Following the June 17 announcement of the development of a race relations task force and commission on historical representations, President Michael K. Young announced 45 members of a new Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on July 13. Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kelly Brown said the new commission combines the race relations task force and commission on historical representations into one group.
According to the announcement, the commission is in response to President Young’s 10 actions to improve campus climate and consists of two members of the Texas A&M Board of Regents, Prairie View A&M President Ruth Simmons, 14 current students, 12 former students and 16 staff and faculty members. It will also be co-chaired by Jimmy Williams, Class of ‘83, and John E. Hurtado, Class of ‘91.
“We’re fortunate to have dedicated Aggies who’ve agreed to take on this significant task at this crucial moment, and I look forward to seeing their findings and suggestions when their final report is finished,” Young said in the announcement.
The commission is tasked with assessing data about diversity and inclusion at A&M, comparing current policies to A&M’s core values and mission, gathering opinions from the student body, former students and faculty and reviewing the campus culture and its impact on minority communities.
The commission must provide a report of their findings to Young and the Board of Regents by Oct. 30.
“With the formation of the Commission on Diversity, Equity And Inclusion, Texas A&M is taking the first of many steps to improve the campus environment and climate for all Aggies,” the announcement read. “I am deeply grateful to [the] diverse group of dedicated Aggies – students, former students, faculty and staff – who are volunteering their time to engage in research and discourse across topics of racial intolerance, historical representations such as statues, policies and practices.”
Below is the complete list of the members of the commission:
Co-Chairs
John E. Hurtado ‘91, deputy director and chief technology officer of the Bush Combat Development Complex at the Texas A&M University System RELLIS campus, and professor of aerospace engineering
Jimmy Williams ‘83, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M and now serves as the Executive Director and Distinguished Service Professor of the Engineering and Technology Innovation Management program at Carnegie Mellon University.
Board of Regents and Distinguished Visitors
Elaine Mendoza ‘87, Chair, Board of Regents
Bill Mahomes ’69, Member, Board of Regents
Ruth Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University
Current Students
Iman Ahmed ’22, Student Senate Diversity
Corniyah Bradley ’21, Black Student Alliance Council
Alexandra Campbell ’21, Texas A&M Panhellenic
Tanner Cedrone ‘21, Corps of Cadets
Matthew B Francis Jr. ’22, TAMU NAACP
Uthej Vatipalli ’21, Graduate & Professional Student Government
Ritika Gangarapu ’21, Asian Presidents’ Council
Maximiliano “Max” Lopez ’21, Hispanic Presidents’ Council
Eric Mendoza ’21, President, Student Government Association
Kellen Mond ’20, Student Athlete, Football
Fawaz Syed ’23, Class Councils, Sophomore Class
Jack Tucker ’21, Texas A&M Foundation Maroon Coats
Sean Waters ‘22, International Student Association
Chante Anderson ’21, Black Graduate Student Association
Former Students
Adrian Cornelius ’93, TAMU Black Former Student Network
Erica Davis-Rouse ’95, Intervene
John F. Dickerson ’87, Hank Dickerson & Company
David Dunlap ’83, 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees
Willie T. Langston ’81, Avalon Advisors, LLC
Monica Menzel ’93, TAMU Hispanic Network
Stephen Ruth ’92, U.S. Army
The Honorable Ingrid M. Warren ’93, Dallas County Judge
Shariq Yosufzai ’74, Accordant Advisors
Jimmy Williams ’83, Carnegie Mellon University
Tiana J. Sanford ’04, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
Randall Cain ’82, Former Chair, 12th Man Foundation, Texas A&M Foundation
Faculty and Staff
Francis Achike, College of Medicine
Kristina Ballard, College of Engineering
Vernon Camus ‘18, University Staff Council Galveston
David Chapman ‘67, University Libraries (Retired)
Mary Ann Covey ‘92, Counseling & Psychological Services
Leroy Dorsey, College of Liberal Arts
Julie Harlin ‘93, Faculty Senate
Cynthia Hernandez ‘94, Division of Student Affairs
John Hurtado ‘91, College of Engineering
Ben Kalscheur ‘13, Office of Sustainability
Dorothy Shippen, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Serge Razafindrakoto, Division of Information Technology
Christine Stanley ‘85, College of Education
Karen Wooley, College of Science
R.C. Slocum, Office of the President, Former Texas A&M Football Coach
Arthur Watson ‘15, Transition Academic Programs
