"It was a strange, uncomfortable feeling, but I knew full wall thatthis is what my friend faced every day when he entered the world Iknew," Kirwan recalls.

"The whole thing made a profound impression on me. I've never forgotten that."

RELATED ARTICLE: A Ten-Point Checklist for Assessing Presidential Commitment to Diversity:

1 Does the president commit funds from his/her discretionary budget to support diversity efforts?

2 Does the president use the clout of the his/her office as acatalyst for diversity? Are his/her diversity efforts and commitmentregularly communicated in speeches, conversations, and writings?

3 Does the president have a demonstrated record of, and ongoingcommitment to, supporting scholarly and administrative initiatives bypeople of color?

4 Does the president reward administrators and faculty who achievenotable results in this area? How does he/she hold administrators andfaculty accountable for failure to achieve such results?

5 Do the president's appointments to senior level positions demonstrate a commitment (i.e., what is his/her track record)?

6 Is the president willing to take risks (for example, in theappointment and promotion process) in order to advance the diversityagenda?

7 Has the president implemented specific diversity policies andprocedures beyond those externally imposed or mandated by the courts,federal regulations, etc.?

8 How has the president responded to Proposition 209, the Hopwoodruling, and Initiative 200? Has he/she taken a strong public positionin favor of affirmative action?

9 Does the president solicit support from the board of trustees / governors for diversity initiatives?

10 Is the president a known and welcome presence within neighboring minority communities?