News

UA students, led by Lee Gill, visit MLK National Memorial in D.C. for guided tour prior to grand opening

On September 30, although the Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial's official grand opening was not until October 16, 36 University of Akron students had the opportunity to travel to the nation's capital for a guided tour.

Lee A. Gill, UA's associate vice president for inclusion and equity and chief diversity officer and a member of the MLK Memorial design review and construction team, coordinated the trip.

Their first stop was the four-acre memorial, which conveys four themes from King's life – democracy, justice, hope and love. A wall inscribed with excerpts of his sermons, writings and speeches leads to the centerpiece of the memorial, the "Stone of Hope," which features a 30-foot likeness of King. This concept is based on King’s "I Have a Dream" speech, in which he said, "Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Memorial visitors pass through the "Mountain of Despair" before arriving at the "Stone of Hope." (November 2011)

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UA's Diversity Council among top 25 in nation 

UA has one of the best 25 diversity councils in the nation.

Joining UA on the elite list are such major corporations as Best Buy, Boeing, Prudential, American Airlines and Siemens. UA is the only university to make the list.

The list was compiled by the Association of Diversity Councils from applications submitted by corporations, governmental agencies and universities nationwide.

Lee Gill, UA's associate vice president for inclusion and equity/chief diversity officer, said the University was selected because of the concrete steps it has taken to move toward being a more inclusive campus.

"I'm told that two points stood out in our application," Gill said. "First, our council is comprised of decision-makers from across campus and the Akron community, which demonstrates a strong commitment by the administration. Second, the strategic plan for the Office of Inclusion and Equity is comprehensive and unusual in its reach and its depth."

Appointed by President Proenza in December 2008, the council — led by Gill and Marty Belsky, dean of the School of Law — is at the core of the strategic plan.

Early on, the council recommended that additional academic advisers were needed to increase the retention and graduation rates of students from underrepresented populations. The Office of Academic Affairs acted on the recommendation, and a number of new advisers have been hired.

The council also initiated the first Greater Akron Supplier Diversity Conference in May 2010. Relationships established during the conference — sponsored by UA, KSU, the city, Summa Health System, Bridgestone/Firestone and others — will help ensure that UA continues to purchase products and services from diverse suppliers. 

UA and the other 24 organizations on the Association of Diversity Councils' list of the top diversity councils were honored at an April ceremony in Atlanta.  (February 2011; updated November 2011) 

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Knight grant to help black male students 'rise to the occasion' at UA

The University of Akron will work to increase the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of black male students, with a $425,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Learn more.

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Gill to lead Ohio Diversity Officers' Collaboration

Lee A. Gill, J.D., associate vice president and chief diversity officer, has been elected president of the Ohio Diversity Officers' Collaboration (ODOC) at its annual conference held July 22, 2011, at Ohio University.

ODOC is the principal organization of diversity officers and multicultural specialists at Ohio institutions of higher education. The organization was established in response to the growing need for higher education to leverage and maximize investments in diversity initiatives, provide opportunities for cross-institutional exchange, benchmarking and metrics development, and enhancing experiential standards among diversity professionals. 

Gill, who joined UA in March 2008, will oversee the continued expansion and development of the organization. His major focus for the coming year will be to increase collaborations between the University System of Ohio institutions and developing strategies to improve retention and graduation rates among underrepresented student populations statewide. 

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Read our Inclusive Excellence Insights Newsletter:

• Inclusive Excellence Insights Newsletter for Fall 2010.
• Inclusive Excellence Insights Newsletter for Winter 2010.

Article in Diverse Issues 
In Higher Education
features Dr. Luis Proenza

Read the article.

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Lee A. Gill, J.D., named to State and National Advisory Organizations, April 2010

Lee Gill, Associate Vice President for Inclusion & Equity and Chief Diversity Officer, was recently named first vice president of the Ohio Diversity Officers Collaborative (ODOC), and will begin serving as its president in June 2011. The ODOC is the principal organization of diversity officers at Ohio institutions of higher education.  The ODOC Annual Winter Retreat Meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2011.

Gill was also selected as a member of the NCORE^® National Advisory Committee, (National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education).  His appointment is for three years, beginning immediately as a non-voting ex-officio member, with a full membership term beginning at the end of NCORE 2010 (June 2010) and ending in June 2013.

See also:

"Inclusive Excellence: Chief Diversity Officer sets the stage at UA"
 Kaleidoscope Magazine's
 Diversity 2009 Issue

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