The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has announced a $1 million effort to support programs aimed at increasing the diversity of its faculty. The college also announced other efforts aimed at enhancing diversity and race relations on campus.
The college has committed $500,000 for each of the new two years for programs to recruit new faculty who will enhance the diversity of the current faculty. Another $100,000 has been earmarked for the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
Taylor Reveley, president of the College of William and Mary, said that “we are committed to making William and Mary a stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive university for every member of our community. This is a significant step, but in my view, only a start.”
The president is also proposing to the board of visitors that the name of two residence halls on campus be renamed. Under the proposal, one dormitory will be renamed Lemon Hall in honor of a slave that was once owned by the university. The other dormitory will be renamed Hardy Hall to honor Carroll Hardy, a long-time student affairs officer who was a champion of increasing diversity on the William and Mary campus. Hardy died in 2012.
Dr. Carroll Hardy was definitely a champion for diversity and student success at William & Mary University. This is a great honor for all of us who knew her and worked with her in addressing the needs of students of color.