Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025

AdvertiseDonateSubmit
NewsSportsArtsOpinionThe QuadPhotoVideoIllustrationsCartoonsGraphicsThe StackPRIMEEnterpriseInteractivesPodcastsGamesClassifiedsPrint issues

BREAKING:

The Bruin's full coverage of the LA County fires

UCLA announces new Office of Inclusive Excellence to replace current EDI office

Murphy Hall, which hosts the office of Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt, is pictured. Hunt announced the creation of a new Office of Inclusive Excellence on Thursday. The new office will replace some of the functions of the current Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – which will soon be dissolved. (Leydi Cris Cobo Cordon/Daily Bruin senior staff)

By Shiv Patel

Oct. 17, 2024 6:03 p.m.

This post was updated Oct. 22 at 3:45 p.m.

The UCLA Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will soon no longer exist. 

Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt announced in a Thursday afternoon email that the university will create a new Office of Inclusive Excellence. The new office will undertake the duties of the current EDI office that pertain to campus climate – including UCLA’s initiative to become a Hispanic-serving institution – while the UCLA Compliance Office will take over the investigative duties of the EDI office.

Hunt said in the email that the changes follow a review of the EDI office that found that a “cabinet-level administrative unit” would benefit the university’s efforts to improve campus climate and promote “a culture of engagement and learning across difference.” Inclusive excellence is one of the goals of UCLA’s “Creating the Future” strategic plan for 2023-2028.

Hunt also emphasized the importance of inclusive excellence and the university’s “Dialogue Across Differences” program at a September meeting with the Daily Bruin Editorial Board. The new Office of Inclusive Excellence is the administration’s second major restructuring this year, after the creation of the Office of Campus Safety in May.

Hunt also announced in the email that UCLA will begin a new search this week for a new vice provost to lead the new Inclusive Excellence office and replace Interim Vice Provost for EDI Mitchell Chang, who has led university EDI efforts since the exit of former Vice Chancellor Anna Spain Bradley in 2023. 

In a Friday morning email, Hunt announced that the search committee for the inaugural vice provost for inclusive excellence – which will be chaired by Dean of the Division of Social Sciences Abel Valenzuela Jr. – has been appointed. 

Hunt added that the new vice provost will report to both the chancellor and executive vice chancellor. Application materials for the position are due Jan. 22.

In an statement emailed Tuesday, a UCLA spokesperson said the title of the vice provost position reflects that its holder will come from an academic background and added that the administrator will still hold a cabinet-level position.

The expected salary band for the position is between $320,000 and $440,000, which is roughly in line with some current vice provosts.

[Related: Mitchell Chang named interim vice provost for equity, diversity and inclusion]

Despite the changes, Hunt noted that employee layoffs will not occur as a result of the restructuring, and EDI initiative funding will not be reduced.

“By centering inclusive excellence, we can better achieve UCLA’s mission of research, education and public service; more meaningfully serve our communities and more fully meet our university’s public mandate,” Hunt said in the email. “We are confident that a vigorous and empowered Office of Inclusive Excellence will help strengthen UCLA’s position as one of the most diverse and outstanding universities in the world.”

Share this story:FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Shiv Patel | Campus politics editor
Patel is the 2024-2025 campus politics editor and a Photo and Social Media contributor. He was previously a News contributor on the campus politics beat. Patel is a second-year mathematics/economics student from Gilberts, Illinois.
Patel is the 2024-2025 campus politics editor and a Photo and Social Media contributor. He was previously a News contributor on the campus politics beat. Patel is a second-year mathematics/economics student from Gilberts, Illinois.
COMMENTS
Featured Classifieds
More classifieds »
Related Posts