UC ANR remains firmly committed to our mission to cultivate a thriving California. As an organization, we work in a variety of ways to support our communities effectively and serve all Californians. This includes strategies within our hiring processes.
Several months ago, pre-dating the current administration in Washington, D.C., UC leaders systemwide began reassessing the value of DEI statements in the hiring process. The intent of DEI statements was to ensure an applicant was committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment. In practice, however, many applicants may not have fully understood the intent or expectations of the statement and we were questioning their effectiveness.
This week, UC System Provost Katherine Newman shared a decision from the UC Board of Regents to change the University's practices with respect to staff and academic recruitments. After thoughtful consideration, the Board has directed UC President Michael Drake to take action to ensure that diversity statements are no longer required for new recruitments.
The message from Provost Newman reiterates the expectation that we will continue to provide due recognition to prospective and current employees who wish to share how they have contributed to inclusive excellence, consistent with federal and state law.
We remain committed to supporting inclusive excellence by reiterating UC ANR's Principles of Community, requiring implicit bias training for search committee members, evaluating final hiring decisions to ensure non-discrimination and ensuring we ask appropriate questions in interviews. As always, we strive to create an environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, feel valued and respected and have equal opportunities for growth and success.
Bethanie Brown
Executive Director of Human Resources