University of Arkansas Diversity Review Shows Progress, Opportunity

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – An independent panel charged with reviewing diversity at the University of Arkansas said in a recently completed report that it was impressed with the institution’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment, and that the university’s infrastructure for diversity is still emerging.

PDF of Diversity Review

The review team was commissioned by Carmen Coustaut, who is completing a five-year term as associate vice chancellor for institutional diversity and education this summer. The team visited the Fayetteville campus in January and reviewed materials pertaining to diversity efforts and conducted several interviews on campus. In its final report, the team noted that the university “has already made commendable progress by building an institutionally based infrastructure for diversity oversight.”

“While the findings of this report paint a positive picture, we do not think they are cause for resting on our laurels,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “Creating a diverse community of students, faculty and staff remains a top institutional priority. We need to ensure that we continue to do everything possible to project a welcoming and friendly attitude to each and every member of our community. That means being more helpful when a student asks for assistance or comes to faculty and staff with concerns. It means reaching out to students and colleagues alike to create an environment in which all feel valued. It that sense, our mission will be ongoing.”

The team heard a mix of opinions from students, faculty and staff regarding campus climate and diversity. They noted that some of the individuals felt very comfortable on campus while others expressed a strong sense of racial, gender and religious bias from their interactions with other student communities, faculty and in the greater northwest Arkansas community.

The review findings included several recommendations, some of which have been addressed in recent months:

• Provide administrative oversight of diversity programs and initiatives to include the need for a chief diversity officer at the executive officer level.
• Inform all university administrators that they will be held accountable for achieving the university’s diversity goals.
• Continue to infuse diverse subject matter into the curriculum.
• Continue to focus on recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and workforce.
• Develop a more condensed and prioritized set of achievable diversity strategies related to outreach and retention of faculty, staff and students, academic initiatives, climate/environment, development and external audiences.
• Develop and implement a communications plan that promotes the outstanding diversity efforts and outcomes at the university to the state populace.

The review team included: Nancy Barcelo, vice president and vice provost for equity and diversity, University of Minnesota; Lester P. Monts, senior vice provost for academic affairs and senior counselor to the president for the arts, diversity and undergraduate affairs, University of Michigan; and Charlie Nelms, chancellor, North Carolina Central University.

This past March, the university embarked on a philosophical shift in its efforts to foster multiculturalism on campus through the appointment of a vice provost for diversity. Charles Robinson accepted an appointment to fill this administrative role, effective July 1. He will serve on the chancellor’s executive committee and will administer all universitywide efforts to enhance diversity.

Gearhart also is appointing a chancellor’s commission on diversity, which will develop accountability measures to determine tangible progress being made in the area of campus diversity.

“I want our diversity initiative to engage in a vibrant and proactive effort to recruit under-represented racial and ethnic minority individuals to our faculty, staff and student body, as well as strengthen retention,” said Gearhart in March. “In my judgment, the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students of color must be the centerpiece of our diversity efforts.”

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Gina King, director of news and editorial communications
Office of University Relations
479-575-5709, ginak@uark.edu