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Iowa State University. Steering Committee on Diversity records

 Record Group — Multiple Containers
Identifier: RS 8/6/112

Scope and Content

The collection (1991-1996) contains news clippings, focus group studies, questionnaires, and reports. Over half of the collection is material related to the campus climate focus group studies. These materials include transcripts of group interviews, reports on emerging themes from the interviews, and brief summaries of each group discussion. The transcripts retain their confidential nature by not including names of participants except for that of the moderator.

Dates

  • Creation: 1991-1996

Language of Materials

English

Access Restrictions

Open for research.

Use/Re-use Restrictions

Consult Special Collections and University Archives

Biography/Profile

The Steering Committee on Diversity was created to identify ways Iowa State University could provide a more hospitable climate for its diverse faculty, staff, and student populations. Milton D. Glick, Acting President of Iowa State University, formed the committee in January 1991. He appointed Nancy Eaton, Dean of Library Services, as chair of the committee. When President Martin Jischke arrived on campus in June of that same year, he asked the committee to prepare a plan to help the university organize its objectives and activities related to issues of diversity.



The Steering Committee met with 29 campus organizations and committees to discuss the development of a campus diversity plan. Public forums were held in April 1992 following the release of the initial proposal for the campus diversity plan. The final report was issued in March 1993. One of the primary goals of the report was to improve recruitment and retention of minority faculty, staff, and students. The creation of the George Washington Carver Professorship was also a direct result of this work.



During November 1993, the Steering Committee surveyed hundreds of Iowa State faculty, staff, and students. Throughout 1993 and 1994, they also conducted group interviews with university employees based on age, ethnicity, gender, physical disability, religion, and sexual orientation to gather information on the campus work environment. The final results of the campus climate assessment were reported in "A Qualitative Study of the Campus Work Climate for Faculty and Staff at Iowa State University: Summary Report" (Archives call no. LD2535.9 I568x 1996).



Later campus climate surveys were conducted in 1995 and 1996. These would lead to a panel discussion on campus climate and diversity issues in January 1997 on which President Jischke would participate. The ideas set forth in the campus diversity plan would eventually be taken up several years later by the President's Advisory Committee on Diversity, whose members would be appointed by President Gregory Geoffroy.

Extent

1.47 Linear Feet (3 document boxes and 1 half-document box)

Arrangement

The collection is organized Alphabetically with news clippings at the front.

Related collection materials

For related information see the President's Advisory Committee on Diversity Records, RS 8/6/180.

Processing Information

Released on 2018-11-01.

Title
RS 8/6/112. Iowa State University. Steering Committee on Diversity records, 1991-1996
Date
January 24, 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
403 Parks Library
701 Morrill Road
Iowa State University
Ames Iowa 50011-2102 United States
(515) 294-6672