The University of Evansville was one of 25 member institutions of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) selected to participate in CIC’s second annual Diversity, Civility, and the Liberal Arts Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 2-5. The event is designed to help faculty members and administrators address issues of diversity, civility, inclusion, and student unrest on campus more effectively.

Each institution will send a team of two faculty leaders and two senior administrators. Representing UE will be the University’s chief diversity officer LaNeeca Williams, dean of the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Science Ray Lutgring, department chair for philosophy and religion Valerie Stein, and associate professor of psychology Maggie Stevenson. Johnna Denning-Smith, UE director of grants and sponsored programs, facilitated the grant-writing process.

The institute is directed by Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College and a leading scholar of race and higher education. During the institute, prominent humanities and social science scholars will present key research and recent developments in their fields and apply these concepts to understanding student concerns and deepening the educational experience. The goal is to encourage thoughtful campus discussions that engage students’ minds as well as their emotions.

Each participating college will develop plans to incorporate the institute content into specific courses, advising and counseling services, and co-curricular activities at their institutions.

Participants for the 2019 Institute were selected through a highly competitive application process.

According to CIC president Richard Ekman, “the volume, quality, and urgency of the proposals reflect the commitment of independent colleges and universities to promoting diversity and civility, not just on their campuses but across the nation.”

The institute is supported by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.