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The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the University’s Dialogues on Diversity initiative are co-sponsoring the theme semester in winter of 1999, Diversity: Theories & Practices.  This campus-wide effort focuses attention on issues of pressing importance to the whole University community, and will draw us out in new directions as we explore the assumptions about, and realities of, diversity in our society.  The objective of this theme semester is to enrich the interdisciplinary environment that enables us to learn from one another.

Each theme semester at the University of Michigan has had its own character; this one is designed to continue building into the future.  Diversity: Theories & Practices will set the groundwork for projects that can be realized in Winter, 1999 or in later semesters.  A four-fold structure of research, courses, activities and the culminating event--the Capstone Experience--is designed to engage different campus communities in a range of ventures.

The theme semester has its foundation in more than 100 courses in LS&A and 13 other schools and colleges.  These courses provide the intellectual support for a variety of activities developed by students, staff and faculty.  The Capstone Experience will feature presentations at five different locations around the University from March 27 through March 31, 1999.  The Office of the Vice President for Research and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program will provide mini-grants for students in and instructors of theme semester courses.  These grants will support projects that pursue research in the curriculum.  This theme semester will encourage us to begin building toward a common recognition of diversity’s place at the University.