University of Cincinnati
PAE-6: Diversity and Equity Coordination

Staffed by the office of the Chief Diversity Officer, the University Diversity Council serves as the university-level governance committee charged with building institution-wide capacity to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse campus that embraces diversity as one of our core values, infusing every aspect of campus life and purpose, and every measure of success. The council is charged with maintaining the Report of the President's UC│21 Diversity Task Force (March 2007) as a living document, holding responsible parties accountable and reporting on at least an annual basis to the President and community at large. The council is empowered to set its own annual agenda as well as identify short and long term goals. It is expected to take recommendations from the report and develop a 5-year strategic plan, policy recommendations and implementation plans. Over time, the council may establish work groups or committees and the chair may invite other members of the university community to contribute to this effort. Products from the council are forwarded to the Academic Coordinating Committee and the Fiscal Coordinating Committee for consideration. The council recognizes a very broad and inclusive concept of diversity that includes commonly recognized considerations such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and regional or national origin. It will guide the university's efforts to conceptualize, define, assess, nurture and cultivate diversity and inclusion as institutional and educational resources at the University of Cincinnati.

Erin Ascher, Sr. Associate VP & Chief Human Resource Officer; Rebecca Lee, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing; Key Beck, Graduate Student Governance Association; Amy Lind, Associate Professor, Women's, Gender, & Sexualigy Studies; Lou Bilionis, Dean, College of Law; James Mack, Associate Professor, Chemistry; Joe Blizzard, Student Body President; Bleuzette Marshall, Interim Chief Diversity Officer; Matthew Boaz, Director, Equal Opportunity & Access; Robin Martin, Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion; Frank Bowen, Associate VP, Student Life; Bruce McClung, Associate Professor, CCM; Michael Cureton, Chief of Police & Director of Public Safety; Raj Mehta, Vice Provost, UC International; Natalia Darling, Assistant Professor, UC Blue Ash; Debra Spotts Merchant, VP for Student Affairs; Noemi de Catro Cabrera, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing; Lisa Newman, Professor & Director, A&S Communications; Kenya Mann Faulkner, Special Assistant to the President; Desiree Reed, Senior Associate Athletic Director; Habtu Ghebre-Ab, Professor, History; Cady Short-Thompson, Dean, UC Blue Ash; Greer Glazer; Dean, College of Nursing; Kenneth Simonson, Director of Academics, Engineering; Cecily Goode, Director, One-Stop Center; Tom Guerin, Associate VP and Director, Purchasing; Leisan Smith, Program Director, LGBTQ Center; Marian Spencer, Honorary Co-Chair; Greg Hand, Associate VP for University Communications; William Harris, Program Coordinator, College of Medicine; Daimon Wiley, President, African American Alumni Association; Ryan Hays, Executive Vice President; Robert Zierolf, Interim University Dean; Marcus Langford, Director, Student Life

The Office of Ethnic Programs and Services supports the mission of the University of Cincinnati by enhancing the growth and development of students of color and addressing the academic, social, spiritual and cultural needs of the campus community. The professional staff has a strong commitment to ensure that all members of the University are creating and promoting a just community. EPS challenges systematic forms of oppression, which historically have inhibited the personal development of individuals who have attended predominately white colleges and universities. EPS embraces the ever-increasing diversity of our student body and community to become more enlightened about the student of color community.The Office aspires for quality in all its programs and services and is committed to meeting the educational and service needs of students of color and other members of the University community. EPS values each contact and interaction with members of the University community and visitors as an opportunity to encourage positive relationships, growth, and development.

Effective February 6, 2013 President Sanat J. Ono announced the apointment of Bleuzette Marshall as Interim Chief Diversity Officer. A University of Cincinnati alumna, Bleuzette has worked at UC and the UC Foundation for nearly 21 years, starting in Ethnic Programs and Services and at the African American Cultrual and Resource Center and most recently in development at the UC Foundation. Since 2007, she has assisted the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) and the President's Diversity Council. As a respected member of the UC administration, she has gained an awareness of UC culture that will be essenetial in moving our university forward as we continue to implement the Diversity Plan and build on the accomplishments of the university's first CDO Mitchel D. Livingston who retired at the end of 2012. Bleuzette holds three degrees from UC including a BA in psychology (1992), am MEd (2001) and a PhD in educational studies (2009).