Indiana University Establishes New Center to Foster Advances in Diversity
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.
Indiana University President Adam W. Herbert on Feb. 7 announced the establishment of a new Center on Diversity that will maximize IU’s chances to improve the level of its diversity efforts across the board, without usurping the authority of administrative offices and programming bodies that already exist.
Funding for the new center will come from a combination of institutional resources, user fees for services and external grants from private foundations and corporations. The center will be directed by Dr. Charlie Nelms, IU vice president for institutional development and student affairs.
Key goals of the center will include:
In announcing the new center, Herbert and Nelms noted that IU has a uniquely distinguished history of diversity among public institutions. Under the leadership of former IU President Herman B Wells in the mid-20th century, IU was transformed from an all-White institution to a national pioneer of diversity.
IU was the first Big Ten University to desegregate its athletic teams, residence halls, student union and to a certain extent, its faculty. IU was an important destination for Black students seeking graduate education through cooperative programs with Southern states, which would not allow Blacks to attend White universities in their home areas. In 2002, Herbert became the university’s first African-American president.
