(NAME-MCE) Change In Roles

[Christine Clark]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am writing to let you know about a change in roles that I have  
made.  Many of you have gotten wind of a press article announcing my  
return to faculty at UNLV and have expressed concern that this return  
was a form of punishment.  Please know that nothing could be further  
from the truth.

I wanted to go back to faculty a year ago, but got signals from some  
of my strongest supporters in the local community here in Las Vegas  
that they would be very disappointed if I did, so I stayed on.  Then  
when my immediate past President was looking very vulnerable, I  
discussed transitioning back this change this past May, but he felt  
that would be premature--fearing that if I left before I could ensure  
that my position and office would continue forward we would lose both  
permanently.  Finally, after his very public and humiliating firing, I  
set up some time to talk to the new President (past Provost) about my  
desire to return to faculty and the future of diversity at UNLV.   
There were certain things I wanted to ensure if I was going to go back  
to faculty under ideal circumstances and he supported every single one  
of those things--all very good news for diversity on the UNLV campus.

I was named Senior Scholar in Multicultural Education and Founding  
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion in perpetuity (see  
announcements from the President and me appended below my signature  
block).  In the Senior Scholar role I get to do internal and external  
education and training on multicultural curriculum transformation and  
organizational development--what more could I ask for?!

So again, this was completely my decision and I was not in any way  
forced to do it.

Sure, there are people who will say that I was forced no matter what  
the "official" story is, but honestly, I am really exhausted and I  
desperately needed the break when I first tried to go back to faculty  
a year ago.  This last year has been that much more exhausting because  
of the relentless and hostile attacks from the conservative right in  
the state government and local press.  The article circulated to some  
of you by Bill Howe from one of those ultra right wing press sources  
regarding my administrative transition back to faculty tries, in vain,  
to frame this transition negatively--they begrudgingly mention the  
President's lauding of my work and my new appointment at the very  
end.  But this article pales in comparison to the hostile nature of  
press and editorials that have focused on me, my office, and the work  
of diversity in higher education over the last year.  Unfortunately, I  
am not along in experiencing these attacks--there is a coordinated  
attack on diversity in higher education across the country from the  
right wing that has gotten much more vitriolic since the election of  
President Obama.    Ironically, while this attack often paints  
diversity work as limiting free speech, the attack is undergirded by a  
very organized group of ultra conservative lawyers who are looking for  
ways to do away with tenure in higher education as a way of eroding  
the perceived "liberal stronghold" fomenting "radical thought" (i.e.,  
critical consciousness) in especially public universities.  All the  
more reason that we must strengthen our resolve to move  
sociopolitically located multicultural education and social justice  
forward in PK-12 and higher education, particularly in public settings.

As a positive consequence of the relentless negative press over the  
last year, I have learned to take it in stride (more or less) and keep  
moving forward, which is harder than it looks, at least for me.   
Something as a community we need to become more and more prepared to  
manage--the more successful we are, the more of this kind of backlash  
we can expect.

Please know that I am very happy and have lots of campus and community  
support as I transition.  I have two book projects in process, I am  
teaching a face-to-face class (graduate course in multicultural  
education) for the first time in three years (!!!), I get to spend  
more time with my old dog and new puppy, etc.  It is all good.

I very much appreciate the concern that so many of you have written,  
called, texted, blogged, twittered to express--it is heartening.

Much love and nothing but love,

Christine
———
Christine Clark, Ed.D.
chriseclark at mac.com
702.896.1527 Telephone
702.896.4529 Facsimile
702.985.6979 Cellular

"...In the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in  
the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day  
when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around,  
when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and  
when white will embrace what is right."

—Revered Joseph Lowery, Excerpt from the Benediction given at the  
Inauguration of President Barack Obama, January 20, 2009




Office of the President
4505 Maryland Parkway ∙ Box 451001 ∙ Las Vegas NV 89154-1001
Phone 702-895-3201 ∙ Fax 702-895-5955

August 28, 2009

Dear Colleagues,

Please join me in thanking Dr. Christine Clark, UNLV’s Vice President  
for Diversity and Inclusion for her administrative service in this  
role over the last two years.

