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Meyer stresses diversity

Student body builds faculty diversity provost candidate says

by Portia-Elaine Gant
Senior Staff Writer

Provost candidate Luanna Meyer said increasing diversity among students and faculty will be a priority if she becomes the academic chief at UH.

Meyer, assistant vice chancellor-academic at Massey University in New Zealand, spoke to the University in an open forum Monday. The forum was the first of five scheduled in the next three weeks for provost candidates.

"This is a tremendous opportunity," Meyer said. "It's exciting because the University of Houston has the kind of diversity to which other institutions aspire. I'd like to see the University take better advantage of that diversity."

Throughout her career at the University of Hawaii, the University of Minnesota and Syracuse University, Meyer has championed diversity. At UH, she said she would like to increase the percentage of international students to 15 from 8 percent.

Diversifying the faculty begins with a talented, diverse student population, Meyer said.

"The patterns of faculty diversity in different departments are not as pronounced as they are in student population. I would like to tap into the student population to nurture a more diverse faculty," Meyer said. "You have to grow that kind of talent. It doesn't just walk through your door."

Meyer has been in New Zealand for several years and said she is anxious to return to the United States. If appointed provost here, she said she will make an amicable departure from Massey.

And, although Meyer did not offer a set outline of her plans if offered the position, she said she would have no desire to make any decisions toward the beginning of her term.

"It would be very important for me to get to know the University. I don't think (the beginning is) a time for a provost to make decisions," Meyer said. "I'd want to spend good quality time with the deans, good quality time with any faculty willing to speak with me, with students and the other provosts. The first 100 days would have to be a sharp learning curve."

Regarding budget cuts, Meyer said her previous work has enabled her to cope with limited resources. UH was forced to slash its budget by $8.9 million in the wake of a $1.8 billion state shortfall, and Massey, New Zealand's largest university, has suffered a declining budget for the past 10 years.

"It's really a combination of generating new income and doing what you do now with less," Meyer said. "It is imperative that strategic planning drives cuts."

Philosophy professor Cynthia Freeland said she liked many of the things Meyer had to say and described her as "forthright and direct," something that also caught the attention of others in attendance.

"She handled herself well and responded with a real answer to each question," associate professor of geosciences Peter Copeland said. "You could tell that she wasn't just making things up, and she didn't shy away."

The next provost forum, set for 4 p.m. Wednesday, will feature Cristina González of the University of California-Davis. All students, faculty and staff are invited to the hour-long forum in the University Hilton's Waldorf Room.

Both Meyer and González were recently among the candidates for provost at the University of Iowa, but neither was selected for that position.
 

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