Two Major Research Universities Join the Creating Connections Consortium
The Creating Connections Consortium seeks to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who are hired to tenure-track faculty positions. The University of Chicago and the University of Michigan are the consortium's newest members.
University of Texas System Initiates a “Rooney Rule” For Senior-Level Hiring
The University of Texas System has instituted a new policy that requires search committees to have a minority candidate among the finalists for every senior level administrative post on campus. The new policy is modeled after the Rooney Rule in the National Football League.
Brandeis University to Offer New Diversity Scholarships to Graduate Students
Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, has announced the establishment of the Diversity, Excellence, and Inclusion Scholarships. Recipients will receive full-tuition credits and a $10,000 stipend for master's degree programs in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.
Brown University’s Plan to Create a Diverse and Inclusive Campus Community
In releasing the report, Christina Paxson, president of Brown University, stated that “a diverse and inclusive academic community is foundational to every ambition we have as an institution of higher education."
University of California Aims to Increase Black Applicant Pool
The Achieve UC program targeted 12,000 students at high schools with large underrepresented minority student bodies with programs to guide them through the admission and financial aid processes. The program is being expanded this year to target 60,000 minority students.
Indiana University Assesses Its Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
A diversity assessment was conducted by an independent consulting firm for Indiana University at Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The report found that progress has been made but noted areas that need improvement.
Michigan State Establishes an Anti-Bias Unit Within Its University Police Force
Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor, a 26-veteran of the police force, will lead the new anti-bias unit. It is believed to be one of the first such units among university police forces across the nation.
University of Cincinnati Launches New Fellowships for Minority Ph.D. Students
The University of Cincinnati has announced that it has created the Provost Graduate Fellowship that will provide financial aid for students from underrepresented minority groups in the university's graduate programs.
The Three Finalists for Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Connecticut
The three candidates for chief diversity officer are Lisa McBride of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Joelle Murchison, an executive at The Travelers Companies in Hartford, and Franklin A. Tuitt of the University of Denver.
University of Southern California Study Shows Extent of Black Invisibility in Entertainment
The report examines 109 major films and 305 television programs in 2014 that included more than 11,000 speaking characters. Some 22 percent of all these films or TV shows had no African American characters.
Johns Hopkins University Releases a Roadmap for Achieving Diversity and Inclusion
In releasing the draft plan, Ronald J. Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University, stated that "diversity of thought, people, and experiences is central for the excellence of our work, and to our education, research, and service missions."
University of California, San Diego Launches Black Academic Excellence Initiative
The goal of the initiative is to increase the number of Black students and faculty on campus and to make the campus environment more welcoming to African Americans. The latest Education Department data shows that Blacks make up just one percent of the undergraduate student body.
College of William and Mary Takes Steps to Enhance the Diversity of Its Faculty
The college also announced other efforts aimed at enhancing diversity and race relations on campus. This includes a proposal to name two residence halls in honor of African Americans, one a slave who was owned by the university and the other a long-time administrator.
University of Cincinnati Program Aims to Increase Diversity in America’s Orchestras
Only 4 percent of the members of America's professional orchestra musicians are Black or Latino, according to the League of American Orchestras. A new fellows program at the University of Cincinnati, in conjunction with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, seeks to increase diversity in the field.
University of Oregon Responds to Black Student Protestor Demands
The University of Oregon has agreed to take action based on demands presented by student protestors in demonstrations held on campus in recent months. The university has agree to boost recruitment efforts, establish a Black residential community, and bring prominent Black scholars to campus.
New Report Examines Teacher Diversity in U.S. Schools
The percentage of African Americans in the elementary and secondary school teacher force actually declined from the 1987-88 school year to the 2011-12 school year at a time when the nation's schools became increasingly populated by students of color.
Legislature Eliminates Funding for the Office of Diversity at the University of Tennessee
Administrators in the diversity office at the university had angered legislators by calling for the use of gender-neutral pronouns and the suggestion that office holiday parties not be "Christmas parties in disguise."
A Record Percentage of Black Students in Harvard’s 2016 Entering Class
Black students make up 11.4 percent of all students in the Class of 2020. This is the highest percentage of Black students in any entering class in Harvard's 380-year history.
