Institutional Strategy, Historical Context, and Personal Reflections on Diversity at the University of Kentucky
Institutional Progress and Financial Commitment to Diversity
Scholarship Funding Expansion: Within the last seven years, the University of Kentucky (UK) has more than doubled the financial support allocated for diversity scholarships.
Graduation Milestones for African American Students: - For the first time in the history of the university, UK graduated more African American students than any other university within the state of Kentucky. - The majority of the growth observed in the number of African American graduates across the entire state of Kentucky over the last years can be attributed directly to the University of Kentucky.
Defining Success: The speaker acknowledges that institutional success in diversity is never "entirely successful" and must be treated as an ongoing assumption and iterative process every year.
Strategies for Faculty Recruitment and Professional Development
Administrative Incentives: The Provost's Office operates incentive funding programs specifically designed for departments to recruit more diverse faculty members.
Research Support and Startup Packages: - The Vice President for Research has allocated significant funding, totaling in the , to support these efforts. - These funds are used to create robust "startup packages" that accompany faculty recruitment efforts initiated by the Provost's Office.
Diversity Training and Bias Mitigation: - The university launched an "implicit bias training exercise." - This training is integrated into UK 101 (an introductory course) and is also required for employees. - While not viewed as a "panacea," the training is intended to bring employees from diverse backgrounds and different departments together to foster conversation and mutual understanding.
Personal and Historical Perspectives on Diversity
Evolving Definitions of Diversity: The speaker's personal definition of diversity is not static; it is a depth of understanding that continuously evolves. It is anchored in "common humanity" and responsibilities such as respect, courtesy, and understanding.
Historical Evolution of Campus Demographics: - Historically, the university was founded on virtues of respect and civility, but the population to which those virtues were extended was initially limited to white males. - The definition of inclusion expanded significantly when women were admitted. - The expansion continued with the admission of people of color and now includes a global population from all over the world. - Adapting to these changes requires taking in new information and understanding the unique differences across people to live out foundational virtues.
Challenges Facing Underrepresented Minority Groups
Multifaceted Factors: There is no single factor that determines a student's success; challenges are complex and individualized.
Quantitative and Qualitative Needs: - Financial Need: Unmet financial need remains a significant barrier for many students. - Emotional and Mental Health: Students today face more emotional challenges than in the past. This may be due to increased societal honesty about mental health, environmental factors, or the specific communities in which they were raised.
The Danger of Stereotyping: The speaker emphasizes the importance of graduating students "one at a time," treating them as individuals rather than succumbing to stereotypes that undermine mutual understanding.
The Role of Historical Context: Successfully supporting underrepresented minorities requires a "fuller understanding of history."
Historical Reflections and the Legacy of Injustice
Montgomery, Alabama Visit: The speaker reflected on a visit to their hometown, where they visited a new national museum and memorial focused on Slavery and Freedom (The Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice).
Key Historical Realsim: - From the post-Civil War era until the s, approximately individuals (implied victims of terror/lynching) were impacted across the South. - These histories involve the traumatic separation of children from parents and husbands from wives. - Rights promised by post-Civil War amendments were often systematically taken away through terror.
Memorialization and Contrast: - There is a specific "Kentucky section" in the memorial where each name on a county symbol represents a story that echoes through the community. - The speaker noted the vast disparity in public memorials: while there are hundreds of Civil War statues throughout the South, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice contains the first significant memorial to enslaved people.
Systemic Injustice: The museum also draws a line from slavery to "mass incarceration," highlighting historical and ongoing injustices within the legal and penal systems that have yet to be fully reconciled.
Institutional Culture, Sense of Place, and LGBTQ Support
The Office for LGBTQ Resources: The establishment of this office is cited as a key success. The personnel lead diversity efforts in broad, insightful ways that contribute holistically to the campus.
Measuring Progress: While implicit biases are hard to measure, the university uses "proxies" for progress.
Work-Life Survey: Results from the university’s Work-Life survey regarding "community and belonging" have shown steady improvement.
Sense of Place as Home and Family: The speaker defines a "sense of place" through the concepts of home and family. Strengthening the institution means doing the work required to make it a "second home" where people want to invest their "heart, soul, and time."
The Intersection of Diversity and Academic Excellence
Historical Context of the Land-Grant Institution: In , education was often restricted, but the land-grant mission opened doors to the "common man." This principle of equality was the foundation for later admitting women and people of color.
Excellence through Expansion: The speaker rejects the idea that diversity conflicts with excellence. Instead, the contributions of diverse groups have expanded collective understanding and institutional capability.
Global Collaboration in Science: - Modern excellence requires partnership rather than isolation. - Case Study: Carbon Capture: UK experts in carbon capture travel to and collaborate with scientists in China and India. - While these nations are competitors, they are also essential collaborators in addressing global challenges like clean air. Excellence is defined by recognizing that technological advancement is a global endeavor.
The Role of Higher Education in Social Justice and Student Growth
The 21st Century Challenge: Referencing W.E.B. Du Bois, the speaker notes that the "challenge of the twentieth century is the color line," and observes that this remains the defining challenge of the twenty-first century.
Intellectual vs. Physical Safety: - Universities must provide "safe spaces" regarding physical safety and emotional support. - However, these spaces should not protect students from "difficult discussions." - Education should involve feeling "uncomfortable" in the classroom or in situations that challenge the student's perspectives.
Educational Maturity: Students are at the university for a finite time; the goal is to equip them to handle the complex challenges of the modern world upon graduation.
Personal Recommendations for Expanding Cultural Competence
The Value of Academic Exposure: The speaker notes that taking an African American History course nearly years ago was one of their most impactful college experiences. It introduced them to literature, music, and art forms for which they previously had no "receptors."
Experiential Learning: The speaker engages in "experiential learning" by attending religious services of faiths different from their own.
Practical Advice for Students and Staff: - Use "social spaces" such as the social staircases in the Gatton Student Center and the Gatton College of Business. - In dining facilities, the speaker recommends sitting at a table with strangers—particularly those who seem different from oneself—and simply asking, "What's your story?"
Questions & Discussion
Question: "What is your personal definition of diversity?" - Response: The speaker views it as a continuously evolving understanding of common humanity and shared responsibilities (respect, courtesy, understanding) set against a changing historical context.
Question: "In your experience, what are the challenges faced by members of historically underrepresented groups in successfully completing their education?" - Response: The speaker identifies a lack of a single factor, citing financial need, emotional challenges, and the weight of historical injustices as primary barriers that must be addressed individually.
Question: "What does it mean to you for an institution of higher learning to have a commitment to diversity?" - Response: It means accepting the responsibility to work through unresolved social issues, providing a space for both physical safety and intellectual challenge, and preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century.
Question: "Sometimes there’s a belief that a commitment to diversity conflicts with a commitment to excellence… How would you describe the relationship?" - Response: The speaker argues they are inextricably linked; the inclusion of diverse groups has historically made the university more excellent and is vital for modern global scientific collaboration.
Question: "What do you recommend for others who are seeking to expand their own knowledge or understanding about diversity? How have you applied your own learning in the way that you live your life?" - Response: The speaker recommends academic study of other cultures, experiential learning through attending different religious services, and simple, direct engagement with others in communal spaces like dining halls.