Call for Director of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program, Nominations due February 17, 2023

I am pleased to invite nominations, including self-nominations, for the inaugural Director of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program, to be housed in the Institute of Arts and Humanities. Working in conjunction with a steering committee, the Director will oversee the functioning of the DEI course requirement.

Background
Instituted in response to a 2010 race-themed party organized by several UC San Diego fraternities, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requirement was established to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in the educational mission of the university. The goal of the requirement is to encourage students to reflect on their own identities, in relation to the experiences of racialized and ethnic groups in the United States and the nation’s long history of structural inequities. Our DEI courses constitute an indispensable component in the civic development and general education of our undergraduate student body. In recognition of the scope of this effort—the DEI requirement is the only pedagogical activity on campus that currently includes every UC San Diego undergraduate—the Academic Senate took the decision to formally transition the DEI requirement into a program, and to house that program in the Institute of Arts and Humanities.

General Responsibilities
In consultation with IAH Director, the DEI Program Advisory Committee, and the Academic Senate Committees tasked with DEI course approvals, the Director designs and implements the overall vision and goals for the Program.

Academic Responsibilities

Shape the vision, mission, and measurable objectives of the DEI program.
Take a leadership role in communicating this vision to divisional, campus, and external constituents.
Create and maintain appropriate programmatic initiatives (lecture series, workshops and training) related to DEI instruction on campus.
Offer support to faculty interested in developing DEI course proposals.
Assess existing DEI courses. The DEI Course Requirement Committee is charged with periodic review of existing DEI courses; the DEI Program Director will provide support in achieving this goal.
Coordinate with DEI Course Requirement Committee of the Academic Senate.

Administrative Responsibilities

Develop an advisory committee to assist in organizing the overall program. This advisory committee will include members drawn from multiple campus divisions.
Develop an assessment committee to assess courses and the overall program.
Create a DEI community of scholars and area experts. In conjunction with the advisory committee, the Director will consider how to expand and further develop DEI education at UC San Diego, including addressing pedagogical practices (e.g., the letter grade question), and possible DEI certificates.
Meet periodically with Academic Senate DEI Course Requirement Committee.
Provide programmatic guidance to staff assigned to the DEI program.
Seek grant support from relevant funding sources, as appropriate.
Oversee proper stewardship of DEI program finances in coordination with the IAH MSO.
Compile annual report of DEI activities and goals for the upcoming year.
Prepare self-study reports as needed for review of the DEI program.
As the inaugural director of the program, develop bylaws for program operations.

Qualifications

Candidates should be at the Associate Professor or LSOE level or above or expect to be so by the time of the July 1, 2023 appointment.
Candidates should have experience supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in prior research, teaching, and/or administrative work.

Term
The position begins July 1, 2023. The appointment will be for two years, with the possibility of extension. Applications are welcome from faculty from across UC San Diego. Annual compensation is included.

Appointment Process
From the list of nominations of faculty members, a committee of five faculty from across campus will create a short list of 2-5 potential candidates. The nominees will be contacted to confirm their interest. The names of those who are interested will be interviewed by the committee, and a recommendation will be made to the EVC.

Please send your nominations and questions to iah@ucsd.edu. We look forward to receiving your nominations for faculty you believe would be a great fit, yourselves included, by February 17, 2023.

Best regards,

Daniel Widener
Director
Institute of Arts and Humanities