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."