At the suggestion of faculty, the Kent State chapter of the American Association of University Professors voted to create a new Racial and Ethnic Concerns Committee to explore racial and ethnic minority issues on campus.

The ad hoc committee, which will be chaired by a Kent State professor and AAUP member, will focus on topics such as discriminatory practices, Kent State’s racial climate and diversity efforts.

Lee Fox, Kent State AAUP president, said the union has been in the process of exploring the Racial and Ethnic Concerns Committee for more than a month and that plans for organizing the committee are moving along.

“We have had a nice response from faculty members,” Fox said. “The plan is to try and get a meeting together before the end of the semester.”

However, she declined to name professors who have expressed interest in the Racial and Ethnic Concerns Committee at this time.

Fox said volunteers on the committee will report to the Executive committee and Council of the AAUP.

Contact minority affairs reporter David Yochum at [email protected].