Daily Pioneer News

UWP officials have named Carlos Wiley director of Multicultural Services, the post in which he served on an interim basis last year. Diversity isn't just an issue for Multicultural Services, Wiley said, but an issue for faculty, staff and students campus-wide.

PLATTEVILLE - As the United States becomes more and more diverse every day, students and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville want to continue to make the institution a place where minorities can succeed.

Recently appointed Director of Multicultural Services Carlos Wiley says he's willing to work to improve race relations at the UWP campus.

"I think diversity is important for all students," Wiley, a native of Lockport, N.Y., said. "I see the demographics changing. At the University, I think we have to be the leaders in teaching people what diversity is."

Wiley assumed duties as director of multicultural services on a permanent basis Aug. 1. He had served as the interim director of the program last year, and previous to work with minority recruitment in the admission office, Wiley coached the linebackers on the Pioneer football team.

In his new post, Wiley plans to implement several projects to make sure minorities feel comfortable on campus and give them every chance to succeed. Pioneer Link is a program that will "link" freshmen minority students with peer and faculty mentors, helping them develop relationships with people already familiar with campus. Another program to be implemented in summer 2004 will give freshmen minority students the option to visit UWP for a week to become oriented to the campus and participate in academic training as they begin making the adjustments to college life.

"We hope it will lead to early success for these students," Wiley said.

A study table program that began last semester will also continue this year. It provides minority students who are struggling in classes, particularly those with a grade point average of 2.0 or below, an environment conducive to successful study. Open four days a week, the study table is staffed by junior and senior students with grade point averages of 3.0 or above, allowing struggling students to meet with successful peers if they are having difficulties with their classes or study habits.

Plan 2008, a UW System initiative designed to increase diversity among students and faculty on UW campuses, is a big part of Wiley's goals. He called UWP's implementation strategy of Plan 2008 a "simple, but effective" strategy that targets recruitment and retention of students and faculty as well as campus and classroom climate for minorities.

"Diversity is not just a multicultural services issue, it is a campus issue. We want as many people involved on campus as possible," Wiley said.

He sees the University as well as the larger Platteville community as a leader in continuing to make the southwest region of the state a welcoming place for minorities.

"With the highway being complete, Platteville is a logical place for new businesses to pop up. That tends to lead to a more diverse workforce," Wiley said. "We're excited about where we think Plan 2008 is going to take Platteville in the next 5 years."

This is Wiley's fifth year at UWP, having got his start as a coach on the football team. A former linebacker himself at Quincy University in Quincy, Ill., Wiley was a linebackers coach on the Pioneer team for three years. When he's not watching the Pioneers Wiley roots for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

"Football was always my first love. I had three older brothers, one of which was an outstanding football player, so I was around the game from the time I was five years old," Wiley said.

During his time coaching at UWP, he also recruited players from southeastern Wisconsin. Wiley parlayed that experience into work with the UWP admission office as minority admission advisor for a year and a half before accepting an interim position with multicultural services.

"I'm excited about the challenges this job brings and about where I see UW-Platteville going in the future," Wiley said.

Wiley lives in Platteville with his wife Michelle and two children, Jaiden, 3, and Morgyn, 9 months.