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Zlotak Named First Diversity Coordinator at DSU

(MADISON, SD) Scott Zlotak has been appointed as the first ever Dakota State University Diversity Coordinator. He will help bring diversity awareness to DSU faculty and students. Zlotak started his duties September first and has been working on a University Pamphlet and plan to enlighten the campus and community on what his office will entail.

            “DSU is excited to welcome Scott Zlotak to campus. The Diversity Office will be a great addition to the university,” said Dr. Jerald Tunheim, President of Dakota State. “Dakota State is committed to making diversity awareness a high priority and this is a great first step in the process.”

Three items will be key in the development of the diversity office: multicultural programming, recruitment and retention. Along with implementing such programs, Zlotak will be advocating, advising and teaching seminars to students. He is also planning to implement a diversity leadership program task force.

A mission statement and vision for the diversity office have been drafted and will be implemented to help reach the goals Zlotak has set.

The primary mission and goal of the diversity office will be to educate and enhance the understanding, commitment, awareness and dedication of Dakota State to pluralism, multiculturalism, and preparedness to be successful in the evolving global world. To do this Zlotak has set up monthly educational meetings to take place in accordance with specific themes of the month to give students and faculty a better awareness of different heritages.

Zlotak comes to Dakota State from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. While there he served as a Native American cultural instructor, student support assistant and graduate assistantship. His background includes Native and African American cultures. While there he implemented an extremely successful outreach orientation and recruitment seminar for Native American students from Maryland, a first of its kind at Towson University, to target the under represented Native American population in that area.

Learning how to relate to the Midwest will be one of Zlotak’s challenges, he admitted. He says it’s a typical, mainstream environment without a lot of diversity. He wants to make people aware of the need for diversity by pooling resources and creating new ones. He says his office will be “ever-evolving to fit the needs of the students and faculty.”

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DSU Information Office