Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has announced a new effort to increase the diversity of its faculty. Under the new program, the office of the provost will contribute funds to cover 25 percent of the salary of a new hire that contributes to the department’s diversity.
Michael Kotlikoff, provost at Cornell University, states that “we must be more effective at recruiting faculty who reflect the diversity of our society and our students, which means incentivizing academic departments to work as hard as possible to diversify the applicant pool and land the top candidates. A diverse community is the foundation for the meaningful exploration and exchange of ideas. The formula is simple: Hire the best people, attract the most promising students and get out of their way.”
Vice provost Judith Appleton added, “If we’re diverse, we’re better. That’s the only way to think about it. These policies tell the departments, ‘Find the best person for the job. If they diversify the faculty, you’ll get support from the Office of the Provost.’”
