The Office of Diversity & Equity

Provost Statement on Diversity

Tomorrow’s citizens will find differences between themselves and other people, and they will have to look for strength in those differences. All of us will have greater opportunities to interact with people whose values may not match our own, and as a result, we will need to have perspectives and experiences that will help us build stronger relationships. We need to learn, share and accept the rich interdependency of our diverse society. Therefore, diversity matters at the University of Kansas. It matters because diversity enriches our ability to solve complex problems and create new knowledge. At KU, it is our goal to have the richest possible mix of perspectives, life-experiences, interests, world-views and cultures as the foundation for our campus community.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to encouraging intellectual freedom, personal integrity and inclusion that fosters an environment that is welcoming to all faculty, staff and students. The hallmark of a premier university is one in which individual worth and dignity are valued; advocacy for diversity and inclusion is a major responsibility entrusted to all campus community members.

This means that we will continue to recruit and seek to retain a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students. Our policies and programs support a culture of openness, pluralism, and mutual respect throughout the University community.

I look forward to working with you on this most important goal.

Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Danny Anderson