Members of the University of Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity issued 10 preliminary recommendations today designed to enhance diversity at the Boulder campus. Its unanimous vote came at the end of a full-day meeting of the commission in the University Memorial Center at CU-Boulder.
The recommendations are preliminary and other recommendations may follow as the result of scheduled meetings at the Colorado Springs and Denver campuses. The commission will meet at the other CU campuses this spring, at the CU-Denver and Health Sciences Center campus on March 4 and at CU-Colorado Springs on April 7. The final report for the CU-Boulder portion is expected in early March (see expected timeline below).
The 59-member Blue Ribbon Commission was appointed by University of Colorado President Hank Brown.
1. Can't possibly rank programs - but should be supported - including additional funding.
2. The highest leadership of the university must express a highly public and unequivocal support for diversity and inclusion at the University of Colorado.
3. Devise strategies to specifically address the barrier that the 103 index standard by the CCHE and also the relatively low percentage of students of color that utilize the window expanding the "103" index. 66 African American students out of 5000 new students is unacceptable.
4. Recommend mandatory diversity training for administration, faculty and staff
5. Recommend mandatory training for students at the beginning of their academic career
6. Need to engage Boulder city and entire community (chambers, etc.) with the University of Colorado to build bridges to enhance diversity and inclusion at the University - also building bridges with communities of color in Boulder and UCB
7. Can't be a one day meeting - needs to be re-evaluated - continuous basis - every 6 months - at some set duration
8. Addressing the issue of accountability of administration, faculty and staff and students - need for better metrics around evaluation and funding and finances of 1.7 billion dollar system
9. Strengthening the educational pipeline is a K-16 issue not solely that of higher education
10. Benchmarking with industries that have a history of success and lessons learned and include other educational institutions
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
Expected Timeline
Jan. 21, 2006
Following is the expected timeline for development of the Boulder campus portion of the Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission to Boulder Campus Interim Chancellor Phil DiStefano and CU President Hank Brown.
This expected timeline does not constitute a list of deadlines for completion of the report. However, it may serve to guide the Commission, the Chancellor and the staff on expected dates for completion of the Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission (Boulder campus portion).
Expected Timeline:
o Jan. 21, 2006: Boulder campus meeting of the Blue Ribbon Commission
Following morning sessions, lunch and small-group discussions, the Commission will reconvene at 3:15 p.m. in the Main Ballroom. Spokespersons for each group (6 total) will present summaries of their discussions. Notes from the small-group sessions and the morning sessions will be provided to the Office of Diversity and Equity. Evaluation forms also will be gathered by ODE staff.
o About Feb. 6, 2006: Draft Report completed
Within two weeks after the Jan. 21 meeting, the Office of Diversity and Equity is expected to compile the Draft Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission (CU-Boulder section). The Draft Report will be completed on or about Feb. 6. The Draft Report will be mailed to members of the Commission and provided to the news media.
o About Feb. 15, 2006: Commission comments on Draft Report received
Members of the Commission are asked to respond and return comments to the Office of Diversity and Equity within one week of receiving the Draft Report. On or about Feb. 15, the Office of Diversity and Equity will have received comments from Commission members and will begin work on the Final Report.
o About March 1, 2006: Final Report completed
About March 1, the Final Report will be delivered to Boulder Campus Interim Chancellor Phil DiStefano, President Hank Brown, members of the Commission, and members of the news media. The Final Report will be posted on the CU-Boulder web site and the CU system web site.
o About May 1, 2006: Chancellor's Response completed
About May 1, Interim Chancellor Phil DiStefano will issue a response to the Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission. The response will be made available to the news media and posted on the campus and system web sites.