Wesleyan University -- ODAA: About the Office

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Office for Diversity and Academic Advancement (ODAA)

In July 2006, Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi was hired as the first Dean for Diversity and Academic Advancement. Teraguchi fills a position that was created in response to student's growing concern about diversity and administrative transparency. Students were offered the opportunity to present their opinions during the winter of 2004. From information garnered in several campus-wide forums, the University recognized the need for the implementation of an Office for Diversity and Academic Advancement within the Office of Dean of the College.

In 2005, Wesleyan then created a Multicultural Task Force comprised of administrators, faculty, and students whose mission was to provide recommendations to the Dean of the College, María Cruz-Saco (2005-2007), on the responsibilities for a new Office for Diversity and Academic Advancement. The committee embarked on a comprehensive process of gathering information on students concerns, including a review of past and current communication from students. The University affirmed the feedback from students during this process and constructed a detailed job portfolio for the Dean for Diversity and Academic Advancement position including: diversity as a systemic educational process for achieving institutional excellence; First Year Matters; the Student Academic Resource Network (SARN); academic success; Disabilities Services; academic and international components of orientation; and the Office of International Student Affairs.

ODAA Coordinating Committee

In September 2007, the ODAA Coordinating Committee was established. The ODAA Coordinating committee's mission is to create and facilitate a multitude of entryways for the campus community to contribute their talents, expertise, interests, and institutional responsibilities in pursuit of inclusive excellence. The objective is to explore possible collaborations and partnerships in which ODAA can support mutual goals in advancing institutional priorities. Summaries from the meetings are available below.

Affirming Identities, Building Community, Cultivating Leadership
ABCs for Engagement guide ODAA's work. The ABCs are: Affirming Identities as a necessary prerequisite for building community, Building Community through complex and difficult dialogues to increase our collective sphere of influence, and Cultivating Leadership in individuals to lead by example and in the service of social justice. Continue to view the ABCs Theory In Action.