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Kunle Ojikutu will retire as the special assistant to the President for Diversity and assistant vice president for Enrollment and Student Services at Western at the end of the 2017-18 school year. 

“Over two decades at Western, Kunle has been deeply committed to the success of underprivileged students, not only as an administrator, but personally as well.  His dedication to building Western’s relationships with minority communities across the state – especially first-generation Latinx, African-American and African students – has been an essential part of Western’s progress toward greater student diversity, inclusion and retention,” said Western President Sabah Randhawa. “These relationships don’t just happen on their own, nor do they happen overnight; they require the kind of consistent, visible, personal efforts that Kunle’s work at Western has exemplified. 

“Kunle has also been an outstanding leader and advocate for faculty and staff of color, not only at Western, but around the state.  Kunle’s commitment to building stronger, more inclusive communities at all levels leaves an admirable legacy at Western,” Randhawa said.

Prior to coming to Western, Ojikutu served as assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).  He received his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Higher Education Administration.

His efforts have led to many improvements across campus.

“We will greatly miss Kunle’s leadership, commitment, and expertise in Enrollment and Student Affairs,” said Melynda Huskey, �������� vice president for Enrollment and Student Services.

During his tenure, Western’s Counseling Center received national accreditation and implemented a doctoral internship program.  He also spearheaded relocation of the �������� Student Health Center to a newly constructed campus facility. He implemented the Campus Community Coalition program on Western’s campus and in the community to promote more effective collaborations. He is an advocate and supporter of Western’s Compass 2 Campus program.

Ojikutu initiated the Multicultural Achievement Program (MAP) and Minority Achievement Program (RMAP) scholarships, and he allocates campus diversity funding to promote diversity programs on campus.

He was a founding member and played a key role in implementation of the Woodring College Diversity Committee, which has been duplicated at other colleges on campus.  He has been an advocate and strong supporter of the Minority Employee’s Council and a founding member and advocate of the campus LGBTQ Alliance. 

Ojikutu also was the founding member of the Washington State Universities and Colleges Consortiums on Undocumented Students.  He was a founding member of the Washington State Faculty and Staff of Color Conferences.  For 18 years, he was a board member for the Latino/a/x Educational Achievement Project (LEAP), which supports Latino/a/x and undocumented students’ pathways to citizenship.