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Council Hears Progress on Faculty Diversity Report Implementation

A committee implementing Faculty Diversity Report recommendations is starting by targeting key organizational and structural changes and jumpstarting diversity efforts at the departmental and school level. 

Nicholas Professor Emily Klein, chair of the implementation committee, reported to the Academic Council Thursday that despite the concerns raised in the diversity report this past spring, she’s optimistic that Duke is moving ahead.

The report presented evidence of Duke’s uneven success in hiring African-Americans and women. The numbers also showed that women and Hispanics have lower faculty percentages at all levels compared to Duke’s peers -- the top 20 ranked U.S. schools.

“Last Friday [at a community forum] we heard students raise the issue of the lack of faculty diversity,” Klein said. “I agree with those comments, but I also can remember back 25 years ago when I was the first woman hired in my department.  We’ve come a long way, but that progress seems slow and fragile. 

“That said, I feel optimistic. I feel the report has given us great momentum to do something about faculty diversity.”

The report listed recommendations in eight areas, and the implementation committee will go through all of them during the coming year. Klein said the early focus has been on two areas where work can be achieved now.

One early step is creating a new position of vice provost for faculty administration, which will be a full-time position that expands the responsibilities of the current office of the vice provost for diversity and development. Dr. Nancy Allen currently holds that half-time position and has said she wasn’t interested in the full-time position.

A faculty search committee led by biology professor Paul Magwene has started work on identifying candidates for the new position, Klein said. The vice provost will oversee an office that interacts with academic and administrative units across the university to promote faculty diversity and inclusion, Klein said.

She added that the position title was changed to “faculty advancement” to underscore that it “will serve all faculty, not just a subgroup.”

Klein also said she has seen progress at the school level. The report called for schools to develop their own diversity plans and goals, with consequences if they do not make progress on their goals.

“We’re looking to jumpstart this effort across the university,” Klein said.  “Schools are developing their own diversity and inclusion standing committees. These will facilitate partnership among faculty, school leaders and the vice provost for faculty advancement, as well as enable greater faculty leadership on diversity and inclusion issues.”

These standing committees, in coordination with the new vice provost office, will play key roles in faculty searches, Klein said, and will help implement professional development and inclusion programs at the school and departmental levels that will be valuable in improving faculty retention.

While numbers have always been one benchmark of faculty diversity, Klein emphasized that the goal was also “to make this an inclusive and welcoming environment.” She added the report went well beyond numerical goals to cover issues of curriculum, culture and other aspects that create an inclusive environment.

“This is about excellence,” Klein said. “The reason we promote faculty diversity and inclusion is because they are essential aspects of faculty excellence.”

The implementation committee will issue its final report in spring 2016. 

Also at the Academic Council meeting, President Richard H. Brodhead announced formation of a new Task Force on Bias and Hate that will look at Duke’s policies, practices and culture as they pertain to bias and hate in the Duke student experience. The committee will be chaired by Linda Burton, dean of the social sciences; and Kelly Brownell, dean of the Sanford School, and will include significant student participation. 

Brodhead encouraged faculty, even if they aren’t on the task force, to use their expertise to counsel the group as it explores free speech, issues of intolerances and other challenging questions.