Constitution Day Seminar “And Justice for All” Features Two Keynotes
The Honorable Scott Skavdahl, Wyoming Federal District Court Judge, and Dr. Bonny Ibhawoh, professor of human rights history and African history in the Department of History and the Centre for Peace Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, will give the keynote addresses during the 2017 Constitution Day Seminar “And Justice for All” at Casper College on Monday, Sept. 18. The day long come and go event is free and open to the public and will take place in the Wheeler Concert Hall.
The seminar will begin at 8:45 a.m. with a welcome and then opening remarks by Erich Frankland, Casper College political science department chair, and seminar committee member. The seminar will feature two keynotes, two panels, and a student debate, according to Franklin.
At 9 a.m. Skavdahl will give the first keynote, “To Establish Justice.” In December of 2001, Skavdahl was appointed a part-time United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming, and in July 2003, he was appointed by Governor Freudenthal to the Seventh Judicial District as a District Court Judge. Skavdahl again returned to the federal bench on February 1, 2011, to serve as the full-time Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming. On February 16, 2011, President Obama nominated Skavdahl to serve as a Wyoming Federal District Court Judge, replacing the Honorable William F. Downes, United States District Judge for the District of Wyoming in Casper. On November 3, 2011, Skavdahl’s nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate.
Skavdahl’s keynote will be followed at 10 a.m. with a panel. Titled “Pursuing Justice in the American Legal System,” the panel will feature Robert Oldham, office supervisor for the Wyoming Public Defenders Office; Vickie McMurry, program manager for Court Appointed Special Advocates; John Ordiway, faculty in the Casper College Department of Addictionology and Psychology; and Dr. Evin Rodkey, faculty in the Casper College Department of Social and Cultural Studies. Heather Lloyd, faculty in the Casper College Department of Criminal Justice and the Casper College Department of Business, will moderate the panel.
Ibhawoh’s keynote, “The Right to Truth: Searching for Justice in Post-Conflict Situations,” will begin at 1 p.m. Ibhawoh teaches “Human Rights History” and “African History” in the Department of History and the Centre for Peace Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He also teaches in the McMaster Arts and Science Program and the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition. He has taught in universities in Africa, Europe, and North America. He is the author of “Human Rights in Africa” (Cambridge University Press, 2018); “Imperial Justice” (Oxford University Press, 2013), and “Imperialism and Human Rights” (SUNY Press, 2007), named Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
At 2 a panel discussion titled “Exploring Alternative Notions of Justice” will be moderated by Nathan Blank, faculty in the Casper College Department of Political Science, History and International Studies. Panelists include Nurieh Glasgow, program training officer for Serve Wyoming; Chad Hanson, chair of the Casper College Department of Social and Cultural Studies; Rev. Leslie Kee, Unitarian Universalists of Casper; and Jen Miner, Natrona County Restorative Justice and community service coordinator for the Casper Police Department
A student debate on the topic “Is Justice Possible in America Today?” will begin at 3:30.
At 4:30 Doug Hall, faculty in the Casper College Department of Communication will give closing remarks for the seminar.
The 2017 Constitution Day Seminar is sponsored by the Casper College School of Social and Behavioral Science. The Wheeler Concert Hall is located on the Casper College campus.