Members of the Committee on Diversity and Campus Climate heard an update Monday on the drafting of the next campus diversity plan and discussed the role of the university’s next chancellor in the success of the plan.
Michael Jackson, student co-chair of the Ad Hoc Diversity Planning Committee, reported on the planning process, saying the committee has asked to extend the deadline to finalize the plan to July 1. The ad hoc committee was originally charged with creating the plan by April 1.
According to Jackson, the committee is currently developing a consistent framework for the plan and will soon split into sub-committees to address specific diversity issues.
“Our goal is to get this university back in front of the discussion on diversity and really take the lead,” Jackson said.
He also added that creating a specific mission and vision early will be important for the plan’s success by ensuring the transparency and accountability that lacked in past plans.
According to Jackson, the plan will be rooted in data on campus diversity, as well as recommendations from public listening sessions that will likely occur in April. He said the committee will be creating a website with information for the campus community in the next few weeks.
CDCC member Claudia Mosley said the diversity plan needs to be institutionalized into the larger campus strategic plan, adding the plan must have the backing of the university’s new chancellor.
Jackson said he felt it would be “fair” to expect the next chancellor be chosen with diversity in mind, saying it would be “problematic” if he or she is not.
However, CDCC student representative Courtney Jackson said she was concerned over her impressions of the four finalists from the recent public receptions, saying Dr. Michael Schill was the only one to show a strong commitment to diversity.
CDCC members discussed writing a formal statement to reflect its expectations of the next chancellor and sending it to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, who will make the final decision. Although not enough committee members were present to officially vote on the letter, the committee plans to hold a special conference call to approve the action.
