Ibarra
to lead UNM's diversity initiatives
 |
| Ibarra
will plan to attract, retain underrepresented faculty and
staff. Photo by Jeff Miller. |
Roberto
A. Ibarra has been named special assistant to the president
for diversity initiatives, effective immediately, President
William C. Gordon has announced.
The new
position was created to direct and coordinate the Universitys
strategic diversity initiatives, to include recruitment and
retention efforts for women and minorities in underutilized
faculty and staff job categories, Gordon said.
Ibarra,
who was selected in a national search process, will develop
a plan to help UNM attract and retain underrepresented faculty
and staff.
Professor
Ibarra brings a significant and impressive record of experience
in academic administrative positions and in other positions
that involved his working closely with individuals from underrepresented
groups. The depth and breadth of his experience are very appreciable.
The importance of this position is underscored by the fact that
he will report directly to the UNM President. We look forward
to his contributions, Gordon said.
Ibarra said his first priority is to define the mission and
objective of the newly created position and to meet with the
campus community.
I
plan to meet with as many people as possible to hear issues,
concerns and successes as well, Ibarra said. It
is important to know what the needs are from the various people
on main campus as well as the other campuses and their communities.
From 1995
to 2001, Ibarra served as assistant vice chancellor for Academic
Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison),
where his duties included supporting faculty initiatives for
collaboration with historically Black colleges and universities,
Tribal colleges and Hispanic serving institutions as a member
of the Provosts Committee for Inter-institutional Cooperation.
Prior to
his recent position, Ibarra was dean in residence for the Council
of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C. in 1994-95, where he
conducted funded research on Latinas/os in graduate education
and was a liaison to President Clintons Commission on
Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
He also
previously served as assistant dean of The Graduate School,
Office of Fellowships and Minority Programs at UW-Madison, 1989-97;
and as assistant dean of the College of Letters and Science
also at UW-Madison, 1986-89.
He also
was a legislative assistant, Wisconsin State Senate, 1985-86;
equal rights officer, Wisconsin State Personnel Commission,
Madison, 1984-85.
Other past
experience includes assistant and associate professor of Anthropology
posts at Ft. Lewis College, Durango, Colo., 1976-84.
Ibarra earned a bachelors degree in sociology and anthropology
from Northern Illinois University in 1969.
He earned
a masters and Ph.D. in Social/Cultural Anthropology in
1972 and 1976, respectively, both from UW-Madison.