Chancellor’s Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup Members Announced

On Sept. 28, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced the creation of a new University-wide Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion. Since then, more than 100 members of the campus community nominated themselves or another person to join the workgroup. The nomination period ended Friday, Oct. 9.

The mission of the new Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion will be to develop solutions on how to further create a more diverse and inclusive climate at the University.

Overall, the mission of the new Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion will be to develop solutions on how to further create a more diverse and inclusive climate at the University. Members of the workgroup will create an institutional diversity strategy and align it with the Vision and Mission contained in the University’s new Academic Strategic Plan.

The members of the workgroup include:

• Francine D’Amico, associate professor, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, co-chair
• Barry L. Wells, special assistant to the Chancellor, co-chair
• Keith A. Alford, associate professor, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• Justin Bachman, student, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Shobha Bhatia, Meredith Professor, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Tammy Bluewolf Kennedy, admissions counselor, Office of Admissions
• Harriet Brown, associate professor, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Pedro Castro, historically black church chaplain, Office of Student Affairs/Hendricks Chapel
• Lily Deer, student, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Keith DiBello, patrol sergeant, Department of Public Safety
• Tiffany M. Gray, interim director, LGBT Resource Center
• Aaron Hodukavich, ADA coordinator
• Jane Hong, student, vice president of Student Association, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Nithin Katragadda, graduate student, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Paula MacDonald, associate director, organizational development and training, Human Resources
• Suzette Melendez, lecturer and director of Children’s Rights and Family Law Clinic, College of Law
• Cathryn R. Newton, Provost’s Faculty Fellow and dean emerita, College of Arts and Sciences
• Mara Sapon-Sevin, professor, School of Education
• Jordan Shelby West, graduate student, School of Education
• Alex Umstead, graduate student, School of Education
• Chante Williams, student, College of Arts and Sciences
• Bea González, dean, University College, and special assistant to the Chancellor, ex officio
• Sheila Johnson-Willis, interim chief, Equal Opportunity and Title IX Officer, ex officio

The inaugural meeting of the workgroup will take place next week. Nominees not selected to serve on the workgroup can expect to be contacted to share ideas and provide feedback. The new workgroup will mirror in structure and scope the successful Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy the Chancellor created last fall.