Plan 2008

APPENDIX N: PROCESS

In the fall of 1997, the University of Wisconsin System (UWS) Administration began a planning process involving all UW System institutions, to develop a sequel to the UWS Design for Diversity (1988-1998). At their May 1998 meeting, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents gave formal approval to Plan 2008 as a blueprint to achieve racial and ethnic diversity throughout the UW System, and instructed the System Administration to ask each campus to develop its own Plan 2008. Following the release of the UWS planning guidelines, the Provost and the Chair of the University Committee, with the cooperation of the Associated Students of Madison (ASM), the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) and the University Committee (UC), appointed the UW Madison Plan 2008 Steering Committee, co-chaired by Paul W. Barrows and Bernice Durand. To ensure extensive input, the Steering Committee formed four Working Groups for Undergraduate Student Issues, co-chaired by Nelson Balke and Mary K. Rouse; Graduate and Professional Student Issues, co-chaired by Edward Allen and Hardin Coleman; Faculty and Staff Issues, co-chaired by Evelyn Howell and Greg Vincent; and Curriculum Issues, co-chaired by Richard Davis and Karen Steudel. The working groups had expanded membership beyond Steering Committee members, see Appendix O. At the first Steering Committee meeting on September 27, 1998, Provost John D. Wiley and UC Chair Professor Stephen Robinson charged the committee and working groups to draft the UW-Madison Plan 2008.

Among the Steering Committee and working group members were representatives of shared governance committees and key administrative divisions who ensured that our process and recommendations would be aligned with institutional policy and procedures. In addition, the co-chairs presented the draft report to the Deans’ Council, various groups of faculty, staff and students, and to college and school committees¹⁴ for comment and suggestions. Three public hearings for the entire university community were held in January and February, 1999, and two Madison community meetings in mid-February. During late January through early April, formal review of Plan 2008 was conducted by ASM, ASA and the Faculty Senate. The final version of the report was issued to the campus administration in the first week of April, and presented to the University of Wisconsin System Administration on April 15, 1999.

Guided by the seven goals in UW-System’s Plan 2008 and the principles at the beginning of this document, and reorganized from working group reports and much other faculty, staff and student feedback, these recommendations are consistent with the strategic directives for maximizing our human resources found in the 1997 UW-Madison Chancellor’s Vision for the Future and the 1999 reaccreditation self-study. The visions and directions set forth in the Future Directions report of 1988 were a guide in establishing our current diversity structure. Plan 2008 therefore fits seamlessly into the enduring commitment of the UW-Madison to "providing all students, faculty and staff with a welcoming, rich and diverse environment for their learning and work."

¹⁴ Included are the Provost’s Office, office of Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Services, University Housing, Dean of Students, Human Resources and Academic Personnel, student services and the school and college Dean’s Offices.

File last updated: November 18, 2005
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