University at Buffalo
PA-7: Support for Future Faculty Diversity

While UB strives to maintain a supportive environment for underrepresented groups, the institution is simultaneously working to create more opportunities that support the future diversity of its faculty. One of the ways in which the university pursues a more diverse faculty is by providing teaching fellowships, mentoring, and financial assistance to underrepresented groups of students enrolling in terminal degree programs. UB offers the Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program (http://grad.buffalo.edu/FinancialSupport/Scholarships_Fellowships/ schomburg .html) for students in doctoral and master’s level programs across the university who contribute to the diversity of the campus. The university also participates in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (http://cpmc.buffalo.edu/mcnair/index.php) which serves to encourage underrepresented groups to pursue doctoral study. In order to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields, UB offers several programs that provide financial support, mentoring, and academic and career preparation:
-Bridge to the Doctorate program (http://bridgetodoc.buffalo.edu/)
-Scholarships in Science, Technology, and Math (S-STEM) (http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoservice/Education/UBSSTEMFlyer.pdf), and
-The Institute for Strategic Enhancement of Educational Diversity Graduate Scholars (iSEED) (http://www.buffalo.edu/iseed/phd-students/iseed-graduate-scholars-program.html).

In an effort to diversify the university community, the provost makes available subsidies to departments that identify and hire faculty members from underrepresented minority groups, particularly when candidates become available outside of the formal faculty recruitment cycle. For example, two African American entry-level social work scholars were recruited and hired after the formal recruitment cycle with the assistance of a subsidy from the provost. These individuals will begin in the fall of 2015.