Office for Institutional Diversity Celebrates 45 Years of Supporting Underrepresented Students

of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 21, 2016)  The University of Kentucky is made up of thousands of students, faculty and staff — different races, perspectives, religions, identities, genders and ethnicities. As Interim Vice President for Institutional Diversity Terry Allen stated in his recent blog, “our differences and our diversity are what collectively make us and our community stronger."

As outlined in the 2015-2020 strategic plan, the UK Office for Institutional Diversity (OID) exists to enhance the diversity and inclusivity of the university community through recruitment and retention of an increasingly diverse population of faculty, administrators, staff and students. While the office has had various names, staff members and leaders, its overall mission has never wavered.

In the early years of the university's history, African Americans were prohibited to enroll in classes at UK. However, in June of 1949, following a lawsuit by Lyman T. Johnson, UK President Herman L. Donovan announced that African-American students would be permitted to attend graduate classes on the Lexington campus of the state's flagship university.

Shortly after Donovan's announcement, approximately 30 black students enrolled in the summer 1949 graduate school program. Over the years, the number of African-American students enrolling in UK slowly increased. However, there was still much to be done.

For years, community members implored UK administrators to focus special attention on the problems African-American students experienced. In 1970, black faculty and staff — led by social work professors Evelyn Black and LeVerne McCummings — began to meet with UK President Otis Singletary to identify the need for an office of minority affairs.

The following year, requests were answered and the Office of Minority Affairs was established with a primary responsibility to provide social and cultural programming, along with academic success initiatives — a responsibility that the office still assumes today through its five units. Today, the units support all underrepresented students, not just the African-American student population.

Currently, the renamed office, the Office for Institutional Diversity houses five units — the Center for Academic Resources and Enrichment Services (CARES), the Center for Graduate and Professional Diversity Initiatives (CGPDI), the Office of LGBTQ* Resources, the Martin Luther King Center and Student Support Services.

Each unit provides student support and hosts social and cultural events throughout the year, just as the Office of Minority Affairs was originally tasked to do. The MLK Center, for example, hosts a monthly event "Soup and Substance" that provides students the opportunity to discuss current topics relating to race, gender, class and a variety of identities.

The office has matured and progressed throughout the time of its existence but there is still work to do.

"There is great momentum at this time to accelerate movement in a positive direction," said Allen. "We thank the students for their role in helping us become better."

According to metrics set forth in the strategic plan, UK will increase the enrollment and graduation rates of underrepresented undergraduate students and graduate students as well as increase the population of underrepresented and female faculty and staff.

"Becoming a more diverse and inclusive institution is the responsibility of every member of the university community," Allen said. "We must sustain our effort for continuous improvement and periodically report progress for everyone to see."

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Blair Hoover, 859-257-6398; blair.hoover@uky.edu