by Bennie Williams | Mar 8, 2024 | Staff
Dear Canisius Community,
I hope this letter finds you all well. As done in the past, I would like to share information about an upcoming religious holiday.
Ramadan is a holiday practiced by Muslims* where they focus on introspection, communal prayer, and observe religious fasting. This year Ramadan will take place from March 10-April 9**. Here is some information about Ramadan:
- Individuals refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and intimate contact from dawn to sunset
- Individuals increase their focus on personal restraint, proper conduct, and empathy with the less fortunate through giving to charity and engagement in local projects
- All Muslims who have reached puberty are obligated to fast. Individuals who are not at puberty, although are not obligated, may choose to fast anyway. Exemptions are made for individuals in situations where fasting would be a hardship such as illness, pregnancy, nursing, etc.
In an effort to support the members of our community, here are some items for your consideration:
- Please be flexible with scheduling. Individuals may need to pray during class, meetings, etc.
- Due to fasting, individuals may struggle concentrating. Consider allowing individuals to keep their cameras off during any virtual classes, meetings, etc. or to take a quick break if needed.
- Individuals may begin to wear hijabs during this month. Remember it is not the individual’s responsibility to educate the community.
- There are prayer rooms located in the library that individuals can use if needed. If you have space in your office, you may want to consider identifying a space that can be used for prayer. If you would like some signage to identify these spaces, please contact the ALANA Student Center.
Canisius Dining will also be offering a Ramadan dinner meal with a breakfast pack for any student who is observing the holiday. The meal will be available at the Global Station in the Social Hall Dining Hall and can be picked up until 7pm daily. Students will be asked to swipe in for dinner and receive a ticket that can be redeemed for the meal at the Global Station. You can contact abruzzia@canisius.edu with any questions or concerns.
Consistent with our institutional statement on diversity and inclusion, these efforts will help us achieve our goals of “creating a culture of acceptance, awareness, learning, respect, and understanding inside and outside of the classroom.” If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the ALANA Student Center at asc@canisius.edu or you can contact me directly at willi100@canisius.edu. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Go Griffs!
Bennie D. Williams
Assistant Dean of Students
*The term Muslim refers to individuals who practice the religion of Islam
**Dates may vary depending on individual’s religious school of thought
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
by Bennie Williams | Feb 14, 2024 | Staff
The month of February is Black History Month. The ALANA Student Center has a variety of posters highlighting various individuals who identify as black and have made contributions to our society.
If an office or department would like a poster to put in their area for the month of February, please send a representative to the ALANA Student Center to get one. There is a limited supply so the posters will be given out on a first come-first served basis.
The ALANA Student Center is located in the lower level of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center next to the commuter lounge and bookstore. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at Ext. 2787 or via Email at asc@canisius.edu.
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
by Bennie Williams | Feb 7, 2024 | Staff
In recognition of Black History Month, Canisius University will honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a presentation featuring nationally-renowned speaker Joshua Fredenberg, EdD. His lecture, titled “Advancing the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” is scheduled for today, Wednesday, February 7 at 3:30 p.m. in the Regis Room, located on the second floor of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center. The event is sponsored by the ALANA Student Center and the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
by Bennie Williams | Feb 7, 2024 | Staff
The Minoritized Faculty and Staff Affinity group welcomes faculty and staff members from marginalized racial identities to join the affinity group.
The affinity group is an opportunity to connect with colleagues across the university, participate in campus committees, and help educate the community on topics of racial and cultural matters.
Interested individuals should Email co-chairs Stephanie Masood at masoods@canisius.edu or Bennie Williams at willi100@canisius.edu to be added to the Email list.
A meeting for the group will be held on Thursday, February 29 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. in the Campus Ministry Conference Room.
Some opportunities for members of the affinity group to participate in include the celebration of National Arab Heritage Month on April 18 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. and the university’s Juneteenth Celebration on June 13.
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
by Bennie Williams | Jan 31, 2024 | Staff
The month of February is Black History Month. The ALANA Student Center has a variety of posters highlighting various individuals who identify as black and have made contributions to our society.
If an office or department would like a poster to put in their area for the month of February, please send a representative to the ALANA Student Center to get one. There is a limited supply so the posters will be given out on a first come-first served basis.
The ALANA Student Center is located in the lower level of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center next to the commuter lounge and bookstore. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at Ext. 2787 or via Email at asc@canisius.edu.
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
