A history of interest covergence in University of Utah diversity related policies and programs

This paper will look at the history of interest convergence of the University of Utah Administration hi the implementation of diversity related programs and policies. Diversity programs and policies, especially with the pending ruling on Affirmative Action from the Supreme Court, are continuously under scrutiny and called into question throughout the broader University community. In order to develop a strong platform for these programs and policies there needs to be an understanding of the history of why these initiatives were implemented and who the main actors were. Without understanding the history of the development of a policy or program there cannot be a sufficient understanding of the current relevance or success. The main method used throughout this thesis is interviews with key players during the creation and implementation of a policy or program. The secondary methods were fact checking and detail research through University and Marriot Library archives. For the last section of the paper most of the research was centered on current day students and discussion groups created to gather their perspectives of today's campus climate at the University of Utah. This last section will provide readers some insight of today's problems and to use the lessoned learn from history to find solutions for today. Utah and the University of Utah has a culture of niceness where not many people are willing to actively work against ideas of diversity and inclusions. What has been commonly found though is that the policies and programs that have been successful have had a series of interest convergences. These convergences are not normally negative, but the policies or programs are stopped when white privilege and power are checked or no longer have converging interests. Understanding how interest convergence has a role in the history of diversity policies and programs allows current day students, faculty, and staff here at the University of Utah to understand how to navigate these tough situations when developing new policies and programs. Understanding the history allows for a closer look when evaluating current policies and programs and could help the University figure out the best way to keep these programs and policies effective for the members of the University community.