President Roberts announces formation of President’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee

Published: January 13, 2023

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I am pleased to share with you that I have formed the President’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. The formation of this group is based on one of the recommendations from the Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity. This new committee will be charged with advising me regarding our progress as it relates to recommendations from the task force while also fostering accountability, assessment and encouraging progress.

Recently I thanked the task force privately through a separate message, but I would also like to publicly thank the students, faculty and staff for their service on the Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity. Many of them served on the task force since its formation in June 2020. I am particularly appreciative of their extraordinary hard work, the giving of their time for such an important undertaking and for the thoughtful recommendations that I hope will continue to improve our campus. 

The advisory committee will consist of the members from the following constituencies: 

  1. President, Ex-Officio

  2. Provost, Chair

  3. Chair of Senate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

  4. Auburn Black Caucus, two representatives

  5. Department Chair

  6. Black Graduate and Professional Student Association Representative 

  7. Black Student Union Representative 

  8. Student Government Association Representative

  9. Staff Council Representative 

  10. Administrative and Professional Assembly Council Representative 

  11. AU Senior Leader, appointed by the President  

  12. Division of Student Affairs, Representative

  13. Black Alumni Council Representative 

  14. Office of Inclusion and Diversity Representative

As chair of this committee, Interim Provost Vini Nathan is in the process of reaching out to those listed above to request that they select their representative for the advisory committee. 

Information concerning the length of committee members’ terms, frequency of meetings and other next steps will be discussed at the committee’s first meeting, which Provost Nathan plans to have in February.

I look forward to the work being undertaken by this new President’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

War Eagle,

Christopher B. Roberts 

President