Creating a more diverse student body, staff and faculty was only one goal mentioned in Ball State President Blaine Brownell's speech to faculty members Friday morning.
"Our recognition of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, beginning in 2002, has certainly signaled our commitment to goals of social justice and racial progress, but it is merely one symbolic step along the way," Brownell said.
Ball State is working with other Indiana universities in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation grant from the National Science Foundation, said Beverley Pitts, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The grant focuses on increasing minority graduates in science, math engineering and technology.
Still, Pitts said she agreed with Brownell that the university still has a long way to go before reaching its goal.
"To assist us in this effort we have set aside some funds to be used directly in searches to help our selection pool be more diverse," Pitts said. "Sali Falling (executive director of university compliance) will work with departments and deans to use these finds to create a more aggressive search strategy to attract minority candidates."
Other goals Brownell mentioned included a faster progress toward providing every undergraduate student a special academic experience, such as study abroad, an internship or service learning.
Brownell also said the university must complete the revisions to the system of governance that would recognize the role of the faculty.
Brownell also touched on a variety of achievements the university has reached, including an increase in enrollment since 2000, the $20 million Lily Endowment, and a 129-percent increase in research and sponsored programs funding.
At the meeting, the university gave awards to numerous faculty members, including Ramon Avila, a professor of marketing who received the Outstanding Faculty Award for 2002-2003.
Chief Reporter Leah Snyder can be contacted at news@bsudailynews.com
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