Deeply committed to making positive changes to improve the campus climate and broaden the richness and diversity of its community and curriculum, the University of California, San Diego today (July 23) announced that it has authorized 33 new faculty searches for the 2010-11 academic year. Twelve of these searches (36 percent) specifically are identified to contribute to diversity, equity and climate of inclusion at UC San Diego — a number above and beyond the six unfilled faculty positions that UC San Diego originally agreed to reactivate to advance diversity. Funding for the new faculty positions is from the Academic Affairs division operating budget.

"Successful searches will result in new faculty who will help shape and expand the campus diversity initiatives through their research, teaching and service," said Paul Drake, UC San Diego's senior vice chancellor of academic affairs. "In addition, a special pool of seven faculty positions has been established for 2010-2011 to respond to opportunities that emerge throughout the year. A priority for this pool of employees will be academically qualified applicants who will promote and advance UC San Diego's commitment to diversity initiatives."

Drake added, "This total allocation of 40 full time employees is a welcome change from fiscal year 2009-2010 when no new faculty searches were authorized due to budget constraints." Recruitment for academic positions usually takes one year; the anticipated hire dates for the new UC San Diego faculty members is July 1, 2011.

To learn more about ongoing actions to improve the campus climate at UC San Diego, visit http://campusclimate.ucsd.edu/commitments.php.