Campus forum focuses on diversity efforts

As UW–Madison nears the midpoint of an initiative to increase faculty, staff and student diversity, progress and accountability have emerged as key issues.

Both topics will be the focus of the third-annual Plan 2008 Campus Forum to be held 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, at Memorial Union. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in as many of the forum activities as possible and provide feedback, ideas, suggestions and support for diversity initiatives. Among the topics for discussion:

• What is the university doing to address the seven goals identified in the UW System Plan 2008 and the UW–Madison campus plan?
• What are the challenges and barriers to success that the university has encountered?
• What are the “best practices” on campus that have been developed to overcome these challenges and barriers?

The forum will begin with an address by Bernice Durand, the newly appointed associate vice chancellor for diversity and climate. Following the kick-off, forum attendees will attend concurrent sessions offering topics geared toward recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff.

At noon, executives from Procter & Gamble, Hewlett Packard, Cargill and Kimberly-Clark will address how diversity at the university level is critical to corporate America.

The forum will close with the Chancellor’s Plenary Session, during which Chancellor John Wiley, Provost Peter Spear, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Paul Barrows, and various deans and directors will be available for questions. All forum participants will receive a Diversity Resource Guide, the Diversity Update and other resource materials.

Registration is encouraged, but not required. To register or download a full schedule, visit http://www.diversity.wisc.edu. A free box lunch will be served to those who request it, but advance reservations are required.

For more information on the forum, contact Ruby Paredes, (608) 262-5175, rparedes@mail.bascom.wisc.edu or Becky Ryan, (608) 265-5460, rjryan@facstaff.wisc.edu.