May 19, 2016
Rickey L. Hall named vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity and chief diversity officer at the UW
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Interim Provost Jerry Baldasty announced today the selection of Rickey L. Hall as the new vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity and chief diversity officer, effective Aug. 1, 2016.
“This is an enormously important leadership position at our university, and I am delighted we were able to attract an individual of Rickey Hall’s talent and experience,” said Cauce. “His entire professional life has been devoted to working on behalf of equity and diversity, and he has made a significant difference at the universities where he’s worked. He is joining a university committed to values he espouses, and we greatly look forward to continuing through his leadership our important work in this arena.”
Rickey L. HallPhoto Courtesy of University of Tennessee
In this role, Hall will have oversight of the University’s progress in diversity and to ensure and facilitate an integrated vision and shared responsibility for diversity. The Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) works collaboratively and serves as a resource for colleges and administrative units as they establish, coordinate and assess their contributions to the UW’s diversity goals.
“Rickey Hall brings enormous experience to the University of Washington,” said Baldasty. “He has been a highly regarded leader in diversity for more than 20 years.”
Hall comes to the UW from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was named its inaugural vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion three years ago. There, he is charged with enhancing the campus climate, leading diversity and inclusion efforts designed to enrich the learning environment. He also has worked collaboratively with the provost and academic leaders to enhance the recruitment and retention diverse faculty and staff.
Before joining the University of Tennessee, Hall spent 15 years at the University of Minnesota in several diversity-focused positions. He was named director of the Minority Student Program at University of Minnesota, Morris, in 1998 and was there until 2002, managing the program’s work in supporting students of color. In 2002, he became director of multicultural services in the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and, in 2004, added student recruitment to his responsibilities. After a six-month stint as associate to the vice president for equity and diversity at Minnesota, Hall was promoted to assistant vice president for equity and diversity in February 2007 – a position he held until moving to Tennessee.
Hall earned his bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Iowa in 1992, a master’s degree in higher education from Iowa in 1995, and anticipates completing a doctor of education in organizational leadership at the University of Minnesota.
Hall is a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Commission on Access, Diversity, and Excellence and the National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education. He also was recently awarded the Unity in the Community award from HoLa Hora Latina and selected as an American College Personnel Association Educational Leadership Foundation 2015 Diamond Honoree.
CONTACT: Victor Balta, University of Washington; 206-543-2580; balta@uw.edu
