Report on Expanding the Role of the Elon University Multicultural Center

Strategy 3: Maximize Internal and External Collaborations
In order to more fully support students of diverse populations and enhance multicultural education, the Center must collaborate across a broader spectrum of the university. A wide range of strategies are needed, including committees and advisory groups, co-programming with other departments, and working with entities across the county and state.

1. Internal Collaborations

a. Develop a faculty/staff Multicultural Network to serve as a safe haven for new faculty/staff of diverse populations and aid in recruitment and retention of all faculty and staff of diverse populations. The Multicultural Network will:

i. Coordinate welcoming efforts and provide information regarding community activities and resources in local communities.
ii. Provide professional development, resources, mentoring relationships and networking opportunities with peer/aspirant institutions.
iii. Offer assistance in interview processes for new faculty and staff positions.
iv. Explore options for recognizing staff and faculty of diverse populations across campus.

b. Form a stronger partnership between the Multicultural Center and Admissions to attract and recruit students of diverse populations.

i. Schedule regular meetings and trainings with Admissions and Ambassadors to provide updates on multicultural issues and new Center initiatives.
ii. Assist in the interviewing and screening of Watson and Odyssey applicants.
iii. Assist in the planning and coordination of multicultural family campus visits and tours and the Multicultural Experience Weekend.

c. Develop stronger ties with alumni of diverse populations through a partnership between the Multicultural Center and Alumni Relations.
 

i. Enhance opportunities for alumni of diverse populations through regional chapter gatherings.
ii. Work with alumni to develop a recruitment base for university faculty and staff positions and to assist in current students identifying networking and job opportunities.
iii. Explore the possibility of additional Homecoming alumni events, such as an African-American Alumni Summit or an Alumni Multicultural Seminar, to provide networking and professional development opportunities.

d. Develop a case statement for the value of diversity and a strong Multicultural Center (see page 22) through a collaborative effort between University Advancement and the Center, in order to engage foundations, grant agencies, alumni and other donors in support of:
 

i. Endowing and relocating the Center to a more visible location.
ii. Preserving the history of the African-American Resource Center.
iii. Adding scholarships for students of high financial need.
iv. Enhancing the Multicultural Center Library resources.
v. Making annual presentations to donors with a high interest in diversity initiatives.
vi. Developing avenues for parent donations to Center projects.

e. Multicultural Coalition

i. Representatives should include El Centro de Español, Admissions, Isabella Cannon Center for International Studies, Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and Multicultural Center.
ii. The committee should review/coordinate diversity programming on campus (including an annual multicultural calendar), review services for students of diverse populations, assess recruitment and retention of students/facstaff of diverse populations, and hold annual recognition events/award ceremonies for l students of diverse populations.
iii. Review the campus climate for students of diverse populations and make recommendations on climate and new initiatives.

f. Develop on-going programs through the Multicultural Center that assist students in transitioning from Elon Academy (and similar programs within the state) to higher education institutions.

g. Form a Multicultural Center Advisory Committee to advise the Center on maintaining high quality programs and services and future planning, including assessment, patterns in recruitment and retention, and identifying educational and financial resources.

2. External Collaborations
 

a. Art Gallery Exhibits: Identify/display semester-long art exhibits such as:
 

i. Showcasing Alamance County artists of diverse populations.
ii. Displaying artifacts (photographs, slave narratives, survivor testimonies) from historical periods of oppression and counter movements (like the Harlem Renaissance).
iii. Hosting traveling exhibits, like the Smithsonian Multicultural Art exhibit, the Library of Congress digital collection and American Memory collection and the Law Library of Congress collection on rulings related to multicultural topics.

b. Alvin Ailey Performing Arts Theatre: Attempt to host The Alvin Ailey Experience Workshop for a five-day intensive dance workshop, a performance and a seminar focusing on the history of African-American dance.

c. Create a Hispanic-Friendly Campus: Offer campus-wide discussion and education efforts to prepare for changing demographics in future incoming classes. Part of these efforts might include improving Hispanic community relations through collaborations with organizations like Centro La Communidad, Blessed Sacrament, etc.

d. Strengthen the Multicultural Student Council (student representatives from all diversity programs and organizations on campus) and support their efforts to promote multicultural education through programs like a “Diversity Leaders of Tomorrow” conference for NC college students, presentations in local high schools, and a wide range of youth and community initiatives with the Morgan Place (Ball Park) community.