4 minute read
Diversity Update
The College kicks off 5-year Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging plan
During the 2021 spring semester, the College of Chemistry developed a 5-year Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategic Plan with many stakeholders from the College’s faculty, students, and staff. The plan is comprised of four major goals that the College aspires to accomplish.
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Enhance diversity in the College at all levels through increased recruitment of students, faculty, and staff that are broadly representative of the diverse population of California.
Sustain diversity in the College by ensuring an inclusive climate, welcoming to all students, faculty, and staff regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status.
Build on the inclusive climate in the College to maximize the retention, graduation, and diverse career opportunities of undergraduate majors and graduate students, eliminating disparity in access and opportunities among diverse groups.
Implement best practices for mentoring and career development for faculty and staff that promote equitable opportunities for academic and career success. Having a pulse on the College climate is integral as we continue to enhance our DEIB programs. An undergraduate climate survey was developed this year to measure areas of strength, weakness and opportunities related to DEIB. The Chemistry Department’s Chemistry Graduate Life Committee continues to administer their annual Departmental Climate survey and accompanying Sense of Belonging survey. The CBE Department’s Graduate Student Advisory Committee has administered their annual Graduate Student Report on Climate Survey. These surveys help grow the College’s understanding of the important issues and concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion from our undergrad and graduate students. During the spring semester the College launched the Graduate Diversity Program, with 29 students working in 11 groups, developing programs and initiatives that focused on: improving and supporting the pipeline into graduate school, recruiting and supporting diversity in the College graduate population, and working with College leadership to improve the climate of the College. The new Summer Bridge program (see page 4), launched this year with support from alumni David Gee and David Lieu and their families, was developed to support incoming first year undergraduates to succeed and become part of the College community. Thirteen students were a part of the first cohort. Also, a mentoring program to connect incoming transfer students to graduate student and alumni mentors was initiated and will continue to expand in upcoming years (see page 8).
The College is currently seeking donations for the following DEIB opportunities
$320,000 Summer Research Experiences for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). The HBCU and HSI Summer Research Experience is a planned 8–10 week program for HBCU and HSI undergraduate students to gain valuable research experience in an academic setting at Berkeley. The program will host rising sophomores and juniors. Participants will engage in original research guided by faculty in Berkeley’s stateof-the-art research facilities. As part of the program, students will attend presentations, workshops, and seminars related to career planning, industry, and graduate school applications. The program will culminate with a research symposium. $60,000 Building Connections with HBCU and HSI institutions. The College is working to establish partnerships with HBCU and HSI institutions to recruit minoritized students to our graduate programs. Currently, we have identified and received confirmation from four HBCUs and four HSIs who are now engaged to serve as partners. To build this partnership, College of Chemistry faculty will present annual seminars at the partner institutions. Our faculty will have the opportunity to engage with students as well as faculty while on site. $564,000 Discovery Project for Transfer Students. We are transforming the experience of transfer students within the College to help guide, develop, and engage their creativity and discovery spanning the two years they are in the undergraduate program. Because transfer students typically enter UC Berkeley as juniors, they encounter numerous barriers to developing their research and mentor experiences. It is imperative the College builds programming to support their full development. The Discovery Project is building on successful pilot programs that have been run by the College and Berkeley Lab. $171,000 Graduate Diversity Program. Currently, the Chemistry Graduate Diversity Program is supported by a grant from the Graduate Division through 2024. This funding request is to support the program through 2027. Each year, a cohort of graduate students interested in contributing significantly to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within the College submits proposals to this program. The program provides one year of structured support and a stipend for graduate students to work on their proposals, build expertise in the published literature of effective methodology in this area, and create a supportive community of scholars for ongoing discussions and engagement about diversity. A second component of this program supports one graduate student who becomes more deeply engaged professionally in DEIB activities and scholarship.
Contact Mindy Rex to learn more about these opportunities:
