Diversity forum to focus on future

Students, faculty and staff are invited to spend part of Friday, April 28, talking about the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s efforts to strengthen diversity and improve campus climate.

The Plan 2008 Student Forum will be held from 3-6 p.m. in 272 Bascom Hall. The event, titled “Looking toward the Future: Diversity, Campus Climate and Community,” will include spoken word, videos and a panel discussion among students and UW–Madison administrators. The panel will include members of the UW–Madison administration, UW System staff, United Council and the Multicultural Student Coalition.

Organized by the Multicultural Student Coalition, the Plan 2008 forum will be followed by a weekend of events, including “Breakin’ the Law 3” break-dancing summit, an East Asian Film Festival and “Stop the Rail to Jail” Youth Conference all on Saturday, April 29.

Officially adopted by the UW System Board of Regents in May 1998, Plan 2008 has seven goals:

• Increase the number of Wisconsin high school graduates of color who apply, are accepted and enroll at UW System institutions.
• Encourage partnerships that build the educational pipeline by reaching children and their parents at an earlier age.
• Close the gap in educational achievement, by bringing retention and graduation rates for students of color in line with those of the student body as a whole.
• Increase the amount of financial aid available to needy students and reduce their reliance on loans.
• Increase the number of faculty, academic staff, classified staff and administrators of color, so that they are represented in the UW System workforce in proportion to their current availability in relevant job pools.
• Foster institutional environments and course development that enhance learning and a respect for racial and ethnic diversity.
• Improve accountability of the UW System and its institutions.