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We have a
responsibility to respond to this closeness of experiences with other
ways of being and thinking. As
a university whose mission includes educating students who are able to
be productive and competent in a chosen career, it must be our mission
to prepare them to understand their role as productive world citizens as
well—even if the first allegiance of citizenry is to the Recognizing this challenge to include respect for differences in being and ideas, our President, Dr. James E. Cofer, formed The ULM Diversity Committee in November 2003. The committee was charged by Dr. Cofer to find ways to increase the appreciation for diversity among the student body, faculty, and staff. Dr. Cofer’s progressive and cutting edge approach to putting students first includes his recognition and commitment to challenging the entire ULM community to further develop tolerance and respect for diversity of being and ideas. This commitment is an important facet to his progressive university management overall —signs of which are visible everywhere, from a constantly improving campus environment to improved communications—and all with an eye on, as President Cofer states repeatedly, students first. Toward this aim, not only the Diversity Committee is charged with enhancing the ability of our students to learn tolerance, but other activities are occurring as a testament to this important awareness—such as the recent campus wide faculty and staff diversity training. This training was comprehensive and conducted by the ULM Human Resources Department, independent of the Diversity Committee! The Committee was
formed with persons from throughout the university and included a
community representative. A
concerted effort was made to build a committee that would be
representative of campus demographics.
Members developed a
mission and charge to build recognition of and appreciation for
differences throughout The ULM Diversity
Committee’s mission is “to seek to create an environment which
promotes behaviors that show acknowledgement of and respect and
appreciation for diversity on the The committee is chaired by Dr. John A. Knesel, appointed by Dr. Cofer at its creation. The membership includes: Robin Evans and Justin
Roy, both from University Planning and Analysis, created a website for
the Diversity Committee which will be fully live this academic year.
It will seek to coordinate all known student, faculty, and staff
activities which promote in a variety of ways the diversity on the |
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