The 2010 Campus Diversity Forum, ""Cultivating Excellence: Nurturing the Seeds of Success,"" featured presentations from faculty and guest speakers, as well as panel discussions on diversity at the Memorial Union Thursday.
The day's events kicked off with speeches from campus diversity faculty members and forum keynote speaker, attorney Arthur Coleman.
""Our meeting here today is a mechanism of reinforcing, expanding and focusing on [campus diversity programs'] various activities,"" provost Paul DeLuca said in his opening remarks.
DeLuca's introduction was followed by presentations from system Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Vicki Washington and vice provost Damon Williams, who spoke on the necessity of organizing the university system around a philosophy of ""inclusive excellence.""
Keynote speaker Coleman sought to round out the campus diversity discussion by looking at the importance of a big-picture perspective that takes into account national trends.
""For every 100 low-income students, 65 graduate high school, 41 enroll in college, and 11 graduate,"" Coleman said. ""We've got work to do.""
Coleman also hosted a panel discussion on judicial law and public opinion.
Other panels included a discussion on diversity, gender and leadership from the Outstanding Women of Color; a dialogue addressing racial disparities in L&S by professor Judith Burstyn; and a Go Big Read panel discussion about this year's campus selection, ""The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.""
The main panel was a collaborative discussion bringing several cross-campus committees together for the first time. These included LGBT, accessibility, diversity and women's groups.
In his address, Williams said he regretted class-schedule conflicts that prevented many students from attending the event and adding their important voices to the conversation.
Saengthong Douangdara, a senior with the Center for Academic Excellence, said the importance of the student voice is to ""really mold"" what the diversity programs are doing.
""We are directly involved with other students and directly involved with campus,"" Douangdara said. ""We can communicate and show others what we're doing.""
Williams said he hopes to encourage student involvement through his ""Town Hall on Diversity,"" an event planned for later this semester.
