WKU Achieves All 8 Goals Of Kentucky Plan

For the sixth straight year, Western Kentucky University has achieved continuing Degree Program Eligibility status based on the eight categories of the Kentucky Plan for Equal Opportunities by meeting the goals in all eight.


By surpassing the minimum level of successful achievement, WKU is automatically eligible to offer new degree programs. The report, which was presented today to the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), is based on data from 2008-09 which showed that WKU successfully met all eight objectives.


CPE oversees the Kentucky Plan, which monitors progress in eight objectives related to African American Kentuckians in the state's public higher education institutions. The objectives include the enrollment, retention and graduation of students as well as the hiring of faculty, staff and professionals.


Dr. Richard Miller, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer at WKU, said the results show the University's efforts are working, but that work needs to continue.


"WKU is committed to achieving diversity in our student, faculty and staff populations, and in creating the environment that encourages them to stay here and be successful," Dr. Miller said. "Meeting all eight objectives for two of the past three years is a meaningful accomplishment, but no cause for us to relax in our efforts."



Some areas, such as student retention and six-year graduation rates, are of concern throughout the student population, he added.


WKU President Gary Ransdell said diversity remains an important part of WKU's recently completed strategic guide for 2010-12.


"WKU will continue to strengthen its resolve to recruit and retain students of all ethnicities, including African American students, international students and adult learners who meet our standards and who bring richness and differences to our campus culture," he said. "This accomplishment is just one indication of our efforts as we establish a comprehensive diversity plan that fosters an inclusive culture of embracement."


Dr. Miller said Kentucky African Americans are an important part of WKU's constituency. "We will continue our efforts to attract, retain and graduate those students as well as hire African Americans in faculty, staff and professional positions," he said. "However, at WKU, diversity means much more when you add our focus on international reach. Our diversity is one of the strengths in the WKU experience."

More WKU news is available at http://www.wku.edu/news/index.html and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/.