The university's diversity advocate position was filled earlier this week after being vacant for almost a year.

Denise Hinds-Zaami formally accepted the position of diversity advocate, which also includes a counseling position at the Multicultural Resource Center, in a letter received by the university this week.

The position has been vacant since the end of the spring 2003 semester when Erik Malewski, the last employee to fill the position, left to teach at Purdue University.

University officials say they made attempts to fill the position. A committee to hire an employee was formed during the fall semester, but the chosen one did not take the job.

Hinds-Zaami has asked not to be contacted about the position until she officially begins working in July.

A committee made up of three students and three faculty members initially selected Hinds-Zaami, said Marcus Whitehurst vice provost for underrepresented groups.

Sara Ryan, a committee member, said the committee interviewed the 25 candidates and submitted two suggestions to Whitehurst and Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity.

The full-time position will require Hinds-Zaami to fulfill duties of both a diversity advocate and a counselor, a task that some feel is too much.

Ryan said she wants Penn State to have an employee who is only focused on the advocacy because they need to have the opportunity to give the issues greater attention.

Whitehurst said having an employee fulfill the role of a diversity advocate and a counselor is appropriate because the position of the diversity advocate requires counseling skills.

Jones said there were a total of 11 diversity-related complaints this semester from all Penn State campuses. "It's not a full-time duty."

Jones said Hinds-Zaami is qualified for the position with a doctorate in Counseling Psychology and a history of advocacy in New York and New Jersey.

"Her background is very good, and most people were aware of that who were on the committee," he said.

Ryan said Hinds-Zaami was a good choice because she is a leader and an activist. "We wanted someone who would effect change at the university."