Diversity & Dignity

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Presidential Initiatives

The initiatives listed below are a result of ongoing conversations with faculty, staff, and trustees:

Website

Clearly communicate UD’s position on civil rights and racism by establishing a website with links to relevant materials concerning first-generation student programming, the Office of Civil Rights, and programming around the topic of a Catholic vision of difference and unity.

Expanding Support for First-Generation Programs

Support and expand programs to support first-generation college students that have been underway at UD and seek additional foundation and donor support. UD recently received significant support from the Constantin Foundation, which has committed to $750,000 over three years.

First-Generation Scholarship

Former President Thomas S. Hibbs and Dr. Stacey Hibbs established this scholarship on the occasion of Former President Hibbs' inauguration. The scholarship honors Former President Hibbs' own path to college as a first-generation college student and make a UD education more affordable for first-generation students to come.

Mentoring

Establish a student mentoring program for first-generation students. Now active.

Increasing access to liberal arts

Pursue foundation grants that support increasing access to a liberal arts education for all including minority students and those from low-income communities.

McNair Scholars

Pursue UD as host for a McNair Scholars Program

Support Cultural Awareness Events

Highlight events that promote cultural awareness programs that reflect the myriad of cultural backgrounds of our student body on campus and in the larger DFW community. The President’s office provided support for the 2020 Porres Lecture.

Retention and graduation rates

Continue, through the Provost’s office, to examine and work to improve retention and graduation rates for minority students.

Recruitment and hiring

Continue training, and continue to examine ways to enhance training, for search committees focused on recruitment/hiring strategies to attract a more diverse pool of applicants.

Presidential Conversations

Continue Presidential Conversation series and include issues of race, difference and unity as well as the topic of the problem of civil discourse.

Expand Office of Civil Rights

Expand communication and programming on Civil Rights policies for students, faculty and staff. Review all policies and practices in these areas.

High School Outreach

Develop more ambitious and more expansive outreach programs to Dallas and Fort Worth high schools that serve under-represented student populations. Identify schools nationally, whose academic and faith profile indicate a high level of fit with UD, and seek recruitment opportunities.

New partnerships with Catholic high schools

Actively promote awareness of current scholarship arrangements for Cristo Rey and Bishop Dunne high school graduates and expand these. UD recently established a high-level partnership with Cristo Rey.

Outreach to DFW Hispanic community

Build connections to the DFW Hispanic Catholic community by expanding opportunities for on-campus activities highlighting our Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine. Promote ongoing awareness of the presence of the Shrine.

City outreach

Build relationships with key City of Irving stakeholders by participating in city events and activities, and positioning UD as a community resource and asset.

Board of Trustees

Continue to work with the Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees to advance its stated goal of attaining a more diverse membership.

Keep Exploring

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