Campus diversity and inclusion committee to present engagement sessions

As UW–Madison makes plans to create a new framework for diversity and inclusion, each member of the UW–Madison community is being asked to bear shared responsibility for success — moving “Forward Together.”

“With the new leadership of Chancellor Rebecca Blank and interim Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Patrick J. Sims, we are entering an exciting era of opportunity to create long-lasting, sustainable change,” says Ruth Litovsky, professor of communication sciences and disorders and co-chair of the campus Ad Hoc Diversity Planning Committee.

All members of the UW–Madison community — students, faculty, administrators, academic and classified staff — are encouraged to share feedback through a series of upcoming engagement sessions, the first of which is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 4.

Since February 2013, a dedicated team of campus and community members has been hard at work developing an innovative framework for guiding, shaping, and strengthening UW–Madison’s commitment to inclusive excellence and innovation.

As the flagship institution of the UW System, UW–Madison is dedicated to intentionally integrating diversity efforts into core aspects of the university’s mission, maximizing success and participation among all members of the UW–Madison community. This specifically includes the university’s academic priorities, leadership, quality improvement initiatives, decision-making, day-to-day operations and organizational cultures.

Litovsky and co-chair Ryan Adserias, graduate student in educational leadership and policy analysis, invite campus and community members to consider the following questions:

• What does the idea of “inclusive excellence” mean to you personally? How can our campus community achieve it?
• What are you willing to do to help the campus community promote inclusive excellence?
• How do we know that we have achieved our goals?
• What ideas or concerns do you have that the planning committee should be aware of?

The engagement sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Monday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Memorial Union (see TITU for location)
• Tuesday, Nov. 5 from 1-4 p.m. in Gordon Dining and Event Center
• Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. in the Health Sciences Learning Center
• Monday, Nov. 11 from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. in the Memorial Union’s Tripp Commons
• Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5-8 p.m., in the Mendota Room, Dejope Residence Hall

No registration for these engagement sessions is necessary.

The events on November 5, 6 and 11 will be presented in Spanish, Hmong, Tibetan and Mandarin as well as English. Participants can also engage the work of the committee on its website.

Organizers stress that contributions from all corners of the UW–Madison experience are invaluable to the committee’s work.

“We are thrilled at the level of commitment we have already seen from members of the UW–Madison community,” says Adserias. “Each voice is critical to this process; we want to emphasize, again, that there is a place for you, your colleagues, and friends as we continue to refine our ongoing commitment to this important work.”