By Donna Hemmila

A UC task force charged with studying the status of women and minority employees has outlined its objectives for building a more diverse university work force.

The 20-member UC Staff Diversity Council, created by former UC President Robert Dynes in March 2007, focused on diversity issues such as retention and promotion, succession planning and work climate throughout the UC system. UC Berkeley vice chancellor Linda Morris Williams, who chaired the diversity council, presented its report to UC Regents on July 16. The council also presented its report at the UC Berkeley campus in a 90-minute forum on July 24. (Read the full report at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/diversity/staff/index.html.)

The university needs to focus greater attention on its diversity initiatives and must have a consistent systemwide process to evaluate the progress of those initiatives, the report recommends.

While women and people of color are well represented in the UC work force, the report found, they are clustered in professional and support staff jobs. Gender and ethnic diversity are lowest among senior management and executives, who are more than 75 percent white males. Those figures indicate that UC has a diverse pipeline of workers, but the council found there is no clear pathway to upward mobility.

Of key concern to the council is the number of UC employees nearing retirement.

"Over 40 percent of our employees – 80 percent of senior staff - are eligible to retire," Williams said in her presentation to the Regents. "Yet we lack targeted programs for leadership succession."

The UC Staff Diversity Council Report makes seven recommendations to UC leadership:

• Develop a comprehensive, systemwide talent management and leadership development plan aligned with affirmative action and diversity program goals.

• Clarify the UC job structure, including career paths and related skills/competencies so that employees can more easily navigate the system and institutional progress can be measured.

• Ensure systemwide management accountability for diversity goals and for employee development.

• Address risks raised by claims of discrimination and lack of attention to diversity issues.

• Recognize leaders who establish effective programs that model our ethical values and support the growth and placement of a diverse leadership pipeline.

• To create and sustain an inviting, supportive and nondiscriminatory work environment, publicize the Principles of Community at each location and administer a climate survey at least every four years.

The UC Staff Diversity Council is just one group working on equal opportunity for all members of the university community. Learn more about UC diversity initiatives for students, faculty and staff at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/diversity.

Donna Hemmila is editor of Our University.