LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announced on Friday the search for a new vice president for institutional diversity is underway.

The announcement was sent to faculty, staff and students on Friday via email.

The announcement says a committee will help lead the national search for the next Vice President for Institutional Diversity (OID).

The co-chairs of our search committee are:

• Dr. Trisha Clement-Montgomery, Acting Dean of Students; Co-Chair
• Dr. Bob DiPaola, Dean, UK College of Medicine; Co-Chair

Other members of the committee include:

• Dr. Cristina Alcalde, Associate Dean of Inclusion and Internationalization for the College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies
• Dr. Chana Akins, Assistant Provost for Faculty Advancement Initiatives and Professor in the Department of Psychology
• Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Associate Professor of Modern and Classical Language, Literature and Cultures
• Dr. Mia Farrell, Assistant Dean and Director for Diversity in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
• Dr. Huajing Maske, Executive Director of the UK Confucius Institute and Director of the UK Office of China Initiatives.
• Dr. Everett McCorvey, Professor in the College of Fine Arts and Director of the UK Opera Theatre
• Mr. Joe Reed, Chief Accountability Officer and Audit Executive, Internal Audit
• Dr. Tukea Talbert, UK HealthCare Chief Diversity Officer

According to Capilouto, representatives will be added to the search committee from the University Senate, Staff Senate, and the Student Government Association. He also thanked those campus members for taking on an important role.

Capilouto says the committee hopes to have a new leader for OID in place for the start of the 2021-2022 academic year; in the meantine, “Fortunately, we have continued capable and experienced leadership for the Office for Institutional Diversity in Dr. George Wright in the interim.”

You can read the complete emailed letter, HERE.