COLUMBIA, Mo. — Kevin McDonald, interim vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity, announced the structure of the new Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity at Mizzou in July. McDonald, who also is serving as the permanent chief diversity, inclusion and equity officer for the University of Missouri System, said it will be important to work with the community as the new division educates and promotes diversity on campus.
“MU has made very intentional strides around diversity and inclusion over the past several months,” McDonald said. “It’s going to be very important to establish strong relationships with students, faculty and staff, and understand their perspectives so that together we can develop an overarching strategic framework of where we want to be in the years to come.”
The division, which includes such campus resource centers as the Gaines-Oldham Black Culture Center and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, will begin the development of this framework by focusing on four nationally recognized areas:
Access and success – Increase graduation rates for a more diverse student body and improve diversity among faculty and staff.
Campus climate and intergroup relations – Create a welcoming environment to acknowledge and celebrate diversity; provide opportunities for groups to interact and communicate.
Education and scholarship – Prepare students for the global marketplace; support the curricular/co-curricular efforts of faculty and staff; provide support for research on diversity.
Institutional infrastructure – Create an infrastructure that supports diversity goals within the university’s strategic plan and ensure that policies and processes reflect diversity and inclusion goals.
“We have worked closely with the UM System on diversity issues, and Dr. McDonald is uniquely qualified to serve in this dual role,” Interim Chancellor Hank Foley said. “His expertise is just what we need at this critical time.”
Before coming to Missouri, McDonald served as the vice president and associate provost for diversity and inclusion at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he committed himself to making excellence inclusive in every aspect of organizational functioning. Previously, he was vice president for equity and inclusion at Virginia Tech where he developed a significant track record of contributions toward the university’s equity, diversity and inclusion goals. He also has served in compliance roles at John Hopkins University and the University of Maryland in College Park after working for Network Solutions Inc. and the U.S. Department of Justice early in his career.
McDonald replaced Chuck Henson, who had served as interim vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity for about seven months. During Henson’s tenure, more than 4,000 students, faculty and staff were trained on diversity-related issues. In addition, he and his staff accomplished the following:
- Developed a “Diversity@Mizzou” orientation training program required for all incoming students.
- Implemented and streamlined required training for those responsible for hiring faculty.
- Designed new educational and professional development offerings to help faculty and staff understand and discuss diversity issues.
- Hosted distinguished guest lectures by experts who discussed issues related to inclusion and diversity.
“We’re fortunate that Mizzou has a good foundation with many diversity initiatives already in progress,” McDonald said. “We’ll be able to incorporate many of those resources, and leverage the skills, talents, and abilities of faculty, staff, and students to help move our campus forward in transformative ways.”
