Luther College names new dean for institutional equity and inclusion

Luther College President Paula Carlson has appointed a new dean for institutional equity and inclusion.

Lloren Foster will begin his service at the college later this spring. He served as executive director of Multicultural and Diversity Affairs at the University of Florida in Gainesville from 2015 to 2016.  He previously served as assistant director of the African American Studies Program and assistant professor of African American Studies at Western Kentucky University from 2009 to 2015.  From 2003 to 2009, Foster served as assistant professor of English at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.

Foster will serve as the first dean for institutional equity and inclusion at the college, a re-visioning of the former position of executive director of the Diversity Center.  At Luther, Foster will be responsible for leading and assessing initiatives to enhance diversity on campus; developing strategies to ensure the college is a diverse and welcoming community; coordinating with leadership across campus to enhance diversity and equity as a means of academic excellence; serving as an advocate for students, faculty and staff from historically underrepresented groups; and working with the college and Decorah communities to enhance the academic and social climate for students and employees.

Foster holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Chicago State University and a doctoral degree in Afro-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.