Senate Document Number 5100S
Date of Senate Approval 4/13/00
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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:
Sense of the Senate Resolution endorsing the revised plan of action outlined in the Role of the Executive Commission for Minority Affairs proposal. The proposal follows:
EXECUTIVE COMMISSION FOR MINORITY AFFAIRS
PROPOSAL
The Role of the Executive Commission for Minority Affairs
Based on its charge (SD0286), the Commission proposes the following role in support of the Chancellor's diversity initiative, and in its relationships with SACS Self-Study Committees, and with the new Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs.I. Encouraging and facilitating the diversity dialogue at UNCA by continuing to organize public forums on diversity.
II. Engage a Campus conversation on cultural literacy and diversity in the curriculum.
III. Conducting a climate study of diversity of UNCA.
IV. Supporting the Chancellor's diversity initiative by:
1. The Executive Commission for Minority Affairs will act in a consultative capacity to the Chancellor task forces. This could be achieved through representation of the commission on each of the Chancellor's task forces. (Using the current members of the commission who are also members of the task forces.)
2. Formalizing the role of those members as liaisons between the commission and their individual committees and sub-committees. Those members:
a) Would articulate the concerns of the Minority Affairs Commission pertaining to the issues of each task force.
b) Would report to the Minority Affairs Commission about the progress and other developments in each of the task forces.
c) Would report to the Commission the final reports of their individual task forces.
3. After the completion of task forces report, the Commission would work with the Chancellor in a consulting capacity regarding prioritizing and integrating the reports of the task forces.4. The Commission will then report to the Faculty Senate its final proposals and recommend necessary policy changes, as the Chancellor makes his recommendations to the Trustees.
V. Connecting and integrating the Diversity Committees proposals with those of SACS Self -Study Committees proposals:1. The Commission will act in a consultative capacity to the Enhancement Committees of SACS, including the General Education Committee. (Using members of the Commission who are also members of the Enhancement Committees of SACS.)
2. Formalize the roles of the members of the Enhancement Committees who are also members of the Commission to act as liaisons of the Commission.
3. The Commission, for instance, will act in a consultative capacity to the General Education Review Committee of SACS:
a) The Chair of the Commission is a member of the advisory group for the General Education Review Committee.
b) Formalize the roles of the member(s) of the Commission who are also members of the General Education Review Committee to act as liaisons of the Commission.
c) Integrate the proposals of the Diversity sub-Committee on Diversity and Cultural Literacy in the Curriculum with those of the General Education Review Committee.
VI. Supporting the Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs by:
1. Acting in a consultative capacity to the director of Minority and Diversity Affairs to develop policies that promote diversity.
2. Participate in the monitoring and assessment of diversity efforts.
3. Participate in the position search for the Director. (If the Search Committee has already been changed, then formalize the roles of members of the Commission who are also members of the Search Committee to act as Commission liaisons in the search process.)
4. While the commission would carry out the legislative role regarding issues of diversity (The Commission makes policy recommendations to the Faculty Senate), the Director would carry out executive role (The Director makes recommendations to the Chancellor.)
Rationale:
I. The Executive Commission for Minority Affairs is the permanent,
standing committee of the university. The Diversity Committee and sub-Committees are one-year task forces. Thus the Commission sees that part
of its role is to oversee the implementation of the proposals of the
Diversity Committee and sub-Committees, as well as assess diversity
efforts regularly.
II. The Executive Commission for Minority Affairs sees that we should take advantage of the time coincidence of the Chancellor's diversity initiative with SACS Self-Study and integrate the proposals of the Diversity Committee with those of the Enhancement Committees of SACS.
III. The Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs was established based on the Executive Commission for Minority Affairs Proposal for Campus Diversity approved by the Senate in May 1999. The Commission, thus, sees itself as the consulting body and advisory group of the Director of Minority and Diversity Affairs.