President Bravman released the University’s new five-year diversity plan on March 31, which focuses on the improvement of diversity in relation to all aspects of campus life.

In an email to students, Bravman explained the University’s dedication to diversity, and how the 2014-2019 plan seeks to reaffirm diversity as a priority and providing an excellent undergraduate education and experience for all students.

Bravman also conceded that since the University’s last diversity plan in 2006, little progress has been made.

“Although some progress has been made…honest reflection leads quickly to the realization that Bucknell has fallen short of both its own commitments and the expectations of many of our students,” Bravman said.

Since the University’s announcement, the plan has garnered a positive response on campus.

“I have had the pleasure of getting a first-hand look at Bucknell’s Diversity Plan. As a student of color on this campus, I must say that I think it is impeccable,” Kortney Marshall ’16 said.

The President’s Council on Diversity has been in existence since 2012 and was critical in drafting this new plan. The Plan outlines four interconnected goals, which the University plans to achieve over the course of the next five years. These goals are to “improve the diversity of the Bucknell campus community; develop and maintain a campus climate and culture in which embracing diversity is a core value; enhance students’ diversity-related educational opportunities; and reflect institutional commitment to diversity by establishing a culture of accountability around diversity initiatives, practices and policies.”

The Council of Diversity consists of faculty from all divisions, including psychology, English and engineering. Additionally, the council includes representatives from enrollment management, human resources, and the Griot Institute for Africana Studies.

The plan outlines each goal and addresses these objectives with strategies. The University plans to work closely with existing diversity resources, including the Griot Institute for Africana Studies and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender (CSREG).

“From its all-inclusive strategies to its dynamic goals, this plan is sure to make Bucknell an accurate representation of the growing diversity seen in the world around us,” Marshall said.

Aside from campus life, the plan will also influence academics at the University. One objective discusses developing a process for reviewing diversity focus in the University curriculum. Currently, the University requires students to complete one course that fulfills “Tools for Critical Engagement: Diversity in the U.S.”

Bravman also invited students to the 2014-2019 Diversity Plan Launch Event in the Weis Center on April 3 to further discuss the implications of the plan. More details from this event will follow in next week’s issue.