Office
of the Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia M. Lampkin
Update on Diversity Efforts
February 3, 2003
Following the blackface incident which took place in October, a group of concerned students met with President Casteen and Vice President Lampkin in late November to present a list of grievances which they believe highlight the ways in which the University is failing to meet its objectives for a diverse community as set forth in goals seven, eight, and nine of the University's statement of purpose. The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) has since developed a plan to address the issues identified by the students. The following is an update of the various initiatives that either have been planned or are underway. In thinking of viable options, VPSA is taking into account many of the solutions proposed by the students while expanding those to include input obtained during the past few weeks from members of the University community.
To summarize, the five main grievances set forth by the students are: 1) inadequate education of students on issues of multiculturalism; 2) a lack of African-American graduate students and African-American faculty; 3) the decreasing enrollment of African-American students; 4) inadequate resources for African-American students; and 5) limited involvement in University selection committees. VPSA is pursuing a multi-faceted approach that it believes will produce short-and long-term results in response to the students' concerns. The sustained impact of some of the initiatives, however, will be contingent upon funding and ongoing stewardship.
1. Resource Web Site: The University has begun to develop a web site that will serve as a central repository for information related to the history of diversity efforts at the University, the surrounding community, and the Commonwealth. The goal is to create a site that can help provide the appropriate historical context for this issue; both highlighting its complexity as well as some of the progress and challenges that we have encountered during the last three decades to foster a welcoming environment at UVa. The site, for example, will include links to: Paul Gaston's History of the University; Ed Ayers' research on the history of the south; a video interview with one of the first African-American graduates of the University, Robert Bland; and key addresses delivered by a number of scholars, politicians, and social commentators which bear a direct impact on this topic. Most of the information is already available in a web format, and a resource within University Relations has been identified to help complete this work. The site is yet to be named and VPSA would welcome any suggestions. The goal is to have the web page up and running by March, 2003.
2. Course Offering Directory (COD) Index: About two years ago, the Faculty Senate indexed all of the courses in the COD to identify classes that address the issue of race or diversity in some capacity. The index is fully functional but clearly needs to be advertised. It will be linked to the diversity resource web site.
3. Multiculturalism Class: Bob Covert has hired two additional Teaching Assistants and expanded his Multiculturalism Class (EDLF 558) into three sections for the 2002-03 spring semester to include 60 students who were previously on a waiting list of 150. This brings the total class size up to 180 students. Although this measure will have a limited impact, David Breneman and Carolyn Callahan have expressed an interest in wanting to broaden this class but resources are an issue. This situation will be assessed this semester with the goal of expanding the class to 300 students per semester.
4. Multiculturalism Requirement: Students have been lobbying for a mandatory multiculturalism requirement, which is not in line with faculty thoughts regarding the issue. As students and faculty continue to engage in this dialogue, we will continue to experience a tension based on differing viewpoints. Michael Smith and a group of faculty will work through the Faculty Senate so that faculty are encouraged to focus on diversity as it relates to the content of existing courses. Conversations with Michael Smith already have begun on this topic and will continue during the next several months. This will be considered under the curriculum review process.
5. Curriculum Review: Students plan to present Gene Block with a request that a multiculturalism requirement be considered during the Provost's curriculum review. Background will be provided to the Provost on this issue and conversation will continue in this area as needed.
6. Diversity On-Line Training Course: The Vice President viewed an interactive, on-line diversity training course developed by Global Lead and believes that such a training module, originally designed for the corporate sector, would afford the University a unique opportunity to educate students, faculty, and staff on this topic if the content is tailored to UVa. Karen Holt and a group of about eight other University staff also viewed the course and all were extremely enthusiastic about its potential. The training module would eventually enable the University to develop a package that focuses on what we are calling "Community Competencies." The initial focus would be on a diversity module, which eventually could be expanded to include other modules such as honor, substance abuse, and sexual assault. With such a system in place, UVa would be able to require students to participate in the training and block them from registering for classes until they completed the program. This would create a baseline of information that could be built on through small discussions and other program efforts. It also would serve as an opportunity to channel students' desire and energy for a mandatory academic course work in a direction that is more in line with faculty thoughts on this subject.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the University would need about $100,000 to create this module. The funds would be used to support a full-time consultant over the course of one year that would provide technical expertise and the architecture of the module while University student and faculty develop and refine the content. VPSA would continue a relationship with Global Lead past the first year, but ownership of the product would remain at UVa. Although UVa would have to make a sizeable investment up front, the cost for additional modules would decrease and there is real opportunity to generate revenues down the road if a successful program is developed.
7. Multiculturalism Center: In August 2002, VPSA completed a feasibility study for a proposed new University Center in which over 600 students and 300 faculty provided suggestions on ways to improve space on Grounds to meet programming needs and to foster better faculty-student interactions. A multicultural center emerged as one of the top space requirements. In October, VPSA began to plan for the next phase of a University Center project, including developing an inventory of other major capital projects (e.g., South Lawn, AFC expansion, Arena), to determine ways these efforts might help address some of the space needs identified in the feasibility study. In its planning effort, VPSA is balancing long-term objectives with possible short-term opportunities. For example, space in the basement of new O- Hill has been identified which will be used as performance and rehearsal space once the facility is up and running. There are other potential opportunities (e.g., current O-Hill) that may provide the University with the means to address some of the programming needs identified in the study, such as for a multicultural center. The goal is to have a plan in place for space options, immediate and long-term, by April 2003. A student representative from the Coalition serves on this group.
8. Dean of Students' Advising Efforts: Numerous student organizations (e.g., Student Council, Black Student Alliance, Asian Student Union) have a diversity goal as part of their mission, but oftentimes their approach to how they further this objective conflicts given their respective purposes. By establishing "The Coalition" this past fall, student organizations representing minority groups have begun to partner on initiatives in which they share similar objectives as a means of effectively achieving change. The Office of the Dean of Students plans to support this effort and will be working closely with student organizations this semester to assist them in understanding their own cultural background and how it influences their approach to achieving their respective diversity goals.
