UCSD CAMPUS NOTICE University of California, San Diego |
|
OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR November 4, 1998 ALL AT UCSD ALL STUDENTS AT UCSD SUBJECT: Establishment of the UCSD Diversity Council Last spring, in my address to the UCSD community on the state of diversity, I promised that I would form a Diversity Council to advise me on institutional access and representation, campus climate and intergroup relations, education and scholarship, and institutional transformation. I am pleased to announce the formation of the Diversity Council, which will have eighteen members, plus a chair, and will be assisted in its work by a number of consultants. I want to thank the UCSD community for its input on the formation of the Diversity Council. The suggestions and feedback I have received from committees, groups and individuals in the past few months have been most helpful. Dr. Herbert York, the founding chancellor of UCSD (1961-1964), has agreed to serve as the Council's first chair. A professor emeritus of physics, Dr. York participated in the Comprehensive Test Ban negotiations in Geneva and founded the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. He has a long history of engagement with diversity issues. In 1971, when he was serving a second time as chancellor, he established the Chancellor's Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, which the Diversity Council is now replacing. When he accepted the appointment as Diversity Council chair, Dr. York said "I've always believed that diversity was an important issue for the university, but now I believe it has become more important than ever. I see taking on this task as an opportunity to do something really meaningful for the future of an institution I love." The eighteen-member Council will be composed of ex-officio members, who usually serve for one year, and at-large members appointed by the Chancellor for a two-year term. The Council will meet at least quarterly, and may create sub-committees that meet more frequently. Ex-Officio Diversity Council Members: Vice Chair of the Academic Senate -- Robert Parker (SIO) Chair, Senate Affirmative Action Committee -- Karen Kavanagh (Electrical and Computer Engineering) President of the Associated Students, or designee -- Omid Ghaemmaghami (designee) President of Graduate Student Association, or designee -- Sonya R. Summerour (designee) Chair, Student Affirmative Action Committee -- Annette Green At-Large Diversity Council Members: Chair of an academic department -- Jeffrey Elman (Cognitive Science) Three at-large members of the faculty -- David Gutierrez (History), Deborah Wingard (Family and Preventive Medicine), Linda Olson (Radiation) Three at-large members of the student body -- Alex Sario, Natalie Davis, Laura Baraclough Business administrator from an academic department -- Lourdes Guardiano-Durkin (Teacher Education Program) Five at-large staff members -- Catherine Joseph (Warren College), Patrick Velasquez (OASIS), Lindsay Calderon (Psychological and Counseling Services), Tom Collins (SIO), Richard Belmontez (EH&S/Medical Center) Consultants: Linda Williams, Assistant Chancellor Ramon Gutierrez, Associate Chancellor EEO/Staff Affirmative Action Officers, as appropriate Council Staff: Irma Martinez (Chancellor's Office) The Diversity Council's charge is as follows: UCSD is committed to having a student body, faculty, and staff whose diversity is rich and reflects the community we serve in San Diego and the State of California. The drivers of this commitment will not depend on legislative mandates and compliance measures, but rather on UCSD's commitment to be strong, competitive with our peer institutions, and responsive to our constituents. Historically, the campus has successfully mobilized itself to achieve critical objectives when it has brought together those responsible for implementing change with those whose knowledge and expertise give them insight about particular campus needs. Following this model, the Diversity Council brings together faculty, students, and staff, who will advise the Chancellor, in his role as Chief Diversity Officer, and the Vice Chancellors in the following ways: *Advise the Chancellor on the appropriate goals to which UC San Diego should aspire in creating a diverse campus community and assess progress toward achieving those goals. *Identify those programs that can have the greatest positive impacts on campus diversity and recommend how our resources might best be utilized and coordinated to achieve the campus diversity goals. *Identify the barriers to achieving greater diversity at UCSD and provide recommendations on how we can overcome those barriers. *Review annual reports and other data regarding the state of student, faculty, and staff diversity and efforts to improve diversity at UCSD. *Assess how the UCSD Principles of Community and related campus regulations and policies are being applied and make recommendations on how to improve the communication of the Principles to faculty, students, and staff. *Act as a resource for the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Directors, and others for advice on programs and initiatives designed to improve UCSD's diversity. *Provide a forum for the discussion of diversity-related issues and ideas and promote a campus dialogue about diversity by periodically convening town meetings, establishing a web page, distributing minutes from meetings, and other means as appropriate. The Diversity Council will hold its first meeting before the end of this quarter. Please join me in thanking its members for their willingness to serve the UCSD community in this important way. And I thank all of you for your continuing involvement in working toward our common goal of strengthening and enriching UCSD through diversity. Sincerely, Robert C. Dynes Chancellor |