January 15, 2009

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

I am very pleased to share with you the outcome of late fall conversations by College Council and its ad hoc task force appointed to consider a new group to replace the Diversity Initiatives Group. The Initiative for Community, Equity, and Diversity, temporarily so-named, will continue as its first order of business the work needed following the campus climate survey. This new organization will be ably led by faculty and staff co-chairs, Professor of Physics and Astronomy Cindy Blaha and Director of Alumni Affairs Becky Zrimsek ’89.

The work of the organization will occur though small task forces that will focus on specific topics related to community, equity, and diversity. The coordinators of these task forces will serve on the group’s leadership board, which will organize the actions of the task forces and plan the strategic direction of the group’s work across campus. The board will meet with some frequency to devote proper attention to these issues and will include:

· 1 Staff Co-chair (selected through the President’s Office)

· 1 Faculty Co-chair (selected through the Faculty Affairs Committee in conjunction with the President, Dean and President of the Faculty)

· 1 member of the non-exempt staff (appointed or elected as determined by SAC)

· 2 Students (appointed or elected as determined by CSA)

· 5-6 Task Force Coordinators (students, staff, or faculty, selected by co-chairs)

The Initiative for Community, Equity and Diversity plans to have regular communications with the campus community regarding its initiatives, goals, and outcomes. As a subcommittee of College Council, its leadership board will report periodically to that body. The co-chairs will also meet quarterly with me.

More information about the membership, structure, and agenda for the new group will be shared with the campus community in the weeks ahead. I join the College Council in enthusiastically endorsing this initiative.

Rob Oden