Position Opportunity - Finance and Human Resource Representative Position Announcement Job Description   Diversity Recognition Tool   Iowa FIRST

Welcome to a new academic year at The University of Iowa!

Things are changing, with a new President on board, and the selection process for a new Provost to begin this fall. But what has definitely not changed is the commitment we have to diversity and access, and our conviction that in its broadest sense, diversity is "essential to the educational experience and central to all parts of the University’s mission." (The Iowa Promise, the 2005-2010 University of Iowa Strategic Plan)

Because we understand the link between diversity and excellence in education, the University of Iowa not only accepts but embraces “our responsibility to create a welcoming environment for all members of the community.” This commitment includes underrepresented faculty, staff, and students; persons with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered persons; persons of disadvantaged socioeconomic status; and nontraditional and international students.

The selection of Sally Mason as President is an affirmation of this commitment at the highest levels. President Mason is a vocal supporter of diversity, and her record as Provost of Purdue University demonstrates a commitment to creating a climate where all can feel accepted and able to succeed.

My role, as Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Associate Provost for Diversity, is to help advance our diversity goals in all ways possible. After a year in this new position, working with my colleagues and friends in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity and the Center for Diversity & Enrichment, we have taken important organizational steps to improve our ability to more effectively coordinate our central diversity efforts, including those related to the recruitment, retention, and success of diverse faculty, students, and staff, and ensuring a warm, welcoming, respectful, and inclusive climate where all can succeed.

Equal Opportunity and Diversity is in the final steps of undergoing organizational changes to strengthen its effectiveness in monitoring and data collection, investigations of complaints of discrimination or harassment, compliance with disability laws and outreach and education, under the guidance of a new Director, Jennifer Modestou. As a result of a LEAN evaluation, EOD forms and processes are being revised to facilitate fair and equitable searches.

The Center for Diversity & Enrichment is the combination of Opportunity at Iowa and Support Service Programs. Home to our TRiO programs, our multicultural coordinators and TRiO staff provide outreach to pre-college students from diverse communities, and support to minority, economically disadvantaged, first generation and disabled students on campus. In partnership with Academic Advising, they offer programmatic support to our Advantage Iowa Scholars.

In addition to overseeing the work of EOD and CDE, the Office of the Special Assistant and Associate Provost is working to provide opportunities for faculty and staff, including through the faculty and staff diversity councils, which now number six, with the addition of the Native American Council, and events such as the New Faculty of Color Reception and faculty mentoring pilot. Through initiatives such as Community Conversations and our membership in Diversity Focus, we hope to connect with the community and our partners in diversity.

Please consider participating in some of the programming initiatives underway for 2007-8, including Iowa FIRST recruitment project, the 2007 Catalyst Awards, or by joining us at next year’s Cultural Diversity Festival, or at one of the many other cultural events in our community. If you know a middle-school or high school student, you might pass on information about our many summer programs.

Finally, while we hope your experience at The University of Iowa will be a positive one, should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office.

Marcella David
Special Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity and Diversity & Associate Provost for Diversity

 

Marcella David's faculty biography.