“The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, comprised of the descendants of indigenous people taken to missions Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast, is today working hard to restore traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from historical trauma.”
The land acknowledgement used at UC Santa Cruz was developed in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman and the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the UCSC Arboretum.
Background
We are committed to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. While the university has always sought to ensure our workforce is broadly diverse, we recognize the urgency to create a comprehensive initiative for equitable and inclusive hiring that reflects the social justice needs of today. The experience of belonging empowers us as individuals and strengthens our teams, and that strength promotes success for all.
To meet our mission as a public institution of higher education, and to ensure that we foster an environment of belonging for our current and future staff employees, an Equity and Inclusion in Hiring Initiative has been established.
Purpose
The purpose of the Equity & Inclusion in Hiring (EIH) workgroup is to create a comprehensive, actionable plan for instituting an equitable, inclusive hiring process that ensures UC Santa Cruz recruits a diverse workforce.
Attracting, hiring, and retaining employees that reflect the rich diversity of the State of California, is essential to our success. Promoting a climate of inclusion and belonging is paramount. Together, we intend to establish the organizational infrastructure necessary to empower everyone involved in the hiring process to succeed in equitable recruitment. We recognize the urgent need for solutions; now is the time to act, to go beyond imagining.
Workgroup Members
The workgroup members include representatives of staff human resources, the academic personnel office, equal protection and affirmative action and the office of diversity, equity and inclusion:
Colette Grey, Chair, Staff Human Resources
Judith Estrada, Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Isabel Dees, Title IX Office and Equity and Equal Protection
Conra Frazier, Equity and Equal Protection
Herbie Lee, Academic Affairs
Leslie Marple, Academic Personnel Office
Gillian McGuire, Academic Personnel Office
Lucy Rojas, Student Affairs & Success
Veronica Heiskell, Career Center
Amy Kile, Staff Human Resources
Jennifer Jacobs, Staff Human Resources
How do we promote Equity and Inclusion in Hiring?
Hiring managers have a responsibility to mitigate bias and remove systemic barriers to equitable hiring. Training is required for all hiring managers, committee chairs, and hiring committee members.
Training Requirements for Hiring Managers and Committee Chairs:
- Complete the recently enhanced Fair Hiring for Equity & Inclusion eCourse every 2 years, or prior to conducting a recruitment.
- Complete the full UC Managing Implicit Bias Series every 2 years, or prior to conducting a recruitment.
Training Requirements for Committee Members:
- Complete the recently enhanced Fair Hiring for Equity & Inclusion eCourse every 2 years, or prior to serving on a search committee.
- Complete at minimum modules 3 and 6 of UC Managing Implicit Bias Series every 2 years, or prior to serving on a search committee. Note: The full series is recommended for this group.
We also maintain a Fair Hiring Guide related to each step of the recruitment process. These guidelines are intended to share best practices, which ensure fairness and excellence in all stages of the process.
The EIH Workgroup is busy preparing to launch additional resources to support equity and inclusion in hiring and to promote a culture of belonging at UC Santa Cruz.
