http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40145/

University teaches white employees how to overcome the ‘discomfort’ of being white


University of Michigan training session used ‘Privileged Identity Exploration Model’

A two-day professional development conference held recently at the University of Michigan included a training session that aimed to help white employees deal with their “whiteness” so they could become better equipped to fight for social justice causes, according to organizers.

Participants who took part in the “Conversations on Whiteness” session, held December 5 during the university’s Student Life Professional Development Conference, were taught to “recognize the difficulties they face when talking about social justice issues related to their White identity, explore this discomfort, and devise ways to work through it,” the university’s website states.

The goal was to help participants in “unpacking Whiteness” to support students and staff with issues and efforts “related to identity and social justice,” the website added.

The “Conversations on Whiteness” session was one of more than a dozen workshops offered at the conference, held Dec. 4 and 5. The whiteness session utilized the “Privileged Identity Exploration Model” to help white participants explore the “discomfort” of their “white identity,” according to organizers.

First introduced in 2007 by University of Iowa professor Sherry Watt in a College Student Affairs Journal article, the model purports to be a method for understanding how people react to stimuli that alert them of the privilege they hold. The model is to be used by “facilitators” to “engage participants in discussions about diversity,” according to Watt.

Watt states there are eight defenses people use to avoid recognizing their privilege. Examples of defenses include “denial,” where someone simply refuses to admit their privilege, and “minimization,” where someone trivializes the impact of their privilege.

The College Fix reached out for comment to the three university staff members listed as facilitators of the event: Abby Priehs: associate director of residence education; Steve Bodei: associate director of Student Life Leadership Education; and Nick Smith: director of campus involvement.

When asked why the “unpacking Whiteness” event was created, and whether or not students at the University of Michigan had complained about the quality of racial discourse on campus, Smith responded: “This is an internal training for U-M Student Life staff.” A subsequent query to Smith was not returned.

Neither Priehs nor Bodei responded to phone calls from The Fix on Monday night.

The Student Life Professional Development Conference was based around the overall theme of “Identity, Wellness, & Work: Healthier, Happier, & More Efficient,” according to the University of Michigan’s student life website.

Additional sessions were titled “Building and Strengthening Your Assessment Muscles,” “Empower, Safety and You,” and “Making Meaning: the Role of Spirituality in Higher Education.”

Another session, titled “I Don’t Feel Safe Talking About Race,” was devoted to giving staff “tools to create a safer climate to promote dialogue around racial issues.” Meanwhile “The Intersection of Well-being, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion on Campus” workshop aimed to help Student Life staff “work towards wellness justice for all students on campus.”

The University of Michigan is not alone in holding trainings to help staff cope with “intersecting identities.”

American University hosted a training event earlier this year designed to help staff understand their own identities.

Among the research guides available online from the University of San Francisco, meanwhile, is a “White Privilege Resource Guide” that provides resources to help researchers deal with their various forms of privilege.

If I was given a guarantee that I could not be kicked out of the class, and it was close, I would go.

I would love to hear how horrible I make other peoples lives...

And I would love telling my side of the story without fear of removal.

Pretty comfortable with my alabaster coloration.

Not that the idiots at U of MI care and that pretty much describes my level of concern with their course.

How do administrators allow this drivel to count for college credit? (That is a rhetorical question of course since they revel in leftness.)

RMD

I have a MA from this shit hole. When they decided to establish an Angela Davis lounge I decided to never give them another penny (look up who she is). I am embarrassed to be associated
With this commie strong hold. I was even a member of the SDS back in the day. They have really gone to hell. I don’t mind being white, but I am not kissing anyone’s ass just to go along with the PC crowd.

I'll be more comfortable with my whiteness when everyone else stops blaming me for their bad decisions

I attended a church for a while that had quite a few immigrants from Africa. In various conversations with these men and women, one thing was mentioned repeatedly. The countries in Africa that have experienced an influence from White people are far better off than the countries that have not. Those people had COMPARISON in their lives - they would experience the extreme differences when they went from one country to another on that continent.

The problem with people living in this country is they have no comparison. They were born here and have never experienced what life is like in countries where there is no White cultural influence. Therefore, all they can do is concentrate on what they perceive as "wrong" with this country. Without any real comparison, they compare this country with some Utopian dream-world that they imagine - even though none exists, never has, and never will.

I call it the ignorant, spoiled brat syndrome.

quote:

Watt states there are eight defenses people use to avoid recognizing their privilege. Examples of defenses include “denial,” where someone simply refuses to admit their privilege, and “minimization,” where someone trivializes the impact of their privilege.

Shit doc, I got it real bad, I need help immediately. I pretty much do this daily. Additionally I usually mock anyone who says something about white privilege. I'll never get in touch with my inner SJW.

I'm not ever going to let some school that likely let's race be a deciding factor in admission try to make me feel bad about my genetic makeup.

Fuck 'em.

quote:

University teaches white employees how to overcome the ‘discomfort’ of being white

Does it have to do with sunblock?

The Irish must be in a state of perpetual grief from their whiteness.

If we all wore blackface that would cure the problem

Wow, about all I can say is "You gotta be fucking kidding me."

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Pretty comfortable with my alabaster coloration.

Not that the idiots at U of MI care and that pretty much describes my level of concern with their course.

How do administrators allow this drivel to count for college credit? (That is a rhetorical question of course since they revel in leftness.)

RMD

Things like this give Universities a reason to over charge gullible students for some classes that won't do them a bit of good in the real world.

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:

There's a Spartan here loving that plate kz1000!
I work everyday in Ann Arbor and if I had a dime for every libtard I withheld a smackdown from I could retire today. I think it qualifies as Berckley east.

quote:

Are you uncomfortable of your whiteness?

Only if I find myself in the wrong part of town...
That's what concealed carry is for.

Pretty soon these classes will be required for all white students as part of orientation

I know some universities have already instituted some sort of course like this.

I am surprised the Army has made it mandatory yearly training like suicide prevention, SHARP etc..

This goes along with all the other PC garbage.
This ties into all the PC hiring standards that are getting even more ridiculous.

quote:

“intersecting identities”

That's me. Glad I'm not alone and feeling unsafe.

My wife is a natural blonde, hazel eyes. From my waist down, I'm whiter than her. From my waist up it's a more politically correct shade, blending effortlessly in safe spaces. Until I take my pants down.

It's tough being of two shades. People misunderstand me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hwiCkU73NA

quote:

Originally posted by jehzsa:

quote:

“intersecting identities”

That's me. Glad I'm not alone and feeling unsafe.

My wife is a natural blonde, hazel eyes. From my waist down, I'm whiter than her. From my waist up it's a more politically correct shade, blending effortlessly in safe spaces. Until I take my pants down.

It's tough being of two shades. People misunderstand me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hwiCkU73NA

my wife is a hazel eyed naturally auburn colored hair and practically glows in the dark from her whiteness,

I am a shade or 2 darker, blue eyed and have dark hair,

I have been called a Blue Eyed White Devil by several that I have had to fire in my previous occupation,


none of which makes me uncomfortable,

These colleges are like portals to a bizzarro, upside down, alternate dimension and this is where our future gets educated. We’re doomed.

They must Not get "Live PD" in Michigan?