Diversity 'conversations' encourage action plan
Administrators presented the five-year diversity plan
to members of the campus community on Tuesday
BY AYISHA YAHYA
NEWS EDITOR
The University is actively taking
steps to create and implement an ex
tensive diversity action plan in up
coming years.
Administrators in charge of map
ping out the plan held the first of sev
eral “conversations” on Tuesday in
the EMU Gumwood Room to outline
elements of the plan and get feed
back and perspectives on diversity
from faculty, staff and students.
Gregory Vincent, the vice provost
for institutional equity and diversity,
said diversity is an integral part of the
University’s mission and there is a
need to align available resources to
focus on the issue.
“We have a lot of effort and goodwill
around diversity,” Vincent said. “Yet I
think we could do a better job and use
our resources more efficiently.”
Two groups have been formed to
develop the multi-faceted, five-year
plan — a core Diversity Work Group
and a Diversity Advisory Council, a
larger group that will provide advice
and consultation. The University
hired Vincent earlier this year specifi
cally to address issues of diversity
and equity on campus.
One of the University’s goals, Vin
cent said, is to build a “critical mass”
of people from diverse backgrounds
through active recruitment and reten
tion of students and faculty.
“You only get the benefits of diver
sity if you have enough numbers to
break down isolation and stereo
types,” he said.
Vincent noted it is difficult to put a
measure on exactly what critical
mass means, but people will be able
to notice the difference in their class
es and in the campus.
“You’ll know it when you see it,”
he said.
The University is also placing em
phasis on creating cultural compe
tence among all its members. Part of
this process is examining policies and
practices within the University and
addressing the discriminatory impact
they might have had on certain
groups. The University community
will also be encouraged to explore
how factors such as ethnicity, class
and sexual orientation affect the lives
of those on campus.
PLAN GOALS
The University’s Diversity Action Plan, which is in
the process of being developed, has identified the
following goals:
• Developing cultural competence
• Building critical mass
• Filling the pipeline
• Strengthening and increasing
community linkages
• Developing diversity infrastructure
Suggestions and ideas can be sent to
vpdivers@uoregon.edu
“We really need to go beyond the
surface and look at the cultural roots
of the University,” Vincent said.
John Shuford, the associate direc
tor of the University’s Center on Di
versity and Community, and Robin
Holmes, director of the Counseling
and Testing Center, are developing a
three-year pilot cultural competency
program, Vincent said.
“(Cultural competence) is a skill,
and it’s a skill that needs to be devel
oped and honed, and it can atrophy
if you don’t use it,” Vincent said.
Carla Gary, assistant vice president
and provost for institutional equity
and diversity, said faculty members
must be equipped with these cultural
competency skills and set examples
for their students.
“If the climate on this campus
were such that people were wel
comed and encouraged and affirmed
... that would make a profound dif
ference,” Gary said.
Vincent said it’s also vital to create
policies that hold University leaders
accountable. Administrators would
have to demonstrate “a strong com
mitment to diversity,” and how they
handle these issues might also be
come an important part of their eval
uation as leaders.
“To be an effective leader you have
to understand and appreciate diversi
ty,” Vincent said.
Other elements of the diversity
plan include increasing internal and
external community linkages,
strengthening and developing diver
sity infrastructure, and “filling the
pipeline” through outreach to grade
school and high school students of
different backgrounds with programs
that introduce them to college and its
potential at an early age.
About 30 people attended the
meeting, but students were clearly
not well represented. Vincent ac
knowledged that the timing of the
meeting during Dead Week may not
have been conducive for students,
but added that students would con
tribute to the plan.
“Students need to be involved in the
development of this plan,” he said.
He said there are student repre
sentatives on the diversity work
group. Also, he said he has been
working closely with ASUO Presi
dent Adam Petkun to get represen
tatives for the Diversity Advisory
Council, and Petkun will also serve
on the council.
Senior Julia Carr said it’s impor
tant to have such a plan in the
works. She said she has had only
one professor in her two years at the
University who has directly
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addressed issues of diversity; there
fore, having an institution-wide
plan will allow for greater dialogue.
“I think that the fact that they’re
addressing it, I think that at least
things should open up,” Carr said.
Faculty and staff also welcome the
process.
“I am optimistic,” ASUO Women’s
Center Director Erin O’Brien said. “I
have some faith that we can change
the climate.”
O’Brien said at the University, “you
look around and you don’t see much
diversity.” She added that institutional
mechanisms, such as the University’s
potential plan, are a step forward.
“If the University doesn’t take it
up, the individual might not take it
up,” she said.
The campus community can learn
more about the plan and give feedback
at the second diversity “conversation”
on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. in the
EMU Walnut Room. A third session is
scheduled for early winter term.
Both Gary and Vincent acknowl
edged that defining diversity and ade
quately addressing all its dimensions
is no easy task. Vincent said it is
“harder than rocket science.”
But despite the various challenges
it presents, questions of diversity
must be tackled head on, Gary said.
“We have to be very candid and
very clear that we have to get over
this fear that it’s going to hurt,” Gary
said. “Change is always painful. But
it will be much more painful to stay
where we are. ”
ayishayahya @ dailyemerald. com
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