Open Space Conversation

All Open Space Conversations are held monthly on Wednesdays from Noon to 1 p.m. in the Dorothy Vernon Room in New Dorm. 

2019 Topics:

April 24: Religious sites such as churches, mosques, temples and shrines are often targets of violence. Come to discuss with your thoughts and questions.

March 27: Sharing Thoughts on Community Days of Learning. Dean Walters invites all to come together to share insights & lessons learned.

Feb. 27: Members of CARLA will lead conversation about race and anti-racism on campus that leads to incubation and to action. All BMC members are welcome!

2018 Topics

Nov. 14: Faith and Academia: Many of us—students, faculty, and staff alike—consider faith to be an important part of our lives. How do we negotiate the conflict between faith and academic study—or is there a conflict?

Nov. 7: Marissa Golden, Associate Professor of Political Science, will lead conversation about the Nov. 6 Election.

Oct. 31: Immigration Rights and Responses: Members of the Migrant Rights Coalition, a student organization on campus, will be sharing lessons they learned at United We Dream's Congress, a conference hosted by the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country.

Oct. 24: How Do You Choose Who to Vote For? U.S. elections are coming up. How do you decide whether to vote? Who to vote for? Personal values? Social issues? Political party? What's mattering to you this year? 

Oct. 10: Understanding Micro-Aggression and Micro-Invalidation: Discussion of the effects of micro-aggressions (common indignities that target people on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, ability, etc.) on the BMC community. 

Oct. 3: Open Space brings faculty, staff, and students together about matters of conscience, community, and global concern. This week: the U.S. Supreme Court hearings. 

Sept. 26:  "What makes a college a community?" Whether you experience Bryn Mawr as positive or problematic (or both!), come to Open Space. When is Bryn Mawr at its best? What would make it better? Who sets the tone for community: administration? faculty? students? staff? 

Sept. 19: Open Space this week invites the Bryn Mawr College community to generate topics of discussion for the coming semester.
What do we need to talk about? What does the College need to take action on? What do we need to learn?

Previous Open Space Conversations

April 18: Third conversation about Beverly Daniel Tatum's book, "Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the Cafeteria and other conversations about race."

April 4: Open Space Conversation shifted to Staff Listening Meeting. 

March 28: Second conversation about Beverly Daniel Tatum's book, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations about Race.

March 21: Event canceled due to weather. Second conversation about Beverly Daniel Tatum's book, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations about Race.

Feb. 28: This week's Open Space topic is "Open." What do you think that the College should be "open" to changing or doing? What could we do differently to be a "more open" community? Human-to-human conversation with good people. And good food. Join us!

Feb. 21: We will begin a discussion of Beverly Daniel Tatum's book, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations about Race. Read Part I of the book if you can. But if you can't, come anyway. Good food. Good people. Good conversation. Facilitated by Dean Jennifer Walters. All BMC students, faculty, staff welcome. Extra books will be available.

Feb. 14: Racial Healing: Continuing the conversation. We often talk about "racial healing," but what does it mean? How can it happen? Never been to Open Space before? Make more human-to-human conversation your priority in 2018.

Feb. 7: Racial Healing: Continuing the conversation. We often talk about "racial healing," but what does it mean? How can it happen? Never been to Open Space before? Make more human-to-human conversation your priority in 2018.

Jan. 31: Racial Healing: Continuing the conversation. We often talk about "racial healing," but what does it mean? How can it happen? Never been to Open Space before? Make more human-to-human conversation your priority in 2018.

Jan. 24: Racial Healing. We often talk about "racial healing," but what does it mean? How can it happen? Never been to Open Space before? Make more human-to-human conversation your priority in 2018.

2017 Topics

Dec. 6: Tradition or Change? Are Bryn Mawr traditions inclusive? Are there still barriers to belonging? Dean Walters will lead the conversation, all are welcome.

Nov. 29: When your friends (or family) don't share your politics. How to talk (or not talk) about politics with family this year. Dean Walters will lead the conversation All are welcome.

Nov. 15: Ruth Fine, curator and artist, will speak about her life in the arts as part of the programming for Beyond Boundaries: Feminine Forms. Rare Book Room, Canaday.

Nov. 8: Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault. Beginner conversation for all those interested in discussing basic tips on how to support those who've experience sexual harm.

Nov. 1: Disabilities and Inclusion: Join with other members of the Bryn Mawr community to learn from each other and share experiences.

Oct. 11: Guns: Are guns an indelible part of American culture? Does the Second Amendment protect the rights of individuals to own and carry guns? Do guns make us safer? Should guns be allowed on campuses?

Oct. 3: What does it mean to be a global citizen? Join with members of the Bryn Mawr community to learn from each other and share experiences and insights. Location: Campus Center 200

Sept. 27: Life Hacks: What things have made your life work better? Join with other members of the Bryn Mawr community to learn from each other share insights from school, work, and life.

Sept. 20: Making room for spirituality and faith on campus and in our lives. Join with members of the Bryn Mawr community to learn from each other and share experiences and insights.

Sept. 13: Showing Support: Dealing with Disaster. Members of our community are both directly and indirectly impacted by the recent natural disasters all over the world. Whether you call one of these areas home, have friends or family there, have traveled there, or are simply moved by images in the media, natural disasters affect us all.