The Process

Meeting 1: January 12, 2006

Dave Finney presented the charge and his considerations to the members of the task force
The Task Force spent considerable time grappling with terms, concepts, ideas, and issues relating to our charge and our goal.
We realized we needed to hear from others and invited some members of the College community to attend our meetings and share their perspectives and programs (see Information Gathering).

University of Colorado diversity plan
Diversity as a business imperative
Challenge of diversity is to be in a place of difference, be forced to look at one's own privilege, and be forced to evaluate assumptions
Series of experiences—personal stories connected to diversity would be powerful
We continued to go back to words such as: thread, fabric, inclusionary, across campus
What should our language be: otherness, sameness, diversity, inclusion?
How does diversity become our strength?
We need on-going training on campus; do we need a centralized area for this to come from?
Create a comfortable/safe space before stretching and challenging students to make good learning happen
Connect to local community—Burlington High School, HO Wheeler
Display culture all year long (i.e., clocks with other time zones, international flags on display, etc.)
Importance of critical mass in student recruiting; think in-state as well as out of state (i.e. Posse Program)
Summer programs

International Business Program—notes to follow in Research and Outreach
Students from Education Program student teaching/tutors in Burlington Schools—notes to follow in Research and Outreach
Outreach Program to NYC high schools—notes to follow in Research and Outreach

Completed mission statement
Need to update Staff and Faculty Councils in September
Develop a list of current diversity initiatives on campus and ask community to add programs not included

Discussed timelines and sub-group assignments for immediate, mid-term, and long-term goals—notes to follow in Goals and Recommendations

Discussed word "Excellence" as it relates to our overall goals of increasing diversity and inclusion
Discussed the power of personal stories as way to educate and develop the College community
Re-affirmed summer timeline and specific tasks for committee members