Chancellor Assigns Diversity Duties to Student Life Vice Chancellor

INDIANAPOLIS – In order to advance campus goals for diversity, IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz is announcing that the responsibilities of an IUPUI vice chancellor now include duties as the campus’s chief diversity officer.

Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Diversity Karen Whitney will act as IUPUI’s campus diversity officer, effective immediately.

Since 1999, Dr. Whitney has advanced a robust diversity agenda for the Division of Student Life and Diversity. As campus diversity officer, Whitney will extend these efforts beyond student affairs and lead performance improvement throughout the campus.

As evaluated by the Chancellor’s Diversity Cabinet, and reported annually in the chancellor’s “State of Diversity at IUPUI” publication, IUPUI has fallen short of desired performance in key indicators. Several consultants, constituents, and colleagues advised Chancellor Bantz that a single person be named the campus’s diversity officer in order to increase coordination and oversight of efforts to promote diversity.

As campus diversity officer, Whitney will chair the Campus Diversity Management Group, which includes faculty and staff most responsible for areas contributing to eight Diversity Performance Indicators.

The Diversity Management Group will plan, organize, coordinate and assess performance efforts; and provide ongoing leadership in campuswide and school-based efforts to advance diversity. With participation of the Dialogue Group, the Diversity Cabinet, the Council of Deans, faculty and students, the Diversity Management Group will lead the development and completion of a Campus Diversity Plan by May 15, 2007.

Chancellor Bantz is charging the Diversity Management Group with a review of strategies that should be implemented to increase IUPUI’s success. The strategies to be assessed include new funding for need-based student financial aid, creating a full-time campus diversity officer position, and establishing an Office of Multicultural Affairs in order to increase coordination of cultural efforts to improve the campus climate for diversity.

“It is essential we continuously improve our strategies to enhance diversity—the identification of the Campus Diversity Officer, the creation of the Diversity Management Group and the development of a campus diversity plan are necessary for continuous improvement,” Bantz said.