Presentation to Faculty
Senate
February 8, 2007
Four Imperatives that Make
Diversity UC’s Compelling Interest
 Learning Imperative*
 Economic Imperative*
 Democracy Imperative*
 UC|21 Strategic Vision
Note: First three are suggested by the
NASULGC Report, Now is the Time
Our Definition of Diversity
This task force recognizes a very broad and
inclusive concept of diversity that should
include commonly recognized considerations
such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability
status, socioeconomic status, sexual identity,
sexual orientation, religion, and regional or
national origin. Our charge, however, asked us
to focus specifically upon racial and ethnic
diversity at UC, and we have done so. Going
forward, we want to emphasize that UC’s
concept of diversity should retain the capacity
to grow with our understanding.
Task Force’s Recommended
Five Initiatives
 Institutional Structure and
Framework Initiative
 Community and Climate Initiative
 Student Initiative
 Faculty Initiative
 Staff Initiative
Institutional Structure
and Framework Initiative
 Ann Welsh
Chair, Institutional Structure and
Framework Subcommittee
Institutional Structure and Framework
Immediate Recommendations:
 Implement an integrated institutional
plan for diversity.
Engage the university in a process to
define diversity
Create a senior-level position of
Director of Diversity
Establish an all-university Committee
on Diversity
Develop, implement and monitor a
communication plan.
Community and Climate Initiative
 Mitchel Livingston
Chair, Community and Climate
Subcommittee
Community and Climate
Immediate Recommendations:
 Revise University Mission Statement to
include a commitment to diversity.
Reaffirm the university’s commitment
to the existence of AACRC and
clarify issue of a multicultural
center for broader interests.
Share and monitor findings from the
National Survey of Student
Engagement (NSSE) and Student
Satisfaction Inventory (SSI).
Student Initiative
 Mitchel Livingston
Co-Chair, Student Recruitment
and Retention Subcommittee
 Jerry Tsai
Co-Chair, Student Recruitment
and Retention Subcommittee
Student Initiative
Immediate Recommendations:
 Develop additional scholarship options
marketed to students of color that
don’t have requirements of Turner
Scholarships.
Support the initiatives of STRIVE,
Summer Bridge, Gear Up, M2SE,
Ohio Core and other programs
aimed at academic preparedness
Enhance partnerships with Cincinnati
State, Sinclair, regional campuses
Faculty Initiative
 John Brackett
Chair, Faculty Recruitment and
Retention Subcommittee
Faculty Initiative
Immediate Recommendations
 Create a more viable Department of African and
African American Studies.
 Increase the budget in the Provost’s Office to
encourage and facilitate diversity in hiring.
 Enhance faculty search committees … to make
sure that no search goes forward without
documented best efforts to create a diverse
pool.
 Enhance retention of African American and other
underrepresented faculty by making more
than one hire at a time …using
mentors/ambassadors… performing exit
interviews, etc.
Staff Initiative
 Alecia Trammer
Chair, Staff Recruitment and
Retention Committee
Staff Initiative
Immediate Recommendations
 Enhance employee orientation in general, but
also to incorporate diversity as a core value.
Improve workforce planning.
Nancy Zimpher
President
www.uc.edu/diversitytaskforce