In response to a diversity steering committee recommendation, a four-part seminar starting today will help faculty, staff and graduate students explore ways to build a more openly diverse community.

The seminar, “Dialogues on Diversity: Building a Community,” is free for anyone interested. Meeting time is 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. today and Oct. 21, Nov. 4 and Nov. 18. The seminar will be held in the Wallace-Wilson complex of Towers residence halls.

John Stein, a co-facilitator for the seminar and a training specialist for Iowa State’s Human Resource Services, said the topics will progress from focusing on “…the individual to the system to the community.”

The first session’s theme is getting started and will focus on what diversity is, what its benefits are and building a team.

The second session’s theme focuses on becoming a more welcoming place. The session will include interviews with students and will focus on diversity at Iowa State.

The third session is about what it means to be different. Stereotyping will be discussed and a video “Eye of the Storm” with Jane Elliott will be viewed.

The final session on community values will discuss what a community that reflects shared values might be like as well as what future steps toward diversity might be taken.

The seminar is a personal and professional developmental opportunity. Vicky Thorland-Oster, training specialist, said the objectives include increasing knowledge and skills to work with others effectively, examining the role of the individual, the institution and the community in shaping an environment that values and respects all individuals and understanding and appreciating individual differences.

“There are a lot of students who are in a fair amount of pain around campus because they feel like they don’t fit in,” Hendrich said.

“If we want to create an environment that’s really supportive of students and intellectually stimulating, we need to help students see they can be a part of something here.

“What we hope to do is engage people in a process of being able to examine their own values regarding diversity,” Hendrich said.

Stein said the seminar will explore “…how we can make campus a more positive environment for everyone.”

The seminar was developed collaboratively by Minority Student Affairs, Training and Development, the Office of International Students and Scholars and the Center for Teaching Excellence. It is funded by the president’s office.

There is room for 30 people in the seminar and another section can be added if enough people register. To register call Training and Development at 294-8914.