INDIANA UNIVERSITY PURDUE UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING Administration Building, Suite 136 355 N. Lansing Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-2896 317-274-7711 Fax: 317-274-5457

TAYLOR SYMPOSIUM TO ADDRESS CREATING COMMUNITY IN DIVERSE URBAN SOCIETY

INDIANAPOLIS - A Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, a Methodist minister and a local physician will discuss the role of religion in building community amid urban diversity as IUPUI presents the 12th annual Joseph T. Taylor Symposium.

The Taylor Symposium will be held Thursday, March 8 at University Place Conference Center, 850 W. Michigan St.

"Building Community: Civil Society in Urban America," is the theme of the daylong event that opens with registration at 8:30 a.m. Sessions meet from 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

"With the establishment of an office in the White House that will deal with faith-related issues and the nonprofit sector, it is indeed timely that this year's Taylor Symposium will deal with issues surrounding the relationship between government and other sectors in building a civil society," said Dwight Burlingame of the Center on Philanthropy, headquartered at IUPUI.

The School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI is presenting this year's symposium in association with its Department of Philosophy and the Center on Philanthropy.

Symposium discussion topics include "Supporting Civil Society: What Business, Government and Philanthropy Can Do," "The Environment for a Civil Society-Culture, Education and the Arts," in addition to "The Role of Religion in Building Community and Civil Society."

The annual symposium honors Joseph T. Taylor, the School of Liberal Arts' first dean, for his contributions to the university and the community. Taylor died last September. He is remembered for his commitment to dialogue and diversity, and this year's symposium is held in celebration of that legacy.

Judy O'Bannon, wife of Governor Frank O'Bannon, will be the morning keynote speaker. As part of the opening session, O'Bannon and IUPUI Chancellor Gerald L. Bepko will present the first Joseph T. Taylor Award for Excellence in Diversity. The annual award, to be presented by the Chancellor's Office in conjunction with the Diversity Cabinet, will honor those who have exemplified Taylor's commitment to diversity.

"The Diversity Cabinet was appointed to oversee the ultimate transformation of IUPUI from a campus that believes in diversity to a campus that lives its commitment to diversity," Bepko said. "While we are not perfect, there have been many successes on our campus in implementing diversity as a value, as a way of life, as a commitment, and as an important responsibility for every member of the IUPUI family. The Taylor Award for Excellence in Diversity will highlight those successes so that others will be inspired by them."

IUPUI Professor of Foreign Languages and Cultures and Women's Studies Program Director Obioma Nnaemeka will be the keynote luncheon speaker. Nnaemeka will present "Why Border/Bother?: Civility, Capacity Building and the Paradox of Urban America."

Community panel participants will include Shahid Ahar, Indianapolis Endocrinology and Diabetology; Rev. Darren Cushman-Wood, East 10th Street United Methodist Church; Louis Lopez, United Way of Central Indiana; Rabbi Sandy Sasso, Congregation Beth-El Zedeck; Father Clarence Waldon, Holy Angels Catholic Church; Carol White, Indianapolis Museum of Art; and Olgen Williams, Executive Director, Christamore House.

IUPUI panel speakers include Ulla Connor, director, Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication; Professor John Kirlin, School of Public and Environmental Affairs; Professor Leslie Lenkowsky, philanthropic studies/public policy; and Assistant Professor Una Okonkwo Osili, economics. Purdue Professor Leonard Harris, philosophy/African-American Studies will also participate.

Symposium sessions are free and open to the public.

Lunch tickets are $22.50 each, if purchased by the early-bird deadline of Sunday, Feb. 25, or $25 if purchased after the deadline. Seating, first-come, first-served, is limited.

Patron tickets of $500 for a table of 10, and sponsor tickets for $50 are also available.

Joseph Taylor served as professor of Sociology from 1965 to 1983, and as first dean of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI from 1967 -1978. He was instrumental in negotiating the Indiana University and Purdue University partnership creating the IUPUI campus. Taylor retired in 1984, but continued to serve as an advisor to the Chancellor's office until his death.

To register, call 274-5053.

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