Tutela a guiding influence

Welcome and Welcome Back!

Welcome to new tutors and welcome back to those of you who are returning! We hope that you had a good break and that you return to us refreshed and ready to begin anew.

We have only students here.

Tutela this month focuses on human rights. Often, when we talk about human rights, we speak in terms of nations --mostly countries other than our own -- and masses of people. We think of tribes or sects or classes of people, not of individuals. There is a "Peanuts" character who says matter-of-factly, "I love humanity. It's people I can't stand!" Perhaps that's true of all of us. It's easy to feel compassion for distant others -- not so easy to feel compassion for someone up close and in our faces. It's more than simply a matter of scale. It's easy to get caught up in sweeping social change; it's not so easy to recognize and then change our own biases or to work closely and cooperatively with individuals. When we think of great causes, the big picture, it's easy to forget that groups -- any groups -- are made up of individuals.

When we serve as tutors, we are perceived to be in a position of authority. What we say matters. How we say it matters. Where we say it matters. Our office is often full of people and students here for one reason or another. A student's first impression of our office and the work we do can be crucial to their success at Iowa. Our students deserve a place that's free of criticism, full of affirmation. For some students, our office is the only place where they can be just themselves without having to be a minority student or a disabled student or a first-generation college student. We have only students here. We have a duty to make sure that our offices and our services reflect a regard for basic human rights.

We appreciate the different strengths of our tutors and encourage them to continue to develop skills and strategies on all levels -- academically, personally, and in tutoring. Remember that tutoring is a special job; you are working closely with a person who is made up of fears, hopes, and experiences, as well as a variety of abilities. Your mission and ours is to assist your students in realizing those abilities.

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The university community mourns the loss of Professor Philip Hubbard, emeritus vice president and emeritus professor of mechanical engineering, who died on Thursday, Jan. 10 at age 80. We believe Dr. Hubbard's philosophy of life and practice of life, aptly represents the MLK Human Rights 2002 theme: "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Professor Hubbard believed the university should be accessible to all who might benefit from a college experience, and out of that belief he created the "Opportunity at Iowa" program. As Willard "Sandy" Boyd, former president of the university, said, "Mr. Hubbard played an incomparable role in building the university by working constantly to open it to all people and to treat each person individually and humanely." Read more about Mr. Boyd's outlook on human rights in the article by Peter Middleton below. Dr. Johnnie Sims of our office interviewed Professor Hubbard last year. We have reprinted that interview below.

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Tutor Workshops

Look for the Tutor Workshop schedule below. These workshops are part of your ongoing training. If you were hired after August 31, 2001, you should attend the Orientation Workshop on Saturday, February 9 from 9 a.m. to Noon. Sorry it has to be on a Saturday -- and a morning at that -- but, it is the only Saturday workshop, and we will provide light refreshments in the form of pastries and juice.

Thanks for all the good work you do. When you are in the area, stop by to say hello. ---James

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A Farewell to Dr. Philip Hubbard

 

On January 10, 2002, Dr. Philip G. Hubbard died. In tribute to his voice in shaping human rights at the University of Iowa, we are reprinting below an article that appeared in the January, 2001 issue of Tutela. Dr. Hubbard granted an interview to talk about human rights. He later sent a note to say he liked the article and that it captured well his views and feelings.

 

 

On December 4, 2000 at Oaknoll Retirement Residence, I met with Dr. Philip G. Hubbard, who is a professor emeritus of engineering and a former vice president of Student Services and dean of Academic Affairs. I asked Dr. Hubbard to share his perspective on human rights in his lifetime, especially at the UI. Dr. Hubbard chose to talk about some events meaningful to him while growing up in Iowa and as a student, faculty and senior administrator. His personal accounts of some of his experiences as a child and undergraduate student at Iowa illuminated the rationale for a human rights policy.

Through his tone of voice, the look in his eyes, and the recitation of the list of trailblazing firsts for the University, I recognized immediately that Dr. Hubbard is proud of Iowa's efforts and accomplishments in human rights -- without being blind to the faults and missteps comprising state and University history. For example, he shared that his much-beloved mother encouraged and supported the family move to Iowa to enhance educational opportunities for her children at a loss to her own career in teaching. In Hubbard's youth, though African-American children could attend public school alongside white children, African-Americans could not teach in these schools.

Dr. Hubbard also recounted that while enrolled as a student at Iowa, African-American students were not allowed to live in the residence halls. He said, "While my financial situation would not have allowed me to be able to live in the residence hall, there were other African-American students who could have afforded living in the halls but were denied doing so because of their race."

Though Dr. Hubbard recounted many firsts related to historically underrepresented populations in higher education -- such as Iowa being the first university in the United States to graduate a woman and an African-American man with degrees in law and the first university where an African-American woman earned an MFA -- he also recognized that these groups of students did not enjoy full access to opportunities and services. Dr. Hubbard explained that in higher education prior to the 1960s, many leaders shared the negative beliefs, stereotypes, myths, and fears that were prevalent in society at large related to women and people of color. These leaders often initiated or adhered to policies and practices supportive of those perspectives.

