Multicultural Student Advisory Council

What is MSAC?

Multicultural Student Advisory Council (MSAC), through the sponsorship of Intercultural Life and Student Senate, is a collective group of students interested in discussing and actively responding to concerns around diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism at Knox College. MSAC originated for the purpose of gathering cultural organization representatives, Student Senate Diversity Chair, and any independent students interested in its purpose/cause.

MSAC acts as a collective student serviced liaison for organizations on campus, the general student body, and communication with the administration on recognizing, combating, and challenging issues that arise on campus. Through collaborative work and the art of facilitation, MSAC also acts as a resource and aid to any parties interested in dialogue about diversity and multicultural experiences.

How did the Day of Dialogue come to be?

Winter 2017, MSAC presented a proposal for a campus-wide day of dialogue to the Campus Diversity Committee (CDC). The proposal suggested a series of workshops, panels, and dialogues designed to introduce and expand our faculty, staff, and student understanding, awareness, and skills in order to collaboratively address the political and social challenges of our time.

The CDC voted to support and present that proposal to the Executive Committee. After additional discussion, the decision was made to support the proposal with the Day of Dialogue to take place in the Fall of 2018.

MSAC has met regularly since February 2017. We first began to create the proposal and plan the Day of Dialogue in the Fall of 2017. Through active discussion each week, MSAC took into account the current campus climate in response to the greater political and social challenges of today. Topics on class, gender and sexuality, political ideology, and race emerged as the most prominent identities in tension today. As a result of these discussions, these identities are central to the individual dialogues offered throughout the day.

What is the goal of the Day of Dialogue?

The idea to host a Day of Dialogue at Knox College originated out of a collective desire to provide a specific time and space for the student body to process emotions, perceptions, and perspectives around current events, identities, and diversity on campus. The day is dedicated to providing a space outside of the classroom to support the academic and intellectual inquiry of challenging ideas, telling narratives, and dialoguing across indifference.