BERKELEY — On a campus long dedicated to educating Californians of every background, a major effort was announced Feb. 18 to establish the University of California, Berkeley, as a national leader in research, teaching and public service related to equity and inclusion.

Backed by a $16 million gift from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the new UC Berkeley Initiative for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will launch a sweeping array of research projects, faculty chairs, student scholarships, several dozen new courses in American cultures, and programs across the campus. The investment eventually could total $31 million, as parts of it are set up as challenge grants.

To read more about the initiative, including an FAQ supplement, view this release on the UC Berkeley NewsCenter.