4th Annual Tools for Social Justice Conference
November 16 - 18, 2008

Sponsored by ACPA and its Commission for Social Justice Educators
Campus Host: Office of Multicultural Affairs, University of Kansas

Keynote Speakers | Featured Workshop | Schedule | Location and Transportation | Registration Information | Submit Call for Program | Register Online

Early-bird deadline extended until Monday, November 10, 2008.

Overview of the Conference

As higher education professionals living in a global society, it is our collective responsibility to facilitate a living and learning environment for which we strive to develop understanding and respect for each other. We must also foster programs and services that shape policies and patterns of behavior and communication which promote the value of each individual as well as the diverse groups within our campus communities.

This annual conference will help you go "Beyond the Typical" tools and rhetoric when it comes to social justice education. The conference will provide you with best practices and resources that you can bring back to your home campus. With experts from our field, learn or refine ways to address the challenges of infusing social justice into your everyday activities and conversations. This group of insightful and experienced speakers will also share their wisdom and expertise. You will learn about cutting edge and innovative campus programs and will be provided resources to help you implement or reshape programs back on your home campus. Plus, and more importantly, we'll encourage you to learn from one another. We've designed an experience that goes beyond the "typical" conference scene to hit at the heart of the issues while also offering real-life tools to help you leverage social justice education on your campus. By educating ourselves - and our students - we can create a just global society where every person is valued.

Please join us for this fourth annual "Tools for Social Justice" conference to put your commitment to social justice education into action

Target Audience

It is open to all college student educators at all levels --student affairs professionals, faculty, administrators, undergraduate and graduate students--who are interested in and committed to building healthy, diverse communities throughout the world.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The primary purpose of this conference is to build our collective responsibility to facilitate a living and learning environment for which we all strive, and to develop understanding and respect for each other. Toward that end, the conference will bring together national experts, scholars, and student affairs practitioners at all career levels, institutional types and functional areas. Conference attendees can expect to:

1. Learn or refine ways to address the challenges of infusing social justice into their campus work with students and others;
2. Increase their knowledge about assessing learning outcomes of social justice programs and services;
3. Learn from others' experiences through sessions that showcase examples of best practices from a variety of institutional types and functional areas;
4. Increase their knowledge on the intersection of theory and practice in social justice education; and
5. Network with college student educators from a variety of institutional types who are committed to learning and reflecting about implementing and enhancing social justice education programs.

Call For Programs

Deadline to submit a proposal is October 6, 2008

ACPA longstanding core values include a commitment to diversity, multicultural competence and human dignity, as well as free and open exchange of ideas in a context of mutual respect. To that end and to advance the learning outcomes of the conference, concurrent sessions will be offered to assist college student educators on ways to develop and refine the infusion of social justice into their work with the campus community in general and students in particular. The conference planning team seeks proposals for educational sessions which will expand attendees’ knowledge and skills and reflect one or more of the following themes:

Research – current research, including culturally relevant pedagogy, theory and models that consider the intersections of inequities, oppression, and privilege within the context of transforming institutional culture and practices.

Assessment - skills and applications to assess programs that address social justice and diversity. Proposals on assessing multicultural competencies of college student educators are particularly welcomed.

Professional Development – training modules designed to better prepare college student educators to work more effectively with the intersections of students’ multiple identities.

Best Practices – social justice programs and services for students and professionals that reflect a seamless integration of research, practice, assessment, and professional development. The conference planning team is also interested in campus programs and services that involve the community, particularly K-12.

Submit your Call for Program online here. Deadline: October 6, 2008

Keynote Speakers

Vasti Torres Vasti Torres is associate professor of higher education and student affairs administration in the... read more.	Kip Fulbeck One of the seminal artists exploring multiracial identity, Kip Fulbeck captivates audiences with his videos, performances, and... read more.
Jamie Washington Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington serves as the President and Founder of the Washington Consulting Group, a.... read more.	Eva Vega While walking to class, another student, a white male, called her a ... read more.

Featured Opening Workshop – Foundations of Social Justice Education

The Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI) will help us begin to develop our learning community as we focus on how to use the “self as instrument” in our work as social justice educators and change agents. During this interactive opening session we’ll begin to explore how the common dynamics of dominant and subordinated groups impact us as instruments of change. Come ready for self-reflection and authentic dialogue!
You can begin reflecting on the following:

• What is your vision of social justice? How are you working to create a more socially just campus environment?
• What dynamics and issues related to social justice are you noticing in your organization and in your community?
• What, if any, challenges and roadblocks are you experiencing (in yourself and on your campus) as you work to create a more socially just campus community?

