Noted civil rights activist to keynote diversity conference

Lani Guinier, noted Harvard law professor, author, and activist, will serve as keynote presenter for the upcoming Creating Institutional Change conference at UW–Madison.

The conference, sponsored by UW–Madison’s Diversity Education Program (DEP), will be held March 31-April 2 at UW–Madison’s Grainger Hall and Madison’s Concourse Hotel. It is open to students, faculty, staff and the broader community.

The program is made up of sessions and activities focusing on enhancing diversity on campuses across the country, creating institutional change and developing leadership to improve campus climate for underrepresented populations.

In 1998, Guinier became the first black woman to be appointed to a tenured professorship at Harvard Law School. In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her to be the first black woman to head the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Although her name was eventually withdrawn from consideration, Guinier has since used her public platform to speak out on issues of race, gender and democratic decision-making and to call for candid public discourse on these issues.

“We would hope that participants leave the conference with an enlightened perspective on leadership development, and an insight into improving their respective organizations, workplaces, and communities,” says Bill Hebert, DEP director.

DEP, a unit of the Offices of the Dean of Students, helps guide and facilitate the work of UW–Madison students, faculty, staff and community allies as they strive to improve the quality of education through increasing diversity awareness.

Other featured speakers include:

• William B. Harvey, a nationally known higher education expert on diversity in colleges and universities and the University of Virginia’s first vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity.
• Longtime Madison civil rights activist John Odom, of Odom and Associates.

Conference sessions will cover existing trends in higher education and multicultural issues; a focus on real-world tendencies and diversity; development of leaders; engaging students in leadership discussions; and working to improve the climate for students of color. There will be workshops for faculty, administration and academic staff, specific workshops for students, and a variety of educational and social activities.

Participation from other Big Ten, UW System and Midwest institutions is encouraged. Registration is free for all UW System students and $80 per person for faculty, academic staff and community members. Registration information and a complete agenda is available online.

Co-sponsors of the event include the Multicultural Student Coalition, Asian-Pacific American Council, Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Climate, Wisconsin Alumni Association and Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration.