5/4/21 Center for Student Inclusiveness Update

To: Faculty, Staff, and Students
From: Eddie J. Howard, Ed.D., Vice President for Student Affairs
Date:  5/4/21
Subject: Center for Student Inclusiveness Update

Good afternoon,

A few weeks ago, we announced the restructure of the Division of Student Affairs and outlined how our division would be organized in the upcoming academic year. However, in doing so I neglected to provide additional context about the Center for Student Inclusiveness. As you know, our students have expressed concern about the support provided to the Center. As your new Vice President, I share this concern. Therefore, due to multiple conversations and focus groups with students, faculty, and staff within and outside of the Division, I have determined that change is needed.   

Moving forward, I have chosen to eliminate one of the Assistant Vice President positions within Student Affairs to provide additional support for the Center for Student inclusiveness. Each of the offices will carry the designation “Initiatives” to signify their role in the center. Effective July 1st, the Center will be comprised of the following offices:

• Latino Student Initiatives    
• African American Student Initiatives    
• LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives

With the upcoming retirement of Mr. Leo Calderon, whom we will greatly miss, the Center for Student Inclusiveness will fall under the leadership of a new Unit Director for the Center for Student Inclusiveness, who will also serve as the Director for Latino Student Initiatives. This change will allow for additional staff to be added to assist each of the directors in the Center. We are in the process of hiring three coordinators, one of which will serve the Center as a whole and will assist the Unit Director with Latino Student Initiatives. The other two coordinators will work with the Directors of African American Student Initiatives and LGBTQA+ Student Initiatives. We hope that this additional support will help to expand services for all our students and the entire NKU community.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and continued support.

Best,

Dr. Eddie Howard