The Strategic Academic Plan states that maintaining social and cultural diversity is essential to the university noting that:
[People from diverse social and cultural backgrounds] stimulate creative thought and new paths of inquiry, ensure that the research questions we tackle address the whole of society, and enable us to train leaders who encompass the entire spectrum of Californians.
(for complete Plan go to www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/05/sap/plan.pdf)
Both the Chancellor and the Academic Senate responded to this affirmation by calling for further consideration of what the campus community means by "diversity" and how its efforts to maintain this diversity can be strengthened.
As a result, a series of roundtable discussions was held during the Spring 2004 semester with undergraduate and graduate students, current and retired or emeriti faculty and staff, and alumni. A campus-wide committee co-chaired by Professors Gibor Basri and Angelica Stacy was formed to analyze the data collected at these discussions, review the data in light of other reports and recommendations on diversity at Cal in the recent past, and respond with recommendations to the campus.
Following are the results of the campus-wide committee's review and analysis so far, including what is meant by "diversity as an integral part of excellence" and recommendations on how to achieve our goals for diversity at Cal.
Excellence has been the overriding principle governing the evolution of the University of California, Berkeley, in every respect. Diversity is an integral part of that principle - inherent in the very definition of "university." "University" joins "diversity" into a whole which is greater than its parts; excellence is made possible when diverse viewpoints, socio-economic status, ethnicities, and experiences unite, creating the very best education. This is particularly true for public universities. As in the natural world, the synergy of different elements creates new, stronger, more adaptive results: when a species or group becomes inbred and doesn't adapt to its changing environment, it sickens or disappears. The diversity of the people of California and our nation offers the opportunity for healthy change leading to greater excellence. Without increased diversity, the University will become ever more inbred and, ultimately, will be unable to meet the challenges of our environment. Our arenas of research and their utility to society, and our ability to produce new leaders and thinkers are compromised if we do not respond well. It is natural for Berkeley to lead and innovate; it is unnatural for it to be complacent. Our response to the changing diversity of the State we serve has not been excellent. We must now become energized to promote the excellence that has been Berkeley's hallmark through increased diversity.
Sustaining a diverse campus that encompasses the demographics of the state of California is necessary to achieve the highest academic standards and the highest democratic ideal of social equality and respect for both the individual and the community. We must draw upon the full talent pool of the state in order to provide optimal leadership and opportunities for a successful society. The pursuit and attainment of diversity:
-creates options for new models of leadership;
-ensures the highest moral ground when considering difficult societal issues;
-deepens our institutional and individual understanding of the social issues and problems we are here to address; and
-enhances the economic viability of the state/nation.
Bringing together different perspectives and experiences breeds innovation. Providing an educational program and campus environment inclusive of the widest variety of human experience offers the richest context for advances in research, teaching, and service. The pursuit and attainment of diversity:
-increases the opportunity for inquiry and discovery;
-promotes creation of new synergies and fields;
-enhances creativity, breadth, and relevance of research;
-embraces an evolving understanding of excellence in terms of areas of study, as well as modes of intellectual inquiry; and
-removes barriers to teaching and learning at the highest levels.
Living, working, learning, and teaching with people from different backgrounds promotes increased understanding of the human condition, leading us beyond tolerance to appreciation, compassion, and mutual respect.
The pursuit and attainment of diversity:
-heightens the understanding of self as well as others;
-fosters cultural awareness in a globalized world; and
-promotes social justice, tolerance, and democratic ideals.
In order to prepare our students for success and responsibility within our increasingly complex and global world, their educational environment must, at the very least, reflect a population and experience as diverse as that world. The pursuit and attainment of diversity:
-strengthens the university's connection to the society which supports it; and
-provides the optimal training for successfully interacting with and leading the people of the state of California, the nation, and the world.
There are recommendations within five major categories: Leadership, Climate and Culture Change, Research, Education and Teaching, and Interaction with the Broader Community. In each of these categories there are two or three top priorities. These priorities mark recommendations that occurred multiple times in the roundtable discussion data and/or previous studies or reports.
All other recommendations from the roundtable discussions are included in the section below marked "Appendix A." This listing does not reflect any prioritization.
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