The CLAS Diversity Program was established in 2010 by Dean Gutierrez to maintain and promote a climate of diversity. “In the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences,” Dean Gutierrez stated unequivocally, “we are committed to developing an inclusive environment where diversity, in all its forms, is valued and incorporated in the full-range of college activities.”
This Program is to recognize that diversity is critical to the future of our institution as an urban growth university as well as the uniqueness of our college whose departments and degree programs span from the humanities to sciences and social sciences.
In 2018, UNC Charlotte students came from 49 American states and over 1,400 students from 94 different countries. Of these approximately 400 are undergraduates and 1000 graduate students. The faculty in our college also engages in a wide range of research, teaching and service activities that make us uniquely situated to contribute to the diversity of our university community. It is important to recognize, support and promote the diverse make-up of our college as well as a richer understanding of the multicultural world in which we live today.
A central focus of CLAS Diversity Program is working with Department Liaisons for Equity and Inclusion to provide leadership in developing and disseminating best practices to incorporate diversity into our scholarship, teaching and service. Diversity includes, but is not limited to ability/disability, age, culture, gender, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. Building on the work by previous DLEIs, the current group has been hardworking, spearheading a number of initiatives to enhance our collective diversity experience.
Please feel free to take a moment to get to know the kind of work we do as a group. We certainly welcome your feedback to make our college and campus an even more inclusive and wonderful place to be.
2022–2023 CLAS Department Liaisons for Equity and Inclusion
| Department | DLEI | Phone | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Studies | Steve Campbell | scampb87@uncc.edu | 704-687-8100 | Memorial Hall |
| Africana Studies | Debra Smith | debrasmi@uncc.edu | 704-687-2366 | Garinger 129 |
| Anthropology | Peta Katz | pakatz@uncc.edu | 704-687-8480 | Barnard 247 |
| Biology | Michelle Pass | mbpass@uncc.edu | 704-687-8519 | Woodward 235G |
| Chemistry | Jessica White | jessica.white@uncc.edu | Science 312 | |
| Communication Studies | Melody Dixon-Brown | melodydb@uncc.edu | 704-687-0761 | Colvard 5014 |
| Criminal Justice & Criminology | John Stogner | JohnStogner@uncc.edu | 704-687-0753 | Colvard 5068 |
| English | Rebecca Roeder | rroeder@uncc.edu | 704-687-0444 | Fretwell 280D |
| Geography & Earth Sciences | Sandra Clinton | sclinto1@uncc.edu | 704-687-5973 | McEniry 315 |
| Global, International & Area Studies | Garth Green | ggreen@uncc.edu | 704-687-5183 | Macy 103A |
| History | Benny Andrés | bandres@uncc.edu | 704-687-5125 | Garinger 103 |
| Language & Cultural Studies | Olga Padilla-Falto | opadill1@uncc.edu | COED 446 | |
| Mathematics & Statistics | Anthony Fernandes | afernan2@uncc.edu | Fretwell 245F | |
| Military Science | Curtis Lawrence | clawrenc@uncc.edu | 704-687-8101 | Memorial Hall 127 |
| Philosophy | Elisabeth Paquette | epaquet1@uncc.edu | 704-687-5210 | Cedar 24A |
| Physics & Optical Science | Rosario Porras | rporrasa@uncc.edu | Grigg 337 | |
| Political Science & Public Administration | Regina Branton | rbranton@uncc.edu | 704-687-7033 | Fretwell 455D |
| Psychology | Erika Montanaro | emontana@uncc.edu | 704-687-1320 | Colvard 4032 |
| Religious Studies |
Barbara Thiede |
bthiede@uncc.edu | 704-687-5188 | Macy 208B |
| Sociology | Vaughn Schmutz |
vschmutz@uncc.edu |
704-687-7829 | Fretwell 460C |
| Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies | Lynn Raymond | lyraymon@uncc.edu | Cameron 118 |
Previous DLEI Initiatives:
Since 2013 Fall, DLEIs have identified and have been working on a number of diversity-related issues. Our group strives to provide leadership, more resources and information for faculty, staff and students.
- Website and newsletter content: Rickelle Mason, Ritika Prasad, Mike Fiddy; student essays: Justin Cary and Christine Germain
- Undergraduate perspectives on diversity in CLAS. Follow up on report produced last year (see white paper); Anthony Fernandes
- Campus ombuds and support services, identify resources and work with campus & graduate ombuds, compare with peer institutions’ approaches and guidelines: Mike Fiddy, Nick Caste.
- International faculty Identify challenges faced by international faculty and departments (e.g. hiring, retention) Identify resources and make suggestions: Garth Green.
- Diversity in faculty recruitment & retention Work with ADVANCE to obtain data (e.g. discipline, gender, race etc.): Judy Aulette.
- Issues of diversity in student evaluation of teaching (SET). Ongoing work on SET, work with department review committee, online evaluations: Scott Hippensteel, Didier Dreau, Christine Germain.
- Student organizations and the importance of diversity in the workplace. Diversity in the workplace/employment: Bruce Arrigo, Phil McReynolds.
- Women/minorities in science. Tracking students, best practices elsewhere: Sara Levens, Joanna Krueger
- Social media. Public space discussions and building social media presence: Justin Cary, Christine Germain, Rickelle Mason.
- Campus climate survey, best practices elsewhere, liaise with ADVANCE: Bruce Arrigo, Anthony Fernandes, Rickelle Mason.