Critical Analysis of Ole Culture

Contact info: tfcsr-oleculture@stolaf.edu

Description: The temporary subcommittee “Critical Analysis of Ole Culture” has a 6-month mandate to focus specifically on interrogating Ole Culture and devising ways to uncover and expose its underlying norms that center Whiteness and how it impacts how various people experience life on campus. The idea is that this analysis will help us refine future immediate actions to be more relevant and effective in carrying out structural change at St. Olaf College. Both Dr. Michelle Gibbs’s and Dr. Lisa Moore’s letters will be the jumping off point for this analysis and work. 

Members: Melissa Batalden Mendez, Brian Borovsky, Lisa Bowers, Heather Campbell, Shannon Cron, Ellen Draeger Cattadoris, Brittan Duffing, Julie Elhard, Christopher Elias, Katie Fick, Brian Greening, Tyreis Hunte, Kiara Jorgenson, Kim Kandl, Heather Klopchin, Natalie Meinhardt, Ida Moen Johnson, Peter Nelson, Emily Oberto, Juliet Patterson,Katie Payne, Ben Pelegano, Bryan Schmidt, Nancy Thompson, Mary Titus, Elizabeth (Zibby) Trewartha-Weiner, Maria Vendetti

Structure: We meet every other week via Zoom. We have a rotating facilitation role and rotating notetaker role among members. The committee consists of students, staff, and faculty. All members have equal standing. We acknowledge and aim to mitigate power differentials, for example by using first names in our meetings.

Goals: Interrogating Ole Culture and devising ways to uncover and expose its underlying norms that center Whiteness and how it impacts how various people experience life on campus. 

Current Activities: The committee continues discussing which of our documents to share with the Dean’s Council and BORSC. Committee members Nancy Thompson and Ellen Draeger Cattadoris will contact the Dean’s Council to get on their agenda and Zibby Trewartha-Weiner will contact the coordinator of BORSC. 

Future Plans: The committee’s future plans include discussing the feelings oriented trend document and crafting a faculty/staff version as well as hearing back from committee members contacting the Dean’s Council and BORSC. The next meeting will be led by Maria Vendetti on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 10:30am. 

Measures of success: Actions taken based on the committee’s interrogation of Ole Culture.

Ways that you can get involved: If you are interested in learning more about the Ole Culture Subcommittee, contact tfcsr-oleculture@stolaf.edu. Students who have already met with the Student Membship Committee may contact Student Membership representative Lisa Bowers at bowers@stolaf.edu.

• Students who are not yet members of the Task Force, please fill out this form to get started and register your interest. 
• Faculty and staff who are not yet members of the Task Force, please fill out this form to get started and register your interest in working with a particular subcommittee.