UI President David Skorton
will implement the remaining recommendations made
last fall by an ad hoc committee that reviewed how
the University’s central administration is
structured to promote diversity.
The September 2003 recommendations were made by
the Diversity Administration Review Committee, which
Skorton appointed in March 2003. The committee’s
two specific charges were to review central administrative
structures at Regent and peer institutions and suggest
changes in central administrative structures and
responsibilities aimed at improving effectiveness
and efficiency of UI diversity efforts.
Skorton already has implemented three of the committee’s
recommendations:
- changing the name of the Office of Affirmative
Action to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity
(EOD);
- initiating regular meetings between EOD
staff with the University’s vice presidents
and deans; and
- exploring private sector funding possibilities
to support diversity activities.
The remaining
recommendations include:
- creating a new programmatic agenda within
the EOD office to improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of its efforts, including separate initiatives
on
equal opportunity, diversity, and compliance;
- assigning primary and secondary responsibility
for diversity-related functions among various
UI offices, including EOD, the president, the provost,
vice presidents, deans and department heads,
and
the ombudsperson; and
- creating an external funding specialist
position to ensure that diversity-related external
grants are procured and retained.
“In all cases, we will fulfill the spirit
of the recommendations,” Skorton says. “However,
because of budget constraints, we will employ some
flexibility in responding, such as reassigning personnel
instead of creating new positions.”
The committee’s report is online at www.uiowa.edu/~ournews/2003/september/091503diversity-report.html.
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