All College Retreat

Cascadia has established a tradition of holding an annual all college retreat just prior to the opening of the fall quarter coming together as a community of learners to grow and expand our horizons. Our fist retreat focused on getting to know one another and how to more effectively work as a team. Our second retreat focused on our organizational structures and how to work within them effectively and efficiently. Our third and most recent retreat focused on establishing the roots of diversity. The first two retreats provided a great foundation on how to improve on the presentation and activities resulting in this year's retreat that achieved great success. If you would like to know more about this year's retreat (agenda, outcomes, assessment and next steps) please browse our website "Establishing the Roots of Diversity."

All College Retreat Agenda
September 20, 2002

Establishing the Roots of a Diverse Learning Community at Cascadia Community College

Retreat Outcomes:

• Produce a common definition of what diversity means at Cascadia
• Create a diversity toolbox (i.e. ways of effectively dealing with differences)
• Practice having conversations about diversity

• All members of our community will participate as a learner
• Maintain diversity in all that we do

All College Retreat Assessment

Please write about something you learned from today’s retreat?

• What I always learn – that the true learning is in the collaborative process at Cascadia Community College
• That this is very hard work, but it is very important
• I learned that we do value process over product
• How difficult it is to all agree on a common statement
• The number of disabilities and the classifications
• The difficulty of viewing diversity issues on our campus
• We do not always have to have consensus
• Everyone has equal voice – and that is refreshing and encouraging
• This was to best retreat we’ve had so far. I really value the conversations and work we’ve done today
• We have many interesting ideas. Need more opportunity to voice/share
• Learned a lot about Cascadia, met many folks
• We have a long way to go
• That Cascadia is more than words – that people are truly interested in learning, community, and respectful learning
• There are many ways in which we are diverse
• How difficult it is to accept all diversity
• State and federal definitions of disability differ
• I discovered many new aspects of my fellow workers
• More understanding of fellow Cascadians
• Getting a ‘no tolerance’ policy/agreement will be difficult
• Each individual at today’s retreat had something to contribute
• I’ve learned more about ADA definitions and an challenged to continue that learning
• Many ethnic communities (mostly European) have dropped their native ethnicity in favor of being recognized as an “American”
• To really think, be more critical of what diversity means to me
• That we have a long way to go to achieve open communication and teamwork that leads to a viable, acceptable solution
• It was good to learn about the differences of other employees (ethnicity, gender issues)
• Differences among groups is still a difficult topic to deal with. We still have work to do
• Cascadia Community College needs more time to devote to processes
• I learned that other people’s perspective of the word diversity and more about the negative aspects of the word
• Diversity is both a noun and a verb: at statement of being and a statement of doing (action)
• How diverse we are here at Cascadia. And how I learn so much by listening to other stories
• Diversity is a very emotionally charged topic. Some are very invested in forwarding their personal ideas on how it should be defined
• How many perspectives there can be on an issue and how hard it is to all some together even with long thoughtful discussions
• I learned that conflict makes you think. Conflict may be the wrong word to use – but differing opinions spark something great in each and every one of us, I think
• Various aspects of disability and the value of diversity at Cascadia Community College
• The impact of the ADA and how to better approach working with students with disabilities
• Some people cannot understand how difficult it is to be a minority
• A lot about disability definitions that I did not know
• That diversity is an extremely sensitive issue with a huge diversity of opinions
• Diversity is an issue that is a lot more complex than a dictionary definition
• That everyone’s perspective is so varied that consensus is difficult
• Cascadia is more diverse than I realized and it was very fascinating to hear people’s stories and experience that diversity
• I learned not to be afraid to voice my thoughts and opinions and that they were both valued by people that generously and returned feedback
• What disabilities are, functional limitations, barriers, how to remove them. A very thoughtful, clear and enlightening presentation
• The vast distance between how individuals perceive the same event
• To look at my peers with a greater understanding and appreciation for what they value
• I learned to remember about men’s issues
• One is more a product of one’s past than we realize
• Just reinforced the importance of dialogue around tough issues
• That we truly have a caring community that places intense value on being sure that everyone’s voice is heard and acknowledged and that solutions are found that reflect that caring
• I thought the Interactive Theater exercise was very helpful. The discussions we had in the gender group and with my LOT were also very constructive
• More about others – bonding – diversity of the Cascadia Community College family
• Others struggle with how to handle offensive behavior
• I did not realize how much the ADA has improved my own life and other’s
• There is still much to learn – a statement was made at the end of the day “…everyone knows what diversity is…” not true!
• How exciting it is to dialogue and grapple with intellectually stimulating, profoundly emotional and politiacally timely material. I learned how passionate and committed I am to the important work of diversity – sharing this in group would have been rich and affirming
• How respectful each of us are of one another
• So much! I really can’t articulate fully until I have processed further
• I learned the value of people coming together in a relaxed setting to discuss what it really means to be part of a ‘learning community’
• I am constantly reminded that I will always be inspired by open discussion of diverse opinions
• You are an interesting group – trying to make this institution work for you as it grows – good for you!
• There were a lot of similarities among very ‘different’ people
• A better understanding of the institution and its values

Do you have anything else to share about today’s retreat?

