Office of the Chancellor > Speeches, Columns and Letters > Ethnic Studies 10th Anniversary Celebration

Ethnic Studies 10th Anniversary Celebration
February 22, 2007

Good afternoon, it's my pleasure to be here with all of you in celebration of the Ethnic Studies Department. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the remarkable achievements of the Ethnic Studies faculty, staff and students during the past 10 years.

Ethnic Studies is important because it connects us to America. The fabric and strength of our society has always been about ethnicity, gender, class and race.

CU-Boulder's Department of Ethnic Studies provides a cohesive framework for the study of ethnic and racial groups, and promotes research and critical examination of culture, history and contemporary issues. The work of our Ethnic Studies faculty is important to incorporating multicultural definitions and values into both the university curriculum and the campus culture.

Courses in Ethnic Studies help students to think critically, comparatively and cross-culturally about the relationships within and across racially defined communities and to the dominant society. In addition, Ethnic Studies offers:

1. Learning and thinking within interdisciplinary frameworks.
2. Participatory, experiential, diverse and student-centered learning.
3. Skills in oral and written expression.
4. The work of underrepresented authors, scholars and researchers.
5. Empowerment for students of color to learn more about their history.
6. Examination of inherited political, economic and social-cultural positions.
7. Preparation to live and contribute to an increasingly diverse America, in an ever- interdependent world

The demographic future of our country, and indeed the world, enhances the ever-growing scholarly importance of the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach of Ethnic Studies, in addition to the many community service activities that are encouraged through the study of this field.

On behalf of the CU-Boulder community, I want to congratulate Dr. Al Ramirez and the entire talented and outstanding Ethnic Studies faculty, staff and students for your excellence in education, scholarship and service.

Thank you for all you do for the University of Colorado at Boulder!

G.P. "Bud" Peterson, Chancellor
University of Colorado at Boulder