Fujimoto brings experience to UW-Parkside

By Phyllis Sides

Monday, January 9, 2006 2:04 AM CST

As the new assistant to the Chancellor for Equity and Diversity at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Eugene Fujimoto brings experience to a position that probably touches the lives of every person on campus.

Fujimoto, 50, comes from the Madison Area Technical College where he was the diversity coordinator/affirmative action officer. Currently he is working on his doctorate at UW-Madison with concentration in race, class and gender; diversity leadership in higher education.

Previously he was assistant to the Chancellor for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity at UW-Whitewater. He also has extensive experience in affirmative action with related positions in higher education at universities and colleges in California and Washington state.

Fujimoto said his job, among other things, will be to provide campus-wide leadership, direction and coordination in the areas of equity and diversity issues. He's also required to teach one course each semester Fujimoto was born in California in the Los Angeles area. He joined the staff at UW-Parkside in mid-December. He said he accepted the job, because "I was looking for a place that has a strong commitment to diversity and equity issues; a place that has strong, effective leadership in these areas. I have been very impressed by the leadership here at UW-Parkside in this regard."

What would you like to accomplish at UW-Parkside? Contribute in any way I can to aid the university's efforts to become a truly multicultural campus. UW-Parkside has made considerable progress in this area in recent years, but there is always more work to be done and progress to be made.

You've only been there a short while. Are there any glaring problems to be rectified there? It is a little early for me to say. We have the most ethnically diverse student population in the UW System. We need to make sure that all student populations are succeeding at proportionally comparable rates as well. We will be examining student data to see how we are doing in this area.

We also must ensure that our employees reflect the diversity of our students, and continually increase our cultural competency as well. These contribute to the making of a healthy campus climate.

UW-Parkside is one of the most diverse campuses in the UW System. Does that diversity bring a special set of problems or issues? This diversity brings opportunities for sure. Conflict, problems, issues, they are all a normal part of life. The diversity presents specific types of issues and our capacity to work with these issues effectively will determine whether we are a healthy, multicultural environment, or one that refuses to grow and change. I look forward to the challenge of working with the campus community to enhance the on-going development of this multicultural environment.

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