Board of Regents approves diversity task force

The CU Board of Regents on Wednesday voted to establish a diversity task force by March 15 led by Kathy Nesbitt, vice president of administration, to initially home in on two areas: diversity among faculty and diversity of thought.

The motion, presented by Regent John Carson, R-Highlands Ranch, was approved by eight regents with Regent Irene Griego, D-Lakewood, abstaining. Griego said she was concerned that focusing on only two areas limited the task force’s effectiveness.

“I think it would be important for us to assess what two areas are the most important as we go through this process,” Griego said. “Just picking two random areas concerns me. This is something that’s very dear to me that I’d like to be able to support it.”

Griego recommended determining the focus after evaluating the climate survey planned for spring, which might give greater insight on the areas of need.

Carson said he didn’t care how many areas the task force focused on.

“If people wanted to study different topics, amend my motion. If you want three, pick three,” Carson said. “The one I want is diversity of thought at the university, so any of the other ones, put it up in the air.”

Nesbitt said diversity of thought and diversity among faculty were chosen because they were the concerns she heard most often from the university community.

“We just need to start somewhere,” Nesbitt told the board. “Once we get the survey going and we get the survey back, then we’ll have some room to adjust.”

Nesbitt said she will begin determining the composition of the task force’s members.

The University Affairs committee will constitute a task force appropriate to the areas chosen by the board and generate detailed background to support the discussion of these areas at the board’s summer retreat.