Office of the Provost and Division of Equity and Inclusion
In recognition of the University of Oregon’s determination that equity and inclusion competencies are fundamental to faculty excellence, and also in keeping with our goals of becoming an institution committed to antiracism and other forms of anti-oppression more generally, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements are now part of (a) recruitment and (b) the promotion and tenure process. Faculty contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion receive consideration in the academic review process.
Diversity Statements in Faculty Recruitment
Building on best practices and the foundational work of University of Oregon academic units, the Provost requires the submission of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statements from tenure track faculty candidates for all TTF searches. Teaching, research, and service contributions that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion are to be given recognition in the evaluation of candidate’s qualifications. These contributions will take a variety of forms.
Office of the Provost and Division of Equity and Inclusion will convene a committee to address the equity and inclusion discussion requirement in major reviews, including promotion and tenure, in Fall 2021. Please contact Janet Woodruff-Borden, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; Gabe Paquette, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; or Charlotte Moats-Gallagher, Director, Center for Diversity and Community should you have any questions.
Definitions of Equity and Inclusion
For purposes of the statement in hiring, a discussion of contributions to institutional equity may include efforts to address and remove barriers to allow Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, women, and people with the full range of gender and sexual identities to contribute fully to our institutional success. A discussion of contributions to inclusion may involve efforts to restructure existing systems, practices and norms to ensure the meaningful participation and leadership of people from diverse racial, ethnic and other backgrounds, experiences and perspectives in decision-making processes in ways that move the institution forward in its focus on academic excellence. Such work also may include efforts to incorporate individuals or groups from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, first generation college students, students from urban and rural communities, and those who speak English as a second language.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Examples for Research, Teaching and Service
Equity and inclusion contributions can be infused into research, teaching and service statements as well as appear in a ‘stand-alone’ diversity statement. Stand-alone diversity statements give prospective candidates an opportunity to elaborate on these topics while integrative statements give candidates the opportunity to articulate the interconnections around inclusion among their professional activities. The guidelines below are intended to assist search committees in thoughtfully considering the wide range of contributions that can be made in this arena in the hiring process.
- RESEARCH - Specific examples of scholarship, research or creative activity related to institutional equity and inclusion.
- TEACHING - Specific examples of evidence that faculty might use to show their contribution to institutional equity and inclusive teaching.
- SERVICE - Specific examples of service related to institutional equity and inclusion.
Evaluating Diversity Statements for Prospective Candidates
We ask search committees to use the following rubric to guide their evaluation of diversity, equity, and inclusion statements. This is a heuristic tool to guide discussion.
Click here for a rubric example.
Click here for a rubric template.
Additional references and resources available here.
*This document will be reviewed and updated every 2-3 years to ensure that it is in keeping with the latest promising practices in this area.