FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A variety of events starting in September will kickoff the University of Arkansas campaign “Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity in Arkansas.”

The celebration is being organized by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, the Office for Faculty Development, and the Title IX Office, with contributions by volunteers from units across the U of A campus. The effort has been spearheaded by Yvette Murphy-Erby, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion.

Entertainment Events

The celebration begins with a kickoff concert featuring the Funk Factory Band from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, on the Union Mall. The diverse and popular band will play music from a mix of genres and generations. The free concert is open to the public and light refreshments will be provided.

The concert will be followed at 7 p.m. by the National Pan-Hellenic Council Convocation Step Show in the Arkansas Union Verizon Ballroom. Tickets are $5 per person.

A “Community-Unity Picnic and Movie Night” will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, on the lawn of the Chi Omega Greek Theatre. The night begins with a contest for:

• The most elaborate picnic display
• The most elegant picnic display
• The picnic with the most diverse menu
• The picnic with the best display of razorback pride and unity.

Those interested in the contest are encouraged to arrive at 7 p.m. to set up; judging will begin at 7:30. A sign language professional will interpret during the judging portion of the picnic. After the judging, a recent popular movie will be shown with an inclusion and diversity theme. The movie will have closed-captioning.

Academic Events

Several free public lectures have also been scheduled, , addressing themes related to inclusion and diversity:

• 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, in J.B. Hunt, room 144: Sam Perry, associate professor from Baylor University, will deliver a talk titled, “The Art of Dealing in Black Bodies: Violent Policing and Civil Suits,” sponsored by the Department of Communication.
• 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in Engineering room 209: Manu O. Platt, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University will discuss the dangers of waiting for the “perfect time” to promote diversity and inclusion, as well as the power and the pay-off of working to diversify the workforce, sponsored by the Department of Biological Engineering.
• 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, in Shollmier Auditorium: Hilary Sample and Michael Meredith, co-founders of MOS Architects, will present a lecture. Sponsored by the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design.
• 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17, in Vol Walker Hall, room 250: Wendy Evans Joseph, founder of Studio Joseph, will present a lecture. Sponsored by the Jones School.
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in Hembree Auditorium: Movie screening of the Oscar-nominated film The Insult (Lebanon 2017). Sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies.
• 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, in Gearhart Auditorium: Karla Mallette, director of the Global Islamic Studies Center at the University of Michigan, will discuss the language that developed in the pre-modern Mediterranean region that allowed people from Arab, Greek, Latin and other cultures to communicate. Sponsored by the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies.
• 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, in Giffels Auditorium: Peruvian writer Alonso Cueto will speak on literature and history of the long war between the Peruvian government and the Shining Path movement. This lecture is presented by the Latin American and Latino Studies Program, in honor of Hispanic Heritage month.

Academic initiatives

The College of Education and Health Professions is launching a year-long project — “Keeping it Real: Teaching All Students” — designed to enhance educators’ awareness of the culture of people of African descent and how educators can use that information to enhance teaching and educational practices and process. The first meeting is from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, in the auditorium foyer of the Graduate Education Building. The monthly meetings are open to the public.

The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design has started the semester with the launch of the “I COMMIT FAY” campaign. This is symbolized by an installation in the Vol Walker Hall lobby: commitment boards on which students, staff and faculty are invited to articulate their goals for attaining diversity and inclusion through design. The campus and community are welcomed to visit the instillation in the lobby of the Vol Walker Building.

additional events

• 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at the Janelle Y Hembree Alumni House: The Pride Alumni Society Drag Brunch, benefiting the Pride Alumni Society Scholarship for U of A Students. Tickets are required and available online.
• 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at at the Reynolds Center Auditorium: Inclusion and Diversity Student Ambassador fall meeting for ambassadors and  students who want to be ambassadors. Dinner provided for those
• students that RSVP to the registration link that students will recieve
• 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25: Inclusion and Diversity Faculty and Staff Champions fall meeting for faculty and staff membershat want to be champions or are already champions. Lunch provided for those that RSVP. Location to be announced.

More details on all of these events will be available at the new Diversity and Inclusion website at diversity.uark.edu. 

The website will be officially launched on Friday, Aug. 31, and all are invited to attend the launch party in the Multi Culture Center Multipurpose room between 11:30 and 12:30.  Cake and punch provided.

Yvette Murphy-Erby has served as vice provost for diversity and inclusion at the University of Arkansas for the past 11  months, and during that time her duties have have evolved beyond academic affairs to encompass diversity and inclusion efforts in every aspect of the university. As a result she now has a new title: vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion. This is more than an administrative move, as Chancellor Joe Steinmetz pointed out in announcing the change.

“Yvette has has done an outstanding job leading multiple diversity-related efforts since being appointed last year, but to truly integrate these efforts across campus and signal the alignment of her work with executive priorities, she needs to be —and this position needs to be — a part of the university’s executive committee.” 

Murphy-Erby will continue to report to Jim Coleman, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. She will also continue leading the development and implementation of the campus diversity plan, as well as reporting its progress.

“Yvette Murphy-Erby is truly passionate and determined to lead the university in achieving its goal to provide a more inclusive and diverse environment,” Coleman said. “Her efforts will help our community become a model of inclusive excellence, raising the quality of our academic pursuits and demonstrating our core values as Arkansas’ flagship, land grant institution.”

“It has been a pleasure to lead the campus over the last 11 months towards a more inclusive and diverse culture and climate,” Murphy-Erby said. “Elevating the positon to the vice chancellor level enhances this ability and affirms the value and centrality of inclusivity and diversity to our chancellor and provost and to every aspect of our mission, priorities and aims. This confirms the importance of inclusivity and diversity to successful outcomes for all faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and to our community partners and stakeholders. I have been amazed by the level of synergy on our campus and in our community relative to inclusion, diversity, equity and access. I am especially grateful to the various team leaders, team members, deans, vice provosts and everyone on our campus and in our community that is supporting this important work towards an enhanced culture and climate of inclusivity and diversity.”