Diversity Plan

THE STATEWIDE DIVERSITY PLAN (replaces the Kentucky Plan on Equal Opportunities)

Diversity Definition: 

Diversity, as a concept, describes an inclusive community of people with varied human characteristics, ideas, and world views related, but not limited, to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, color, creed, national origin, age, disabilities, socio-economic status, life experiences, geographical region, or ancestry. Diversity in concept expects the creation by institutions of a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment that honors and respects those differences.

The Murray State Diversity Plan

A copy of the most recent institutional diversity plan: Murray State University Diversity Plan

The Executive Director of IDEA partners with academic student support and non-academic units to implement ideas, collaborate on outreach, recruitment, and retention efforts for students and employees, and to enhance efforts toward student achievement. IDEA staff works with the various units through the Vice Presidents in developing diversity and inclusion strategies and metrics in their individual strategic plans. Additionally the Office for Institutional Effectiveness serves as a partner with IDEA to help both academic and non-academic units understand and use of data collected on students, faculty and staff as it relates to any impact on campus climate and inclusivity institutional efforts.

Degree Program Eligibility
Kentucky statute states that an institution's eligibility for new academic programs is connected to its performance in implementing equal opportunity objectives. The statute does grant the Council on Postsecondary Education authority to grant a temporary waiver if an institution demonstrates progress in meeting equal opportunity objectives, and for the granting of a temporary waiver to a state-supported postsecondary education institution which has not met its objectives.

The Kentucky Plan on Equal Opportunities

The Kentucky Plan for Equal Opportunities in Higher Education embraces the dynamic nature of public postsecondary education in Kentucky as institutions seek to provide greater access for an increasingly diverse student population. The Committee on Equal Opportunities (CEO) oversees the Commonwealth's desegregation and equal opportunities plans for postsecondary education. The Committee reviews institutional progress and makes recommendations for equal opportunities policy improvements to the Council. The Kentucky Equal Opportunity and Desegregation Plans were created to address the finding that the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, had failed to eliminate the vestiges of its former de jure racially dual system of public higher education. The Equal Opportunity Status Reports and Partnership Agreement Status Report detail the progress of Kentucky's public postsecondary institutions regarding the implementation of their commitments to bring Kentucky into compliance with Title IV. The reports identify each commitment and the status of progress.

Murray State Strategic Initiatives  Plan

NOTE: The Office of Equal Opportunity transitioned to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Access effective July 1, 2013 and the website is located at: murraystate.edu/idea. All references within campus-wide documents to the Office of Equal Opportunity should be considered analogous to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Access.