1. How do we embrace diversity?

          a. What suggestions or ideas do you have to convey the value and benefits of diversity to positively affect the culture of natural resources and environmental organizations?

2. What suggestions or ideas do you have for curricula and university programs that will help colleges retain underrepresented students and better prepare them for their transition into a career in natural resources or environmental fields?  

3. What suggestions or ideas do you have to create or change policies or guidelines that would protect and increase diversity within natural resources and environmental organizations?

          a. How do we build the business case for diversity? 

          b. What do policy makers need to hear?

4. What suggestions or ideas do you have to change the perception of natural resources and environmental fields in order to attract and enroll a diverse student body and workforce to these fields?

          a. How do we deal with family/friend’s stigmas related to natural resources? 

          b. How do we repackage the field as a good investment in a student’s future – lucrative opportunity? 

Goals:

The long term goals of exploring the above topics are to align student interests and academic programs with the needs of industry and communities to better serve a diverse world, and to encourage the creation of a diverse natural resources community that successfully meets the challenges facing our global population.

At each annual diversity summit, we will explore questions and develop action plans to move us all closer to these goals.  At this inaugural summit we have chosen some "first step" goals to get us on our way.

1. Create alliances and partnerships for moving forward.

2. Outline the framework for our joint path forward.

3. Develop action steps with timelines for addressing the lead discussion questions above.

Other Questions to Consider:

1. What is Diversity?

How do we communicate and promote this definition to others?

2. What are methods of addressing uncomfortable diversity issues?

3. How do we create a campus of open communication?

4. How can we make a campus feel welcoming to underrepresented students?

5. How do we deal with the historical context that affects the present day view of the field?

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