Following the issuance of demands by a student group at Missouri State University, MSU’s president, Clif Smart, and MSU Board of Governor chair, Steve Hoven, have issued a statement they say, “underscores our commitment to diversity.” In the statement, issued today, they outline what they call “the university’s continued path toward inclusive excellence.”
They acknowledge that the university has not been immune to racist incidents. But they say, when university officials have become aware of such an incident, they’ve “responded quickly, publicly denounced the incident, increased our focus on diversity education and added opportunities for the difficult conversations in the wake of the incident.” Despite that, Smart and Hoven say they recognize that “we all must do more to represent and serve all our students.”
A group of MSU students presented a signed document to university officials November 17 calling for acknowledgement and action on a number of issues.
Much of the document calls for details and action items related to the Diversity Center and Multicultural Services.
In the document, students say the move of Multicultural Services from the Division for Diversity and Inclusion (DDI) to the Division of Student Affairs has resulted in “negligence toward the concerns and needs of minority students by ill equipped faculty.”
In the statement released today, Smart and Hoven explain the reason for the move. They say when Multicultural Services was moved under DDI in 2011, personnel conflicts began to emerge. According to the statement, “following multiple management issues that were brought to the attention of the Board of Governors, an internal evaluation was initiated. It became apparent that student programming, which includes day-to-day tactical activities, was not being well served in a division that exists to serve the University in a strategic capacity.”
Smart and Hoven say they wanted staff and students who are responsible for diversity-related programming to work alongside those responsible for programming in the student union and residence halls. According to the statement, “not only does that provide an opportunity for greater synergy among programming entities, it also keeps programming silos from occurring. From a peer perspective, it aligns with the organizational structure utilized among universities across the United States.”
They say the relocation has diminished the personnel issues that existed in diversity and inclusion.
In an earlier interview with KSMU, Nomachot Adiang, one of the students who issued the list of demands, said, "people don’t even know about the change. They don’t even know their relationship to the vice president, they don’t even know who the assistant vice president is, who the director answers to. So it’s basically the idea like they can move these things around, they don’t even tell students, and the whole multicultural programs gets overlooked.”
The students say that new oversight of the office could threaten the care and attention Multicultural Services needs, including funding.
Another demand by students is that Dominiece Hoelyfield, the assistant director and coordinator of LGBT services at MSU, be named interim director of the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), replacing Francine Pratt who recently resigned. The university announced today that Dr. TaJuan Wilson, not Hoelyfield, will take over the position until a nationwide search for a permanent replacement is over.
The statement gives an overview of the new planned annex for the Multicultural Resource Center in Freudenberger House. They say MRC will remain in the Plaster Student Union, but the annex will provide more space for underrepresented students and student groups.
Students will be able to discuss the Annex, today (12/1) at 4 p.m. in Meyer Library, Room 101. Issues raised will be space usage and opportunities for naming and overall appearance. Dr. Dee Siscoe, vice president for student affairs, and other administrators will answer questions and receive input on the plans.
One of the demands of the students is “an increase in ethnically diverse staff and students that accurately reflects our nation’s demographics within the next five years.”
In the statement issued today, Smart and Hoven say they have “achieved steady growth” in the expansion of the under-represented student population on campus. They say they’ve “responded to the challenges in attracting faculty and staff by adding hiring incentives and implementing specific goals.”
They say creating and sustaining an environment of inclusiveness where everyone on campus feels safe and welcome is an ongoing challenge. But they say it continues to be a priority.
Missouri State students who would like to present their views on diversity and free speech issues at the next Board of Governors meeting December 11 at 9 am should sign up at the president’s office in Carrington 201 by Friday (12/4).
Efforts to reach members of the student group that issued the demands were unsuccessful Tuesday.
