University assembling diversity blueprint

The university is having trouble with diversity, administrators say. But after years of programs, scholarships and initiatives aimed at bridging these divides, they’re devising a plan to successfully address the issues, once and for all.

This year, a board of 22 university faculty members and two students, one graduate and one undergraduate, are responsible for developing a roadmap to a more multifaceted campus, by crafting new programs and ensuring all student voices are heard. The Diversity Plan Steering Committee — as it is called — has three subgroups: academic issues, programs and services and campus climate. After a few meetings this summer, the committee met yesterday, for the first time this semester.

One of the main focuses of the plan will be increasing the number of students and faculty members of color on the campus, while also encouraging more opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration. Though the university prides itself on being an already diverse campus, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Robert Waters — who is serving as head of the committee — said there is not enough unity among students and faculty.

“We need to recruit and retain more faculty of color and women,” he said. “We need to bring students together. ... Students want to be more involved and want to learn things in the classroom that support diversity and are looking for initiatives and actions that bring students from all backgrounds together.”

This university has had a long history of racial tension and unrest. And many students say the university still has a long way to go.

Last semester, a forum was held to introduce the idea of creating a diversity plan to students and faculty, who heavily criticized  the round-table-style meeting for not allowing for feedback.

“Student involvement and a diverse student population is essential for a democratic society and campus,” said Kim Nickerson, the assistant dean of the behavioral and social sciences and public health schools, who is co-chairwoman of the Academic Affairs Subcommittee. “We believe this is a cornerstone,” he said.

While some programs were developed this summer, while most students were away, Nickerson said the blueprint is still in its initial stages and needs more student input to advance.

“We’re trying to get students who represent major student constituents,” Nickerson said. “For example we’re involving the SGA and the GSG, at least a dozen [students]. We’ve done a great job of bringing students to the table.”

All three subcommittees are working to create their own outline for change, which are to be submitted to Waters by Friday.

One of the main points the diversity blueprint aims to focus on is the redesign of the CORE diversity requirement — the university’s 10-year strategic plan called for an overhaul of the CORE curriculum. During committee meetings, students have voiced their discontent with the current curriculum, saying it is ineffective at exposing and teaching students about other cultures.

“We expect feedback, comments, cheers and maybe even jeers,” Nickerson said. “This is an active, living document. Our charge will be to go back and make changes based on the feedback we get.”

Student leaders, who have long fought for a more diverse university in their own ways, said there are many areas in which the university needs to improve.

“I think first of all the university has to define diversity for itself,” said Wanika Fisher, vice president of the Latino Student Union and the program and research chairwoman for the university’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

“Also they need to promote student interaction with each other, the diversity CORE as it stands now doesn’t require students to got out of their realm,” she said. “I would also like to see an ethnic studies major, getting students to open doors to new communities.”

But Waters knows, ultimately, they can only do as much as they can afford.

He said the diversity plan will try to keep costly initiatives to a minimum, but recognizes money must be spent — a hard pitch to make in the current economic climate.

“Our plan is to make recommendations that are attainable, but will still be able to make an impact,” Waters said. “We’re going for a shorter list of recommendations, five to ten items, that would push the campus further.”

A second town hall meeting is scheduled for Oct. 27, where a draft of the diversity road map plan will be introduced to the university community.

The final version should be ready by the end of the semester, Waters said.

“This is kind of a working time,” he said. “We’re trying to balance something really ambitious and to create a beautiful plan for the campus that’s going to put us to work.”

hampton@umdbk.com