Interim Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Chuck Henson is working with student leadership on MU’s campus to promote an improved campus climate.
Henson held his first ever “The Working Group” meeting last night with the hope of creating a more transparent relationship between students and administration. As the campus climate changes, Henson wants student participation in the creation of a more “inclusive, diverse and equitable Mizzou.”
The meeting was invite-only and according to Brittani Fults, more student participation is needed.
“I was expecting there to be a large turnout given the climate of our campus, given everybody having something to say on Facebook, on Twitter, you know, all these social media platforms,” said Fults. “And then here is this opportunity to come and listen and also to share and to see that that did not happen I think was something that I was shocked [about].”
Fults is the GPC Representative and Parliamentarian for the Association of Black Graduate and Professional Students (ABGPS) and attended on their behalf. Despite a lack in attendance, Fults says the nature of the conversation was a step in the right direction.
“I understand that administrators get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to do work, however, now is the time to make them hear because they want to,” said Fults. “Before, they didn’t. And now they want to, and they have to, to some degree, because their hundred thousand dollar salary is on the line.
The Working Group will hold meetings twice a week. The first meeting will be limited to student leaders only and will focus on “the work of transforming our culture.” The second meeting is open to the public and will be a “personal and professional opportunity to learn about the contexts impacting our transformation.” The Working Group’s next meeting will be next Wednesday, Feb. 24.