Spring Break
Faculty Senate Meeting
Senate discusses UMKC racial climate
Derek Simons
Issue date: 10/9/06 Section: News
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Faculty Senate Chair Gary Ebersole, College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), opened last Tuesday's meeting in the Administrative Center by announcing that the Nov. 7 meeting will be held at the Hospital Hill campus.
"I recommend carpooling or taking the bus," said Ebersole, noting that parking is difficult near the School of Medicine.
UMKC Provost Bruce Bubacz, speaking of the Board of Curators' Oct. 6 visit, which included an open breakfast on campus, also had some advice for the senators.
"This visit should put some degree of dread in all of us, but I encourage you to attend," he said. "It's a good opportunity to give them some idea of what we're doing here."
Senator Lou Potts (A&S) expressed disappointment to Bubacz that an independent study commissioned by UMKC to examine the racial climate on campus had resulted only in what he termed "a slide show."
Bubacz agreed that the study was insufficient.
The study was conducted by Shaun R. Harper, an assistant professor and research associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education, Pennsylvania State University.
Bubacz announced that, with input from the candidates for the deputy vice chancellor for Diversity and Equity position, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs had established their own internally conducted survey to obtain more detailed information.
"Are you concerned that the survey is conducted by internal people and is internally designed?" asked Senator Bonita Butner, School of Education.
The provost said he was not, and that the first draft had already provided some useful data. He cited a new awareness that the Latino students on campus feel they need more representation, and he promised the senate copies of the final draft.
Senator Kathy Krause (A&S) inquired about the negative media reports regarding the racial climate at UMKC.
"I have seen in a couple of articles that the NAACP and the Justice Department are looking over our shoulders - that's not it at all," said Bubacz. "We're working with them to rebuild the Black Studies program and to expand the ethnic and racial studies into other areas on campus."
"I recommend carpooling or taking the bus," said Ebersole, noting that parking is difficult near the School of Medicine.
UMKC Provost Bruce Bubacz, speaking of the Board of Curators' Oct. 6 visit, which included an open breakfast on campus, also had some advice for the senators.
"This visit should put some degree of dread in all of us, but I encourage you to attend," he said. "It's a good opportunity to give them some idea of what we're doing here."
Senator Lou Potts (A&S) expressed disappointment to Bubacz that an independent study commissioned by UMKC to examine the racial climate on campus had resulted only in what he termed "a slide show."
Bubacz agreed that the study was insufficient.
The study was conducted by Shaun R. Harper, an assistant professor and research associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education, Pennsylvania State University.
Bubacz announced that, with input from the candidates for the deputy vice chancellor for Diversity and Equity position, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs had established their own internally conducted survey to obtain more detailed information.
"Are you concerned that the survey is conducted by internal people and is internally designed?" asked Senator Bonita Butner, School of Education.
The provost said he was not, and that the first draft had already provided some useful data. He cited a new awareness that the Latino students on campus feel they need more representation, and he promised the senate copies of the final draft.
Senator Kathy Krause (A&S) inquired about the negative media reports regarding the racial climate at UMKC.
"I have seen in a couple of articles that the NAACP and the Justice Department are looking over our shoulders - that's not it at all," said Bubacz. "We're working with them to rebuild the Black Studies program and to expand the ethnic and racial studies into other areas on campus."
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