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Ethics Institute Looks at Self-Care, Free Speech in September Series


first amendment ethics institute colloquy

The SUNY Plattsburgh Institute for Ethics in Public Life will host a series of activities on themes of self-care, freedom of speech and when free speech causes pain beginning with the panel discussion, “Re-Entering, Re-Emerging and Re-Engaging: The Ethics of Self-Care,” Wednesday, Sept. 8 at noon in the Hermes Conference Room, AuSable Hall.

Also available online at facebook.com/plattsethics, the panel will feature discussion on the ethical implications of helping ourselves. Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, panelists include:

  • Portia Turco, clinical mental health counseling program coordinator and Ward Hall counseling clinic director
  • Dr. Liz Onasch, assistant professor, sociology
  • Dr. Michelle Cromwell, vice president, diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer
  • Christy Minck, assistant director of clinical services at the Student Health and Counseling Center

The following week, Sept. 15, the institute will host “Free Speech: As a Right and When it Causes Pain,” at noon in Hermes Conference Room, and again online at facebook.com/plattsethics. The panel discussion, part of the institute’s Constitution Day lineup, will look at the right to free speech as reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer and how that speech can cause pain.

In addition to Cromwell, Turco and Onasch, panelists include:

  • Patrick Rascoe, University Police chief
  • Dr. John McMahon, assistant professor, political science
  • Dr. Raymond Carman, associate professor, political science, and chair of the Faculty Senate

Beginning Friday, Sept. 24, the institute will offer a series of small group activities and discussions, including:

  • “Have Your Say! It Matters: A Constitution Day Free Speech Discussion,” noon, Friday, Sept. 24 in the Warren Ballrooms, Angell College Center. Participants will explore free speech and its impacts.
  • “Nature as Self-Care Pod,” 8 a.m., Monday, Sept. 27, Rugar Woods. Attendees meet in the parking lot behind the Field House to the right of Temple Beth Israel for a walk that will begin directly at 8:10 a.m. and wind its way through the woods.
  • “Music as Self-Care Pod,” noon, Monday, Sept. 27, Room 300 Myers Fine Arts Building.
  • “Freedom of Speech and Trauma: A Constitution Day Free Speech Discussion,” noon, Monday, Sept. 27, Alumni Conference Room, Angell College Center.
  • “Art as Self-Care Pod,” 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 28, Room 112 Myers Fine Arts Building. Participants will explore art as a means of self-care.
  • “How to Stay in Dialogue When Opinions Vary,” noon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, Alumni Conference Room, Angell College Center.
  • “Social Media Censorship: 1984 or a Company Right? A Constitution Day Free Speech Discussion,” noon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, Amnesty Room, Angell College Center. Discussion on social media’s handling of free-speech issues.
  • “Poetry as Self-Care Pod,” noon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, the HUB, Angell College Center. Session features cut-up poetry as meditative play.
  • “Knitting as Self-Care Pod,” 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29, Hawkins 131, 135, 137 and 141.
  • “Cooking as Self-Care Pod,” noon, Thursday, Sept. 30, Room 409, Sibley Hall. Participants will make homemade pasta and discuss cooking as a means of self-care. Limited space available.
  • “Meditation Self-Care Pod,” 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, Hudson Hall Study Lounge, Second Floor overlooking Hawkins Pond. Participants will have a chance to experience meditation and explore how they might incorporate meditation into their self-care routines.
  • “Nonfiction Writing as Self-Care Pod,” noon, Friday, Oct. 1, the HUB, Angell College Center. Participants will explore self-care through writing.

The series wraps up noon, Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a Zoom session allowing participants to discuss the experiences. Link will be forwarded with registration.

For the full schedule, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IIKs8TOl9S0Jv4JH3468fBK59M3uCEqQ/view.

 For more information, contact Michelle Ouellette, ethics institute colloquy coordinator, at [email protected] or Dr. Jonathan Slater, director of the Institute for Ethics in Public Life, at [email protected].

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