President Kyle meets with Diversity Awareness Programming Board

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Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Irvin Clark speaks with students at the Diversity awareness programming board meeting.

On Dec. 2, Radford University President Penelope W. Kyle met with students from the Diversity Awareness Programming (DAP) Board to discuss student life on campus.

At the open meeting, held in Heth Hall 016, Kyle fielded questions from DAP Board members, faculty and guests about the state of the university and methods to improve or enhance RU.

"Thank you for inviting me here tonight," Kyle told attendees at the start of the event. "I am always willing to engage with you, the students, in an open environment like this. It's very important for us to have open communication on our campus."

The president drew attention to several important initiatives currently underway that will affect campus, such as the opening of the new Student Recreation and Wellness Center, preparations for the 2015 RU Advocacy Day and the president's participation on and RU's support for the Governor’s Task Force on Combating Campus Sexual Violence.

Some of the things DAP members were eager to engage with the president on included:

  • Increased student diversity during the president's tenure
  • Potential plans for relocating the Center for Diversity and Inclusion from Tyler Hall
  • Future plans for student housing
  • Increasing diversity in academic offerings
  • Campus safety initiatives
  • School spirit and faculty/student engagement initiatives
  • Funding for diversity programming
  • Healthy eating options on campus
  • Additional library access around campus
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President Penelope Kyle talks with students at the Diversity Awareness Programming Board.

"It meant a tremendous amount to have President Kyle at our general body meeting," said Skye Heasley, president of DAP Board and a sociology major. "It was an honor to host the president at our meeting; [we] appreciated her warmth and honesty regarding all of the questions and concerns we addressed."

The Diversity Awareness Programming Board sponsors cultural, educational, social and entertainment activities to celebrate the contributions of minorities on campus and around the world. Supported through student activity fees and administered entirely by students, the board is open to all Radford University students.

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Students at the Diversity Awareness Programming Board meeting.

Dec 11, 2014