The University of Oregon's Office of Equity and Inclusion has begun discussions with individuals and organizations – on- and off-campus – about creating positive changes in the UO’s equity, inclusion and diversity behaviors and policies.

The discussion continues on Thursday, Oct. 31, when OEI hosts a “Breakfast for Diversity Champions” with UO President Michael Gottfredson and OEI expert-in-residence A.T. Miller, an associate vice provost at Cornell University. The event is from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Ford Alumni Center.

All are encouraged to attend and must RSVP by Monday, Oct. 28, to vpinclusion@uoregon.edu

President Gottredson will welcome attendees and lay out his vision for increasing equity, inclusion and diversity on the UO campus. Miller will provide an overview of Cornell's recent diversity work, which is one of the models that will serve as a guide for the UO.

Miller has written extensively on multiculturalism and diversity, and is one of the chief strategists of Cornell’s diversity work – which has received national attention for its comprehensive and strategic framework. He served as faculty director of the Center for Global and Intercultural Study and coordinator of multicultural teaching and learning at the University of Michigan from 2000 to 2011 and was director of Africana studies at Union College from 1992 to 2000.

The UO's Office of Equity and Inclusion is working to engage as many voices as possible. At lunch meetings held on Oct. 17 and 24, members of campus and community organizations had opportunities to give input into the initial phases of crafting strategic outcomes. About 200 attendees offered a variety of positive approaches for making equity, inclusion and diversity more commonplace at the UO.

The Breakfast of Diversity Champions is the next step in a process that will include additional conversations over the next several months.

 - from the Office of Equity and Inclusion