Dear UConn Community,
As we begin this new academic year, we are excited to welcome both new and returning Huskies to our campuses. Our unified goal is for every student, faculty, and staff member to feel a sense of belonging and to continue to build a community of care that reflects UConn Nation. With this commitment in mind, we are writing to share important updates regarding UConn’s cultural centers and programs and the Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI).
At a time when many institutions are scaling back their services to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are committed to taking deliberate steps to strengthen ours. These changes align with one of the key pillars of our strategic plan: continuing to build a stronger, more inclusive university. By doing so, we are actively working to enhance our support for our entire UConn community.
Reporting Change of Cultural Centers and Programs to the Division of Academic Affairs
Our cultural centers and programs including the African American Cultural Center, Asian American Cultural Center, Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center, Rainbow Center, Women’s Center, Native American Cultural Programs and Middle Eastern Cultural Programs, previously under the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, will now report to the Division of Academic Affairs under the leadership of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Student Success, Dr. Tadarrayl Starke. This change is a homecoming of sorts, as the cultural centers and programs have deep roots at UConn, and for a number of years resided under the Provost’s Office.
This strategic change underscores our continued commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our students. By integrating the cultural centers and programs with the Division of Academic Affairs, we are expanding our capacity to support these vital resources and strengthening their connections with academic and student success units. We are also prioritizing a renewed focus on connecting our cultural centers and programs to our regional campuses, fostering a sense of belonging for all students across campuses.
The cultural centers and programs will continue to maintain a strong dotted line reporting relationship with the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). The CDO will collaborate closely with the Provost’s Office to ensure that our cultural centers and programs continue to thrive, and that holistic and equitable student success remains a central priority.
Redefining the Office for Diversity and Inclusion
Under the leadership of Interim CDO Jeffrey Hines, ODI will focus on advocating for equity and inclusion, education, and fostering a sense of belonging across all university units for faculty, staff, and students. ODI will continue to work collaboratively with academic departments and administrative units to develop strategic plans and frameworks to advance our diversity initiatives and will continue to create and implement training and education programs. ODI will maintain a close partnership with the cultural centers and programs in working with both the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Student Success and Vice Provost for Graduate Education to support DEI initiatives for both undergraduate and graduate students.
It is also important to distinguish ODI’s functions from those of the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE). While ODI focuses on advocacy, education, and training, OIE oversees compliance with state and federal equal opportunity and civil rights laws and administers the university’s non-discrimination policies. While their functions differ, ODI and OIE work together to support our university community in myriad ways and both are imperative to our ability to function as a large public university and a diverse and inclusive workplace for thousands of employees.
Our Path Forward
The cultural centers and programs reporting line changes are in effect as of today, and we will be spending the next several months working through this transition together. To this effect, we will host a Community Conversation in the Rainbow Center in Storrs on September 5, 2024, from 10:00am – 12:00pm. Please join us if you are available to discuss our collective path forward.
We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the dedication and passion of the directors and staff of the cultural centers and programs who work tirelessly to foster and maintain a place of belonging for our students, staff, and faculty in a constantly evolving world. We are excited about the opportunities that are ahead of us and our ability to lean into this important work.
Sincerely,
Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Jeffrey Hines, M.D.
Interim Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, University of Connecticut
Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health