Attracting and cultivating a community of persons of diverse backgrounds appears as a goal in Miami's strategic planning documents and in the goals of many units and departments across the University.  Miami has made significant strides in this regard, but, as this report has demonstrated, as an institution we still have far to go to attract a student body, faculty, and workforce who fully reflect the diversity of the United States in the 21^st century.  Moreover, the goal of creating a diverse and welcoming community cannot be met simply by attracting a particular number of members of minority groups.

Despite strides in transforming Miami into an open and inclusive environment, many members of minority groups do not feel accepted by the larger Miami community. A 1996 survey, The Miami University Campus Climate:  Findings from Four Campuswide Surveys, indicated that 78% of white undergraduates say they felt a strong sense of belonging, while only 52% of minority students expressed the same sentiment; just 55% of minority students could see themselves as part of the Miami community, whereas 81% of white students did so.  It is disheartening to realize that while white students overwhelmingly feel that Miami is "their" institution, members of many minority populations do not.  Despite the perceptions of many faculty, staff and students that that they treat all members of the University community equally, members of many minority groups clearly have a different perception, meaning that the Miami University climate remains chilly for some. As we weave the tapestry of a more diverse Miami, we must not be blinded by numbers, but must also create an environment where every person regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation can feel welcome, included, engaged and able to truly say "I am Miami."