25th Anniversary Symposium: Reflections on Diversity and Excellence – OAMI Through the Years

The staff of the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) at the University of Michigan cordially invite you to attend a symposium entitled, “Reflections on Diversity & Excellence: OAMI Through the Years”. The symposium will be held on Tuesday, April 16th from 8:30am-1:00pm in the Rogel Ballroom of the Michigan Union.

This is the closing event of a year-long celebration to commemorate OAMI’s 25th anniversary. The Symposium will bring together students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University of Michigan, as well as past staff and alumni of our office to highlight OAMI's contributions to the campus community, and to engage in discussions regarding the future and promise of diversity on the campus and in the nation generally.

The program will include several distinguished University of Michigan and OAMI Alumni, with a Keynote Address by Dr. Damon A. Williams of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as well as a panel discussion featuring Dr. Denise O’Neil Green of Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, Andrew Adams, III, an associate with the Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen law office in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as current U-M students. A full schedule of the day's events can be found here.

The event also will showcase an array of exhibits that include information about OAMI programs, signature events, and various other campus and national activities related to diversity over the past 25 years.  The Reflections on Diversity & Excellence Panel Discussion will be asked the following questions, and we'd like your opinion.  Please register for the blog (see the FAQs for more information) and leave your comments below:

1) What is your vision of an ideal University learning environment that meets the needs of all students, and successfully infuses diversity into the life of the campus? What factors/elements must be in place to make this happen?

2) What are some positive institutional interventions/best practices that have worked well to advance diversity and enhance student success?

3) What role did your educational experience play in shaping your views/approaches in how you have engaged diversity in your professional life?

4) What do you see as the most pressing challenges for advancing diversity in higher education in the future? What ideas do you have for addressing these challenges?