Education professor named Diversity Faculty Fellow

Chance Lewis
Monday, January 1, 2018

Chance Lewis, the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Urban Education in the Department of Middle, Secondary and K-12 Education and executive director of UNC Charlotte’s Urban Education Collaborative, has been named the first Diversity Faculty Fellow. He is an internationally recognized leader in the field of urban education and issues related to diversity, inclusion and access.

In naming Lewis to this newly created post, Provost Joan Lorden cited Lewis’ 23 years of research and experience promoting diversity, inclusion and access in the field of education stating that “this gives him an extraordinary understanding of diversity, inclusion and access within the context of urban institutions with student populations like those that UNC Charlotte seeks to serve.”

As the Provost’s Diversity Faculty Fellow, Lewis will chair the newly created Council on University Community Working Group (CCWG), which is designed to accelerate the work of the Campus Plan for Diversity, Access and Inclusion, with emphasis on those parts that pertain directly to the Division of Academic Affairs. Under Lewis’ direction, the CCWG will work to increase the visibility, coordination and impact of the plan and ongoing initiatives throughout the division. The working group will begin meeting in January 2018.

As director of the Urban Education Collaborative, Lewis has been committed to disseminating the next generation of research on the improvement of teaching and learning in urban schools. His research targets achievement gaps in urban education, African American student success in urban K-12 districts and higher education and the recruitment and education of teachers of color for urban education. During his career, he has published more than 100 papers and monographs and garnered more than $6 million in external funding.

Scott Kissau, chair of the Department of Middle, Secondary and K-12 Education, said “the wealth of knowledge Chance has gained through his active teaching, research and service agendas related to diversity has certainly contributed to the success of the department.”

Members of the Council on University Community Working Group are:

Belk College of Business

  • Suzanne Jasmine
  • Jennifer Ames Stuart
  • Janaki Gooty

Cato College of Education

  • Gloria Campbell-Whatley
  • Lisa Merriweather

College of Arts + Architecture

  • Mira Frisch
  • Rose Diaz

College of Computing and Informatics

  • Celine Latulipe
  • Erica Naylor

College of Health and Human Services

  • Sonyia Richardson
  • Ashley Lopez

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

  • Juan Vivero-Escoto
  • Eddy Souffrant
  • Jacki-Lynn Baynks

William States Lee College of Engineering

  • Brett Tempest
  • Stephanie Galloway

Graduate School

  • Katherine Hall-Hertel

Office of Undergraduate Education

  • Malin Pereira
  • Jodi Turner

Enrollment Management

  • Claire Kirby

J. Murrey Atkins Library

  • Denelle Eads
  • Lolita Rowe

Office of International Programs

  • Christina Sanchez

Metropolitan Studies and Extended Academic Programs

  • Ashley Clark

LGBTQ+ Staff and Faculty Caucus

  • Elisabeth Paquette

African and African-American Faculty & Staff Caucus

  • Tehia Starker Glass

Latinx/Hispanic Faculty Staff Caucus

  • Carlos Cruz Casas

Student Affairs

  • Kim Turner
  • Carlos Mendez
  • Javier Negrete, student, Social Work
  • Lauren Bullock, student, Sociology
  • Eugene Aldridge, student, Communication Studies
  • Isaiah Saunders, student, Criminal Justice

Human Resources

  • Jeanne Madorin

Office of Academic Affairs

  • Tamara Johnson

ADVANCE Faculty Affairs and Diversity Office (FADO)

  • Yvette Huet (ex officio)