嘿嘿视频

A Renewed Emphasis on Diversity in Faculty Hiring

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Lorena Marquez, 嘿嘿视频 faculty, and a staff member (female)
Associate Professor Lorena M谩rquez, left, and 嘿嘿视频 staff member Yajaira Ram铆rez Sigala take time for a photo when M谩rquez gave a talk about her book, "La Gente: Struggles for Empowerment and Community Self-Determination in Sacramento," in the Hispanic-Serving Institution Speaker Series. M谩rquez is affiliated with the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, and Sigala works at the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety. (嘿嘿视频 photo)

Quick Summary

  • Faculty members with diverse perspectives are needed to solve serious problems
  • Those issues, dubbed 鈥渨icked problems,鈥 include the 嘿嘿视频 Grand Challenges
  • Hiring will continue to be overseen by colleges and departments

嘿嘿视频 is embracing the philosophy that the world鈥檚 most serious problems can be solved only by people with a wide variety of perspectives, and is encouraging colleges and schools all over campus to infuse their recruitments for new faculty members with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The ensuing new faculty members, 100 to start with, will bring their diverse and transdisciplinary approaches to bear on 嘿嘿视频鈥 Grand Challenges 鈥 serious problems that include sustainable food systems, reimagining the land grant university, climate crisis and emerging health threats.

鈥淎t 嘿嘿视频, we recognize that only by bringing diverse researchers and scholars together can we solve society鈥檚 greatest challenges and build a stronger, more equitable future,鈥 said Chancellor Gary S. May.

鈥榃icked problems鈥

The Grand Challenges program is designed to encourage transdisciplinary collaboration around complex and intractable issues, dubbed 鈥渨icked problems鈥 by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, which is organizing the new recruiting push. That term has been used in numerous fields since the 1970s, and describes problems that often do not have a single solution, Michael Rios, vice provost of Public Scholarship and Engagement, last year, noting how the term has evolved.

鈥淭oday, many of the issues associated with wicked problems remain, while new ones have emerged based on an increased understanding of the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems,鈥 he wrote.

As always, colleges and schools will oversee the hiring process, but they鈥檒l now get extra outreach help from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which promotes 嘿嘿视频 to potential new faculty members at conferences and other events.

New marketing materials

They鈥檒l be armed with freshly designed marketing materials and facts about ways 嘿嘿视频 is committed to promoting diverse viewpoints 鈥 like the current faculty members with whom job candidates can speak in confidence during the hiring process, and the fact that all applicants for faculty jobs must their past, present and future contributions to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

鈥淩esearchers ask the best questions and arrive at the best answers for our most challenging problems when we approach them from diverse viewpoints, backgrounds and disciplines,鈥 Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan said. 鈥淗iring diverse faculty who are committed to solving wicked problems is the hallmark of this critical hiring initiative.鈥

ADVANCE grant

The university has a long history of encouraging diverse perspectives among faculty members: 嘿嘿视频 is believed to be one of the first universities to train faculty search committees to be aware of their own implicit biases, starting in 2011. The following year, the National Science Foundation awarded a $3.7 million, five-year ADVANCE grant to 嘿嘿视频 aimed at increasing the participation of women, especially Latinas, in academic STEM careers: science, technology, engineering and math.

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That grant led to the expansion of anti-bias workshops for search committees, along with the creation of Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science, or , which is now part of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; that office was created in 2018.

鈥満俸偈悠 has a rich history of recruiting and supporting faculty members who bring a broad spectrum of perspectives and experiences, and we know that our university will continue to be strengthened by the presence of the new faculty who will join us,鈥 said Renetta Garrison Tull, vice chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 鈥淚 remember my first faculty position [at another university] and how important it was for me as an African American woman in science and engineering to feel welcomed by my colleagues, and comfortable in my new town. I want all of our new, incoming faculty to be excited about being at home at 嘿嘿视频.鈥

Avanza/HSI initiative

She cited the benefits of recruiting initiatives and campus retention centers, as well as efforts overseen by her office, like the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, or , and , the name 嘿嘿视频 has given to the ongoing initiative focused on achieving federal status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

嘿嘿视频鈥 long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and will continue long after these 100 faculty members have been hired, said Laura Cerruti, chief impact officer in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see the need for this going away,鈥 Cerruti said. 鈥淚n order to make progress, we need to take bold steps like this one, and then sustain the effort over time.鈥

Systemwide goal

Adding more faculty members with unique perspectives also furthers a goal of the University of California system.

鈥淯C needs to grow and diversify the faculty to strengthen the university鈥檚 teaching, research, and public service mission and support UC undergraduate and graduate students,鈥 the UC system said in . In adopting its initiative in 2019, it called for 1,100 new faculty members across the UC system by 2022, but is only about a third of the way toward hitting that goal.

The report noted challenges including a scaling back of hiring during the pandemic and an increase in underrepresented faculty members leaving their jobs. While more work needs to be done, the UC system is committing resources to hitting its growth goals: This year鈥檚 state budget includes an agreement to provide 5% increases to UC鈥檚 core budget over each of the next five years, 鈥渨ith the understanding that (the UC system) will focus resources on achieving UC鈥檚 2030 goals, including growing and diversifying the faculty and narrowing student achievement gaps.鈥

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Cody Kitaura is a News and Media Relations Specialist in the Office of Strategic Communications, and can be reached by email or at 530-752-1932.

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