Diversity Office Broadens Its Reach with Inclusion of Community Centers
Ioana Patringenaru | February 23, 2008
Glynda Davis
In an effort to extend the reach of the campus’ diversity initiatives, UC San Diego’s community centers have now become part of the Chancellor’s Diversity Office. The Cross-Cultural Center, LGBT Resource Center and Women’s Center will help support the Diversity Office’s initiatives.
During a recent town hall meeting, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox restated her commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives in these difficult financial times, said Glynda Davis, the director of Campus Diversity Initiatives. This recent change is another demonstrable way to show her support, Davis added.
“These three well-known, well-respected offices are already a part of the Chancellor’s Office. By identifying the directors as Diversity Officers, we expanded our reach and ability to leverage our resources as we move forward in support of a more diverse and inclusive campus,” she said.
The newly expanded Diversity Office will lead the campus diversity strategic planning initiatives, build new institutional diversity infrastructures, interact with the campus’ institutional accountability systems and manage the diversity initiatives sponsored by the 11 staff associations and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committees.
The community centers bring unique resources to support the chancellor’s goals in the area of diversity and inclusion, Davis said. They have the ability to bring together historically disenfranchised communities and then link them to the larger university community and to affinity groups in the San Diego region. The centers have become both campus and community resources that model diversity and social justice. They have been involved in both local and national dialogues, where they have described their unique model of collaboration. Their staff members serve on campus advisory committees that inform decisions that affect students, staff and faculty.
The centers’ directors — Emelyn dela Pena of the Women’s Center, Edwina Welch of the Cross-Cultural Center and Shaun Travers of the LGBT Resource Center — will now become diversity officers, increasing the number of committed individuals who can support the Diversity Office’s strategies as they develop. The directors report both to Chief Diversity Officer Sandra Daley and to Davis.
By using the combined skills and experience of the directors of the campus community centers, their understanding of organizational change and their ability to build trust and establish relationships with groups across our campus, the Chancellor’s Diversity Office will provide guidance and direction in designing and implementing innovative solutions that meet the challenges that the university faces and that enhance diversity and excellence at UCSD.
The Diversity Office is now working to develop strategies that will leverage the resources and strength of the centers, within the framework of a difficult budget situation. For example, the campus could launch an online diversity journal, where students, faculty, staff members and community members could share information about what they’re doing in the arena of diversity and inclusion at UCSD. “There are a lot of things that don’t cost much money, if any, that we can explore just by talking to each other and discussing possibilities,” Davis said.
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