New website highlights diversity programming, insights

12:39 p.m., Nov. 5, 2015--Meaningful progress is being made toward helping the University of Delaware define and implement its official diversity plans, Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity, announced at the Nov. 2 Faculty Senate meeting. 

The vice provost has developed a “diversity blueprint” and also led an open diversity forum —along with the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Center for the Study of Diversity — on Nov. 2 for members of the campus community to learn about and discuss the collaborative effort necessary for successful diversity practice at UD. 

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Henderson also announced another significant milestone for her office: a new diversity website. 

She said the website will be a key resource to help her office facilitate “sharing information and learning from each other across the campus community” as the University’s diversity programming, insights and practices evolve. Additional features will be gradually introduced to the new website. 

“Our goal is to help the University of Delaware build a strong and clear diversity practice. However, it is an undertaking in which we all must take part and a shared responsibility for which we all must be held accountable,” explained Henderson. 

“We have a lot of work to do in living up to the aspirations of our strategic plan concerning diversity and inclusion,” she said. “Our new website will be one of the key resources to help us tell our story and ensure that we are moving in the right direction.”

In addition to demonstrating the alignments between the Office of Diversity and Delaware Will Shine, the vice provost also hopes the website can be a tool in acquiring real-time feedback from the campus community.

“Diversity and inclusion are not mere platitudes: They are essential to our success — on campus, in the classroom, in research and in being a global leader,” noted Henderson. “We want to hear from students, faculty, staff and the community at large,” she said.

“The role of our office is not to take on this awesome charge unilaterally. Instead, we are here to be a partner, to help people understand the importance of these values and to assist us in implementing diversity and inclusion into everything we do.”

Comments on the new website and other diversity topics are welcomed by Henderson at vpd@udel.edu.