The Diversity Bargain and other Dilemmas of Race, Admissions, and Meritocracy at Elite Universities

Monday, April 8 | 7:00 pm | Robins Room, Roberts

The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, Education Program., Sociology Department and Interdisciplinary Studies Division will be hosting guest speaker Natasha Kumar Warikoo, Associate Professor of Education at Harvard University

Natasha Warikoo is an expert on racial and ethnic inequality in education. Her most recent book, The Diversity Bargain: And Other Dilemmas of Race, Admissions, and Meritocracy at Elite Universities (University of Chicago Press, 2016), illuminates how undergraduates attending Ivy League universities and Oxford University conceptualize race and meritocracy. The book emphasizes the contradictions, moral conundrums, and tensions on campus related to affirmative action and diversity, and how these vary across racial and national lines. The book won multiple awards from the American Sociological Association, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, and American Educational Studies Association.

Monday, March 18 | 7:00 pm | SSWAC, Parker-Reed

The military is one of the most diverse American institutions; success is a function of bringing people from different backgrounds and perspectives together to achieve a common goal. How do military leaders promote inclusivity? How are diverse talents identified? What gets in the way of leading a diverse organization? Come hear LCDR Melissa Maclin ’98, Naval Intelligence Officer and Commander (RET) Michael D. Wisecup, Colby Presidential Leadership Fellow, former Navy Seal on Monday, March 18th at 7:00 pm in SWWAC, Parker-Reed room as they explore these issues to help you develop your own inclusive leadership style.

We will begin with a small case study on the Bin Laden mission. Please take a look at this piece in the New Yorker or this Guardian article to refresh your understanding of this situation.

Midterm Elections 2018 program

Is this the Year of the Woman? Will women candidates and voters swing the Congress?

Thursday, Oct. 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Ostrove Auditorium

Jennifer L. Lawless is the Commonwealth Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia. A perfect speaker to discuss the upcoming election with so many women on the ballot, she is a leading national expert on political ambition and women in American politics, the author or co-author of six books, including Women on the Run: Gender, Media, and Political Campaigns in a Polarized Era (with Danny Hayes) and It Still Takes a Candidate: Why Women Don’t Run for Office (with Richard L. Fox).

RANKED CHOICE VOTING:  Maine’s experience and the Future

Monday, Oct. 29 | 7:00 p.m. | Diamond – 122

Documentary film followed by a discussion led by Sandy Maisel, Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government, and Betsy Sweet, progressive lobbyist and 2018 candidate in Maine’s spring primary run under Ranked Choice Voting.

Trade Wars

Fall 2018 William R. and Linda K. Cotter Debate 

Thursday | Oct. 18 | 4 p.m. | Ostrove Auditorium

We are now in a full-blown trade war. Unilateral actions by the Trump Administration targeting steel and aluminum imports even hit political allies; ever-escalating tariffs on imports from China were quickly followed by retaliatory actions targeting politically sensitive sectors and goods. What will be the economic and political fallout of these actions? Will they help destroy the multilateral trading system that has stood tall since the end of World War II? How will they affect the imminent midterm Congressional elections? These questions and more will be debated by Soumaya Keynes, the U.S. economics and trade editor for The Economist and Dean Baker, senior economist and long-time Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Reform (CEPR).

The Shrinking Newsroom: Implications for Democracy 

 Sunday | Oct. 7 | 9 a.m. | SSWAC – Parker-Reed Room

Professor Sandy Maisel will host a panel discussion with David Shribman, executive editor and vice president of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Nancy Barnes, executive vice president of news and editor at Houston Chronicle Publishing Company, Marty Kaiser, senior fellow at the Democracy Fund, and Lawrence Goldman, senior research fellow at St. Peter’s College, Oxford. Bring your parents!

RSVP

Inside of the Interview: Asking Tough Questions in Tough Situations

Monday | Oct. 8 | Noon | SSWAC – Parker-Reed Room 

Catrin Einhorn, a New York Times journalist who received a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for public service, along with a team of reporters, for exposing sexual harassment and misconduct across industries, will talk about how the team of reporters who exposed sexual harassment and misconduct was able weave such a difficult and important narrative. This opportunity is especially directed at students and faculty engaged in interview work.

Ms. Einhorn has covered sexual harassment in blue-collar workplaces, urban violence, Americans’s complicated relationship with firearms, and veterans’ issues. In 2016, Ms. Einhorn and Jodi Kantor wrote a series about everyday Canadians adopting Syrian refugees, documenting the surprises, challenges and intense relationships that arose over the year of sponsorship. Previously, she was part of a team that examined President Obama’s troop surge in Afghanistan by telling the personal stories of one battalion’s yearlong deployment in a multimedia series called “Year at War.”

Her work has been recognized with awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmys), Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University, World Press Photo and Picture of the Year International. Before joining The New York Times, Ms. Einhorn was a public radio reporter and a Fulbright scholar in anthropology.

