The university welcomed a new chief diversity officer, Dr. Kim B. W. Denu, this academic semester. Prior to her current position, she served a total of 18 years in various on-campus roles, including vice provost, associate provost and full-time professor in the Department of Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL.
“My job is to look at university-wide diversity initiatives, which include faculty, staff and students,” Denu said. “I also look at structural issues and procedures related to diversity. We have moved to a more centralized model as opposed to a decentralized model. This means that students, faculty and staff are now able to go to a single office for their diversity confirms, as opposed to going multiple offices.
Denu’s previous positions and research provided her the experience to take on this job.
“My doctorate is actually in sociology with an emphasis in race and ethnic relations and family matters,” Denu said. “Part of my research area is looking at ethnic diversity as well as gender diversity. I have spent the last two years working with the president and the provost to help them look broadly at diversity matters on campus.”
The chief diversity officer’s bases her vision on what she likes to call the “Shalom Model,” which incorporates diversity into the four p’s: policy, procedure, practices and programming.
“As I look at diversity for APU, I am interested in helping campus members reconcile with God, reconcile with others and then reconcile with themselves,” Denu added. “Particularly with racism, we can have externalized racism where we hate ourselves. Negative perspectives have been so ingrained into history and the social milieu that self-loathing starts to take place. Part of reconciliation is to learn to accept ourselves.”
In order to accomplish her vision, she is working with the Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity and the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Excellence (CDEIE) to succeed in her “Shalom Model” of diversity.
“The center is casting our net wider this year,” Executive Director of CDEIE Richard S. Martinez said. “We will develop more of an outreach to staff. Additionally, our center will have a more proactive outreach to both ethnic organizations and the Student Government Association,”
Denu is currently working on a campus climate study to determine the weakness in the campus resources provided and the aspects that are missing and listening to the students, faculty and staff who are hurting.
Dr. Denu has also played a role in the faculty and staff training in regards to the diversity training segment. The training is usually offered six times a year. For staff members, the training is highly recommended but not mandatory. This set up is similar to the Imago Dei training that on-campus student leaders receive prior to the start of their position.
“People have mixed feelings about diversity,” Denu said. “Part of it has to do with power, privilege and perceived [loss] when diversity takes place. People who experience privilege may ask themselves will I lose something if diversity occurs? So there is always the element of possible fear if this happens. What is going to happen to me?”
Pacific Islander Organization president Zabrina Zablan believes there is still room for improvement on campus.
“I believe that there has been some progress and that we are headed in the right direction,” Zablan said. “But, I think we are still only touching the surface of diversity for our faculty. I think we need more conversations between the administration and faculty to happen so that they are well equipped for the classroom. We have been called to live a life like Christ. Jesus hung out with the people on the margins. He loved everyone no matter where they came from. Students should share their stories and show faculty that it is time to change the way they view this campus. Challenge them to live a life like Christ.”
Denu encourages students who have diversity concerns, such as issues between students or between faculty and students, to directly talk to the person involved in the that sort of conflict when possible. Students who prefer not to involve themselves with whoever they are having a conflict with can contact these offices for non- classroom related issues: Student Life, Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity, International Student and Scholars, Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence and Graduate and Professional Student Support Services.
For classroom-related diversity matters, students should contact either the department chair or the associate dean of the involved department, or any of the offices mentioned above.