A series of informal forums to gain feedback from the DU community regarding the University’s Inclusive Excellence strategic plan kicked off in January and will continue through March 7.
Two open sessions have taken place so far, on Jan. 26 and Feb. 15. The meetings call for interested students and faculty who have read the strategic plan in its current form and invites them to discuss it.
“This is not about debating whether diversity is important,” Jim Moran, interim associate provost of the Center for Multicultural Excellence said. “There is a body of research that shows the benefits of diversity. By bringing different backgrounds together and sharing different viewpoints, there is definite educational value.”
For now, the Inclusive Excellence plan is conceptual and focuses on what DU should do to increase diversity. According to Moran, who leads the sessions, inclusive excellence is a tri-fold model that consists of diversifying DU’s campus, ensuring a climate in which everyone feels welcome and embedding such values into the fabric of the university.
According to the Office of Institutional Research, 68.5 percent of undergraduate students are White and Moran suggests that figure may be larger since another 5.2 percent do not report their race. He noted the University’s recent efforts to increase the number of minority students.
“We’ve had tremendous success in the last several years,” Todd Rinehart, assistant vice chancellor of enrollment and director of admissions said.
Johanna Leyba, assistant provost for inclusive excellence said one purpose of the forums is to have individuals recognize inclusive excellence as a campus-wide effort.
Forum attendees have suggested potential additions to the core curriculum or a first-year seminar on the topic of diversity. In addition, Moran recalled a student who noticed that the draft does not include internationalization.
Following the final forum, an advisory group will make revisions.
On May 6, DU will host its 10th annual Diversity Summit to showcase research on inclusiveness.
“We’ve been presented with both a challenge and opportunity to look at what we can do differently,” Leyba said. “We want a campus that better mirrors society from a diversity standpoint.”
Upcoming forum dates:
– Faculty forum, today from 9-10 a.m., Ruffatto Hall, Room 150
– Staff forum, Tuesday, Feb 22 from 12-1 p.m., Craig Hall Community Room
– Open forum, Thursday, Feb. 24, from 3-4 p.m., Craig Hall Community Room
– Student forum, Monday, March 7 from 10-11 a.m., Knoebel School (HRTM), Room 231
-Staff forum, Monday, March 7 from 12-1 p.m., Knoebel School (HRTM), Room 231
– Open forum, Monday, March 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Knoebel School (HRTM), Room 231