9. OAAA Space Improvements: Last spring, Facilities Management was asked to conduct a space assessment at the Office of African American Affairs to determine if the Office's current capacity was sufficient to support its administrative needs and programming efforts. The findings indicate deficiencies in the amount of space available to support OAAA's programs, in particular, the Peer Advising Program. Several options to remedy the deficiencies were presented. The one option deemed most viable would allow OAAA to remain in its current space while making modifications to the existing infrastructure and shifting some of the space assignments in Dawson's Row. The estimated cost for this option is about $150,000. Potential resources and approval for this renovation have not begun.
10. Diversity as a Core Value: In defining the "Student Experience in 2020," the four core values of academic rigor, honor, student self-governance, and public service were initially identified. The students have asked to include diversity as a fifth, separate value. In writing the 2020 report, the Vice President considered the value of diversity to be embedded throughout the four identified core values and therefore has agreed to reflect it as a separate tenet. The Vice President will work with the students this semester to develop this narrative.
11. Charting Diversity: Following the work of the Charting Diversity initiative in spring 2000, Karen Holt distributed copies of all of the subcommittees' reports to the Vice Presidents for review and comment. With the transition of Vice Presidents during the past two years, the reviews were never completed. It has been recommended that President Casteen ask the Vice Presidents to review all of the plans submitted and begin conversations on ways to implement measures deemed viable and on an approach for doing this work. The VPs would use the semester for this review and aim for late spring to have a targeted discussion on how to proceed with this project.
12. Selection Committees: During the course of the past year, several reviews of selection committee processes have occurred. For example, a significant review of the lawn selection committee process was launched, which included input from a number of student organizations and resulted in modifications to previous practices that should address the students' concerns. VPSA will proceed with such reviews when appropriate. On a related topic, efforts will be made to assure that student representatives from minority groups who are asked to participate in committees actually do get involved. Oftentimes, students struggle with delegating work within their respective organizations or with balancing their academic and extracurricular requirements because they are extremely over committed. Serious discussions will continue in the coming weeks with the transition of student leaders on ways to broaden the pool of student participants on committees and to verify those selected are engaged in committee work.
13. Data Collection and Assessment: The Office of Institutional Assessment and Studies recently completed a review of the 2002 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) results. Ned Moomaw conducted a separate analysis focusing on what the data suggest regarding relationships among students of different races at the University. Based on his assessment, there is a need to collect additional, specific information on factors which influence minority students' opinions about race relations at the University. We also will need to assess the effectiveness of a number of the initiatives suggested above. The Division of Student Affairs will collaborate with Institutional Assessment and other units in managing this work.
This compendium of initiatives is by no means all-inclusive. VPSA needs to ensure that these efforts tie-in to the Envision Diversity initiative which is being spearheaded by Bob Sweeney, Gene Block, and Yoke San Reynolds. We also need to determine how best to involve alumni effectively in these discussions. On the Alumni front, several conversations with representatives from the Ridley Foundation and with Dwayne Allen, the Foundation's new chairman, took place to discuss his objectives for the upcoming year and ways we may collaborate in achieving his goals. Mr. Allen will focus on telling the "Ridley Story" and ensuring that some of the recent incidents do not detract from overall accomplishments of the past decades and planned efforts to resolve our existing challenges. The Vice President also has had several conversations with Gerry Cooper and will continue to engage Alumni in this dialogue.
Next Steps:
Although there is a fair amount of integration among these initiatives, the University still needs to dedicate significant time to full coordination of these efforts and to identifying the resources required to fully execute these measures. VPSA will assume responsibility for overall communication and coordination of this plan. From a management standpoint, VPSA recommends this work be administered at the vice presidential level and not through a separate committee established to oversee this work. VPSA believes the University would be more effective in tackling these issues at the VP level, wherein vice presidents would assume responsibility for examining these issues within their respective organizations and for moving forward with implementing change when appropriate. A separate mechanism would need to be established for discussions across vice presidential areas (e.g., President's Cabinet meeting).
In terms of the Halloween incident, the three students who dressed in blackface now have a full understanding of their actions. On its own accord, Zeta Psi scheduled a diversity training session with John Peoples, which took place January 13, 2002. Finally, a meeting between President Casteen and the students with whom he met in November to continue their conversation will be scheduled during the second semester.
Update - February 25, 2003
The following is a summary of additional steps taken to move forward/coordinate the above described work:
1. In early February, VPSA developed a draft CASE statement to use for the purpose of obtaining funds to launch the diversity on-line training module. The CASE statement was shared with Bob Sweeney who offered modifications. A final copy should be in place by March 7.
2. On February 6, VP Lampkin met with the group of concerned students to review the summary of planned initiatives and confirm their support of the identified measures. The students agreed with the course of action and made the following comments:
A. The initiatives being pursued do not specifically address the issue of faculty recruitment and retention. Students were informed of the search for a Vice Provost for Advancement who should serve as a key point of contact on this effort.
B. The University should outline its plans for the recruitment of minority students should the Supreme Court's decision eliminate Affirmative Action.
C. Additional conversations need to take place to ensure the University has a clear understanding of students' request for a multiculturalism requirement.
3. VPSA is working to schedule a meeting after spring break between students, Michael Smith, and other faculty to discuss curricular issues in greater detail.
4. Newcomb Hall is working with VPSA and students to establish a possible Diversity Resource Center through modifications to the Informal Lounge. The feasibility and costs of this project will be determined by mid-March. The goal is to complete renovations to the space by late fall 2003.