April 20, 2007
Minority Faculty/Staff
Leadership Intern Position
I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in serving as the Minority Faculty/Staff
Leadership Intern for the 2007-2008 academic year. I am in my 17th year at UW-Stout, a
tenured full professor who has served the university and the UW-System extensively. I
have served as Program Director in the M.S. in Applied Psychology and the B.A. in
Psychology. I am a member of the Minority Faculty Staff Network. I have been awarded
outstanding Minority Faculty, two Ethnic Services Center Appreciation awards,
outstanding Graduate Faculty award and was a recipient of the Dahlgren Fellowship. I
am an active researcher and am PI on a three-year National Science Foundation grant for
undergraduate learning in Cognitive Neuroscience. Finally, I have had extensive
opportunity to work closely with Hector Cruz, current Minority Intern, on several issues
concerning minority faculty. One of the outcomes of this work was the development of
the Faculty Resource Teams for mentoring new faculty as UW-Stout. The following
outlines my leadership development plan which will be refined in consultation with the
Provost and Chancellor if accepted for this position.
Chancellor’s office:
Learning goals in the Chancellor’s office focus on understanding strategies for
organizational change and understand the integration of diversity into the long-term
development as it relates to the Polytechnic.
 Strategic Planning: Learn process of long-term development. Particularly focused
on program realignment
 Serve as member of senior leadership team
 Chancellor’s Advisory Council
Provost’s Office:
Learning goals in the Provost’s office focus primarily around understanding graduate
education goals and strategies. Because of my involvement in graduate education, I am
anxious to provide leadership in this area as it relates to the Polytechnic. I would like to
provide input into student diversity issues within Multicultural Student services and
Admissions.
 Attend Provost’s Council
 Graduate Studies: Work with graduate education planning
 Serve Multicultural Student Services in an advisory role
Diversity – Plan 2008
 Develop Multicultural Study Institute: I previously wrote a proposal for the
development of an institute for Multicultural Research that would provide
opportunities for minority faculty scholars and students that would improve
retention. I would like to explore this further.
 Help in Advising Multicultural Student Center
 Co-Chair Campus and Community Coalition for Racial and Ethnic Issues.
 Continue connection with Minority Faculty Staff Network working on focus areas
of concern
1. Assess the status of the Minority Faculty and Staff Network and propose
action to strengthen the organization and its effectiveness
2. Collaborate with faculty, academic staff and classified resource team
leaders to serve the needs of minority faculty and staff on campus.
3. Continue to serve as a resource to Deans and Department Chairs on issues
related to Plan 2008.
Thank you for your consideration and I can be reached at the numbers below.
Richard J. Tafalla, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
326 McCalmont Hall
x1662
tafallar@uwstout.edu
References:
Desiree Budd, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
238 McCalmont Hall
x2669
buddd@uwstout.edu
Hector Cruz,
Professor, Current Minority Intern
McCalmont Hall 430
x2556
cruzh@uwstout.edu
Susan Foxwell,
Director, Research Administration
Research Services
152 Voc Rehab.
x2477
foxwells@uwstout.edu
Ann M. Parsons, Ph.D.,
Chair, Biology
203J Science Wing
x2563
parsonsa@uwstout.edu