Purdue eliminates chief diversity position

Purdue's chief diversity officer, G. Christine Taylor, no longer works for the university.

Her position was eliminated July 1 after two months of talks with Provost Debasish Dutta, who has assumed Taylor's former role.

"We have made progress but a lot more needs to be done," he said.

Although she no longer works for Purdue University, none of the diversity initiatives and programs will be eliminated at this time, Dutta assured.

He plans to "institutionalize" or integrate the many diversity efforts and initiatives that were housed under the auspice of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion and headed by Taylor into the main fabric or institution of Purdue. The division will be under the Office of the Provost, he said.

Purdue trustees will vote later this week whether to add "diversity" to Dutta's title of executive vice president for academic affairs.

Taylor could not be reached for comment. She was the university's first vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer. Former President France A. Córdova created the position six years ago as part of Purdue's "New Synergies" strategic plan to help the university attract a more diverse student body.

Dutta still has his eyes on that goal but with a focus on recruiting diverse faculty members, which directly impacts student recruitment, experience and success, he said.

"(Taylor's) expertise and her passion is at the student level and she has done very well but we have not made any progress on faculty," he said.

For example, less than 4 percent of Purdue's faculty are African-American, he said.

As provost, Dutta is in a better position than Taylor to engage deans, department heads and faculty, he said. Elevating the position to the level of provost also will help bring attention to diversity across the campus, he added.

"I need more faculty involved in diversity," he said. "That is not only good for faculty but good for the institution as a whole. ... I'm convinced that we will make more progress than what we have made in the first five years."

Two provost fellows or Purdue faculty will help him accomplish these goals and manage another full-time workload.

He named Venetria Patton, professor and director of the African-American Studies Research Center, a fellow. The second has yet to be named.

The directors of Purdue's five cultural centers and other diversity departments will report to Dutta.

Several directors were contacted Monday but referred questions to the provost.