The University of California, Davis, is continuing to build on its track record of creating an inclusive environment for faculty, and was today (Feb. 7) recognized with the highest award available for that work from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The honor, a silver in the association’s STEMM Equity Achievement (SEA) Change initiative, recognizes self-assessment and improvement in equity in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math and medicine, or STEMM. But UC Davis has gone even further, applying its efforts in areas like hiring, retention and reducing salary inequities to all disciplines of the university.
“The most creative ideas and discoveries arise when we empower people with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives to participate in STEMM,” Chancellor Gary S. May said. “Voices like these are key to our university and we will always value their contributions.”
The award will be presented next week in Boston.
“We are proud of the many efforts we have undertaken to make UC Davis the most inclusive, equitable and welcoming institution it can be because we know how much all aspects of our work are strengthened by the diversity of thought, experiences, inspiration, courage and determination of our scholars,” said Philip Kass, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs.
5-plus years of progress
UC Davis in 2019 was one of the first three universities to earn a SEA Change bronze award. The American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, requires a five-year wait before applying to the next award; it also requires awards to be earned in sequence from bronze up to gold.
UC Davis is the first university to earn the silver award in the program’s history.
As part of the application for the silver award, staff from 10 campus units evaluated UC Davis’ progress since earning the bronze award in 2019. They found a decrease in salary inequities among faculty members of different genders and ethnicities, and found no differences in advancement success in the university’s Step Plus promotion system among faculty members of different gender, ethnicity, veteran status or disability status.
And since the passage of California’s Proposition 209, which has banned the consideration of race, sex or ethnicity in employment for nearly 20 years, UC Davis has continued to make gains in the diversity of its faculty, including a 29% increase in African American women and a 50% rise in Native American women since 2019.
The evaluation also highlighted a cost-effective way for departments to evaluate their own culture and increase inclusivity. Known as DEI Blueprint, that program has been tested in four departments at UC Davis and will soon be expanded.
Major milestones, broad support
Many of UC Davis’ programs to bolster diversity among faculty members have a long history. Last fall, the university welcomed its 10th class of scholars for the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science, or CAMPOS, as well as the newest scholars for the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, or CAMPSSAH.
UC Davis made progress on another longstanding goal last fall, becoming eligible to be one of the nation’s few research-intensive universities designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, or HSI, after fall enrollment numbers crossed the threshold for HSI status for the first time.
The campus already secured the federal government’s status as a Minority Serving Institution in 2019 as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, or AANAPISI.
A leader for other universities
UC Davis’ efforts toward creating a diverse and inclusive environment are serving as a model for others.
One example, a reference check policy, has functioned as a template to help prevent sexual harassment in science. During faculty hires at the assistant professor 4 level and above, UC Davis contacts the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the UC Davis’ Faculty Code of Conduct. Kass testified to Congress in 2019 about the policy, and the plan was noted by the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering in 2022 as a shining example.
Other UCs have also emulated UC Davis’ use of statements of contribution to diversity, equity and inclusion. Applicants for tenure-track faculty positions at UC Davis must submit statements outlining their contributions to promoting a diverse and inclusive environment, along with statements about their research and teaching contributions, letters of recommendation and other requirements.
“In the more than 10 years that UC Davis has dedicated to becoming a leading university in diversity, equity and inclusion, we have experienced profound and impactful positive changes on our campus while making substantial strides in recruiting and retaining faculty and students from underrepresented populations,” Mary Croughan, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, wrote in a letter of support for the silver SEA Change award, calling it “a significant honor to be recognized as a leader among our peers within the UC system” and elsewhere.
The next 5 years
Just as UC Davis evaluated its progress after earning the bronze SEA Change award, goals are already being laid out for the university’s time as a silver award-holder. Namely, the university plans to continue to reduce salary inequities, increase faculty retention, improve department climate and more.
Starting next year, more departments will be trained in the use of the DEI Blueprint tool. A planned campus website will also serve as a repository of awards related to campus efforts advancing diversity, equity and inclusion goals. And staff members will continue to track and analyze salary and advancement data.
From article: “The campus already secured the federal government’s status as a Minority Serving Institution in 2019 as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, or AANAPISI.”
Since Asians are already over-represented on campus, wouldn’t this designation be at odds with DEI goals?
Answer: depends
DEI initiatives often aim to address historical and systemic barriers to access, rather than focusing purely on proportional representation. While Asian Americans, as a broad category, may be “overrepresented” in certain academic metrics on some campuses, this does not necessarily mean all Asian subgroups have equal access or outcomes.
Some DEI frameworks focus on addressing disparities within racial groups, recognizing that certain Asian subpopulations (e.g., Southeast Asians, Pacific Islanders) face significant educational and socioeconomic challenges.
Additionally, DEI is not just about racial balancing but also about fostering an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of background, feel supported and have equitable opportunities to succeed.
In that sense, Asian American students might still benefit from DEI initiatives addressing issues such as discrimination, mental health challenges, or stereotypes like the “model minority” myth, which can obscure real difficulties they face.
So, while the high representation of some Asian groups in higher education might seem at odds with DEI goals on the surface, a more nuanced approach would consider disparities within the category and the broader aims of inclusion and support.
How’s DEI working for Jewish students?
“Group ranks UC Davis as one of the most anti-Jewish colleges in America”
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/uc-davis-anti-jewish-ranking-stop-antisemitism/
In November 2024, the advocacy group Stop Antisemitism ranked UC Davis among the most anti-Jewish colleges in America.
In response to such concerns, UC Davis has implemented several measures to support its Jewish community. The university’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has organized events addressing antisemitism and promoting understanding of Jewish diversity.
There was a lecture titled “Resisters: How Ordinary Jews Fought Persecution in Hitler’s Germany” was presented, and in February 2024, a panel discussion on antisemitism and Islamophobia that was co-sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program and Middle East/South Asia Studies.
Additionally, UC Davis offers a Jewish Studies Program that promotes research and teaching on Jews and Judaism in their global diversity. The program includes Hebrew language instruction and the study of classical and modern Jewish texts.
Despite these initiatives, challenges persist.
In December, the U.S. Department of Education reached an agreement with the University of California system, including UC Davis, to resolve complaints from Jewish and Muslim students regarding discrimination and harassment during protests over the Gaza war. The agreement mandates enhanced reporting procedures, a review of past complaints, and increased training for employees and campus police.
UC Davis has implemented DEI initiatives to support Jewish students, but recent incidents suggest that there is room for improvement in effectively addressing antisemitism and ensuring a fully inclusive environment.