<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV class="MsoNormal">We are delighted to respond to the requests you made in our discussion some weeks ago. We are happy to support the goals of the GSC Diversity Committee to improve outreach and recruitment of a diverse body of graduate students.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For many years, we have valued the active engagement of graduate students and the GSC, which I hope to see sustained in the future. The voice of current graduate students that attracts minority students is a critical component of institutional commitment.</DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal"> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal">We are anxious to gain more progress than ever before to achieve the goals, which the faculty in its May 2004 vote committed us to pursue.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To that end, the administration will:</DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal"> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV style="text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">1.<SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN>Hire a full-time Diversity Coordinator in GSO.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We did this with the hiring of Jennifer Jenkins who will begin very soon. The Diversity Coordinator position comes from a grant that the GSO obtained in 2006 from the Amgen Foundation.</DIV><DIV style="text-indent: 0px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV style="text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">2.<SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN>We will provide tuition and stipend in TA appointments for two student assistants who will work with the GSO, student groups, and departments on recruiting efforts.</DIV><DIV style="text-indent: 0px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV style="text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">3.<SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN>The Chancellor will chair a new group of departmental and school representatives. Composed of senior faculty and staff, this group will share best practice and coordinate efforts to advance diversity outreach and recruitment. The goal will be to deepen and expand current efforts. We will include graduate student representatives in the group, based on a process formulated in consultation with the GSC Diversity Committee and the GSO.</DIV><DIV style="text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="text-indent: -24px;margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">4.<SPAN style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </SPAN>The Institute budget for FY ’08 will be released shortly. We expect to provide a significant increase in resources to support expansion of efforts such as Converge and MSRP. The precise use of the funds will depend on an assessment of how best to use the new resources. We feel these new resources will provide significant new flexibility.</DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal">Your committee also asked that the prospective appointment of an Associate Provost for Diversity include a focus on graduate student diversity.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We cannot make this commitment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The challenge in promoting faculty diversity is sufficient charge for this position.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We do not believe it is appropriate to add graduate student diversity to the responsibility of the Provost’s Office.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Instead, the responsibility should be that of the GSO and the Chancellor’s Office.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Point #3 above represents a new commitment to making this role more substantial and accountable.</DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal"> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal">We are committed to greatly improving our graduate student diversity outcomes. We welcome support and engagement from the GSC.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We look forward to your energy and these new resources to make the difference.</DIV><DIV class="MsoNormal"> <O:P></O:P></DIV><DIV>Rafael Reif</DIV><DIV>Provost</DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Professor Phillip L.Clay</DIV><DIV>Chancellor</DIV></SPAN></DIV> <BR></BODY></HTML>