Dr. Clark has done an outstanding job against tremendous odds. Indeed,  
as our inaugural Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Clark  
did the really heavy lifting—both administratively and politically— 
that is always involved in establishing a ground breaking initiative.

As a result of these foundational efforts, her successor will truly  
enjoy great benefits as a result of Dr. Clark’s work. In fact, the  
entire campus community owes Dr. Clark a debt of gratitude for blazing  
the trail for social justice work at the senior administrative level  
at UNLV.

While Dr. Clark’s accomplishments as Vice President for Diversity and  
Inclusion are too numerous to note, among the most impressive are her:

·	Creation of diversity-related infrastructure in admissions,  
assessment and evaluation, and advancement—including marketing and  
alumni relations
·	Establishment of key equity- and diversity-related structures at the  
system, campus-wide, and college levels, as well as with community  
stakeholder groups
·	Broadening of campus diversity and inclusion programming, which can  
impact and link to campus initiatives, like our curriculum reform  
efforts
·	Establishment of UNLV’s Multicultural Center-Centro Multicultural

Clearly, Dr. Clark has created a blueprint for us to build on as we  
move diversity and inclusion forward at UNLV.

In recognition of Dr. Clark’s contributions to the development of  
UNLV’s comprehensive framework for campus equity, diversity, and  
inclusion, she will retain the title of Founding Vice President for  
Diversity and Inclusion. Further, as Dr. Clark returns to her full  
professor role in the College of Education, the campus will capitalize  
on her international recognition in the field of multicultural  
education by having her serve as our Senior Scholar in Multicultural  
Education.

Because of Dr. Clark’s national reputation—as both an administrator  
and a scholar—with the National Association for Diversity Officers in  
Higher Education and the National Association for Multicultural  
Education, I have asked her to assist me with the transition and  
search for the next Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at UNLV.

Dr. Clark, it has been a pleasure to have you serve UNLV as our  
Founding Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. I look forward to  
working with you as a distinguished member of the UNLV senior faculty.

Sincerely,


Neal J. Smatresk
President

___________________________________

August 28, 2009
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community Friends,

It has been a privilege to serve as the first Vice President for  
Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for the  
last two years.  To be sure, it has been both an incredibly  
challenging and rewarding experience.

I came into this role with the charge to establish a comprehensive  
framework for a progressive and prestigious campus-wide diversity and  
inclusion agenda at UNLV.  With your support and participation, and  
building on national “best practices” for Chief Diversity Officers  
in higher education, this charge has been met and surpassed.

Knowing that UNLV is now well on its way to becoming internationally  
recognized for its equity and diversity infrastructure, I have decided  
to exercise my right of return to the faculty, and join the Department  
of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education as a full- 
time Professor for the Spring 2010 semester.  In this role, President  
Smatresk has asked me serve as UNLV’s Senior Scholar in Multicultural  
Education—an invitation I have enthusiastically accepted.

Looking at what lies ahead for the Office of the Vice President for  
Diversity and Inclusion at UNLV, there is nothing but good news.  I am  
confident that future plans for the office will build positively on  
what has been done and continue to contribute to UNLV’s overall  
rising institutional profile.

I am excited to return to the classroom as a teacher educator; I miss  
teaching a great deal.  I am also looking forward to dedicating  
increased attention to research and scholarship, as well as to  
community-based and national service.

While I will remain very engaged in campus and community life, I am  
most heartened by the prospect of having more time to spend with my  
extended family, to renew friendships, and to prioritize holistic  
health and well-being.

Once again, it has been a privilege to serve as vice president and I  
looked forward to continuing this service in my faculty role.

Sincerely,

Christine Clark, Ed.D.