UMD News

Director of Public Relations:
Susan Beasy Latto, slatto@d.umn.edu
315 Darland Administration Bldg.
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
(218) 726-8830 Cell: (218) 348-5688
Fax: (218) 726-7413

October 13, 2003

Contact:
Susan Beasy Latto, Director of Public Relations (218) 726-8830
Deborah Petersen-Perlman, Associate Professor and Director for the Office of Equal Opportunity (218) 726-6849/(218) 726-7528
Mary Cameron, Associate Director of Dept. Of Human Resources (218) 726-7912

At the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) on Wednesday, October 22 from 5-8 p.m. in Montague Hall 80, the UMD "Eracism" Project begins with a Public Forum exploring the existence of racism on campus and in our local communities.  Using short video clips from the PBS series "Matters of Race" to identify specific topics related to racism, regional facilitators will help small groups dialogue about and offer input on these important questions:

• Does this problem exist in the Duluth-area community?
• Does this problem exist in our colleges?
• If the problem does exist, what can we do about it?

The small groups will report back on the strategies they have developed. These strategies will form the basis for action-based activities as the next stage of the "Eracism" Project.

Moving from Racism to "Eracism" requires increased awareness of issues of racism, public dialogue about these issues as they relate to the region and campus, commitment to the ideal of respectful inclusion of all people in a productive and culturally rich environment, and development and implementation of an on-going action plan to accomplish this.  The Public Forum on October 22 at UMD is a major step in this process.

Food for this event will be provided at no cost to participants.

Directions to Montague 80 at UMD:
The Montague building is located along the blue (lower level) concourse.  Entering from the Solon Campus Center, one should take a right hand turn down the first hallway after the outside doors. Montague is the second building after the Tweed Museum of Art.

If entering from Pay Lot A (off College Street), follow the sidewalk to Darland Administration Building and enter through the doors to the left of Darland.  This is also one of the ends of the blue concourse.

If entering from Pay Lot G (off St. Marie), follow the sidewalk to Ordean Court.  Montague 80 is visible from the last set of doors facing the courtyard.

Parking Instructions:
Public parking is available in Pay Lots A and G ($1.25 for a single person entry, less with more passengers) or at the meters in front of the Solon Campus Center (50 cents per hour).