RSVP

Lives Still in Limbo: UnDACAmented and Navigating Uncertain Futures

Sept. 24 | 7:00 pm | SSWAC – 104 Parker-Reed Room

UPCOMING EVENTS

Leadership in Times of Crisis
April 19 | 4:45 p.m. Panel featuring Colby Trustees Sara Burns ’79 and Jane Powers ’86

Colby Trustees Sara Burns ’79 and Jane Powers ’86 will join us to discuss leadership in times of crisis.  As you are developing your own style of leading, this is an opportunity to reflect on the characteristics two successful leaders see as essential to effective leadership. Heavy apps (quesadillas) and desserts will be served so you can enjoy a dinner while you consider these essential life skills.

2018 Morton A. Brody Award for Distinguished Judicial Service
April 22 | 4 p.m. Panel; How the Law Responds to Changes in Science, Ostrove Auditorium | 5:30 pm Award Ceremony, Ostrove Auditorium

The biennial Brody Award for 2018 will be presented to Judge Anita Brody, Senior United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  Appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, Judge Brody (no relation to Morton A. Brody) is best known for presiding over the lawsuits and settlements relating to concussions in the NFL.

#MeToo, Tarana Burke
April 30 | 7 p.m. | Page Commons

We are thrilled to partner with the Pugh Community Board to welcome civil rights activist and creator of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke, to the Colby campus. Tarana will present a lecture followed by an audience Q&A.

Preparing for a Career in Legal Advocacy
May 3 | 6 p.m. | Robins Room, Roberts Hall

For those considering attending law school, whether immediately following Colby graduation, or years after, join Class of 2014 alumna, BriAnne Illich in the Robins Room in Roberts on May 3rd at 6:00 p.m. She will discuss her experience transitioning from a Global Studies and Spanish major at Colby to a Washington University law student, and her early career as an advocate and federal law clerk for the US District Court for the District of New Mexico. Come for helpful tips on the law school application process, law school survival strategies, summer legal internship information, and paths to alternative and modern legal careers. Dinner will be provided.

George J. Mitchell Distinguished International Lecture Series | World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva
May 6 | 7 p.m. | Ostrove Auditorium

Kristalina Georgieva is the first CEO of the World Bank. Until 2017, she was European commissioner for budget and human resources. From 1993 to 2010, she served in a number of positions in the World Bank Group, eventually rising to become its vice president and corporate secretary in March 2008. Georgieva was honored as the 2010 “European of the Year” and “EU Commissioner of the Year” for her handling of the humanitarian disasters in Haiti and Pakistan. Join us on May 6 to hear her speech, entitled “The World Bank: Why We Dare to Confront Global Challenges.”

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Maine Republican Gubernatorial Debate
February 26 | 7 p.m. | Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond

The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs at Colby College, in partnership with the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, Thomas College, and the Colby Young Republicans, will host the first Republican Debate of the 2018 Maine Gubernatorial Race. The debate begins at 7pm on Monday, February 26, at the Ostrove Auditorium in the Diamond Building at Colby College.

Check out a photo album and watch the full recording of the debate on Facebook.

Mustafa Santiago Ali from the Hip Hop Caucus: Moving Our Most Vulnerable Communities from Surviving to Thriving
March 6th | 7 p.m. | Ostrove, Diamond Building

Mustafa Santiago Ali is the Senior Vice President of Climate, Environmental Justice & Community Revitalization for the Hip Hop Caucus.  The Hip Hop Caucus is a national, non-profit and non-partisan organization that connects the Hip Hop community to the civic process to build power and create positive change. Mustafa is renowned as a National Speaker, Trainer and Facilitator specializing in Social Justice issues focused on revitalizing our most vulnerable communities.

Mustafa Ali joined the Hip Hop Caucus, after working 24 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  At the EPA, he served as the Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice and Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization.  Mustafa elevated environmental justice issues and worked across federal agencies to strengthen environmental justice policies, programs and initiatives. At the EPA, Mustafa led the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (EJIWG), which was comprised of 17 federal agencies and White House offices focused on implementing holistic strategies to address the issues facing vulnerable communities.  Mustafa Ali worked for EPA Administrators beginning with William Riley and ending with Scott Pruitt.  He joined the EPA as a student and became a founding member of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ).  Mr. Ali also served as the Director of Communications in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), where he led the Communications and Stakeholder Involvement (CSI) team.  In 2012, Mustafa launched the EPA’s Environmental Justice in Action Blog, which reached over 100,000 followers.  This blog highlighted innovative actions to address environmental justice, sustainability and climate change issues.  In 2010, Mr. Ali also served as the Environmental Justice Lead for the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In 2004, he was selected as the EPA’s National Enforcement Training Institutes “Trainer of the Year” for his efforts in training over 4,000 across the country in “The Fundamentals of Environmental Justice.”