• Cascadia is a CHOICE we all made – all of us who work here, as well as the students who attend. Our values are made public – if inconsistent with views of students and/or employees there are choices which could be made
• The process was very valuable
• The opening exercise really for me set the tone beautifully; I also appreciated the work in the LOT groups. I found the push towards consensus a bit uncomfortable – I was glad we agreed to further discussion
• The morning sessions were extremely rewarding; large group discussions were disappointing
• I am so impressed by the level of commitment and dedication of the community that is Cascadia Community College
• Today was tough, but I’m glad we started the work on diversity
• Wonderful facilitators – stay away from 10-word definitions!
• The afternoon dialog was important
• Excellent – I’m so glad to join this group
• Today seems like barely a scratch on the surface
• The active nature of today helped me engage
• Very interesting and thought-provoking day
• It seemed to end on a less than positive note
• This was simply fabulous – I truly enjoyed the retreat
• I don’t feel like the day helped us get to that deeper level until the last hour and a half – and it was too late in the day to walk away satisfied
• The task given to the LOTS to come up with a definition was not clear – having the value of diversity would have helped
• It was a great learning experience – Lot of valuable information was shared
• Have more retreats such as this
• It was a good retreat – I would have liked more breaks to process and lunch closer to noon
• Well-organized, lots of good discussion, good opportunity to meet with people I don’t usually get to talk to
• It was a lot of fun, great to see the respect for everyone’s opinions and ideas, great to see the outcomes of the activities. I really enjoyed the first ‘motion and sound’ activity
• I really didn’t think it would be all that thought-provoking – and I was pleasantly surprised on what kind of effect it had on me
• It was a bit long – maybe over a few days
• Thank you for an enlightening day
• My brain hurts – but it’s good! Exercise hurts until you get used to it! A nice entry back into the quarter
• It would be better to time this differently
• That some individuals become entrenched in their own agenda and do not allow for the voices of others
• Well organized. Spent too much time of interactive agenda in the morning – deeper issues cut short. Fantastic discussion in communication groups with mixed/diverse faculty – more needed
• Much better than last year’s retreat
• I thought it to be very informative, thought-provoking, and a wonderful team-building experience. I very much enjoyed having been a participant
• Everybody is so nice. The synergy was not only among groups but it was felt within the whole group as one. Would attend again if hosted next week!
• Enjoyed the time with our community
• I enjoyed having an opportunity to hear about other’s experience’s, opinions and stories
• A bit too long – I’m almost incapable of thought right now
• Light years better than last year; felt like I have time to bond with Cascadia employees
• It would be great to ask UCBI to participate, and it would be great to have something like this on a smaller scale at least once a year. Yahoo!
• I am glad that there was not a successful attempt to force a decision on wording for a definition of diversity. It deserves more than a rushed product
• What a great day for experiential learning
• Good location – much more comfortable than last year! Bring Marc and Cheryl back!
• I thought it was truly meaningful and healing
• I really enjoyed interacting with everyone, met lots of people, had fun, felt at ‘home’
• Just a very positive experience
• No conversation about unintended consequences of some of these issues
• Great academic discourse: out LOT excellently modeled respectful discussion in our interactions
• Thank you – I felt honored and privileged to participate in this day of dialogue…I will remember this rich day! This is the kind of dialogue we need to have with students!
• I appreciate the willingness of all to be open to discussing views and hearing them
• Would have preferred pre-evaluation/study period to search my own opinions/values concerning diversity
• Good facilitators and organization – although the ‘lecture’ by the afternoon facilitator was a bit outdated and dry
• This was the most valuable retreat to date – thank you
• I am new to the group and appreciate the passion expressed. It shows people care about the future of the institution
• It was an excellent retreat. I value the experience even though it took time away from my regular work
• Do we intend to replace the current value of diversity with the working definition?
• I really enjoyed the sound/movement exercise
• Was a great learning experience

What is still unclear to you after today’s retreat?

