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Diversity Council
In 2005, President Zaccari established the Diversity Council to explore the issues involving diversity and American Universities. The council was created to offer a voice for every component of our university community including staff, students, plant operations, faculty and administration. Dr. Zaccari's vision was to foster a dialogue regarding how we at VSU address diversity and how we can continue to advance our efforts. One of the challenges given to the committee was to explore new avenues that will keep VSU competitive in the global marketplace. The exploration of cultural diversity competency became the focus of the council's meetings. The discussions included consultants and the administration and set the foundations for future work in terms of open communication, intellectual inquisitiveness and equity of human value.
Under the guidance of Maggie Viverette, Director of Equal Opportunity Programs & Multicultural Affairs, the council became dedicated to advancing cultural competency through research. The research included an examination of academic components, diversity training and research into current governmental/legal dicussions involving diversity issues. The uniqueness of the council, in terms of its many voices, created a multidiscipline approach. Each person brought his/her expertise to the discussion, which led to the exploration of multiple perspectives. During this time, the university adopted the strategic plan, including the diversity initiative. The efforts of the council were then directed to establishing ways to implement the initiative. The first step in completing this goal is the Diversity Audit.
“Achieving Excellence through Diversity”