University of California, Santa Cruz
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

In 2011, the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion, the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Institutional Research and Policy Studies sponsored a campus-wide climate study for undergraduate and graduate student surveys.

The study’s main goals are to evaluate the university’s existing culture and institutional support of all members of our campus community, and to provide valuable information for improvement of everyday practices, policy decisions and other community-building efforts. The surveys include questions on campus-wide climate for diversity and inclusion.

Starting in fall 2012 and continuing through spring 2013, the University of California conducted a UC systemwide study about campus climate. The first phase involves a survey to collect input from the entire UC community about the learning, living, and working environments for students, faculty, and staff. At Santa Cruz, this phase of the study occurred between January 16 and February 20, 2013.

In the second phase, the University will use the study findings to inform strategic initiatives and action plans, and to enhance policies and programs that foster a more welcoming, inclusive, and healthy campus climate. The study results became available March 2014 on the UC-wide campus climate study website.

For more information please visit: http://campusclimate.ucop.edu/index.html

Process and next steps for developing actions and initiatives based on survey findings
These exceptional programs and partnerships combined with the existing data from the UCSC Diversity and Community Building Study have given UC Santa Cruz the necessary momentum to continue with efforts to promote a healthy campus climate and implement specific action items based on the findings from the University of California systemwide campus climate survey. The UCSC representatives from the Campus Climate Survey Systemwide Work Team (SWT) will analyze the data and work closely with the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion, which has about 50 members comprised of faculty, students, staff, alumni, administrators, and community members, to identify important issues highlighted in the climate survey beginning in spring 2014. The ACCCCI will be engaged in the implementation process by forming subcommittees that partner with other campus constituents as appropriate to effectively develop an action plan to address key survey findings with implementation by winter 2015.

Prior to the systemwide campus climate surveys, UCSC administered the UCSC Diversity and Community Building Study in 2011 to evaluate the campus’ existing culture and institutional support of all members of the campus community, and to provide valuable information for improvement of everyday practices, policy decisions, and other community-building efforts. Both undergraduate and graduate students participated in the study’s surveys, which included questions on campus-wide climate for diversity and inclusion. Recommendations based on graduate survey findings were formulated and implemented in the past academic year. UCSC is finalizing the recommendations for the undergraduate survey, which will be presented to the ACCCCI for approval later this academic year.

Please see above - part of the Campus Climate Survey.

Also, "Consistent with its status as a federal contractor, the University undertakes affirmative action for minorities and women, for persons with disabilities, and for covered veterans.".

http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010392/PPSM-14
http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000378/GdlnsAACompliPgrms

Chancellor Blumenthal's Commitment to Diversity:

At UC Santa Cruz, diversity is an integral part of our mission to teach, discover, and serve.

Diversity enriches everyone by ensuring that students, staff, and faculty engage with people who bring different sets of experiences, values, and views to the classroom, the laboratory, the art studio, and the dining hall. UCSC serves as an important testing ground—a place where personal experience trumps stereotypes and where diversity accelerates our pursuit of excellence.

Diversity and inclusion help bring UCSC’s Principles of Community to life by contributing to an open, purposeful, caring, just, disciplined, and celebrative campus climate. Our programs support the identities and aspirations of every student, staff member, and academic employee. Our goal is to build a community where each person enjoys a sense of belonging, where each person can be heard.

As chancellor, I am committed to furthering the cultural and social diversity of our campus community and to cultivating an inclusive campus climate. But diversity at UCSC is not a top-down initiative. Rather, it is interwoven into the fabric of the campus, a responsibility shared by all for the benefit of the entire community.

As a public university, UCSC is obligated to reflect the full range of people and cultures that make up the state of California. But it's not just duty or obligation that fuels our commitment. We are motivated by a desire to make society more equitable and to enhance opportunities for all.

In higher education, we are developing the leaders of tomorrow, people who will be active in all sectors of society and the world. With my full support, UCSC will continue building a diverse community and fostering a climate of inclusion in which all will thrive.

Chancellor's Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion:

At the March 2010 Regents' meeting, President Yudof pledged to take steps to directly address campus climate issues that leave students feeling marginalized; to promote the identification and sharing of best practices that promote diversity and tolerance; to monitor progress on the campuses; and to provide effective oversight.

The President appointed a systemwide Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion and asked each campus Chancellor to chair and appoint a multi-constituency Council to advise the Chancellor and, as appropriate, the campus community.

Chancellor Blumenthal has appointed a campus Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion that includes faculty, staff, students, community members and alumni.

The charge of the UCSC Council is to:

Monitor and evaluate the progress of UCSC in creating conditions of climate, culture and inclusion that will best support the mission of the University and provide equal opportunities to all UCSC students, faculty and staff.

Identify, evaluate and share “promising practices” in efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive campus climate—looking broadly at other institutions, both public and private, inside and outside higher education, across the state and the nation.

UCSC Principle of Community:

The University of California, Santa Cruz is committed to promoting and protecting an environment that values and supports every person in an atmosphere of civility, honesty, cooperation, professionalism and fairness.

UCSC expects that every campus member will practice these Principles of Community.

We strive to be:

Diverse: We embrace diversity in all its forms and we strive for an inclusive community that fosters an open, enlightened and productive environment.
Open: We believe free exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences.
Purposeful: We are a participatory community united by shared commitments to: service to society; preservation and advancement of knowledge; and innovative teaching and learning.
Caring: We promote mutual respect, trust and support to foster bonds that strengthen the community.
Just: We are committed to due process, respect for individual dignity and equitable access to resources, recognition and rewards.
Disciplined: We seek to advance common goals through reasonable and realistic practices, procedures and expectations.
Celebrative: We celebrate the heritage, achievements and diversity of the community and the uniqueness and contributions of our members.
We accept the responsibility to pursue these principles in an atmosphere of personal and intellectual freedom, security, respect, civility and mutual support.

UCSC is committed to enforcement of policies that promote the fulfillment of our principles of community. These policies include but are not limited to: University of California Personnel Policies for Staff Members; applicable University Collective Bargaining Agreements; Academic Personnel Manual O15-University of California Policy on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline; UCSC Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline; UCSC Policy on Sexual Assault and UC Policy on Sexual Harassment; UCSC Hate Bias Incident Policy. For further information or inquiries, contact the Directors of Academic and Staff Human Resources; Director of EEO/Affirmative Action Office; Director, Student Judicial Affairs; Sexual Harassment Officer; and Campus Ombudsman.

The UCSC Principles of Community statement was developed under the aegis of the Campus Welfare Committee, with broad campus consultation, and was endorsed by the Provost's Advisory Council and the Chancellor in June 2001.