Tony Delgado, Ed.D.
Ombudsman and Assistant Dean of Students
The Dean of Students Office, in the Division of Student Affairs, creates a culture of care for students, their families, faculty and staff by providing proactive education consultation, resources, and response to distressed students or students in crisis. The Dean of Students will provide a monthly column in the Beacon, to acquaint students with some of the important campus resources in place to support their success.
It is easy to notice that the spring semester is in full swing. The crowds on campus have picked up.
Productivity is high as students are busy working on research papers or group projects or studying for their first exams. However, this semester seems unlike others. Our campus and the world feel different – a bit unsettled and a lot more vulnerable. Many of us followed the events last semester at the University of Missouri where students expressed their concerns about racial bias permeating their campus climate. Our own FIU students were impacted by the events at Missouri which led to many public discussions and acts of support and solidarity. Students, faculty and staff have engaged to examine the issue of racism both in the context of our campus and the national landscape.
We then witnessed the attacks in Paris that touched much of the world. Although there was an overwhelming rallying of solidarity and support, we were also reminded of our defenselessness when tragedy strikes. But Parisians demonstrated their resiliency to rise up and reclaim their lives by reoccupying the terraces they fled from and placing flowers through bullet holes that pierced through storefronts. But as the world denounced the attacks in Paris, a resurgence of Islamophobia has resurged in our public and private spaces of discourse to instigate hate and divide. We were once again reminded that educational institutions should be safe environments for all students to learn.
As we look forward into this year for hope, growth, and new opportunities, think about what you want from your campus and the world in which you live. How you will leave your mark at FIU and on the world? What will be your legacy? How will you transform our campus, our South Florida community, or our world into a better place?
As a starting point, consider taking part in the Center for Leadership and Service alternative Breaks (aB) Express Experience. Students participating in aB Express three-day service trip within the state of Florida gain a glimpse of the impact they could make on social and community issues, such as such as literacy, poverty, racism, hunger, homelessness, and the environment. The application will be open until March 6th, 2016. For more information or to register, visit go.fiu.edu/aBExpress or contact the Center for Leadership and Service office:
Modesto Maidique Campus
GC 242
305-348-6995
cls@fiu.edu
Biscayne Bay Campus
WUC 220
305-919-5360
cls@fiu.edu
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