Plans for the Dr. Timothy J. Dyer Distinguished Interdisciplinary Chair in Debate/Forensics and Human Rights have begun, thanks to a $1.5 million planned gift from Eastern Michigan University alumnus Timothy Dyer.
The donation is a bequest from Dyer’s estate that will be transferred to EMU’s Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Arts in his honor. Dyer has also made a commitment to donate 5 percent of the total pledge ($10,000) annually until the release of his estate.
“Eastern has a remarkable record and has had great success with the debate and forensics program,” Dyer said at a Board of Regents meeting Oct. 19.
He said the team has had 167 individual championships and nine national team championships during the last 30 years.
Tuesday, the title of the Chair was given to Arts Undergraduate Advising Coordinator Dennis Patrick. Although it’s a new development, the Chair is drafting plans for the Center for the Study and Research of Equality and Human Rights, permitting investigation in eradication of homophobia, bullying, race and sexuality. The Center’s opening dates are pending.
“The ultimate goal is to end bigotry and discrimination; we’re not as close in overcoming it as we think we are, unfortunately,” said Dyer, a former EMU regent and resident of Arizona. “If you want to take on something as big as discrimination, you need superior communication skills and not just in speaking—writing, too.”
Dyer has mastered both which is why he feels compelled to give back to the department he believes served him immensely.
After receiving his undergraduate and graduate degrees at EMU, Dyer entered the educational field; first as a teacher, then as a debate/forensic coach and principal and later as superintendent of the Wayne-Westland and Phoenix school districts. From 1969-1970 he served as Ypsilanti’s mayor, and from 1990-1998 he was the executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He also founded the John and Genevieve Dyer Educational Foundation, a national nonprofit effort to tackle ignorance and intolerance.
Saturday, he was inducted to EMU’s Forensics Hall of Fame.
Commencement plans for the Chair can be traced to August 2009 when EMU President Susan Martin, Provost Jack Kay and Department of Communication, Media & Theatre Arts head Dennis Beagan collaborated with Dyer and tied their interests into the faculty and staff of the university. With the momentum from the appearance of Human Rights Campaign promoter and Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva at EMU, the Chair has become fully funded and operational.
As Chair of the program, Patrick promises to support faculty and student research designed to minimize homophobia in society via scholarly work or a creative performance. For example, an undergraduate student could obtain funding in travel or surveys to support research. The approval and guidelines of such funding still are being processed.
And although the primary goal is to support EMU, the application of research is a major focus, too. By encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation (the collaboration across departments or colleges) Dyer hopes to spread their knowledge of race and sexuality.
“He (Dyer) has this vision that’s tied to the donation, and I think it’s a wonderful vision,” Patrick said. “I’m just happy to be part of it and work with Tim and the university to make that vision a reality…it’s a wonderful surprise.”
According to Beagan, the $1.5 million donation is the largest one the department has ever received and possibly the largest the university has gotten.
But it’s not only the money for which Beagan and his colleagues are grateful. It is Dyer’s loyalty reflected in his constant participation in campus events. Recently, Dyer led a conversational gathering with other EMU faculty on race and sexuality. Perhaps the Forensics Department did teach him a thing or two.
“I’m sure it has made other think, ‘Wow! I can’t do all that, but maybe I can do something,’ ” Beagan said. “And that’s exactly how positive change begins.”
