Brian Bridges ended his last day at Ohio University with a farewell to Student Senate.
Bridges, formerly OU’s vice provost for the Office for Diversity, Access and Equity, will be taking on the position of executive director of the United Negro College Fund’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute in Fairfax, Va. He made $142,957 at OU.
“I think he had a very big impact on OU, as it’s in Athens and away from the bigger, diverse metropolitan areas,” Senate President Kyle Triplett said. “The programs that his office has put on have been great for OU.”
In the more than three years he’s worked at OU, Bridges said the Office for Diversity, Access and Equity has faced some challenges.
“I came here with the idea of building initiatives on campus, not tearing them down,” he said. “But because of some budget cuts, I’ve had to tear them down.
“We have smaller and less resources than when I first got here. We made do with what we had — the university is better as a result of it.”
The office of Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit is in the process of replacing Bridges, which has sent out search-committee invitations.
Until Bridges is replaced, David Descutner, dean of the University College and associate provost for undergraduate studies, has been appointed to serve as interim.
Senate Vice President Roger Jones said Bridges influenced his time spent on campus as a minority student.
“I have seen and participated in a lot more diverse groups,” Jones said. “I went to a lot more events and worked with a lot more diverse people, and I think Dr. Bridges had a great effect on that.”
Bridges also encouraged students to become involved in the programs offered through the diversity office, including the Summer Institute for Diversity Education and an initiative to “diversify the first-year experience.”
“This would have students go out and work and live in a much more diverse world than we live in today,” Bridges said. “It will help to not only improve the student experience but the entire university experience.”
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