Black History Month
Old Dominion University benefits from having one of the most diverse student bodies of any university in Virginia.
As February begins, I invite you to sample the rich array of events we have planned to commemorate Black History Month. The schedule showcases two of the university's key strengths: our diversity and inclusiveness.
The first event, a panel discussion on the use of force by law enforcement officials, will take place 4:30 p.m. February 1 at Webb University Center. The forum is sponsored by Old Dominion's chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and the university's Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
On Tuesday February 2, Alicia Garza, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, will speak at 7:30 p.m. as part of the President's Lecture Series. We have moved the location of her talk to the Ted in response to the strong interest we have received.
Ms. Garza's appearance highlights a facet of life here that I'm particularly proud of: the university's responsiveness to - and eagerness to work with - students. We brought Ms. Garza here at the request of students. Several other events planned for Black History Month have been scheduled and organized by student organizations.
That collaborative relationship goes beyond Black History Month. Last fall, I created the 1ODU Student Excellence Advisory Board to give students a forum to discuss matters relating to inclusion and diversity and to offer recommendations to the administration. The university also is studying the issue of gender-neutral housing and bathrooms, again in response to student requests to be responsive to the needs of transgender people.
Other events scheduled for Black History Month include the Housing & Residence Life Cultural Awareness Week, a mock presidential debate, the 18th annual East Coast Gospel Festival and a trip to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina. You can find the complete list of Black History Month activities on ODU's website.
Old Dominion University benefits from having one of the most diverse student bodies of any university in Virginia. I encourage you to celebrate and immerse yourselves in that diversity not only this month, but throughout the year.
