Newly hired UI diversity vice president resigns
Press Citizen
Recently hired University of Iowa Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vice President TaJuan Wilson announced his resignation Thursday, after little more than a month in the job.
"Coming to Iowa was a leap of faith for me personally and professionally," he said in a news release. "I have great respect for the university and the work being done in diversity, equity, and inclusion and believe Iowa has the potential to be on the right path."
Wilson started working for the university on June 28, with a salary of $224,000.
For the next five-and-a-half months, he'll work with the vice president for external relations, Peter Matthes, on special projects. At the same time, the release says, he'll be looking for a "new opportunity."
When reached for comment, the Office of Strategic Communication said it had no further information in addition to the release.
It's unclear if Wilson is looking for opportunities within the University of Iowa or elsewhere. There was also no stated reason for his temporary move to the office of the vice president for external relations.
While the position he leaves is unfilled, it will be led by the directors for the Center for Diversity and Enrichment, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, and Diversity Resources.
Before joining the University of Iowa, Wilson was the executive director of Student Programs and Diversity assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina.
"TaJuan provided the campus with a fresh look at our action plan and valuable feedback regarding our implementation plan," said Executive Vice President and Provost Montse Fuentes. "I'm thankful for his thoughtful contributions."
Prior to Wilson taking the position, Melissa Shivers was serving as the interim associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. She started the role in May 2018, after former interim Chief Diversity Officer Lena Hill took a job at the College of Washington and Lee University in Virginia.
Hill was appointed as a temporary fill-in after former Chief Diversity Officer Georgina Dodge left the university for a job at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
The Office of Strategic Communication said to reach out directly to Wilson for comment. The vice president for external relations office, where he currently works, said to go through the Office of Strategic Communication to reach Wilson regarding his resignation.
The end of his statement reads, "This opportunity will be wonderful for the right person, but it is not the right fit for me at this time."
Reach Hillary Ojeda at 319-339-7345, hojeda@press-citizen.com or follow her on Twitter at @hillarymojeda