Chancellor Nancy Cantor recently appointed a chief diversity officer for Syracuse University, continuing her push for diversity across SU and higher education in general.

James Duah-Agyeman, the newly appointed officer, has been director of student support and diversity education, and the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs for six years.

‘Having done this job for a while, I think I am able to ask the right questions,’ Duah-Agyeman said.

As chief diversity officer, Duah-Agyeman’s job will be to represent SU to the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). The newly formed NADOHE, an affiliate of the American Council on Education, held its first meeting in February.

Cantor is the former president of the American Council on Education.

‘It wouldn’t make sense if Syracuse was not brought to the table,’ Duah-Agyeman said. ‘We need to have representation from institutions across the table.’

SU is now one of 85 charter institutions that form NADOHE.

The association reviews studies and makes recommendations, which representatives will bring back to the chancellors and presidents of their universities. The first meeting was mostly spent writing the bylaws and laying the foundations for future actions, according to Duah-Agyeman.

‘My ability to collaborate with my colleagues from both the academic and student affairs sides of the university will be an asset to me,’ Duah-Agyeman said. He added that being on the cabinet, Dean of Student Affairs Barry Wells should also be an asset, because the dean reports directly to the chancellor.

Matthew Snyder, director of communications and media relations for Student Affairs, said: ‘Doctor D., by virtue of his role, has been in a position to work closely with the chancellor and the community.’

Having had a role in early discussions and planning of NADOHE, Duah-Agyeman planned to attend the meeting as director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Now that he is SU’s diversity officer, he will be able to officially represent the university by voting and running for a position within NADOHE.

‘This is not something new for the university or this chancellor,’ Snyder said, pointing out Cantor’s Jan. 23 speech on Scholarship in Action.

‘We must engage a multiplicity of voices among those who study, teach and work here, and we intend to embed those voices directly within our most innovative educational and scholarly agendas,’ she said in the speech.

‘One of the things that I really like is the intergroup dialogues we are doing.’ Duah-Agyeman said. The university offers these dialogue courses on themes including race and gender.

‘I think there’s a big push for (diversity) on campus,’ said Tristan Lee Wright, freshman in the College of Human Services and Health Professions. ‘I think it can always be done better, though.’

Lee Wright noted his residence hall community council was required to provide at least one program promoting diversity.

‘I haven’t seen much of it,’ said Angelique Ocasio of campus diversity programming. Ocasio, sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she noticed some SU students tend to segregate themselves.

‘You’re bringing people from different backgrounds and ethnicities together and saying it’s diversity, but sometimes they stay in their own groups,’ she said.

Published on April 19, 2007 at 12:00 pm