Marche Fleming-Randle, assistant dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Assistant to the President for Diversity at Wichita State University, has been promoted to a new position, Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement.
President John Bardo said:
“Diversity is a strategic value of the university that we need to pursue at the highest level with excellence and enthusiasm to attract, retain and develop the best students, faculty and staff.
“Dr. Fleming-Randle is an inspiring voice for diversity and a trusted adviser to me, members of the President’s Executive Team and many WSU students and colleagues. In her new role as chief diversity officer, she’ll have leadership responsibility for many areas of the university that enhance diversity, inclusion and community engagement.”
Fleming-Randle, whose appointment takes effect in August, said, “I look forward to working collaboratively with the faculty, staff, students and community members to build a more inclusive campus and community.”
The new position’s portfolio of responsibilities will include supervising several departments and programs and working closely with other members of the President’s Executive Team on university-wide initiatives.
“This position broadly defines diversity to respond to the needs of federally defined minorities, older students, veterans, students with disability, and other variations reflective of the broad society,” Bardo says. “In addition to her management responsibilities, I’ve asked Dr. Fleming-Randle to continue to cultivate and maintain community relationships with key constituency groups and provide strategic advice to create a campus climate that is reflective of the community WSU serves.”
Fleming-Randle joined WSU in 2007. She and Bardo created the President’s Diversity Council, composed of university faculty and staff who address diversity issues.
She teaches ethnic and women studies at Wichita State and is a frequent keynote speaker on diversity and education at community and national events. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University and her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.
The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master’s and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State’s Innovation Campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university’s vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.