Office of Equity and Diversity

The state is currently under court order in the Knight Case and by that order institutions are to recruit and retain minority faculty. The Knight Case tentative settlement dated December 5, 2006 calls for a five year implementation period after which the court will enter a final agreement. At the conclusion of the Knight Case, universities will not be able to target minorities and women for recruitment; consequently, innovative methods of recruiting minority faculty and students within the legal framework must be developed. The Alabama Public Universities Task Force for Recruitment and Retention has been established to review minority faculty and student recruitment and retention efforts and identify current best practices.

Institutions and organizations represented - Alabama A&M University, Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE), Alabama State University, Auburn University, Auburn University at Montgomery, The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama System, Troy University, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of Montevallo, University of North Alabama, University of South Alabama, University of West Alabama.

Public universities should retain the Title VI committee recommended by the court beyond the end of the litigation. This committee should continue with its current role of making recommendations related to the recruitment and retention of minorities to the president as well as serving in an advisory role on issues related to campus diversity.
If one does not already exist, universities should establish a minority student recruitment and retention office with appropriate staff. Such an office should assist the university with outreach activities to the community designed to attract minority students.
Funds should be provided to target minority faculty and students. Such funds may be used for minority faculty recruitment, professional development and scholarship support for highly qualified minority students.
Institutions should convey to faculty, staff and administrators that recruitment and retention of minority faculty and students are among its high priorities.
Minority faculty salaries should be in line with market standards where appropriate.
Admission requirements, freshman course offering and support activities should correspond.
Institutions should establish collaboration with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) involving the placement of doctoral scholars into vacant faculty positions. Institutions may provide SREB a list of open positions and SREB will circulate the list among its graduates.

Alabama Public Universities Task Force for Recruitment and Retention Members
Dr. Louis Dale, Chair	Vice President for Equity and Diversity	The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Dianne Barron	Associate Provost and Dean, Graduate School	Troy University
Dr. Carolyn Braswell	Assistant Vice President for Equity and Diversity	The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Ms. Brenda Campbell	Director of Graduate Admissions	Troy University
Dr. Lelon Davidson	Assistant to the President of Minority Affairs	University of North Alabama
Dr. Ernestine Davis	Professor, School of Nursing	University of North Alabama
Ms. Barbara Forrest	Acting Director of Personnel, EO & Risk Management	University of Montevallo
Dr. Keith Harrison	Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs	University of South Alabama
Ms. Gwendolyn Hood	Director & University Compliance Officer	University of Alabama
Dr. Lisa M. James	Director of Instructional Development Center and Assistant Professor of Mathematics	Alabama State University
Dr. Overtoun Jenda	Associate Provost of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs and Dean of Mathematics	Auburn University
Dr. Adriel D. Johnson	Associate Professor of Biological Sciences	The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Dr. Judd Katz	Interim Vice Chancellor - Academic/ Student Affairs	Auburn University at Montgomery
Dr. Paul Mohr	Director of Special Programs	Alabama Commission on Higher Education
Dr. Charles Ray Nash	Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs	The University of Alabama System
Ms. Patricia Pratt	Assistant to the Provost and Director of Institutional Effectiveness	University of West Alabama
Dr. Glen E. Ray	Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic and Graduate Affairs	Auburn University at Montgomery
Dr. Chandra Reddy	Dean, School of Graduate Studies	Alabama A&M University
Ms. Cynthia Scott	Director of Minority Student Retention	The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Johnny Scott	Director of Health Affairs	The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Delois Smith	Vice President for Student Affairs	The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Dr. Edward Thomas	Associate Professor of Physics	Auburn University
Dr. Evelyn White	Vice President of Academic Affairs	Alabama State University
Ms. Bettye Wilson	Associate Professor, School of Health Professions	The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Floyd Woods	Associate Professor of Horticulture	Auburn University