[media-credit name=’DEREK MONTGOMERY/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]This is the fifth part of a series profiling members of the Board of Regents, the governing board for the University of Wisconsin System.

University of Wisconsin Regent Danae Davis has made a priority of creating a healthy campus climate for UW students.

"You shouldn't have persons who are gay or lesbian afraid to be out on a campus," Davis said. "You shouldn't have African-Americans feel like they've got to travel in a group at night because of fear of having hateful things said to them."

Davis said these fears exist among minority students system-wide, and attributed the lack of proportionate diversity to the hostile climate on "way too many" of UW's campuses.

"That stuff should just not be and I think it's a matter of accountability," Davis said. "Harassment, discrimination, hate crimes — we should have a zero tolerance for it."

Davis, the director of diversity at Miller Brewing Company, said although she does not think UW is worse than any other school in the Big Ten, the System has a "huge opportunity for improvement."

"I think we have to hold administrators accountable for the climate on each institution," she said. "It's one thing to put out rules and put out policies and do training and I think every campus is doing that. It's another thing to deal effectively when you [see] examples of it on a campus."

According to Davis, research has proven that decisions are better decisions when they are made in an inclusive manner, with people from different backgrounds and vantage points offering their perspective.

Additionally, she noted, a diverse pool of college graduates in the state would help attract businesses to Wisconsin.

"From a business standpoint, when you look at it in terms of customers and consumers — you know the world is becoming more diverse," Davis said. "If we're not viewed as a place of destination, be it on our campuses or in the world of work, we're not going to be able to attract businesses or keep businesses in the state where we need them."

UW System spokesperson Doug Bradley described Davis as a "real talent" and an important asset to the Board of Regents.

"There's an extraordinary cache in diversity — broadly defined — and a perspective that you just don't get wrapped up in one person," Bradley said. "She brings an extraordinary breadth to every issue that she's dealing with."

Bradley also noted the wide range of responsibilities Davis assumes on the board, including chairing the teaching excellence awards committee.

"If you happen to notice her in meetings, she's very good at taking the pulse and getting a feel of where the conversation is," Bradley said. "She's got a great knack for getting clarification … or making sure all the voices are being heard on an issue and she just seems to do that on all the appropriate times."

Davis was one of six regents who voted against the 6.9 percent system-wide tuition hike this summer. She said she voted that way to send a message to the Legislature.

"I wanted to make a statement that said 'you know what, maybe we have to try something really radical,'" she said. "I thought maybe that's what it's going to take to get the Legislature to understand that this trend of downward support from a state revenue GPR perspective is not one that supports higher education."

Had a majority voted as she did, Davis said, the Legislature would have "immediately put the money back."

As someone who works for a beer company, Davis said the results of the UW System survey discussed at Thursday's meeting "disturbed" her, notably that the average age of binge drinkers has fallen to 19.

"Something has got to be done differently than what we've been doing or we're going to continue to see real tragedy happening on our campuses and that concerns me," she said. "So I'm going to be really paying attention to that one."