CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — An external review team that assessed the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s progress in meeting its diversity and inclusion goals released its findings today.
The group’s recommendations include the creation of a cabinet-level vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion as part of a movement toward a more centralized organizational structure of diversity efforts that would better align institutional goals with outcomes.
The team was on campus for two days in February, conducting 27 meetings with a variety of committees dedicated to enhancing diversity on campus, as well as reviewing 25 “self-study” reports created at the request of Chancellor Robert Jones.
“We were fortunate to benefit from the perspectives of this outstanding team of experts, and the team made note of the open and forthright nature of its conversations with groups and individuals throughout our campus community,” Jones said. “It’s clear that we have a gap to close, and this report identifies tangible actions that will move us closer to our shared vision.”
The review team consists of Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo, a professor of education at Northern New Mexico College; Archie Ervin, the vice president and chief diversity officer, Office of Institute Diversity at Georgia Institute of Technology; Paulette Granberry Russell, the senior advisor to the president and the director of the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives at Michigan State University; and D. Craig Taylor, the executive director of the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development for the city of Minneapolis.
