West Michigan College and University Presidents

Compact Committee
 

History:

The area college and university Presidents began meeting periodically some years ago in response to input gleaned from the first Grand Rapids Summit on Racism (organized by the Grand Rapids Area Center on Ecumenism and its Racial Justice Institutes).  It indicated that area colleges and university were not giving leadership that was sorely needed in the areas of diversity, multiculturalism and anti-racism.  Over the course of many conversations and several years, the Presidents’ developed the conviction that they indeed ought to work together to give more leadership in this area.

In the fall of 2001, thirteen area college and university Presidents finalized a Compact to address racism in our community in a collaborative manner and in March of 2002 presented their compact to the community at the Summit on Racism.  In part, the compact pledged that the presidents would work together to:

·    Share efforts and resources;

·    Support the activities of other institutions;

·    Engage in appropriate reciprocal partnerships with the broader community;

·    Hold one another accountable to these goals; and

·    Cooperate in concrete ways to promote anti-racist and multicultural efforts

Our goal in this is to ensure that our institutions of higher education actively contribute to the efforts in West Michigan to affirm, respect and embrace people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.

The Compact was originally signed by the follow presidents:

Aquinas College – Harry J. Knopke

Grand Rapids Community College- Juan O. Olivarez

Calvin College- Gaylen J. Byker

Grand Valley State University- Mark A. Murray

Cornerstone University- Rex M. Rogers

Hope College- James E. Bultman

Davenport University- Randolph K. Flechsig

Kendall College of Art and Design- Oliver H. Evans

Ferris State University- Kenneth M. Schultz

Reformed Bible College- Nicholas V. Kroeze

Grace Bible College- Ken B. Kemper

Western Michigan University, Grand Rapids Campus- James L. Schultz

In the summer of 2002, the Presidents met and decided that a group was needed to work on their behalf to accomplish the goals of the compact.  The Implementation committee was formed and began meeting in the fall of 2002.  Three administrators from member institutions who had regularly attended the Presidents meetings were asked to pull the group together to explore collaborative efforts.  Since then, the group has met bi-monthly during the academic year, primarily sharing strategies and programmatic opportunities within the higher education community.  The three administrators set the agenda and organized the conversation that first year.  Subsequently, a permanent representative from each member institution was appointed by their college President to be part of the committee.

The committee has now been formalized and has three active sub-committees. They are the Faculty, Student Life, and Senior Administrators sub-committee. These sub-committees are charged with implementing the mission of the compact at the various areas which they are responsible for. Before the 2006 vote to ban affirmative action in education, hiring, and contacting processes in Michigan, the committee hosted three panel discussions on the issue at Calvin College, Grand Rapids Community College, and Hope College. Each event brought supporters from both sides of the issue and gave them an opportunity to make their case based on the side of the issue they support. Attendees had an opportunity to educate themselves on the issue and ask related questions.