NEWS RELEASE
 
March 20, 2016
 
UA President Ann Weaver Hart appoints a broad-based diversity task force to address campus inclusion
 
TUCSON, Arizona — University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart announced the formation of a diversity task force to address issues of campus climate and deficits in cultural competencies communicated in a series of listening sessions and discussions with affected students.

The task force will be chaired by Javier Duran, director of the UA Confluence Center, and Tannya Gaxiola, UA assistant vice president for community relations and chair of the UA Diversity Coordinating Committee.

Hart said the task force will include representatives from faculty senate, the diversity councils, diverse alumni associations and clubs, the Disability Resource office, religious groups, Associated Students of the UA, Graduate and Professional Student Association and the student cultural groups.

“This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a comprehensive response to the concerns that our students have expressed,” Hart said. “My goal is to unify UA to work together to become a more inclusive, diverse and safe community.”

Invitations to join the task force will be distributed this week as students return from Spring Break. Hart said the task force will be charged with structuring university initiatives to improve campus climate, including assisting in selection of a chief diversity officer.
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Contact:
Chris Sigurdson
520-626-9422 (office)
520-477-1744 (cell)
sig@email.arizona.edu