Kimberly Hewitt Boyd named new director of U of M Office for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Contacts: Bob San, University News Service, (612) 624-4082
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/10/2007) —Kimberly Hewitt Boyd was recently named the new director of the University of Minnesota Office for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA).
Boyd joined the university from Hamline University Law School, where she served as assistant dean for students and multicultural affairs. A native of Minneapolis, Boyd was previously a partner in the law firm of Rider Bennett and has served as an in-house attorney for the Minneapolis Public Schools. Boyd holds a bachelor of arts degree from Stanford University and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.
"It's a great opportunity to be back in an environment where I can use my employment and labor law skills again," Boyd said.
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) was founded in 1972 to ensure that all University community members uphold federal and state civil rights laws and regulations, as well as University equal opportunity policies. It is committed to eliminating individual and systemic barriers that inhibit individuals and groups from attaining equal access to University of Minnesota employment, education, programs, and services. In service to both the University of Minnesota and the broader community, it provides expertise and system-wide leadership for the University in advocacy, policy development and issue identification, education, discrimination consultation and investigation, community connections and compliance.
Boyd has been meeting with various departments on campus in an effort to make more people aware of EOAA and the service it offers.
"The EOAA Office is a very important function that has done a great job of being a resource to the University for educational opportunities and conflict resolution,” Boyd said. “I hope to capitalize on the existing good will and push even harder to increase the visibility of our office so more people can look to us as a resource for diversity education, training, complaint processing and resolution. I want to make the environment better for all people."