Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies
Jena Nicols Curtis, director
Old Main, Room 122
607-753-5784
Email: mgs@cortland.edu
cortland.edu/cgis/
Mission of the Center
The mission of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies (CGIS) is to foster and develop equity and respect for social, racial, ethnic, cultural, economic, sexual orientation, gender, and environmental justice and diversity within the campus and larger community. The Center educates about systems of oppression and discrimination, and strives to enable mutual respect and understanding of cultures and underrepresented groups. The Center focuses on the development of diversity across the curriculum, the promotion of research, the facilitation of student and faculty development, and the recommendation of policy.
Functions of the Center
- Support and invigorate interdisciplinary minors in Asian/Middle Eastern Studies, Latino and Latin American Studies, Native American Studies and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies and courses addressing issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Africana Studies is an autonomous multidisciplinary department that has a functional relationship to the center by promoting intercultural and gender studies through its curriculum, majors, minors and co-curricular activities.
- Foster and support scholarship, research and publications that promote campus cultural diversity.
- Promote and support scholarship and research on diversity, including race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion and age.
- Work in tandem with the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office and the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office to build a multicultural campus and improve the climate for all students.
- Work with academic departments as well as the Research and Sponsored Programs Office and the Faculty Development Center to promote inclusive scholarship and research.
- Organize scholarly conferences on issues of social and environmental justice.
Constituent Groups and Programs
Africana Studies
The African American Studies majors and minor are administered by the Africana Studies Department .
Asian/Middle Eastern Studies
The Asian/Middle Eastern studies minor is an interdisciplinary program designed to serve the needs of students majoring in any subject area who desire more knowledge regarding Asia, Middle Eastern and Asian American concerns. Administration of the Asian/Middle Eastern Studies Program and advisement of its students are provided by the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Committee, a subcommittee of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies. For additional information go to Asian/Middle Eastern Studies Interdisciplinary Minor .
Latino and Latin American Studies
Latino and Latin American Studies offers a minor designed to complement many academic majors. Students choosing the minor will study the history and cultural production of Latin Americans from the perspective of several disciplines. Administration of the Latino and Latin American Studies Program and advisement of its students are provided by the Latin Studies Committee, a subcommittee of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies. For additional information go to Latino and Latin American Studies Interdisciplinary Minor .
Native American Studies
The most recent interdisciplinary and multicultural studies program to be developed at SUNY Cortland, Native American Studies offers a minor designed to complement many academic majors. Students choosing this minor will study Native American cultures from the perspectives offered by several disciplines. Administration of the Native American Studies Program and advisement of its students are provided by the coordinator and the Native American Committee, a subcommittee of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies. For additional information go to Native American Studies Interdisciplinary Program .
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
The study of women, their challenges and their experiences was introduced in 1988 to the SUNY Cortland curriculum. With interdisciplinary courses in such areas as Africana studies, English, health and sociology, the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies minor is designed to complement all academic majors. Administration of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program and advisement of its students are provided by the Women's Studies Committee, a subcommittee of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies. For additional information go to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Interdisciplinary Minor .
James M. Clark Center for Global Engagement
Scott Moranda, acting director 2021-22
Old Main, Room 211-D
Alexandru Balas, director
Old Main, Room 110
607-753-4823
Sue Pettitt, administrative assistant
Old Main, Room 122
607-753-2250
Clark Center website
Mission of the Center
The mission of the James M. Clark Center for Global Engagement is to provide leadership for internationalization at SUNY Cortland. The Clark Center fosters cross-cultural understanding and global awareness through the coordination and support of international scholarship, curricular development, programs, projects, and dialogues. In addition, the International Studies Interdisciplinary Degree Program is housed within the Clark Center.
Functions of the Center
- Help develop and enhance the university's existing curricular offerings and programs with an international focus.
- Maintain best practices and mentoring for the development, organization, management, and funding of international initiatives.
- Coordinate dialogue and collaboration among departments and groups that promote internationalization, including the International Programs Office, the Modern Languages Department, the Project for Eastern and Central Europe, the Trans-Africa Project and other departments and groups that promote SUNY Cortland's international mission.
- Provide feedback on international program development.
- Promote scholarship and grant development related to internationalization.
- Work with faculty and staff to encourage and facilitate faculty and staff exchanges, visiting international faculty and research, teaching and service abroad by SUNY Cortland faculty.
- Work with the Admissions Office and the Enrollment Management and Marketing Office to attract students involved in the university's international course offerings and programs.
- Work with offices across campus to support international students in their academic and co-curricular experiences.
- Initiate, promote and coordinate international events and activities of interest to the campus as well as to Cortland and the surrounding community.
- Engage with the whole Cortland campus, the broader community, the SUNY system and other outside bodies to further internationalize the campus and provide support for international academic initiatives.
- Work with the International Programs Office to train and support international advocates — departmental representatives who serve as liaisons for the Clark Center and International Programs Office.
Participating Groups and Programs
The International Studies Program
The International Studies Interdisciplinary Degree Program is an interdisciplinary major in which students study the modern world as a whole rather than any one country or society within it. The program has special appeal for students interested in foreign languages, study abroad and global studies. For more information, visit the International Studies Program website.
International Programs Office
The International Programs Office administers SUNY Cortland's many study abroad programs and provides support to all incoming international students, scholars and staff. For more information, refer to the Study Abroad/International Programs section of the catalog or visit the Study Abroad Programs website.
Modern Languages Department
This department offers opportunities for the study of foreign languages, foreign literatures and foreign cultures. Liberal arts majors in French, Spanish, and Teaching English as a Second Language are administered through this department; minors in French and Spanish are also offered. Students who incorporate education courses into their programs may qualify for professional certification as teachers in Adolescence French, Adolescence Spanish, and a combined program in both Adolescence French and Spanish. The department also offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, German and Italian and participates in interdisciplinary programs in cinema study and international study. For more information, visit the Modern Languages Department website.
The Project for Eastern and Central Europe (PECE)
The Project for Eastern and Central Europe fosters and develops affiliations and working relationships between SUNY Cortland and universities in Eastern and Central Europe. PECE sponsors conferences for this purpose as well as student and faculty exchanges. PECE is dedicated to fostering shared knowledge, cooperation and mutual understanding among the peoples of Eastern and Central Europe and those in the United States.
The Trans-Africa Project
The Trans-Africa Project (TAP) fosters and develops affiliations and working relationships between SUNY Cortland and universities in Africa. TAP sponsors conferences for this purpose as well as student and faculty exchanges. TAP is dedicated to fostering shared knowledge, intellectual and cultural cooperation and mutual understanding among the peoples of Africa and those in the United States and the African Diaspora.
International Awareness Club
Open to all Cortland students, the purpose of the club is to provide a link between American students and those from other countries. Travel, activities and programs sponsored by the club foster an atmosphere in which students from other countries can learn about American life and culture while American students learn about the life and culture of the other countries. For more information, visit the International Awareness Club Web page.
International Advocates
These representatives from academic departments serve as liaisons between their departments and the Clark Center and the International Programs Office. Through workshops and information from the Clark Center and the International Programs Office, international advocates develop specialized knowledge about internationalization initiatives and opportunities, and they advise department members about these activities and options.
They promote study abroad opportunities relevant to their department's programs, provide resources and advice to department faculty and students, work with international students in the department and serve as the International Programs Office contact person for such students. They also serve as spokespersons/advocates for Clark Center or other campus initiatives that provide faculty with opportunities for internationalization activities, conveying information at department meetings and/or through email. Generally, each department has one advocate who serves a three-year term.
Other Participating Units
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Committee
Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies
Academic Departments and Deans' Offices
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