Some days, it’s tempting to take diversity for granted. I know there are at least 6,912 languages in use around the world. I know that there are 50 states in our nation, each with its own set of laws and regulations. I know that at last count the American Kennel Club lists more than 150 breeds of dogs. But if all I have is a dim awareness of diversity, I’m not well prepared when the world brings me in direct contact with opportunities, ideas, and people that are new to me. How do I say a polite “hello” when business travel takes me to Brazil? How fast can I drive on the interstate in Indiana without risking a ticket from the State Patrol? What kind of canine is going to make the best pet for my grandchildren?
For me, the start of each new academic year here at the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is a practical reminder that being part of a diverse world demands readiness and response from me, and from each of us. Every fall we’re faced with new students, new faculty, new opportunities for research—with all their promise and challenge. The diversity found within the College of ACES is more than a set of metrics; it is the keystone upon which our academic vitality is based. Diversity is not a problem to be solved, it is a solution to be welcomed, encouraged, and embraced.
Most importantly, diversity is the world that our students will live in whether their careers take them to Illinois or to some distant land. In his remarks at the University’s Diversity Celebration last fall, Chancellor Herman made the point that it is the mission of our University to facilitate teachable moments, to encourage a free and civil exchange of opinions that will help our students understand the world in which they live and prepare them to become leaders and contributing partners in it.
I’m proud of the work the College of ACES does in facilitating teachable moments both here on the Urbana-Champaign campus, across the state of Illinois through University of Illinois Extension, and around the world as we engage in productive dialog with our educational partners.
Robert A. Easter, Dean
