Commission on the Status of Minorities
Meeting Minutes: March 5, 2012
Call to order
James Jackson called to order the special strategy session of the 2011-12 Commission on the Status of
Minorities at 4:37 pm on March 5, 2012 in the Psychology Department Conference Room.
Attendance
The following persons were present:
Rhonda Branford – Division of Multicultural Services
James D. Jackson – Black Faculty Liaison Committee
R. Todd Rober – College of Visual and Performing Arts
Patricia Richter – Office of Social Equity
Thomas Robinson – Black Faculty Liaison Committee
Darlene Schoenly – College of Education
Cassius Morris – PAC (Participation, Academics and Campus Life), BSU
Maciel De Los Santos – McFarland Student Union
Danté Givens – PAC/BSU/Gospel Choir
M. Reese Lovelace – PAC/Black Student Union/Gospel Choir
Joshua Keller – Black Student Union
The following persons were absent:
Rajeev Kumar – College of Business
Joo Tan – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Veronica Lepore – Graduate Student Representative
Louis Rodriquez – Latino Caucus
Kelly Hedlund – Student Government Board
I. Agenda
J. Jackson outlines the agenda for the strategy session:
1. Arrange a workshop for students to show them results of the Institutional Climate Report.
2. Outline our plans for the spring and fall semesters
3. Draft a letter concerning the multicultural center
4. Decide on how to best use our budgeted funds.
II. Jackson Katz
Based on votes by email, 9 members are in favor of using $1500 from our budgeted funds to help cosponsor Jackson Katz on campus in the fall semester.
III. Student Discussion of the Climate Survey
Do we have permission to use the PowerPoint Presentation that was presented by the consulting firm last
year? We should check before we schedule a presentation. It is available on the Climate Survey website,
which is available to anyone on campus, so there should not be a problem with showing it to a group of
people.
T. Robinson suggests we should start working on getting a list of students to let them know about the
presentation. PAC (Participation, Academics and Campus Life) and the BSU (Black Student Union)
should be the leas groups to sponsor this presentation. The Commission’s main role will be to help with
organization, help explain the material as necessary, but let students guide discussion about the content
of the Climate Survey.
D. Schoenly believes we need to get this data out to students, and then follow up with a focus group to
get more specific reactions from students about the results. Based on the Executive Summary produced
by Rankin and Associates, there was a 33% response rate overall, with a 25% response rate from
African and African-Americans (the rate for other groups of color was 32%). 650 people of color (about
18% of the total) responded to the survey (this includes international students and faculty as well as
American-born individuals of every race).
IV. Upcoming plans
Because of time limitations, we will move our awards nominations and awards presentation to the fall
semester. This also might get more nominations, and have more meaning because it will be much closer
to the deadline for faculty who are submitting tenure and promotion materials. T. Robinson noted that
the service that has the most impact on students, such as advising student groups, and mentoring
individual students, should be much more prized in the Tenure and Promotion Process.
V. Equity Scorecard
R. Branford reported about a new initiative on the state level of PASSHE. It is a two-year project being
funded by diversity funds at the state level that is likely to advise campuses how to rank their efforts in
diversity offerings and training. There is a 10-member group on the panel from KU being headed by
Rhonda Bradford.
VI. Draft Letter for Multicultural Center
To help spur the process of getting a final letter ready, T. Rober drafted a letter before the meeting that
was read during the meeting. The outline seemed fine, although some discussion transpired concerning
the tone of the letter, and whether it strikes the right balance or in a few cases perhaps could be more
forceful. T. Rober and T. Robinson will continue to work on the wording of the letter.
VII. Other issues
R. Branford indicated that the Multicultural Center does have funding for programming, but no staff to
plan and arrange events. Therefore, student groups that need funding are urged to contact the center for
help with funding of programs that they are putting together.
P. Richter announced an upcoming presentation concerning traumatic brain injury.
Adjournment
T. Rober motions, J. Jackson seconds to adjourn meeting at 5:57 pm.
Minutes submitted by: R. Todd Rober
Approved: April 15, 2012 (by email vote)