ONLINE: Building a More Inclusive Campus

press release: Stream at the WAA YouTube channel.

Issues of access, affordability, and diversity have been central to higher education policy for decades. Given the evidence on the lifetime value of college degrees, expanding access to higher education is vital for an equitable society. However, improving diversity and inclusivity on American college campuses has been an ongoing challenge, especially in the upper Midwest. While access and diversity have improved over time with resources and effort, there is still work to be done. How do these issues affect research, teaching, and student life at UW–Madison today? What progress has been made and what are the current challenges and opportunities we see on campus? What can we do as UW alumni and friends to create a richer, more equitable university experience for all?

Join fellow UW alumni and friends online for a livestream and Q & A with a panel of UW leaders who will discuss what the university and alumni community are doing about these issues. The talk will be moderated by Mike Knetter, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

Patricia Devine is the Kenneth and Mamie Clark Professor of Psychology at UW–Madison. She was also the chair of the department from 2009–14. Her work focuses on how people manage the challenges associated with prejudice in our contemporary society, particularly as they impact relationships between individuals, communities, and within the self. Along with Colleen Halliday of the Medical University of South Carolina, Devine was recently awarded a research grant to determine whether the racial achievement gap among students may be reduced through teacher training to address unconscious racial bias.

Cheryl Gittens is the interim chief diversity officer and assistant vice provost in UW–Madison’s Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement. Since joining the UW in 2017, she has successfully planned, implemented, and managed programs and services such as the Center for Educational Opportunity (CeO), the Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE), the McNair Scholars Program, and the Academic Coaching and Tutoring Service, as well as other efforts to realize the institutional mission toward a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive campus. Previously, she served as the vice president of education and chief academic officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.

Eric Wilcots is the dean of the College of Letters & Science. As the chief academic and executive officer of the college, he shapes its instructional, research, and outreach environment. Previously, he served as deputy dean, during which time he oversaw the college’s efforts on a wide range of initiatives, including inclusivity/diversity. Wilcots is also the Mary C. Jacoby Professor in the Department of Astronomy and was the department chair from 2005–08. He has won two teaching awards during his time at UW–Madison, including the Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Teaching Award, and is dedicated to promoting outreach and the Wisconsin Idea.

A recording of this livestream will be available on uwalumni.com after the event.

Speakers and schedule are subject to change.

This event is hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Association^®.