This year’s University of Wisconsin Diversity Forum brought together a variety of speakers who spoke to issues concerning campus climate and the necessity and impact of diversity in education on Thursday.

Keynote speaker Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., from New York University, began the event with his presentation titled “Creating the Schools Where Black and Latino Males can Thrive,” according to a statement on the forum.

Noguera has extensively studied schools in urban areas and economic and social factors that affect the students who study in them, according to the statement on the forum. He has been asked to comment on educational issues for CNN and National Public Radio, and has written many articles related to urban schools and urban school reform.

Damon Williams, UW Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer, also spoke to give a campus update on diversity and climate.

The idea of inclusive excellence powered by university goals for excellence and satisfaction of the needs of a changing society were other topics of the forum, Williams said in a statement.

“It’s for those reasons that we’ve built a broad-spanning diversity infrastructure – one that not only focuses on issues of access and opportunity for students who are underrepresented and economically challenged, but one that brings the discussion on diversity into the 21st century through the broadened idea of inclusion,” Williams said in the statement. “Not only are we talking about racial diversity or economic diversity; we’re also talking about gender diversity and LGBTQ diversity.”

Looking forward, Williams mentioned a “focus on campus climate for LGBTQ and allied students” as well as discussions regarding strategic diversity in the statement.

This, he said in the statement, includes “access and equity, preparing students for a diverse and global world, domestic and international diversity research and scholarship and at the center of all these priorities is a multicultural and inclusive campus climate.”

Additional projects involve the Beyond the Game initiative in cooperation with the Athletic Department, the Wisconsin Inclusion and Equity Laboratory and the Delta Project for eradicating grade disparities, Williams said.

Audience member and UW employee Michelle Holland responded to Williams’s presentation with positivity and appreciation.

“We love hearing him speak. It’s great that he comes out and speaks about where we are at with climate goals,” she said.

Other reactions to the forum were also positive. Arturo Diaz, member of the Associated Students of Madison Diversity Committee and a speaker at today’s forum, said the forum was a good source of information for students.

Diaz said attending for just 15 minutes would increase awareness due to the immense amount of information made available.

Tanya Cobb, a University of Wisconsin employee, commented on the forum’s ability to make a change.

“It’s very powerful to see people who are fired up and making a difference,” Cobb said.