Diversity commitment by six on faculty celebrated

Six faculty members who have contributed to the development of a culturally and ethnically diverse campus community have been presented with the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Ekotto (Photo courtesy Dep't. of Romance Languges And Literature)

Frier (Photo courtesy Robert Frier)

Jones (Photo by Lin Jones, U-M Photo Services)

Paul (Photo by Carl Greene)

Squires (Photo by Scott Galvin, U-M Photo Services)

Wooten (Photo courtesy David Wooten)

The 2007 recipients are: Frieda Ekotto, associate professor of French, Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and associate professor of comparative literature, LSA; Bruce Frier, the Frank O. Copley Collegiate Professor of Classics and Roman Law, professor of classics, Department of Classical Studies, LSA, and the Henry King Ransom Professor of Law and professor of law, Law School; J. Wayne Jones, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering; Janice C. Paul, assistant professor of art, School of Art & Design and assistant professor of social work, School of Social Work; Catherine Squires, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies, LSA, and assistant professor in the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS); and David Wooten, assistant professor in the School of Business Administration, Ross School of Business.

The award was established in 1996 in honor of Johnson, dean emeritus of the School of Social Work. Honorees receive $5,000 to further their personal research, teaching and scholarship activities.

Ekotto's research focuses on modern French and African literature and cinema. She has worked to organize trips for undergraduates and graduate students to the Pan African Film Festival in Burkina Faso, and has organized visits, seminars, lectures and conferences by African writers, artists and scholars to U-M.

"Professor Ekotto is a superb mentor to her numerous graduate students and also to junior faculty," writes Michele Hannoosh, professor of French and chair of the department. "She regularly participates in events sponsored by the admissions office for underrepresented students ... Her intellectual and personal commitment to diversity has had an immensely enriching effect on the department and the University."

Frier has championed a range of diversity related issues. He has insisted on departmental participation in Martin Luther King Jr. symposia and events, brought African scholars to U-M, overseen salary hikes for female faculty to correct pay disparities when compared with male faculty, and recently has chaired the Task Force on the Campus Climate for Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Faculty, Staff and Students.

Evan Caminker, dean and professor of law at the Law School, wrote in seconding Frier's nomination, "Perhaps some are as dedicated to the cause as is Bruce; perhaps some are as passionate about the issue; perhaps some are as courageous as he is. But I doubt that anyone else goes about the project of preserving and cultivating diversity with as much thought and care and savvy and nuance and efficacy as does Bruce. He marries passion with principle and pragmatism in his pursuit of this goal."

Jones has championed diversity in the College of Engineering by providing information to departments and search committees to increase diverse recruitment. Besides work to boost the Women in Science and Engineering program and the Minority Engineering Program Office (MEPO), he helped MEPO attract industry and government leaders that were instrumental in raising $10 million for diversity initiatives and scholarships. In nominating him, Dean of Engineering David Munson Jr. wrote that Jones led the formation of that college's first written diversity plan in 1997, which set a framework with a clear direction and philosophy.

"His advocacy for women and minority faculty candidates is not confined to STRIDE workshops, as I have personally seen him point out the lack of diversity on candidate as well as award lists," wrote Tresa Pollock, L. H. and F. E. Van Vlack Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, in her letter of support for Jones' nomination.

Paul has directed the annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners on campus since 1996. Her success in creating innovative partnerships with communities beyond the University is evidenced in Detroit Connections, which partners undergraduate students with Detroit school communities.

"Janie Paul's personal commitment to diversity has brought about a seismic shift in how a community of creative artists within this University defines themselves and their mission as educators," wrote three School of A & D faculty who nominated her: Ed West, Georgina Zirbes and Jim Cogswell. "What is particularly striking is how many students, just about to step out into the exciting and somewhat terrifying unknown, say 'I want to thank Janie Paul. Janie, thank you. Janie, you changed my life.'"

Squires established and directed the CAAS Advising Center, which many refer to as "the Squires center." She is the central faculty member for undergraduate student advising in CAAS, since 2000 has represented the center at all LSA-sponsored outreach and recruiting initiatives, and has consistently demonstrated innovative, compelling ways to study ethnic, racial and cultural diversity.

"Professor Squires is a skillful, innovative and dedicated classroom teacher, a deeply committed mentor to students, and a scholar at the top of her cohort who has produced a groundbreaking book on the representations of mixed race people in the media," wrote Susan Douglas, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, who nominated Squires.

Wooten advises two student groups at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business—the Black Business Student's Association and the Black Business Undergraduate Society. He also plans and executes activities sponsored by the two groups, and is a leader in the school's mission to attract and retain a diverse student body. Wooten also is curriculum director of the summer three-week Leadership Education and Development Program (LEAD) for minority high school students.

"The students get a real life campus experience and learn basic business ideas," wrote Kathleen Sutcliffe, associate dean and professor with the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. "David devotes many hours to planning this program and his efforts have paid off; many LEAD participants have chosen Michigan for their undergraduate education."