DeKALB | President Doug Baker acknowledged the importance of NIU’s diversity resource centers but said they are in need of “[a] clear mission and foci” in a report issued Monday.

In the report, Baker responded to recommendations regarding Program Prioritization, which uses task forces to create reports that review 223 academic programs and 236 administrative programs to influence the allocation of university funds.

Baker, concerned with funding allocation for programs with scarce resources, said diversity resource centers will begin reporting to Chief Diversity Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden, who he recommended send program funding requests for the programs to the Executive Budget Committee.

Baker’s recommendations are final, unless it involves NIU’s budget, which will then need approval from the Board of Trustees, according to a Nov. 21 Northern Star article.