As a member of the IUP community (faculty, staff, student) you are encouraged to volunteer to participate on a subcommittee of the President's Commission on Diversity and Inclusion.

The commission is a 17-member group formed in October 2016 by President Driscoll which is tasked with recommending action steps that align with the University Strategic Plan, are high impact, and reflect best practices across the nation. These recommendations will comprise a Diversity Action Plan. Following the development of this plan, the commission, in collaboration with appropriate university entities (including the University Planning Council), will monitor and assess the implementation of these action steps.

The commission's approach in this, its first year, is to lead subcommittees that will discuss, analyze, and develop recommendations that address six identified areas of focus. All IUP students, faculty, staff, and administrators are invited to express their interest in serving on one of the following subcommittees:

  1. Nurturing an Accepting Climate with Focus on University Response to Acts of Intolerance and Exclusion

  2. Promoting Intergroup Communications and Coordination

  3. Examining the Financial, Spatial, and Human Resources Committed to Diversity and Inclusion

  4. Examining Retention and Support Services for Recruitment and Retention of Our Diverse Students

  5. Examining Retention and Support Services for Recruitment and Retention of Our Diverse Faculty and Staff

  6. Enhancing and Supporting Professional Development for Faculty and Staff, and Promoting Diversity Awareness

To express your interest in serving on a sub-committee, please e-mail Debbie Butler, administrative assistant, Multicultural Affairs and Student Success, at debutler@iup.edu by Friday, February 3. In your message, please indicate which focus area(s) from the above list you have the greatest interest in serving on. We urge you to identify one or more areas, and, if you do so, please let us know your first, second, or third preference.

As President Driscoll has stated, “there is no more important task than ensuring that IUP is a place where we can all feel welcome to learn, work, and live.” Please join the President's Commission on Diversity and Inclusion in this important work by volunteering to serve on a subcommittee.

We will, of course, be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Very sincerely yours,

Yaw Asamoah and Kate Linder
Cochairs, President's Commission on Diversity and Inclusion