Marye Anne Fox’s inauguration, March 3, 2005.

Diversity

Since Chancellor Marye Anne Fox’s arrival at UC San Diego in 2004, the campus sharpened its focus on increasing the diversity of its students, faculty and staff, as well as improving the campus climate for all members of the community. In spring 2010, the campus leadership and students, faculty and staff developed administrative commitments to address a wide range of diversity issues. From that agreement, additional actions were identified and further enhancements are underway.

Identification of Range of Changes: Fox has instituted changes that resulted in the agreement to hire a vice chancellor to lead diversity initiatives. Other changes create greater visibility for diversity activities and will further efforts to garner funding to support UC San Diego’s collective campus climate work. The university is establishing a new Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion position and has established a Director of Development for Diversity Initiatives position. Two new student spaces for underrepresented students (the Black Student Union-MEChA Resource Center and the Intertribal Resource Center) have been created in the heart of campus. The Chicano Legacy mural, initially a temporary art exhibit, was made a permanent fixture on the campus. A diversity requirement was also instituted for all incoming undergraduates.
Presence on the Web for Diversity Activities: The UC San Diego community—and friends and supporters—can chart campus progress through tracking on the Campus Climate website. In addition, the UC San Diego Diversity Matters webpage was created in 2006.
Focus on Faculty Equity: Under Fox’s leadership, an Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Equity was appointed reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and faculty equity advisors were established in each division on the general campus, in Health Sciences and at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Gatherings Highlight Diversity: Several campus celebrations of diversity have been initiated including the annual Women’s Conference, Asian and Pacific Islander American Awareness Month, and California Native American Day. Existing diversity celebrations—such as International Education Week, Black History Month, and Cesar Chavez Month—were expanded.
Expansion of Outreach to the Community: Since 2004, community engagement and outreach programs have been expanded, now targeting middle- and high-school students and their families and community college students. In Fox’s outreach efforts, the Chancellor focused on access and affordability to a higher education degree from UC San Diego. Mentorship and tutoring programs have been strengthened between UC San Diego and Logan Heights Branch Library and Lincoln High School.
Recognition of a Winning School Model: The Preuss School was named one of the best high schools in the nation by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. Business Week magazine named The Preuss School the top low-income school in the state.