Mustafa Ali was a Brookings Institution Congressional Fellow in the Office of Congressman John Conyers from 2007 through 2008.   His portfolio as a Legislative Assistant focused on Foreign Policy in Africa and South America, Homeland Security, Health Care, Veterans Affairs, Appropriations and Environmental Justice.

Cosponsored by Environmental Studies, Pugh Community Board, Goldfarb Center, and African American Studies.

Amy Walter: Washington Politics Today and the 2018 Midterms
March 12 | 8 a.m. | Parker-Reed Room, SSW Alumni Center

Amy Walter, political analyst and editor of The Cook Political Report, will join Colby Professors Dan Shea and Carrie LeVan for a breakfast and discussion on Trumpian politics and the 2018 midterms.

Trumping Ethical Norms: Teachers, Preachers, Pollsters and the Media Respond to Donald Trump
April 12 | 4 p.m. Panel “Religious leaders respond to Drumpf” | 7 p.m. Panel “Journalists and professors respond to Trump” | Diamond 122

This mini-conference will examine how professors, religious leaders, pollsters, and various media outlets have responded to challenges posed by candidate and now-President Trump. The event is meant as a kick-off for a new book, co-edited by Colby Professor of Government Sandy Maisel, and recent Colby grad and current News Center Maine reporter Hannah Dineen ’17.

Past Events from Spring 2018

Fall 2017 Events

Please check back regularly to stay up-to-date on the latest Goldfarb Center events.

Disappearing Diplomacy: Foreign Policy in the Trump Era

From Russia with Love: Covering National Security in the Age of Trump

Journalism with Purpose: How to Write with Impact
2017 Lovejoy Student Journalism Conference

2017 Lovejoy Award Convocation

Women in Business: Do they Lead Differently than Men?

A lunchtime discussion with Colby Trustees Anne Clarke Wolff ’87 and Catherine Roosevelt ’89

Please note this event has reached capacity.

Oct. 19 | Lunch served at Noon; Discussion begins at 12:15 p.m. | Silberman Lounge, Cotter Union

Many leadership studies suggest that women are more participative, collaborative, transformational and democratic than men; female managers are seen as less transactional, authoritative, or “command-control.” Other research has revealed that Fortune 500 companies with a higher percentage of women on their boards experience significantly higher financial outcomes. In what other ways do women’s leadership traits influence professional organizations? How can students develop leadership skills that will translate into professional success in the business world today and in the future?

Two highly accomplished trustees, Anne Clarke Wolff ’87 and Catherine (Kate) Roosevelt ’89, will lead a lunchtime discussion on their experiences and the strategies they’ve employed to develop their leadership skills and advance their careers.

Anne Clarke Wolff ’87 is the Managing Director, Head of Global Corporate Banking, and Head of Global Leasing for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Kate Roosevelt ’89 is executive vice president for Campbell & Company, a strategic consultancy to the non-profit sector. The conversation will be moderated by Patrice Franko, interim director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Grossman Professor of Economics and Global Studies.

Gender and Resistance: An Evening with Jennifer Finney Boylan

Free Speech on College Campuses: Should There Be Any Limits?

Fall 2017 William R. and Linda K. Cotter Debate
Nov. 16 | 6:30 p.m. Coffee and Dessert Reception; 7 p.m. Discussion | Schair-Swenson-Watson Alumni Center, Parker Reed Room

Academies flourish with free and open discourse. But does the right to free speech include the right to share what is experienced by some as hateful? If so, who defines when discourse has crossed the line to be too vitriolic? Some are concerned that efforts to increase sensitivity and safety are suppressing frank and open discussion. Others believe colleges and universities have a duty to protect students from what some deem as hateful rhetoric that targets specific groups in harmful ways.

A growing number of conflicts in the form of large public demonstrations and event protests have created an urgent need for institutions to define freedom of expression on their respective campuses. As polarized speech may incite violent action, does a university have a responsibility to provide for the physical safety—or the right to speak—of incendiary speakers?

The Fall 2017 William R. and Linda K. Cotter Debate will explore how academic institutions can support diversity and inclusion while providing space for robust discourse, deliberation, and disagreement.

Panelists Include:

Jon A. Shields, associate professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College
Laura Beth Nielsen, director of the Legal Studies Program and professor of Sociology, Northwestern University
Jon Zimmerman, professor of history of education, University of Pennsylvania

Moderated by Neil Gross, Charles A. Dana Professor of Sociology, Colby College

Protect, Nurture, and Enjoy: Infant Mental Health Training for Caregivers of Infants and their Families

Cosponsorships

The Goldfarb Center cosponsors events and programs for departments across campus. Please consider attending the following events hosted by our partners.

Whose Streets? Film screening and discussion with director Sabaah Folayan