Respecting Differences 2013

Dear Colleagues:

As stakeholders of Western Michigan University, we carry a collective responsibility for creating an environment where every person can be respected, appreciated and have an opportunity to succeed. To support that commitment, we are co-sponsoring the annual diversity event Respecting Differences 2013: Expanding Ourselves, Embracing Differences with the city of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, city of Portage, Community Mental Health Substance Abuse Services and Kalamazoo College. We strongly encourage you to attend and ask that you in turn encourage your employees to attend as schedules allow.

This year, the presentation will focus on diversity, self-reflection, and the need to push boundaries. Kinetic Affect will be the featured speaker and present the message through an engaging performance and spoken word poetry. The Kinetic Affect combines the past experiences and powerful voices of two men from different walks of life. They have performed for a variety of local, regional and national organizations and audiences, conducting youth workshops, benefit performances, and participating in kickoffs, awareness raisers and fundraisers.

Kinetic Affect is committed to challenging beliefs, pushing boundaries and embracing differences. Together they seek to increase awareness of local and global issues. The schedule has been set to accommodate work schedules and to ensure that WMU services are not interrupted. You can plan for your staff to be gone for approximately two hours. This will accommodate the 60-minute presentation, the question-and-answer period and travel time. Please make every effort to attend one of the two presentations at Chenery Auditorium, located at 714 S. Westnedge Ave., in Kalamazoo.

  • Tuesday, March 19, at 1:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 20, at 9 a.m.

Admission is free; however, tickets will be required. Every WMU employee should have received a ticket through campus mail the week of Feb. 25. Free parking is available on surrounding streets and in the parking lot behind Chenery Auditorium; carpooling is recommended.

Thank you for your assistance in supporting this very important presentation. If you have any questions, please visit www.wmich.edu/hr/development/differences.html, or call Nichele Moses, Human Resources, at (269) 387-3650 or Dr. Cathryn Bailey, College Arts and Sciences, at (269) 387-4355.

Best regards,

John M. Dunn, President

Tim Greene, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Jan Van Der Kley, Vice President for Business and Finance and Chief

Financial Officer

Diane Anderson, Vice President for Student Affairs

Kathy Beauregard, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics

Carol Hustoles, Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel

Dan Litynski, Vice President for Research

Greg Rosine, Vice President for Government Affairs and University Relations

Jim Thomas, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Martha Warfield, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion