Big changes for Multicultural Student Services

Jeanette Blain

August 17, 2015

schedule 2 min read
Barney Nye, director of Multicultural Student Services in his new office in LA126. Photo credit: Julie Ostler
Barney Nye, director of Multicultural Student Services in his new office in LA126. Photo credit: Julie Ostler

Barney Nye, director of Multicultural Student Services in his new office in LA126.

Jeanette Blain | News Editor | [email protected]

Photo credit: Julie Ostler | Assistant Photo Editor |@jules1lo

 

This summer, the Multicultural Student Services department at UVU gained a new director, moved to a new office location and announced new initiatives to help underserved students.

In July, Barney Nye was announced as the new director of the MSS.

Nye, who has worked at UVU for 16 years, was the former assistant director and is replacing Brett Breton who has moved to a faculty position in the behavioral science department.

“I’m humbled that I’ve been given the opportunity to be in this role,” Nye said. “I hope to serve my students the best I can.”

The MSS office, which is dedicated to “serving and mentoring those students of multicultural and international diversities,” has moved from the WB Building to the newly renovated first floor of the LA Building. The front desk is located in LA 126.

Starting Fall semester the office will begin a Pacific Islander Initiative that is designed to support the unique needs of the UVU community of students from the Pacific islands. The MSS currently runs the Native American Initiative and the nationally recognized Latino Initiative.

Nye said that they have been laying the groundwork for the Pacific Islander Initiative over the past year by working with local school districts on a People of the Pacific curriculum. The curriculum helps young people to develop a culturally relevant leadership style.

An LGBT Student Services office will also be opening in fall. It will be located in LA 126. The LGBT office will provide support-related services and educational resources for those seeking a broader understanding of the LGBT community.

The university currently has a student club for LGBT-identifying students called Spectrum, however, Nye said, it is important for the university to have a LGBT Student Services office because a student club can’t provide the full infrastructure of support that is needed.