Message from the Chair
Rosina M. Becerra
The University of California’s student body has changed over the years as the population of California has become more racially and ethnically diverse. Yet the diversity of our faculty has not kept pace with the changes we have seen in our undergraduate population or the population of our state. The lack of faculty diversity is not unique to the University of California, and is a growing concern across our nation’s institutions of higher learning. However, as the most diverse state in the nation, we have the opportunity to take the leadership in creating the most diverse faculty among institutions of higher education.
To be most effective in our role as educators and role models for our students, we must reflect diversity in our ranks. To enable California and the nation to maintain its leadership in science, technology and research, we must draw upon all available human resources for our faculties, reach more broadly to encourage the pursuit of an academic career, insure that opportunities on our faculties have been inclusive of all our citizens, and provide an environment that is open and welcoming to everyone.
We hope that the work of this Task Force will enable dialogue across the University of California about how to develop a future faculty that will meet the needs of the diverse population we serve and establish an academic climate that fosters the educational benefits of diversity in all aspects of our academic mission.