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Contact UsThe MSU Denver Writing Center is committed to educational and social justice. We strive to provide access to all students and faculty and to assist them in creating a more just campus. To that end, we have created the following initiatives and are always working internally, as well as externally, to create a social justice driven center that always prioritizes equity.
Land Acknowledgment
The MSU Denver Writing Center wishes to acknowledge those who came before us and lived on this land, the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The Cheyenne and the Arapaho have both been displaced many times via US Government treaties. In 1851, parts of Colorado, including the land our campus sits on, was promised to both tribes. However, due to the incoming gold rush and White settlement, these promises were not kept. The tribes were then forcefully relocated from their land in 1867 to Oklahoma, where they remain in small numbers on reservations in the state today.
The MSU Denver Writing Center also recognizes that the creation of our campus, starting in 1973, displaced not only the working poor and immigrants living in the Auraria neighborhood, but also small businesses and industry as well. By displacing so many, this campus effectively moved or destroyed the culture, community, and tradition of this land.
We are fortunate to call Auraria and MSU Denver a place of learning and inclusion, but we also recognize the loss of so many different people for us to have this opportunity. We are grateful to have the ability to work and learn on this land, and continuously strive to implement practices within this meeting place that break down colonial thinking and its effects. As the most recent stewards of this land, we must never forget the ones who came before us or their ancestors who are still with us. There are many ways to support Indigenous peoples today, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho, at The American Indian College Fund, Association on American Indian Affairs, or the Native American Rights Fund.
Writing Center Statement on Antiracism
We are proud of the statements issued by our university and fully support them (which can be found in the announcement regarding George Floyd and in the Racial Justice and Equity Resolution). We particularly commend the President and the MSU Denver Board of Trustees for their commitments to use the university system for “constructive social and political change” and, to that end, we are now, and have always been committed to creating an anti-racist environment in the writing center and will become even more active in the university community in these pursuits.
Accessibility
The MSU Denver Writing Center is committed to making our space, our resources, and our website accessible and inviting for the entire MSU Denver community.
We believe “accessibility” is both an attitude and a process. As an attitude, it encompasses ways of thinking about who we are and who we serve. As a process, it means considering how we serve and welcome the MSU Denver community. We believe “accessibility” is a process of constant tinkering and improvement.
Goals for accessibility:
- The built environment of the Writing Center is inviting, comfortable, and easy to access for all individuals.
- The website is inviting and easy to navigate, with attention to screen reader conventions and sensitivity toward the needs of people with vision and cognitive impairments.
- Every individual who enters the Writing Center or uses our website feels welcomed.
What we do to make our center more accessible:
- All of our Writing Center location computers have Read/Write installed
- We have an accessible keyboard for staff or students in the JSSB location (students can request)
- We provide printouts of all of our presentations at staff workshops and student seminars for the visually impaired
- We offer alternative options for online sessions (See Virtual Appointment Accessibility, below).
Virtual Appointment Accessibility
The MSU Denver Writing Center uses the mywconline platform for scheduling and holding virtual sessions. We recognize that many screen readers may not work with the platform. If you are using a screen reader or need any other accommodation, please let us know. We can move your session to Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
If you have suggestions for how we can improve the accessibility of our built space, website, or any other aspect of the MSU Denver Writing Center, or if there is something that hinders your access to our built space or website, please email us.
Thank you!
Elizabeth Kleinfeld
Writing Center Director