Since the 1960s, UW-Madison has been attempting to diversify its student body, faculty and staff. In 1998, UW System officials created Plan 2008 for the entire UW System as another part of this effort.
But it is estimated that less than 1 percent of students really understand the plan. To try and change that, Generation 2008, the student-organized group publicizing the plan, will hold a free, day-long forum and workshop Saturday.
Bernice Durand, UW-Madison professor of physics and former co-chair of the oversight committee for Plan 2008, said very few individuals on campus are familiar with the 10-year plan.
'I think it's true that there are a lot of people on campus who simply haven't tuned in yet,' she said. 'What I know from all my experience doing this is that people all over campus ... don't tune in until something plops down in front of them or they have an experience where they really need to pay attention.'
Ruby Parades, executive assistant to the vice chancellor, said the first program to increase diversity on campus, the Academic Advancement Program, was created in 1966.
'In terms of intent and objective, [UW-Madison's effort to diversify the university has] been consistent,' she said. 'The objective [has been] to increase the representation of underrepresented groups.'
And underrepresented students does not just refer to students of color, Parades said. It also refers to other groups such as students who are returning to their education after years of not being in school as well as homosexual, bisexual and transgender students.
In 1987, Charles Holley released the Holley Report, a study of diversity at UW-Madison which recommended the creation of a multicultural center and established the basis for the University's next design, the Madison Plan.
This 10-year plan, developed under former UW-Madison Chancellor Donna Shalala, set a precedence for other universities, Parades said.
'It became known nationwide; it set a model,' she said. 'Especially other Big Ten schools took notice.'
At this time, a 10-year plan titled Design for Diversity was in place for the UW System, until 1998 when the UW System Board of Regents passed Plan 2008.
Plan 2008 outlines seven goals ranging from increasing the amount of financial aid available to needy students to improving the accountability of the UW System and its institutions.
The most recently developed part of Madison's effort is the Pre-college Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning, a program, created in 1999, which recruits high schoolers.
Starting in 10th grade, a student is brought to UW-Madison for summer programs which include research, courses and possible internships. Then, after graduating from high school and gaining admission, the students are involved in an eight-week orientation to UW-Madison.
'Research shows that [programs like PEOPLE] aid in increasing the chances that these students will graduate high school and attend an institution of higher education,' she said. 'We still realize that we need to do a better job in preparing students for admission.'
Durand said she attended a Round Table lunch Wednesday, a monthly meeting during which different speakers address faculty and staff, at which UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley spoke.
'He spent a great amount of time on campus climate, which is one of his highest priorities,' she said. 'I think the campus climate focus is probably filtering through to people, I hope.'