Social Justice Training Institute Faculty

Exciting new format for TFSJ 2008!

For the 2008 conference we have added a new format ~ Social Justice Fellows! We’ve invite 10+ more experienced social justice educators to serve as coaches and small group facilitators. Each conference attendee will be assigned to a small group that will meet a few times throughout TFSJ to discuss campus dilemmas and strategies/tools, as well as develop connections and networks to access after the conference!

Featured Sessions
Another exciting feature of the conference is the Featured Sessions ~ longer workshops focused on skill development. We’ll offer a number of expanded sessions, including:

• Navigating Triggering Events, Kathy Obear
• Embracing Resistance ~ Jamie Washington
• Tunnel of Oppression ~ Robert Page
• Tips for facilitating simulations ~ becky martinez
• Social Justice Competencies ~ Commission for Social Justice Educators

Schedule

View the tentative conference schedule. The conference begins at 10:00am on Sunday, November 16th and concludes at 2:00pm on Tuesday, November 18th.

Registration Information

Register Online.

Early-bird deadline extended until Monday, November 10, 2008.

Download printable registration form. [Word]  [PDF]

Location

The conference will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel KCI of Kansas City, Missouri, USA, a city known for its arts scene, live music, and shopping. It is 30 minutes from the shopping, dining, and nightlife of the Kansas City metropolitan area and 10 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport.

City Attractions

Historic 18th and Vine
Kansas City is proud of the revitalization of this historic corridor, home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Kansas City Jazz Museum. The museums celebrate the times when baseball and jazz reigned as part of Kansas City's cultural life. From authentic recreations of uniforms and muti-screen video presentations of former Negro League players to learning about Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Lester Young, and other jazz giants, this is the place to be.

Zona Rosa
Located in Kansas City, Missouri's Northland, Zona Rosa is a dining, shopping, entertainment center that also features office and residential options. Shopping is available in a town-like setting with metered on-street parking (proceeds go to local charities).
For more information about Kansas City, including special events and venues, please visit Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association Web site.

Transportation

The Kansas City International Airport is served by many airlines including Southwest, Delta, Air Tran, United, Midwest Airlines, US Airways, Frontier, Northwest, and American Airlines.
For competitive airline fares, visit myacpa.org/travel.
The Embassy Suites Hotel KCI, site of the conference, provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport. In the baggage claim area, contact the hotel via the courtesy phone at the Hotel/Car Rental Directory board.
 
Taxi fare averages $10 to the hotel.

Lodging
The conference will take place at the Embassy Suites Hotel KCI. The room rate is $108 single/double. Reservations can be made by calling 1 800 EMBASSY (362-2779) or contact the hotel directly at 1 816 891 7788. Mention Tools for Social Justice for the special rate.

Click here for online registration with Embassy Suites.

The hotel is located at 7640 Northwest Tiffany Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
The deadline date for the special hotel rate is October 22, 2008. After this date, rooms are on a space available basis.

Meals
A daily breakfast buffet is included in the hotel room rate. All lunches, dinner on Sunday and refreshment breaks are included in the conference registration fee.

Attire
The attire for the conference is business casual\

Payment and Cancellation Policy

Registrations can be paid by check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. All fees must be prepaid. Purchase orders are not accepted. Refunds will be given for cancellations, received in writing at ACPA by October 31, 2008 less a $50 processing fee. After October 31, there are no refunds. ACPA reserves the right to charge a service fee of $20 for returned checks. A processing fee of $20 per registration will be charged for credit cards declined or to change payment methods after the initial payment is processed. Registrations are non-transferable. The conference may be cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the fees will be fully refunded; however, ACPA will not be responsible for other additional costs, charges or expenses, including cancellation/change charges accessed by airlines and/or travel agencies.

Contact Information

Questions? Contact Vernon A. Wall, Director of Educational Programs and Publications, or call 1.202.835.2272 or Precious Porras, Program Assistant, Office of Multicultural Affairs, University of Kansas, at pporras@ku.edu or 1 785 864 4351.