The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill aims for excellence: in the education it imparts to students; in the research and outreach it undertakes for the greater good; and in the environment it creates for the thousands of people who work, learn, and visit here. A critical element of excellence for a 21 st century educational institution is a diverse and inclusive community. The scope of diversity includes experiences and perspectives of students, staff, and faculty as they relate to race, gender, age, class, sexuality, culture, nationality, disability, religion, and region. Diversity matters because the world is a complex place in which we must all learn to live and work. Carolina 's students will become leaders in this complex world, while faculty and staff must successfully engage in multicultural and international environments.

To assure that Carolina is on the path to excellence, the University must address and systematically review key priorities for diversity. It is also essential to review Carolina 's diversity achievements in light of benchmarks that are meaningful to the specific context of schools and other units' responsibilities. The Diversity Plan is designed to strengthen Carolina 's commitment to diversity by establishing a common set of goals for university leaders and an avenue for sharing the strategies and outcomes related to pursuit of these goals.

The Diversity Plan will encourage senior leadership support of and accountability for university-wide diversity goals by establishing a process for Carolina leaders to report their unit's contributions to the institution's goals for diversity. This plan requires unit leaders to establish specific objectives tied to university-wide diversity goals, identify benchmarks for these objectives, and evaluate the unit's accomplishments of these objectives.

Diversity and Multicultural Affairs will work in collaboration with University leaders to develop and implement the Diversity Plan. Unit leaders will follow a reporting process that culminates in an annual review of diversity achievements and establishment of priority diversity goals for the subsequent year. An annual diversity report will be compiled by Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and submitted to the Chancellor and Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. Subsequently, a report to the university community will be published that highlights diversity achievements and best practices in meeting diversity goals.

Five goals will serve as guides for Carolina 's diversity efforts. These goals will inform university leaders in developing strategies and identifying measures of evaluation for the review of Carolina 's progress and achievements in diversity:

1. Clearly define and publicize the University's commitment to diversity.

2. Achieve the critical masses of underrepresented populations necessary to ensure the educational benefits of diversity in faculty, staff, students, and executive, administrative and managerial positions.

3. Make high quality diversity education, orientation, and training available to all members of the university community.

4. Create and sustain a climate in which respectful discussions of diversity are encouraged and take leadership in creating opportunities for interaction and cross group learning.

5. Support further research to advance the University's commitment to diversity.

These goals are intended to guide all graduate and professional schools, the College of Arts and Sciences, departments and other units in establishing their specific objectives for addressing Carolina 's diversity goals and to establish clearly articulated strategies and measures for these objectives.