DEI Council and Committees

DEI Council

The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has been working with leaders across WVU to develop diversity, equity and inclusion committees at all of our Schools, Colleges and Units. Many of those committees are already up and running, and we continue to collaborate with others on campus to activate additional committees. (See below)

This year the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Meshea L. Poore, Esq. took the next step to assemble the Chairs of each College-wide Committee into an overarching DEI Council to develop goals, best practices, and ensure that we, as Mountaineers, are creating the safe, diverse, and welcoming community we all deserve.

Chair, Meshea L. Poore, Esq., Vice President for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Representatives:

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Cerasela Zoica Dinu, Ph.D., Associate Chair for the Biomedical Engineering Program, Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Initiatives

College of Creative Arts

Todd J. Tubutis, Director, Art Museum of West Virginia University

College of Education and Human Services

Johnna Bolyard, Ph.D., Associate Chairperson, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction / Literacy Studies/ Higher Education, and Associate Professor Mathematics Education

College of Law

William Rhee, Professor

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Jack Watson, Dean and Professor

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Melissa Olfert, Associate Professor, Human Nutrition and Foods

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Maria del Guadalupe (Lupe) Davidson, Associate Dean for Social Justice, Faculty Development and Innovation and Woodburn Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies

Extension and Engagement

Tony Michael, Program Director, Family & Community Development

Health Sciences Center

Julie Lockman, Ph.D., Director of Faculty Affairs, Culture and Inclusion and Assistant Vice President for Graduate Education

Honors College

Eric Myers, Ph.D., Program Coordinator ASPIRE Office

John Chambers College of Business and Economics

Virginia Kleist, Ph.D., Associate Dean Graduate Programs and Global Engagement, Professor Management Information Systems

Potomac State College

Shannon Meek, Administrative Assistant Academic Affairs, Coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Reed College of Media

Joel Beeson, Ph.D., Professor and Director, African American Veterans History Project

WVU Athletics

Tangela Cheatham, Director of Student-Athlete Enhancement

WVU Institute of Technology

Janelle Williams, Human Resources Partner

WVU Libraries

Beth Toren, Interdisciplinary, Cultural and Film Studies Librarian

WVU Online

Kimberly Foore, Director of State Authorization and Online Quality Assurance

Taking Ownership

Understanding that capacity-building is central to the success of the diversity efforts on campus, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is proud to partner with committees and task forces across academic and co-curricular units. These groups are charged with understanding challenges related to diversity in their particular units and developing programming, policy and knowledge required to address those challenges. While the committees and task forces have their own structure, focus and approach, each works in tandem with the Division to develop initiatives that are meaningful and responsive to each community.