• How we will ever be able to find a definition which is suitable/desirable for all
• If the end result is more or less important than the journey
• Many things – but that’s ok
• How we can celebrate diversity when we can’t define it and verbalize how we express it
• What is our focus around our diversity efforts
• Let’s have more discussions about these hard topics throughout the year
• How long this wonderful discussion will be sustained
• How attempting to define diversity the way we did is going to change the sorts of behaviors brought as examples
• The reason for definition of diversity
• How to recognize ‘diversity’ without recognizing ‘sadism’, ‘nazism’, etc.
• State and federal ADA definitions of disability and the implications of being disabled
• The definition of diversity – I hope the new definition will be simple and memorable
• Why diversity did not include the diverse effects of religions
• I was unclear with the ‘tool kit’ discussion – I felt as if there needed to be more clarity
• How we will get there…I don’t feel like we developed tools today
• How to deal with some of the challenging situations we will encounter
• Do we value different ways of processing information and will I be respected for my values even if I am not in one of the oppressed groups we have talked about
• I would like further exploration of gender differences and how they affect the learning environment
• How to reflect – what to reflect upon – so many varying issues/concerns – hard to reflect upon anything as a whole. I guess I’ll pick something and go with it
• The implementation of these ideas
• Why we need to define diversity beyond its role as a value. It seems that it’s going to be some form of ‘protection’ based on the anecdotes we heard
• A lot…but that’s good – it will bring about discussion later
• Whether we are rewriting the dictionary definition or rewriting a value
• How the diversity statement(s) will be used. I believe a definition and a statement of application will be the most useful
• The role the faculty/staff play in establishing Cascadia’s values and processes is still unclear.
• I would like to know more about what is politically correct and what is not
• The purpose and goals of the Interactive Theater activity
• How we can ensure that diversity is honored by the entire Cascadia community
• How do we continue to keep honesty and trust always at the front of things
• How to deal with people who only see their version of valuing diversity
• Why it’s perceived that more committee work solves problems
• The impact of the lack of diversity – the world that our students are coming from, what we are trying to help them learn, in the face of the fact that our demographics do not reflect a diverse environment
• Cascadia’s consensus model – how it works in practice – is still rather unclear to me
• Why do we all need to have the same definition when we want to respect differences?
• How to ‘honor’ the perspective of the skinhead, axe-murderer, etc.
• When one is ‘being’ respectful and acknowledging differences, what then is it one is ‘doing’?
• If we are committed to consensus as a community why do we change our process mid-stream?
• Whether we should define ourselves as a noun or a verb
• Specifically what we hope to accomplish by defining diversity
• The process with the tool box – it seemed alone, disconnected, unbridged to the material in the a.m. and p,m. sessions
• How each employee will assess themselves on the finished definition of diversity
• How to value each and every person in a restricted amount of time. How to better organize/evaluate?
• I personally will continue to struggle with difficult issues and how I handled them at any given time
• Would Cascadia members value perspectives that are 180 degrees different from their own?
• I’m unclear about why we have to distill the process into a diversity statement
• That last exercise

Where should we go from here with what we have learned today?

• Continue to build community
• Continued discussion
• Form a disappearing task force – develop an action plan
• Make a final decision at the All College Assembly after much discussion in the LOTs and the disappearing task force
• Realize that diversity has a fluid definition and that it will continually chage
• Institutionalize discussion/problem in all spheres of Cascadia Community College
• Try to make what we do at Cascadia relevant to the rest of the world
• Much of the training is very surface – we need in-depth discussion of the subtle nature that behavior can demonstrate
• Complete the definition of diversity – it should include the ‘right’ to hold dissenting views without requirement for acceptance, respect, etc.
• I like the idea of not rushing the process and taking what we formulated today and building upon it to arrive at a definition that is clear and understandable to the Cascadia community
• More ELI workshops, roundtables, discussions
• To have time where we can just learn each other’s stories. And create a safe place to work that will accept my mistakes and to trust that I do my best
• More in-house training on gender and cultural differences
• Open dialogues can be productive – but only with a facilitator
• Action
• I think we should work to define diversity as the process we went through, basically valuing the unsettled question over the settled interpretation
• We need to inspire our students to have the same kinds of discussions amongst themselves – but not only in class
• Understand it is a lot more than definition or discussion will ever be able to pigeon-hole and accept it
• Structured dialogue in focus groups
• Implement
• Define diversity as a discovery process
• Define what behaviors are ‘humanizing’ – that could be thorny
• Learn that education and learning is a process, not a finished product
• Internalize the information
• Specifying what actions in behavior are going to be practiced at Cascadia that demonstrate respecting and acknowledging differences
• In attempting to define diversity – more time spent on exactly what/who that means in concrete sense (e.g., several of us like ‘celebrate’ until it was suggested that ‘poverty’ might not be a thing to celebrate)
• Take the task to class and work with students
• More! More! More!
• I will strive to incorporate the thoughts and processes learned today in my daily life

View these and other exciting initiatives by clicking on the options to the left.