The College of Business takes its commitment to diversity and inclusivity seriously, as an entity of its own and as a part of the University of Missouri community. We continue to build on existing efforts to address systemic racism and to educate our students by exposing them to new and different experiences, thoughts and cultures.
This includes:
- The college leadership team continues to seek voices of all perspectives in guiding the future of the college. Most recently, the MU Black Faculty and Staff Organization provided specific recommendations for our college related to our diversity and inclusivity efforts. Dean Vinze participated in a Zoom session focused on the death of George Floyd, recent protests and what white members of our community can do to be allies, and has reached out to a variety of college stakeholders to seek feedback — to listen. We are in the process of scheduling a conversation with some of our Trulaske student organizations to listen and learn.
- Last year, we implemented a new faculty hiring process, to focus on increasing the number of underrepresented faculty at Trulaske.
- We are working with our campus partners to generate additional private funding for our Vasey Academy and other college programs related to diversity and inclusivity. The one-semester Vasey experience of the past has been expanded to four years and now includes additional opportunities for corporate engagement, and we undertake our efforts with the help of an advisory board that is specific to this program.
- We have increased study abroad scholarship funding for underrepresented groups and we created the Heartland Scholars Academy to support rural, first-generation college students.
- We continue to seek ways to integrate diversity and inclusivity topics throughout our curriculum and our professional development programming for students, faculty and staff, with a focus on global and intercultural fluency and diversity in the workplace.
A strong effort is underway, not just in words but by assembling a meaningful set of actions we will take. We will continue our efforts once we fully inventory a broad spectrum of contributions made in this regard by a variety of individuals and groups affiliated with the college.
Members of our community can share their thoughts with Dean Vinze and the Trulaske leadership team by emailing umcbusdeansoffice@missouri.edu.
Last updated June 6, 2020.