The first committee for human rights was established in 1963 with Professor of Law Willard "Sandy" Boyd serving as the chair and leading architect of the first policy on human rights at Iowa. Dr. Hubbard credits the influence of Professor Boyd during his tenure as Vice President and then President of The University of Iowa, from the 1960s to 1981, for the continued commitment of succeeding administrations at The University to principles, policies, and practices related to human rights.

The goal of the human rights policy has always been, in part, to ensure that all students -- regardless of group affiliation or identity -- could enjoy all the opportunities and services available in the university community. The policies and practices were established to make sure that those in the University community who held negative stereotypes about other groups could not injure students through their prejudices. As Dr. Hubbard simply puts it, after the human rights policy came into being, "Students were no longer at the mercy of any individual professor, administrator, or staff member."

When asked about human rights in the 21st Century, Dr. Hubbard intimated that people would always struggle with gaps between the ideal and the reality of human practices. Consequently, he said, it is important to have policies in place with recourse for corrective actions. He also explained that in general, he believed that people would work toward complying with policy more readily than against it.

For those of you interested in more information on the origins and evolution of human rights at The University of Iowa, read Dr. Hubbard's book, New Dawns: 150 Years of Human Rights at The University of Iowa.

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The spring semester at the University of Iowa opens with human rights week. This event prominently features the image of Martin Luther King Jr. in its advertising around campus. In looking for an interview subject to comment on what human rights means and what the event should be about, there were a number of candidates who could offer insight. In the middle of December, I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Willard "Sandy" Boyd. I have often cut through Boyd tower in the hospital or gone to the Boyd Law Building to look for a little extra material. I assumed it would take a lot of time and effort just to get an appointment. I was wrong. There was an immediate response. When the appointed time came and I made the long walk up the hill, I was a little overwhelmed. After all, where do you begin with someone whose life could easily fill three or four volumes? I am certain I could have written a nice piece from the plaques that can be found throughout the campus; in fact, I had worked out much of it before I entered the Law Building. It went something like, "Willard Boyd, former president of the University of Iowa throughout the seventies and currently back teaching after a stint as director of the Field Museum in Chicago, was instrumental in shaping the University of Iowa." The list of his accomplishments could fill the entire newsletter and it would miss what is most important. The accomplishments and awards came out of a personal commitment to treating people with dignity and respect.

Mr. Boyd greeted me outside his office and immediately put me at ease. He is extremely approachable and easy to talk to. He was patient while I got organized to take my notes. I was struck by his recognition of the value of my time. When I was ready he immediately jumped to the heart of the questions I asked and gave accounts that neither inflated nor denied his involvement in shaping human rights at the University of Iowa. Our discussion centered on the University of Iowa Human Rights Committee.

On January 23, 1963, Boyd chaired the first University of Iowa Human Rights Committee. The idea was to form a committee to address the approved housing for black students. At the time there were three options for students attending the university: university housing, fraternities and sororities, and rooming houses. The first two couldn't legally discriminate so the emphasis was the examination of the rooming house situation. The question at the time was whether or not there should be a law that affected the small business owner. The committee's purpose was to address the complaints of black students. He explained: "Initially we were thinking of the problems that black students faced, but immediately that expanded to every group that might experience discrimination." The committee realized that discrimination takes place toward many people and that all persons should enjoy protection under human rights. The second change came in the grievance process. It was decided that the burden should not be placed on those who are discriminated against. Mr. Boyd sought to act affirmatively to eliminate discrimination and build a welcoming environment at the university.

Philip Hubbard's name came up several times during the discussion about the history of human rights at the university. Boyd expressed a deep fondness and respect both personally and professionally for Dr. Hubbard. He spoke of Hubbard's quiet nature and fierce commitment to equality. The two worked closely on the first Human Rights Committee as well as when Boyd became what is now the Provost and later when he was the President of the university. In an interesting twist, Boyd later worked with Hubbard's daughter-in-law at the Field Museum in Chicago.

Mr. Boyd's work at the museum echoed the work he did at the university. Always interested in building community, he helped create programs that focused on exposing and exploring the various groups of people of Chicago. These programs included sharing music and stories from various ethnic groups. These kinds of exhibits allow people to see into lives and realize similarities and begin to appreciate differences.

Mr. Boyd feels Human Rights week is very important. The fact that Martin Luther King is the only individual with a holiday signifies real progress in the struggle to insure human rights for all as well as a testament to the accomplishments of King. Mr. Boyd still sees a need for improvement. Although, he concedes, the struggle must take on a new form and the things that worked in the sixties might not work today. It is up to us to find the ways to act affirmatively to insure that everyone treats others the way each of us would want to be treated.

The essence of the Golden Rule recurred during our conversation. I suspect that most people, if asked, would say it is important to treat others as the speaker would like to be treated but in practice this task isn't easy. I asked Mr. Boyd about this fierce commitment to the welfare of others, and I received a multi-layered response. He spoke of growing up in Minnesota with parents who valued fairness and equality. He talked about being an enlisted man in the Navy during the Second World War and the influences of the people he met as well as the rhetoric surrounding the war effort. In the end, Mr. Boyd's altruism seems to come out of obedience to conscience. In this way he exemplifies what Human Rights Week is about by not only empathizing with the plight of others but also acting to correct injustice.

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Page last modified February 2002. Site maintained by University of Iowa Office of Support Service Programs.  Copyright © 2002 The University of Iowa. OSSP site developed by Ray Mescallado.