[Web4lib] Code4lib 2008 Minority Scholarship

[Roy Tennant]

The gender ratio of Code4Lib is the exact opposite of what Robert Baillot
imagines it to be. Therefore, encouragement to help us alleviate this
imbalance is badly needed. As for Mike Taylor's comment that this is
"patronizing", shouldn't the potential recipients of this offer decide? So
far we have had no indication that it is perceived so. Is it "divisive"? I
think not, but if someone were alienated by such an offer then perhaps we
are better off without them.

The future I want is the one that Jeremy Frumkin is working to create --
library technical conferences such as Code4Lib that are welcoming and
fostering of female participation. The very fact that we can have a
technical conference overwhelmingly dominated by men in a profession
dominated by women is disturbing to me, as I would like to think it is
disturbing to others.

Jeremy is one of the few to take real actions while others such as myself
appear content with rhetoric. If you want to attack someone, I would make a
much better target for your ill-aimed sniping.
Roy

On 12/18/07 5:30 AM, "Robert L. Balliot" <rballiot at oceanstatelibrarian.com>
wrote:

> Greetings,
> 
> I can understand the minority scholarship, but I
> cannot understand the majority scholarship. Every
> library conference/meeting I have attended seems to have
> been about 80-90% white female - other than vendors.
> 
> In effect, it is a rather exclusive club that could
> really benefit from some diversity. If it were my
> call, I would recommend two minority scholarships.
> 
> When I looked at the Code4Lib conference schedule,
> I noted a 'Free Happy Hour'.  The first thing I
> thought was 'nerd dating hook'. :)
> 
> *************************************************
> Robert L. Balliot
> 1-401-441-5763
> Skype: RBalliot
> Bristol, Rhode Island
> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
> *************************************************
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Mike Taylor
> Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 4:41 AM
> To: Jeremy Frumkin
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: [Web4lib] Code4lib 2008 Minority Scholarship
> 
> Jeremy Frumkin writes:
>> The Oregon State University / Code4lib Minority Scholarship will
>> provide up to $1000 to cover travel costs and conference fees for
>> one qualified attendee to the 2008 Code4lib conference (February
>> 25-28 in Portland, OR).  To qualify for this scholarship, an
>> applicant must be a member of a principal minority group (American
>> Indian or Alaskan native, Asian or Pacific Islander,
>> African-American, or Hispanic / Latino).
> 
> ... and ...
> 
> Jeremy Frumkin writes:
>> The Oregon State University / Code4lib Gender Diversity Scholarship
>> will provide up to $1000 to cover travel costs and conference fees
>> for one qualified attendee to the 2008 Code4lib conference
>> (February 25-28 in Portland, OR). This scholarship is eligible to
>> any woman interested in actively contributing to the mission and
>> goals of the Code4lib Conference.
> 
> You know, I just don't get this.  How can anyone think that these
> kinds of awards can do anything to counter racism or sexism?  What
> would we think of an award for which only white people were available,
> or only men?  Why would reverse discrimination be any better?  It's
> patronising at best and actively divisive at worst.
> 
> (Though I'm sure it's done from the best of motives.)
> 
>  _/|_  ___________________________________________________________________
> /o ) \/  Mike Taylor    <mike at indexdata.com>    http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
> )_v__/\  "If a player is not interfering with play or seeking to gain an
> advantage, then he should be" -- Bill Shankly.
> 
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