Karla Rendon
News Editor
Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs Beatriz Gonzalez has been named the University’s new interim chief diversity and inclusivity officer, succeeding Joy Lei.
Gonzalez was appointed as CDIO in August and her new role includes being responsible for upholding the University’s core values and mission statement and creating a diverse climate for students.
“I think primarily that role is upholding the University’s core values, one of which is diversity,” Gonzalez said. “It is our intention as a University to provide an educational experience that prepares our students to work and live in a very diverse society.”
President Devorah Lieberman offered Gonzalez the position because of her previous work with expanding diversity at the University, such as developing new training programs related to diversity for the recruitment of hiring new faculty.
“If we want to serve our students well, understanding our students’ background such as their cultural heritage and their identity are going to be important for us to support them well,” Gonzalez said. “Understanding them as complete people will help us serve them better.”
Gonzalez hopes to bring recognition, education, consultation and advocacy into the structure of the office.
Daniel Loera, Director of Multicultural Affairs, feels Gonzalez’s understanding and knowledge of systems can bring a positive outcome for the University.
“I think that not only does she understand it but she has the articulation and the role to really put some of that stuff into the community in a new and significant way, “ Loera said. “I think that does give hope that things can be identified, addressed and changed.”
Gonzalez strives to work with multicultural services, interfaith work from the chapel, disability services, veteran services to establish a calendar for the year.
Karla Rendon can be reached at karla.rendon@laverne.edu.
