On January 20, 2005, Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago delivered his second plenary address to campus. He shared his thoughts and vision for UWM to serve as a model for the diversity and academic excellence for the UW System, the State of Wisconsin, and, indeed, the nation. To help further these campus discussions, he created an advisory council to the Chancellor on issues of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender, now known as the Council on Inclusion. The group was charged with:

1. Developing a strategic diversity plan with a broad-based support
2. Monitoring our progress toward achieving our Plan 2008 and ensuring that there is accountability along the way
3. Providing recommendations for attracting and retaining faculty and staff of color
4. Developing a diversity training program for the entire UWM campus

The Council is comprised of faculty, staff, students and our governance leadership. Co-chaired by Dr. Joan Prince, Dr. Larry Martin, Dr. Rita Cheng, and Chris Wiley (Multicultural Issues Director – Student Association), the Council meets monthly to actively work together to address the charge put forth by the Chancellor.