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CU regents board to be more diverse

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 11, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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The University of Colorado, long criticized for underserving minorities, will seat its most diverse Board of Regents ever in January.

Joe Neguse, of Boulder, will be the first black regent since Rachel Noel left in 1988.

Monisha Merchant is the first person of Asian descent on the nine-member board. Her parents are from India.

The two Democrats will join Republican Regent Tom Lucero, who is Hispanic. He has been on the board since 1999.

Merchant said the makeup of the board "will make a huge impact."

"Students, faculty, those interested in attending CU will feel more comfortable approaching the board if they have someone they can trust," said Merchant, a product manager in a high-tech firm.

Neguse, a student at the CU law school, said he and Merchant will bring a "fresh perspective" to the board.

Republicans will hold a 5-4 majority on the board, down from a 6-3 majority. Leaving the board will be Pay Hayes.

Comments

  • November 11, 2008

    2:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kevinjjones writes:

    "Students, faculty, those interested in attending CU will feel more comfortable approaching the board if they have someone they can trust," said Merchant, a product manager in a high-tech firm."

    So if the problem is that minorities don't trust white people, the solution is to get rid of white people?

    Diversity is one of the emptiest qualities emphasized today. More diversity means less common ground. Isn't that a bad thing?

  • November 12, 2008

    10:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    opinionatedcolo writes:

    No diversity does not mean less common ground, it means expanding the definition of ground. Kevin may be more comfortable when those is power all share his background and views, but having different experiences and different viewpoints may lead to more thought and more creativity when facing challenges. Certainly having different ethnic backgrounds does not guarantee diversity of thought but the reality of the U.S. is still that having a different color skin affects some of your experience.