Denison University
PAE-6: Diversity and Equity Coordination

Mission Statement of the Diversity Advisory Committee:

Through a primary focus on matters pertaining to faculty diversity, the Diversity Advisory Committee seeks to assist the College in conceptualizing a clear vision for diversity at Denison during each stage of the College’s history and institutionalizing this vision in the structural arrangements, policies, procedures, programs and daily life of the College. It is critically important that faculty play a meaningful role in assisting the College in pursuing its Mission to “educate critical thinkers, discerning moral agents and active citizens of a democratic global society” (Denison Mission Statement). The importance of diversity to this mission is well articulated in Denison’s statement on the educational value of diversity, adopted by the faculty in 2007. It states: “Denison is committed to the idea that our community should include people from a wide range of religious, cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic backgrounds in order to realize the goals of a liberal arts education . . . Diversity in all facets of the university has educational value for all students and benefits all members of the campus community”. (Diversity at Denison: http://www.denison.edu/about/diversity.html. The establishment of the Diversity Advisory Committee links the faculty’s distinct understanding of and contribution to the academic mission of the College with the Provost’s Office to inform, advise, and assist in the formulation and implementation of the College’s commitment to developing and sustaining a community where 1) faculty of all social identities can participate, contribute, and thrive; 2) core values of learning in the liberal arts context are promoted through a diversity of faculty identities, perspectives, pedagogies (See Diversity at Denison: http://www.denison.edu/about/diversity.html); 3) The tensions that arise in any diverse community are met pro-actively and compassionately—informed by the multiple intellectual traditions that constitute the College; and 4) where, we not only address conflicts with insight and courage, but we vigorously affirm and celebrate the many ways we learn from our diversity and that of the society.

Purpose:

To assist the Provost’s Office by working regularly with the Associate Provost, designated to have primary oversight with respect to faculty diversity so that there is a broad spectrum of faculty perspective and insight available to the Provost’s Office for the purpose of formulating, planning, and implementing faculty diversity initiatives at Denison.

This work will include, but is not limited to:

--Making recommendations to the Provost on matters pertaining to faculty diversity.

--Working with the Associate Provost to guide and offer recommendations regarding hiring, recruitment, and retention of faculty as it relates to diversity

--Assisting in the development of programs, policies, procedures and initiatives relating to faculty diversity

--Interfacing and collaborating with other faculty, committees and governance bodies on campus on issues pertaining to faculty diversity.

--Identifying and implementing issues that need attention and working to formulate how such issues can best be addressed.

--Developing, facilitating or engaging in program implementation pertaining to Faculty Diversity

--Developing or linking the institution to appropriate consultants, experts, and consultative processes and tools (e.g. diversity assessment processes, intervention strategies, etc.)

--Developing approaches to acknowledge, affirm, and recognize the work that we do toward building a thriving community that honors diversity.

The Diversity Advisory Committee Members are:

Dosinda Alvite - Associate Professor of Modern Languages
Warren Hauk - Associate Professor of Biology
Ching-Chu Hu - Associate Professor of Music
John Jackson - Associate Professor of Black Studies
Toni King - Associate Provost
Christine Pae - Assistant Professor of Religion
Marlene Tromp - Professor of English

Denison used to have an Office of Diversity and Equity, however, through institutional restructuring, the responsibilities of that office have been shifted to the Associate Provost's office and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

This position oversees the Diversity Advisory Committee and is responsible for coordinating training, outreach, and programming for diversity awareness on campus.