Student forum will assess Plan 2008

Generation 2008, a student-organized group dedicated to raising the level of awareness of Plan 2008 – the long-range diversity plan for the University of Wisconsin–Madison – will hold a free forum on the plan and its future from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16.

“Plan 2008: Assessing Where We’re At, Creating a Vision of Where We Want to Go” will be held at Grainger Hall, 975 University Ave., and will include breakout discussions, video sessions and a free box lunch.

This semester’s forum will focus on how Plan 2008 can be assessed in the context of campus climate, current diversity initiatives, campus politics and ideas for the future.

By educating students about the history, goals and implementation of Plan 2008, the group believes it can help enhance initiatives already under way, improve the campus climate and generate concrete suggestions to strengthen campus diversity.

Officially adopted by the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents in May 1998, Plan 2008 has seven goals:

• Increase the number of Wisconsin high school graduates of color who apply, are accepted and enroll at UW System institutions.
• Encourage partnerships that build the educational pipeline by reaching children and their parents at an earlier age.
• Close the gap in educational achievement, by bringing retention and graduation rates for students of color in line with those of the student body as a whole.
• Increase the amount of financial aid available to needy students and reduce their reliance on loans.
• Increase the number of faculty, academic staff, classified staff and administrators of color, so that they are represented in the UW System workforce in proportion to their current availability in relevant job pools.
• Foster institutional environments and course development that enhance learning and a respect for racial and ethnic diversity.
• Improve accountability of the UW System and its institutions.

To register or for more information, email gen2008@hotmail.com and include your name, e-mail address, organization and choice of turkey, chicken, tuna or vegetarian lunch. All are welcome to attend, but participants must register before Nov. 2 to ensure a box lunch.