2-13-97
Contacts:
Dan Robinson, Vice President for Student Affairs, (515) 294-
4420
J. Adin Mann, Engineering, (515) 294-2877
Pat Miller, Lectures, (515) 294-9934
Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720
ISU ESTABLISHES MULTICULTURAL TASK FORCE
Iowa State University has established a new Multicultural Task Force made up of faculty, staff and representatives of student organizations.
The Multicultural Task Force will meet monthly to allocate funding for student-initiated projects that increase understanding and break down barriers between people of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds on campus, said Dan Robinson, interim vice president for student affairs. Robinson and J. Adin Mann, associate professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, will co-chair the task force.
Projects with an educational focus that encourage collaboration and interaction among students will be given priority. The task force also will provide students with general advice and direction on diversity issues.
"The Multicultural Task Force is an exciting opportunity for the ISU community because communication and cooperation among groups is an important part of the survival and flourishing of any community," said Mann. "Issues that hinder cross-cultural communication and cooperation are very painful to see because there is so much that all groups can offer each other in support, resources and ideas to attain important goals."
Student groups represented on the Multicultural Task Force include Government of the Student Body, Student Union Board, Black Student Alliance, Inter Residence Hall Association/Multicultural Support Groups, Panhellenic Council, Inter Fraternity Council, Asian
Pacific American Awareness Coalition, Latino Council, National Panhellenic Council, Off-Campus Center Board, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance, International Students Council, Services for Students with Disabilities, United Native American Student Association/American Indian Rights Organization/American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The Lectures Program, Faculty Senate, Minority Student Affairs, the Margaret Sloss Women's Center, the Student Alumni Association, Black Cultural Center and YWCA also will be involved with the task force.
"The Multicultural Task Force will attempt to enhance the communication and cooperation between student groups at ISU so that these groups can increase their impact on the ISU community and satisfaction in their own work," said Mann. "This is an outcome that will improve ISU and enhance the preparation of these students for their professional lives."
Funds for the task force have been provided by the Office of the Provost and the Vice President for Student Affairs. The task force will operate out of the Lectures Program office, 69 Physics.
"We hope that this task force can help the university community become better informed regarding issues of importance to the diverse cultures within our student body," said Ed Lewis, associate provost.
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Diana Pounds, University Relations, dpounds@iastate.edu
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URL: http://www.iastate.edu/general/releases/MultiCulture.html
Revised 2/13/97