One man show


Efforts to increase diversity at CMU currently basically are left up to one man - Affirmative Action Officer and Interim Associate Vice President of Diversity Michael Powell.

That needs to change.

Not to say that Powell isn't doing well performing his own job and someone else's while the university searches for the new associate vice president. But he shouldn't have to juggle two jobs.

Especially when it comes to diversity - an area in which this university is struggling.

In the wake of Proposal 2, CMU has a big responsibility not only to analyze the new law's impact and make appropriate changes, but to reassess the way it serves minority students and students in general.

CMU also has to continue to deal with the problem of a lack of diversity on this campus - perhaps in a different way since the approval of Proposal 2.

This university is very homogenous. In an expanding global market, not preparing students to deal with diverse group of people means shortchanging them on their education.

Not to mention the perspectives, insights and experiences of a diverse group of people on a university campus contribute to the overall education of everyone on that campus - a major portion of the university experience.

Leaving Powell to do two jobs in that climate is unacceptable. Forcing one person to take on all that responsibility is unreasonable, not to mention it makes the university look as though diversity is a secondary concern.

The associate vice president of diversity position isn't the only one the university is attempting to fill. The retirement of Provost Tom Storch prompted a search to find a replacement, and university officials have said other major searches might be contributing to the delay in finding a suitable AVP of diversity.

But CMU can't afford to spend another two years - like it did with the vice president of off-campus programs - searching for a replacement for this job.

It's unfair to Powell to make him responsible for diversity for the entire campus. And it's unfair to the students relying on those programs and institutions.

It's time for CMU to show the commitment to diversity its officials such as University President Michael Rao and the Board of Trustees are always talking about.

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