Canisius College

Notice:
Due to campus interest and the consideration of new and exciting programs that promote diversity and tackle issues of oppression, Campus Programming & Leadership Development has made the decision to cancel the 2012 Tunnel while we review our current offering of diversity programming. CPLD is looking to potentially continue the Tunnel as a bi-yearly (every other year) event, while alternating it with another exciting program that may debut in the future. We thank you in advance for your understanding as we review our offerings and appreciate your interest in the Tunnel. We recognize that this is a widely popular event on campus and will work to continue to provide you with the experience, while also taking time to expand and improve our diversity programming to the Canisius Community.

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What is the Tunnel of Oppression?
The Tunnel of Oppression is a campus diversity initiative originally developed at Western Illinois University. The initiative stemmed from a homogeneous campus environment searching for a way to represent the realities of oppression into a full sensory experiential manner. The creators of the Tunnel of Oppression wanted to give participants the opportunity to see, touch, hear, and feel the realities of oppression as a stepping stone towards creating diversity awareness. The first Tunnel of Oppression was loosely based off of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, CA.

The Tunnel of Oppression at Canisius College
2011 marks the fourth year that the Tunnel of Oppression will be presented at Canisius College. The program is intended to be eye-opening and consciousness raising and is built as a brief introductory experience for those students who have rarely experienced difference. The rationale is that students are often unable to fully understand oppression and discrimination until they have experienced it first-hand. (See FAQs).

The Experience
The experience should stimulate thoughts, feelings, and emotions around the issues and images presented. Therefore, the Tunnel is often shocking and disturbing to those who have never experienced blatant forms of discrimination or oppression. A number of feelings can be evoked as a result of the full-sensory experience and may also be upsetting to those who have witnessed the realities of the images presented. Yet, it is important to realize that the scenes depicted in the Tunnel represent reality for those living it as a daily experience. Canisius regards the Tunnel as an invaluable experience for students, faculty and staff to gain a sense of awareness of the various forms of oppression that exist in our communities, our society, and the world. It is our hope that after witnessing this oppression that we can then come together and have a frank conversation about the reality of it all and collaboratively work towards solutions that we can then implement in our organizations both on campus and in our community.

The Issues
The 2011 Tunnel will feature the following issues of oppression by our room sponsors:

• Hazing in Athletics & Greek Life
• Homophobia: Oppression surrounding Coming Out
• Lookism: Society's Obsession with Beauty Perfection
• Racism: African American
• Immigration Discrimination
• Spiritual Discrimination: Coptic Christians in Egypt
• HOPE ROOM: NEW FEATURE!

Sponsorship
The Tunnel of Oppression is sponsored by the office of Campus Programming & Leadership Development, Unity, Amnesty International, Afro-American Society, TWLOHA, SigEp, LEAD Team, USA Diversity Committee and the Campus Ministry.

If your office/student organization is interested in room sponsorship of a future Tunnel of Oppression, please click HERE for more info and access to the downloadable proposal form (Adobe Acrobat PDF). 

Questions?
Click HERE to See Frequently Asked Questions or for more information, please contact Chris Lauth, Leadership Development Coordinator, in the office of Campus Programming & Leadership Development at 716-888-2190 or (lauthc@canisius.edu).

Planning Committee Resources
Please click HERE if you are a planning committee member for info, resources, meeting minutes, and login into the Angel Group for the Tunnel of Oppression.

ROOM SPONSORSHIP INFO

The Office of Campus Programming & Leadership Development is thrilled that you are interested in participating in the 2011 Tunnel of Oppression at Canisius College. Your participation in sponsoring a room is the most fulfilling way that your group can participate in the Tunnel and is a key element in the direct success of the Tunnel as a whole. We can't express our sincere gratitude should your group decide to sponsor a room. We have identified six (6) core categories in which we would like to be addressed in the Tunnel; however, you are welcome to be as creative as possible in addressing this category and you are permitted to propose an entirely new issue outside of these six categories for consideration.

How Do I Sponsor A Room?
In order to sponsor a room, you must download and complete a proposal form in its entirety and submit it to the Office of Campus Programming & Leadership Development located in the tunnel level of the Richard E. Winter Student Center. In addition, there will be two planning meetings as well as one meeting with your planning committee contact that you will be required to send at least two representatives from your group. Note: you will not have to attend planning committee meetings that are listed on the form. You must also help set-up, take-down the Tunnel and attend the dress rehearsal the night before opening. Please download the proposal form for more detailed information. If you should have any further questions at any point throughout this process, please don't hesitate to contact Chris Lauth, Leadership Development Coordinator at x. 2190 or (lauthc@canisius.edu). 

Download the TOP Room Sponsor Info/Proposal Form (PDF)
Click here for a PDF of the 2011 Sponsorship Form

Login to the TOP Angel Group
Click here for login access to the TOP Angel Group

PLANNING COMMITTEE RESOURCES

Login access to the TOP Angel Group HERE.

• Member Contact Info
• Meeting Agendas & Minutes
• Student Club Sponsor Contact Info
• Access to Group Listserv
• Important Dates & Deadlines
• TOP Production Schedule
• Room Sponsorship Content