Brown University’s New Visiting Faculty Program Aims to Boost Diversity
Under the Provost's Visiting Professors program, scholars from underrepresented groups will spend between one and four semesters on the Brown campus.
Dartmouth College Unveils Its Action Plan for Inclusive Excellence
The plan contains more than three dozen new initiatives and enhancements of existing programs. Among the most notable items in the plan is a pledge to hire 50 faculty members from underrepresented groups over the next decade.
Examining Faculty Diversity at the University of Southern California
The data shows a total of 3,614 faculty members at the university. Of these, 108, or 3 percent are Black. There are only two tenured Black faculty members in the life and natural sciences and three at the university's medical school.
New Black Faculty Association at the University of Cincinnati
The organization is an official group at the university with funding and other support services provided by the university administration. The university will fund the group's faculty development seminars, research symposia, as well as mentoring and networking initiatives.
The University of Cincinnati to Request a Diversity Statement From All Job Applicants
Applicants for administrative position at the University of Cincinnati will be asked to file a personal statement on their contributions to diversity efforts and/or the potential contributions to diversity, inclusion, or leadership that they plan to make if hired by the university.
University of Oregon Creates a Fund to Promote Diversity
The Division of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Oregon has begun a new fundraising drive to build a fund that will support efforts to recruit more students and faculty from underrepresented groups and to create a more welcoming environment on campus.
Study Finds That Mandatory Diversity Training Is Ineffective
The authors suggest that managers who are obliged to undergo training have a natural tendency to resent it. People don't like to be told how to behave. They outline other strategies that may be more effective in reaching diversity goals.
Southern Illinois University Adopts New System-Wide Diversity Initiative
Southern Illinois University President Randy Dunn stated that the new initiative was put in place so that all campuses in the system "reflect a culture that values diversity and inclusivity in all its forms."
New Legislation Aims to Boost Diversity in Public Schools
If enacted into law, The Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016 will encourage voluntary community-driven efforts to increase diversity in schools.
Medical University of South Carolina Becoming More Diverse
According to U.S. News & World Report, the Medical University of South Carolina enrolls the fifth highest number of African American students among medical schools that are not considered historically Black institutions.
The Snail-Like Progress of Racial Diversity in Sororities at the University of Alabama
This year's sorority rush was just completed. There were 25 African American students who received bids among the 2,488 women who were accepted at traditionally White sororities. This is just a shade over 1 percent. Blacks are 11 percent of the undergraduate student body at the university.
New Mentoring Program for First-Year Students at Youngstown State University
Seventeen first-year students from underrepresented groups will be the first cohort of Navarro Executive Fellows. They will be paired with a mentor from the university's leadership team.
Syracuse University Outlines New Diversity Initiatives
Syracuse University in New York has announced a series of new initiatives aimed at further enhancing campus diversity. One important development is that of the 70 new full-time faculty members hired for the 2016-17 academic year, 31, or 44 percent are faculty of color.
Georgia Tech Outlines Steps It Will Take to Create a More Welcoming Campus for...
Recently the Black Student Experience Task Force at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta presented its recommendations to university President G.P. Peterson on how to promote equity and inclusion on campus. Dr. Peterson has approved all the recommendations.
Vanderbilt University Reorganizes Staff to Better Serve a Diverse Student Body
A new Office of Social Justice and Identity has been established that will offer events, activities, and training programs that both celebrate diversity and serve to educate Vanderbilt students on pertinent issues of social justice, identity, and advocacy.
Virginia Tech Mandates Diversity Training for All Faculty Search Committee Members
From now on, all search committee members reviewing applications for teaching, research, and faculty positions at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will be required to complete an online diversity training course.
Northwestern University Report Examines the Black Student Experience on Campus
A new report issued by the Black Student Experience Taskforce at Northwestern University presents a detailed look at the status of African American students at the university.
Survey of Dartmouth College Students Finds Widespread Support for Racial Diversity
A new survey finds widespread support among Dartmouth College students for giving priority to members of underrepresented groups in faculty hiring and student admission decisions. But are those surveyed just giving the researchers the answers they want to hear?
