MU continues search for Vice-Chancellor of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The University of Missouri held public forums Tuesday to hear from faculty, staff, students and community members about what they want to see in the next vice-chancellor.
Members of the research firm who are helping search for candidates attended the forums.
Staff and faculty filled an hour telling the research committee what qualifications they want the vice-chancellor to have.
Pat Okker is a co-chair of the search committee. She encouraged people to come forward and speak during the forum
"This person will help lead efforts about recruiting all kinds of people to our campus. Faculty, students, and again the emphasis is on making sure that our campus is welcoming to all faculty, staff students, alumni, and visitors," said Okker.
Several faculty or staff members brought up that they would like to see someone fill the position who has worked for the university. They emphasized that it is important for that person to have an understanding of events that impact certain groups on campus.
Protests on campus in 2015 were brought up by several members of staff, but they said it should not be the entire driving factor for change on campus.
Doris Agwu was at the forum, and attended a Missouri Students Association meeting where students had the opportunity to discuss other events on campus, including insensitive tweets from Mizzou Athletics and an international student being attacked.
She said faculty and staff, like students, want to see someone fill the position who will take action. She spoke about one professor's discussion at the forum.
"He was asking these questions and to know that the same frustrations that I felt, the same frustration that current students are feeling, and then when he was here, we can't have everything continuously repeating itself," Agwu said.
She said whoever the university hires will need to have full support to succeed in the position.
"Whoever we put in that position, they'll have to have the back of the institution. So, we could have the most perfect person in that role, but if that powers that be don't support them and aren't providing them with necessary resources, then we'll be back where we started," she said.
