Third DEIB vice provost candidate to present Sept. 28


LAWRENCE — The third candidate for the University of Kansas Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) vice provost position will give his public presentation from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in The Forum at Marvin Hall.

The presentation will be livestreamed, and the passcode is 021692.

Paul Frazier

Paul Frazier is the third of four candidates who will present his philosophy on the role diversity and inclusion play in higher education in the United States and how his philosophy would advance Realizing Intersectional Standards of Excellence (RISE) on KU’s Lawrence and Edwards campuses and further KU’s mission considering current challenges and trends in higher education.

Frazier currently serves as the vice chancellor for anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He has served in higher education for 15 years. Before that, he worked in public education for 24 years.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to offer their impressions and observations of each candidate online. There will be separate surveys for each of the four candidates where members of the KU community will have the chance to share their opinion of each candidate. Feedback on Frazier’s presentation is due by 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, and a recording of his presentation will be available until the survey closes.

Each candidate will meet with Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, provost and executive vice chancellor, as well as campuswide DEIB leaders and DEIB office staff, vice provosts, deans, KU Athletics, faculty-staff affinity groups, university governance and a representative from the chancellor’s office during their campus visit.

In his current position, Frazier is Southern Illinois’ leader in diversity and inclusion and directs efforts to ensure diversity is a top priority while growing and maintaining a welcoming environment at the university. He previously served as the chief diversity and inclusion officer at the University of South Alabama from 2018 until 2021 and as the associate vice president for institutional diversity, equity and community engagement at Texas Tech University from 2013 until 2018.  

Frazier has served on various civic and community boards. He currently serves on the St. Louis Region Girls Scout Board and the athletics diversity and outreach advisory council for Texas Tech. He is a member of the 100 Black Men – an African American-led mentoring organization – of Carbondale (Illinois), west Texas and the Greater Mobile, Alabama, area.

In addition to his DEIB work, Frazier has taught as an adjunct instructor at Texas Tech and as a faculty member at Southern Illinois, teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses on topics that include diversity, faculty Africana studies and the history of hip-hop.

Frazier earned his bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s degree in education, a master’s degree in curriculum & instruction, and a doctorate in education and education leadership from Texas Tech.

One more candidate is scheduled to present as public presentations wrap up next week.

  • Candidate 4, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, Kansas Union Big 12 Room.

More information about the search is available online.

Fri, 09/23/2022

author

Evan Riggs

Media Contacts

Evan Riggs

Office of the Provost

785-864-1085