Dixie State names new assistant vice president for campus diversity
Dixie State names new assistant vice president for campus diversity
Charged with leading Dixie State University in its efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, Dr. Tasha Toy has been named the institution’s new assistant vice president for campus diversity and director of the Multicultural & Inclusion Center. She will assume responsibilities on June 18.
“I am excited to welcome Dr. Toy to Dixie State University,” Dr. Peter Gitau, vice president for student affairs at Dixie State, said. “She has the passion, background and expertise to provide vision and guidance into the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
As part of her responsibilities, Toy will serve as the chief diversity officer, reporting to President Richard “Biff” Williams. Toy will work closely with senior administrators to promote, coordinate and direct campus-wide diversity initiatives and awareness as laid out in the university’s strategic plan. Additionally, she will educate the campus community on multicultural and diversity issues that directly affect students, faculty and staff as well as provide vision, direction and support for the expansion of multicultural initiatives.
With direct oversight of the Multicultural & Inclusion Center, Toy will coordinate retention and support programs for multicultural students, advise the Multicultural Student Council, supervise the LBGTQIA+ and Women’s Resource centers and work closely with International Student Services, Disability Resource Center and the Veteran’s Center to provide the campus and community with inclusive programming.
“Dr. Toy is an important addition to the Student Affairs team and the DSU campus community,” Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Darlene Dilley, who co-chaired the search committee with Dean of the College of Education Dr. Brenda Sabey, said. “Under her leadership, we hope to enhance collaboration across campus to support diversity, equity and inclusion in meaningful ways.”
Toy has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, with more than 10 years primarily in diversity and inclusion on a campus-wide scale. She served as the director of the multicultural and international student programs for eight years at Berry College in Georgia. As director, she created multicultural and international training workshops, constructed a comprehensive strategic plan for the department and facilitated and managed multicultural retention and graduation achievement programs. She is a long-standing member of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and has been engaged in student development throughout her career.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in history, concentrating in African American studies, and a Master of Education in Instructional Technology, focusing on African-American history from North Carolina Central University. She later went on to earn a doctorate in higher education research and policy from Seton Hall University.
Dixie State’s Multicultural & Inclusion Center is a student support service established to increase diversity at Dixie State University and enrich campus life through cultural and awareness activities. The center operates under the principle that every person’s unique life experiences enrich campus life and adds a profound element to a true education. To learn more about the Multicultural & Inclusion Center, visit mic.utahtech.edu.
