21/13

Frank Bruni, New York Times; A Map of Human Dignity: "Seneca Falls, Selma, Stonewall. The alliteration of that litany made it seem obvious and inevitable, a bit of poetry just there for the taking. Just waiting to happen. But it has waited a long time. And President Obama’s use of it in his speech on Monday — his grouping of those three places and moments in one grand and musical sentence — was bold and beautiful and something to hear. It spoke volumes about the progress that gay Americans have made over the four years between his first inauguration and this one, his second. It also spoke volumes about the progress that continues to elude us. “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is the star that guides us still, just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall,” the president said, taking a rapt country on a riveting trip to key theaters in the struggle for liberty and justice for all."

Obama Offers Liberal Vision: ‘We Must Act’; New York Times, 1/21/13

Peter Baker, New York Times; Obama Offers Liberal Vision: ‘We Must Act’ : "Barack Hussein Obama ceremonially opened his second term on Monday with an assertive Inaugural Address that offered a robust articulation of modern liberalism in America, arguing that “preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.” On a day that echoed with refrains from the civil rights era and tributes to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. Obama dispensed with the post-partisan appeals of four years ago to lay out a forceful vision of advancing gay rights, showing more tolerance toward illegal immigrants, preserving the social welfare safety net and acting to stop climate change... He became the first president ever to mention the word “gay” in an Inaugural Address as he equated the drive for same-sex marriage to the quests for racial and gender equality."

"X-Men" Is No Stranger To Powerful Women; ComicBookResources, 1/16/13

Alan Kistler, ComicBookResources.com; "X-Men" Is No Stranger To Powerful Women: "As reported by CBR, writer Brian Wood and artist Olivier Coipel are bringing readers a relaunched "X-Men" title featuring an all-female cast, part of the Marvel NOW! initiative meant to provide a jumping-on point for new readers and old ones curious to return. There's been a lot of talk following the announcement with many comic fans surprised about the book's all-women cast...Days after "Brave" and the HBO series "Girls" won Golden Globes despite some heavy competition, the focus on this new book shouldn't be "will the team work with all women?" With characters such as Storm, Kitty Pryde and psychic ninja Psylocke, we know the book will have an interesting, powerful roster. Rather than be startled by the book's cast, we should just be impatient with those who don't understand that a good protagonist is a good protagonist, regardless of gender. If you encounter those who think an all-women roster doesn't work or shouldn't be called "X-Men," don't gently reassure them everything will be all right. Tell them how silly and behind the times they are. We'll all be better off."

The battle against 'sexist' sci-fi and fantasy book covers; BBC News, 1/18/13

BBC News; The battle against 'sexist' sci-fi and fantasy book covers: "Jim Hines straddles the remnants of a defeated alien species (a table), and clasps a pistol (a toy gun) as he triumphantly raises a cyborg's head (a toaster). Sometimes he fights battles alongside his romantic interest (a large teddy bear). But no matter the mission, Hines shows some flesh. Just because he is waging a war, it does not mean he cannot be alluring at the same time, right? Hines, a fantasy author, is posing like some of the female characters on science fiction and fantasy book covers he says objectify women."

Minority Applicants to Colleges Will Rise Significantly by 2020; Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/10/13

Eric Hoover, Chronicle of Higher Education; Minority Applicants to Colleges Will Rise Significantly by 2020: "Over the next decade, more students of color than ever before will pass through the gates of the nation's colleges and join the ranks of its work force, according to new projections by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. By the year 2020, minority students will account for 45 percent of the nation's public high-school graduates, up from 38 percent in 2009. In short, the number of white and black graduates will decline, and the number of Hispanic and Asian-American/Pacific Islander graduates will rise significantly. Those projections appear in the latest edition of Knocking at the College Door, a regular report on demographic change published by the commission, which is known as Wiche."

Remembering Clara Stanton Jones; Library Journal, 12/27/12

Maurice Wheeler, Library Journal; Remembering Clara Stanton Jones: "I once asked Moseley what Jones really had to say about the injustices she faced at DPL because of her race. She said, “Mrs. Jones didn’t discuss those kinds of things in the presence of her staff.” That doesn’t surprise me in the least. Clara Stanton Jones never lost sight of the importance of presentation and perception. Taking great pride in her fortitude, we might imagine that she never wavered, but that is not true. Yet, I’m relieved to know that she surrounded herself professionally and socially with people who helped to lighten the load of being a barrier-breaker. Jane Hale Morgan, her deputy director and successor as director, stated that Jones often used her as a sounding board, and in the midst of the controversy about her ALA presidential candidacy, Jones sometimes telephoned her late at night in need of a sympathetic ear...Jones was keenly aware that we all stand metaphorically on the shoulders of those who came before us, and she embraced the fact she was heir to a long line of trailblazers. Jones proudly reflected that at the board meeting at which she was appointed director, her critics were silenced by an eloquent speech that compared her qualifications to those of the two previous directors. That speech was made by Marjorie Bradfield, the first African American librarian hired by DPL in 1937."