UGA Multicultural Network
Description and
Goals
The UGA Multicultural Network, comprised
of faculty, staff, and students representing a variety of programs and
departments across campus, was founded in the fall of 1994. Since then,
two goals have evolved as the focus of collaborative efforts
by group members. These include: 1) Promoting curriculum initiatives
regarding issues of diversity; and 2) Supporting student, faculty and
staff efforts toward creating a more inclusive campus climate.
Additionally,
the members of the Network recognize that the numerous
people and groups on campus working in the areas of diversity and
multiculturalism need an effective vehicle for communicating and
supporting one another. Thus, the aims of the Network have been centered
around this need, and a mission statement was developed to guide the work
of the Network toward this end. The mission of the UGA Multicultural
Network is to provide students, faculty, and staff with access to
resources that will encourage and support multiculturalism within the
University.
Specifically, the Network works to: 1)
promote
the formation of alliances that will provide support in creating a
culturally inclusive environment; and 2) advocate and promote the
implementationtation and evaluation of policies and practices that result in
multiculturalism. The Network's landmark event was a diversity series
entitled, "Affirmative Action and Cultural Diversity: What's
at Stake for US at UGA?." This series grew out of our
commitment to these
goals. Additional diversity-related programming efforts include the
forum, "Let Talk: A Dialogue About the Cultural Diversity
Requirement." This event was instrumental in reintroducing
to the floor of the University Council the tabled diversity requirement
proposal. Currently, the Network is working to expand its membership and
build a more broadly based coalition of organizations that support
multicultural concerns at the University.