SUSO to discuss race, gender

(NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 1, 2008 edition of Central Michigan Life.)

Students looking to discuss and debate diversity issues in the presidential election will have the opportunity Thursday night.

The next installment in the “Speak Up, Speak Out: The Current Events Series” will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium.

The event is the second of five in the series that will focus on the 2008 presidential election. The event is titled “Race, Class, Sex & Orientation: The 2008 Election.” The event’s facilitator is Ulana Klymyshyn, director of the Multicultural Education Center.

“The topic is important to me,” Klymyshyn said. “We in the Speak Up, Speak Out program usually rotate who runs these things. Since I run the Multicultural Center, it makes sense that I should coordinate this one.”

The first event, held last month, generated debate and lively discussion from Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, reacting to clips of speeches of John McCain and Barack Obama.

The event ran well over the allotted two and a half hours and the auditorium was nearly filled to capacity. The event was considered a success and the facilitators see no reason to change things up, Klymyshyn said.

“The format will stay the same,” she said. “The event will feature video clips, panelists and discussion with the audience.”

The panel will feature Joyce A. Baugh, a political science professor; two CMU students, Detroit senior David Peeples and Grand Rapids sophomore Greg Ghering; CMU alumnus Martin Curry; and a representative of the Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe.

The themes dealing with race and gender are of greater importance this election because of the diversity of candidates on both tickets. Barack Obama is the first African American to run for president on a major party ticket, and Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin is the first woman in history to run on a Republican presidential ticket, Klymyshyn said.

The event also occurs the same night as Palin’s only vice presidential debate against Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden.

The event is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

The third installment of “Speak Up, Speak Out,” entitled “Foreign Policy: The Candidates and Their Platforms” and facilitated by political science professors Moataz Fattah and David Jesuit, will take place Oct. 14 in the UC Auditorium.