University Schedules Summit to Examine Benefits of Diversity

The University of Mississippi new Division of Diversity and Community Engagement invites the university community to its first public discussion March 8.
The division’s inaugural event, the “Diversity Summit: Making the Case for Diversity” begins at 8 a.m. at The Inn at Ole Miss. To register for the event, visit https://goo.gl/PBrEMR.
“This summit is an open discussion with guest speakers addressing the benefits of diversity and inclusion for organizations,” said Katrina Caldwell, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement. “We will also address contemporary issues in higher education and have a facilitated community conversation about campus climate.”
Scott E. Page, the Leonid Hurwicz Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems, Political Science and Economics at the University of Michigan, will deliver the keynote address. His topic will cover the importance of diversity and inclusion for organizations.
Kevin McDonald, vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity at the University of Missouri, will talk about contemporary issues in higher education. Specifically, he will discuss how his university has addressed issues related to diversity, inclusion and campus climate, and share lessons learned and future directions for higher education.
McDonald and Page will participate in a panel discussion, moderated by Caldwell. Shawnboda Mead, director of the UM Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement, will facilitate a closing dialogue about the campus climate.
Page also has been director of the Center for the Study of Complex Systems at the University of Michigan and an external faculty member at the Santa Fe Institute.
He is the author of three books, including “The Diversity Bonus: How Great Teams Pay Off in the Knowledge Economy” (Princeton University Press, 2017) and “The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools and Societies” (Princeton University Press, 2008). He also has written several journal articles and filmed a video course on “Understanding Complexity.”
McDonald is also the Missouri System’s first-ever chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. He previously held similar positions at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Virginia Tech, John Hopkins University and the University of Maryland in College Park.
Hired as UM’s inaugural vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement in 2017, Caldwell’s responsibilities include leading the university’s efforts to create and maintain a diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of the community. She is working to create a structure that encourages community engagement, develops partnerships to assist transformation, and identifies and supports target areas to maximize the university’s influence.
For more information, contact Tanya Nichols, project manager for the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, at tanya.nichols@olemiss.edu.

By Edwin B. Smith
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