On Friday, November 20, 2020 join the Brown Graduate Student Council (GSC) for the 2nd Annual Distinguished Speaker Series featuring “A Conversation Around Abolition” with Angela Davis.
Angela Davis Biography: Through her activism and scholarship over the last decades, Angela Davis has been deeply involved in our nation’s quest for social justice. Her work as an educator – both at the university level and in the larger public sphere – has always emphasized the importance of building communities of struggle for economic, racial, and gender justice.
Professor Davis’ teaching career has taken her to San Francisco State University, Mills College, and UC Berkeley. She also has taught at UCLA, Vassar, the Claremont Colleges, and Stanford University. She spent the last fifteen years at the University of California, Santa Cruz where she is now Distinguished Professor Emerita of History of Consciousness, an interdisciplinary Ph.D program, and of Feminist Studies.
Angela Davis is the author of nine books and has lectured throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. In recent years a persistent theme of her work has been the range of social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of those communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. She draws upon her own experiences in the early seventies as a person who spent eighteen months in jail and on trial, after being placed on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted List.” Davis has also conducted extensive research on numerous issues related to race, gender and imprisonment. Her most recent book is Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement
Davis is a founding member Critical Resistance, a national organization dedicated to the dismantling of the prison industrial complex. Internationally, she is affiliated with Sisters Inside, an abolitionist organization based in Queensland, Australia that works in solidarity with women in prison.
Like many other educators, Professor Davis is especially concerned with the general tendency to devote more resources and attention to the prison system than to educational institutions. Having helped to popularize the notion of a “prison industrial complex,” she now urges her audiences to think seriously about the future possibility of a world without prisons and to help forge a 21st century abolitionist movement.
This Town Hall will hold an inclusive and honest conversation around voting in 2020 general election. All voting subjectivities are welcomed – including those who are choosing not to vote. We will speak openly about the politics of representation, voter disenfranchisement, and electoral disenchantment. We will center community, accountability, and futurity in this virtual gathering.
The Grad Student Council is looking for graduate students to serve on University committees for the coming academic year. It’s a great way to get involved and build that “service” section of your CV. Details about openings and links to apply are below.
We’ll review applications on a rolling basis, so if you’re interested get your applications in soon! Email the Chair of Nominations with any questions.
Graduate Council The Graduate Council sets policy for the Graduate School, including degree requirements and new course and program approvals, and conducts reviews of graduate programs. Meets once a month on a Tuesday from 2-4pm. Looking for graduate students with at least 1 year of experience at Brown. More info & apply here
Graduate Library Advisory Committee (physical sciences grad student) The Graduate Library Advisory Committee facilitates direct dialogue between graduate students and library staff (subject librarians) pertaining to graduate student needs. Topics include the effectiveness of current library collections, services and spaces and suggestions for improvement. Meeting times and frequency are set by committee members, looking for a graduate student in the social sciences. More info & apply here
Public Safety Oversight Committee (2 year term) The Public Safety Oversight Committee reviews the practices, policies and procedures of the Department of Public Safety, and making policy recommendations where appropriate. The committee meets 1-2 times per semester, and graduate students serve a two-year term. More info & apply here
Library Advisory Board The Library Advisory Board (LAB) advises the University Librarian, and other senior officers as appropriate, on resources and priorities with regard to the University Library System. The Library Advisory Board reviews and makes recommendations about the University’s policies concerning the Library and its operations; helps monitor the effectiveness of library services; and comments on planning and implementation of plans for current and proposed Library policies and programs. More info & apply here
Grad Student Faculty Meeting Observers This is an important and interesting opportunity to watch faculty communicate about a variety of issues and understand a broader perspective on university structure and function. Graduate student observers also bring back issues to the GSC when needed. This is a nonspeaking role at the meetings (though the current Chair of the Faculty says “Students do not have voting privileges, but they are welcome to participate in discussions” so there may be opportunity to offer input). Regardless, student observers provide valuable information to the GSC about the current line of thought of the faculty and receive an interesting look at faculty governance for anyone interested in an academic career. More info & apply here
We understand there has been an extensive amount of transition over the past week. The health and well-being of the student body, administration, and staff at Brown is of the utmost importance at this time. We sincerely hope that everyone is taking the necessary precautions to make sure they stay well. Please continue to visit the Brown University COVID-19 website for updates and read the Graduate School FAQ for information about the impact of recent changes on graduate students. Contact the Graduate School, 401-863-2600 or Graduate_School@brown.edu, with any questions or concerns you may have.
The GSC has been working diligently to brainstorm and re-plan the semester to best meet the current needs of graduate students. Starting the week of March 30th, we plan to make all GSC updates, communication, and resources available virtually through our website at our new COVID-19 Response page.
As a board, we wanted to make sure that graduate students are supported in all aspects while continuing to care for their mental health. Mental health and well-being is still a priority for us; especially during times of isolation and social distancing. Therefore, we are in the process of finalizing a virtual calendar of events and an activity webpage to best serve the student body. This calendar and webpage will include some of the following:
Information on “Grab and Go” meals and snacks
Virtual social events
Virtual fitness, yoga, and meditation classes (internet links and live classes)
Online movie nights
Study, grading, and workout playlists
Podcast links and webpages
and more!
In addition, a student feedback form will be available on our website for graduate students to submit suggestions, modifications, or links that should be added.
We wish you the best during this challenging time and we look forward to reuniting our community once again.
Stay well,
The 2020 Executive Board of the Graduate Student Council
