Last week, students and UW campus leaders came together for a forum titled ""In the Wake: Plan 2008."" In this particular instance, a ""wake"" seems a fitting word to call it, considering Plan 2008 collapsed under its own high expectations.
Forum leaders cited many different factors in the disappointment that was Plan 2008. Damon Williams, vice provost for diversity and climate, claimed that Plan 2008 discouraged other diversity efforts with its uber-specific goals. Associated Students of Madison Diversity Chair Steven Olikara believes UW-Madison did not market itself well to students of diverse backgrounds.
When we discussed Plan 2008 and where the university will go in terms of addressing diversity, Chancellor Biddy Martin said she needed more time to analyze the ten-year project and assess what her strategy would be. With less than a month remaining in Martin's second semester as chancellor, it is time for more in-depth commentary. In her inaugural address to students, Martin was vague in her deliberation on Plan 2008, saying, ""We should focus our resources on the [programs that work] and create new ones where old ones have failed."" It is time for Martin to expand on what aspects of Plan 2008 she will endorse and what should get the axe.
One aspect of Plan 2008 (that comprises a large portion of the plan's budget) was expanding the PEOPLE Program, an opportunity for minority students to apply for a full scholarship if they meet certain academic goals. The program gives incentives to students who may not normally have the opportunity to receive a quality college education, and gives middle and high school students the chance to be first-generation college graduates.
According to a study done with the 1999-2002 students admitted into the program, 94 percent attended higher education, with 67 percent attending UW-Madison or another UW System school. In addition, of those who moved on to UW-Madison, 79 percent achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Martin must continue to fund the PEOPLE program and reach out to Wisconsin's secondary schools, encouraging the state's diverse student population to become the first in their family to attend college.
Martin must also look at her Madison Initiative in terms of diversity. The PEOPLE program's guidelines included provisions for ten additional hires annually in UW-Madison faculty and two additional positions annually in staff, aiming at diversifying those on the university payroll. If Martin is interested in faculty retention and recruitment, she must also show that UW-Madison is a place for teachers and staff of diverse backgrounds, using the additional funds from increased tuition to recruit a diverse array of professors, staffers and teaching assistants.
Martin's own introduction as UW-Madison's chancellor was a powerful statement for diversity in the university's staff. Her own unique background provides an effective basis for prospective students and professors to see the ideals UW-Madison wishes to represent. Martin has had more than enough time to start deliberating on the issues of diversity, and it's time for a more comprehensive plan. The Madison Initiative is a good start to addressing socioeconomic concerns. Now let's hear the equivalent of a ""Plan 2019"" from Martin.
