After prompting from President Bill Chace at its last meeting, the President's Commission on the Status of Minorities (PCSM) revisited its Strategic Plan for Diversity and has mapped out a new, yearlong study. The new plan was introduced to members by PCSM officers at the group's March 26 meeting.

For a bulk of this academic year, PCSM members have been writing a proposal to study Emory's diversity climate including administrative policy and practice regarding diversity. The initial proposal to Chace suggested the creation of a new committee to study and collect data on diversity at Emory, with resources and personnel adequate to conduct the study. The new plan has PCSM members overseeing a smaller initial study on campus diversity climate and producing a written report of the findings.

Beginning this summer, members will seek out representatives from other universities to speak next fall on diversity at their campuses to the entire PCSM membership and other interested parties and have discussions with senior administrators. Next spring, the group proposes to sponsor a symposium for Emory on diversity issues. The yearlong effort will culminate in a written report and recommendations to be submitted to Chace.

Members supported the plan and emphasized that collecting baseline data is important to the validity of the project. Creating a project timeline is the group's first goal, as well as examining the cost of the project and researching Emory's existing diversity data.

In other business, members selected the recipients of its five $500 professional development grants. All applicants will be notified of their status in April.

PCSM will meet again on April 22 in 400 Administration at 3 p.m.

If you have a question or concern for PCSM, e-mail Brenda Seiton at bseiton@medadm.emory.edu.