University President John T. Casteen III and University Rector Gordon F. Rainey Jr. announced two major diversity initiatives at the May 4 Board of Visitors meeting.
A new president's commission on diversity and equity and a Board special committee on diversity and equity will address issues of race relations at the University.
The commission, which should have a final report by May 1, 2004, will review previous University reports on diversity and equity, examine comparable programs at other schools and recommend policy changes to the Board's special committee, a University press release said.
Casteen will appoint a commission chair who will tap members of the faculty, student body and administration to serve on the commission, University spokesperson Carol Wood said.
The Board's committee will be charged with addressing the scope of efforts to promote diversity and understanding in the University community and the appropriate role of the Board in oversight of diversity issues, a University press release said.
The committees will work cooperatively to achieve their goals, Wood said.
"They're going to be working hand in hand throughout the process," she said.
Board member Terence P. Ross said he is concerned about the name of the Board's new committee and the perception it might give the community, adding that it will address issues related to hate crimes, and not merely race-conscious admissions policies.
"By using such a bland phrase as 'committee on diversity,' we may be sending a message to the community that we are not taking this sufficiently seriously," Ross said. "This ought to be a commission on racism or something like that."
English graduate student James Kim, a member of the University's Alliance Against Racism, a group of Arts and Sciences graduate students working to improve race relations on Grounds, said increased diversity education is key to tackling racial divisions.
"Right now it's purely optional," Kim said. "I can't imagine many people opting into diversity training during their first week of college."
Work is progressing on an online diversity training program, said Patricia M. Lampkin, University vice president of student affairs. Students will work with an interactive program in order to prepare for discussion of diversity and tolerance in small group settings.
"It would be something that all University students would be required to be engaged in," Lampkin said.
At yesterday's faculty senate meeting, Casteen also announced that some student groups have discussed the possibility of creating a vice president for diversity.
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