University of California at San Diego Makes Major Commitment to Enhance Faculty Diversity

The University of California at San Diego announced that it will recruit 40 new faculty members during the 2010-11 academic year. The university will launch searches for 33 positions, with 12 specifically earmarked to contribute to the university’s “diversity, equity, and climate of inclusion.” Funding for seven additional faculty positions has also been allocated for opportunities to hire exceptional scholars who may become available during the academic year.

Due to state law, race cannot be used in considering whom to hire to faculty positions at all public universities in California. Thus the 12 new “diversity” hires can be of any race so long as they “help shape and expand campus diversity initiatives through their research, teaching, and service.”

Several racial incidents occurred on the campus of the University of California at San Diego in the 2009-10 academic year. These incidents led to calls for efforts to increase the number of black and other minority students and faculty on campus. At the present time, blacks are only 2 percent of the student body.