In 2004, Meredith College began the Diversity Council. In accordance with an archival piece from 2004 published by The Herald, the program began with eleven members, all of which were students, faculty, alumni, and staff. The Council’s leadership began under former Meredith president Dr. Maureen A. Hartford, and the committee was active as recently as 2017. The Council’s main purpose was to improve diversity within the campus community and provide support for discriminatory complaints as stated in the 2004 edition. Throughout the years, the Council recognized on-campus diversity research, served to hear complaints about discrimination within the Meredith community, and sponsored cultural student events. In 2020, the Diversity Council was placed on hold to search for the college’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator, Liliana Madrid.
Paperwork sharing each of the committees on campus was shared with The Meredith Herald on Sept. 19, 2023, which showed that the Council is currently empty. While current Meredith president, Dr. Jo Allen, is listed as the responsible administrator for the program, every seat is empty. There are no faculty, staff, alumnae, student representatives, ex officio or chair members on the board. The document given to The Herald two weeks ago stated that the Council was “on hold” and “reconstructing.” The college’s archives showed a webpage for Diversity Council, but the page has since been removed.
Dean of Students, Ann Gleason, stated that she “did not have oversight of the Diversity Council in the past”, but that “[Madrid] was starting a Diversity Collective similar to the Student Collective that she facilitates relating to diversity, equity and inclusion.” Gleason also suggested that Madrid’s Diversity Collective is “perhaps similar to what was the Diversity Council in the past at Meredith, with departmental representatives from across campus.”
Other staff members, such as Dr. Sarah Roth, Dean of Meredith’s School of Arts and Humanities, commented on her knowledge of the changes. Roth responded that, “The Diversity Council for many years was chaired by the then-Assistant Dean of Students, Tomecca Sloane. The Diversity Council, at her request, was put on hiatus for at least a year while she and the college re-evaluated what the structure of the Council should look like and what its charge should be.” Dr. Roth was not aware of what the specific charge and changes looked like. She also clarified that, “The Diversity Council has been around a long time at Meredith” and that “they used to be very active on campus.” Dr. Roth also added that to her knowledge, Assistant Dean Sloane was working on re-organizing the Council to ensure it “continued to be as effective as possible when she left in early 2022.” Sloane was the chair of the Diversity Council from 2014 until the end of her time at Meredith. Roth also stated that “[Diversity Council] is reforming this year with a new name.”
Dr. Shannon Grimes, who is the Faculty Council’s Head Chair member, stated that the Council was placed on hold at Madrid’s request, as “[she] is putting a new system in place that includes even more faculty, staff, and students than before.”
Madrid noted that the “Diversity Council has undergone significant evolution since its inception. Initially, it functioned as a committee where DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) responsibilities were an additional task for participating individuals.” However, Madrid added that with the introduction of a full-time Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, “the Diversity Council has transitioned to more effectively meet the specific needs of our campus.” Madrid also explained how the Diversity Council has evolved into the DEI Employee Collective, noting the necessity of recognizing that DEI work “extends beyond one individual's responsibility and encompasses all areas of campus life.” Madrid also added that “Committees and councils frequently change in structure and mission as the times change.” With this in mind, Madrid shared that this is further considered when looking at employees changing jobs, then the committees also change to ensure people with the right skill sets are on a committee. She further shared that “communication about the DEI Employee Collective was disseminated to employees in early September through the Campus Connections employee newsletter and outreach to campus partners leading DEI initiatives.” Madrid commented that this transition is looking to cultivate a “collaborative, de-siloed approach to DEI, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration, and engaging with the broader community to promote these values.” Essentially, this would mean that these changes are indicative of a shift in approach, in order to promote a comprehensive, collaborative, and integrated approach to DEI efforts which also reflects inclusivity and equity.
Ultimately, diversity at Meredith has been a topic of discussion for many years. With the creation of DEI on-campus and the conclusion of the Diversity Council, diversity looks to be an evolving matter for the greater Meredith community.
By Kat Whetstone, Contributing Writer
Photo by Grayson Morris