We are shocked, enraged, and grief-stricken at the continuous
stream of anti-Black violence at the hands of those in power.
Using language of order and civility to further an agenda of
oppression is a betrayal of the principles of justice and equity
that are part of democratic society. This racism affects us all,
but it is important to acknowledge that these events impact
members of our community in different ways.
To succeed as a department, as a field, and as a society, we must
recognize our own shortcomings and be open to improve. One area in
which improvement is long overdue is the broadening of diversity in
the applicant pool for faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate
students. Underrepresentation at all levels unfortunately remains a
pervasive problem in our field. The Department of Cognitive Sciences
is committed to taking an action-based approach to increase
representation and to incorporating feedback from multiple sides.
As members of the UCI community, justice, equity, diversity, and
inclusion are among our core ideals. To further these ideals, the
School of Social Sciences—of which the Department of Cognitive
Sciences is part—has announced a number of new programs and
activities, outlined in Dean Bill Maurer's message below.
These programs are organized through the School's Office of Faculty
Development and Diversity that target sustainable and sustained
change and a culture of inclusion. The department of Cognitive
Sciences participates in these programs.
Dear all,
The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Regis
Korchinski-Paquet, and Ahmaud Arbery are but the most recent in a
centuries-long line of tragedies, visible and hidden, underscoring
the deep history of anti-Black racism and violence. Challenging this
sedimented legacy requires that we work for the institutionalization
of the commitments we say we hold--not just a one-time burst of
activity, but the setting in place of new durable supports and
structural changes that will help us all alter our practices to
bring about the university that will truly support Black lives.
For the past four years, I've been greeting our incoming first-year
and transfer students with a quote from the author N.K. Jemisin:
those of us in positions of privilege have to advocate "for those
who have to fight for the respect that everyone else is given
without question." We need to use the institutional levers we can
move to set the trajectory of this great university toward greater
and greater justice.
We will continue to advocate for resources to expand our efforts to
enhance the recruitment of faculty from backgrounds underrepresented
in the academy. We also recommit ourselves to attract and retain
graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds. But we will
also take action with resources at our disposal today to begin to
create change.
To that end, and to mark #ShutDownAcademia, I am announcing the
following initial changes to our own structures and practices. I am
hopeful that these steps will generate other ideas, and I look
forward to everyone's input. With a combination of school and donor
funds, I commit $150,000 to the activities and programs enumerated
below.
Several items below require Senate consultation and approval, and I
will be consulting with the school's Executive Committee, as well.
The associate deans and I will be reaching out in the coming days
and weeks to listen, learn, plan, and actualize these and other
steps, with you, toward transformation.
I want to thank the assistant and associate deans, and in particular
associate dean Belinda Robnett, whose powerful message you may read
here. I also thank my colleagues, students,
staff and members of our community for all the hard work you have
already done to fight anti-Blackness and for pushing me and others
to do more.
With gratitude,
Bill Maurer
Dean
Expansion of the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty
Development and Diversity:
The school commits to seeking campus approval to hire a
full-time program coordinator and additional administrative
support for the associate dean to expand and execute the
important work of this office. We will also augment the budget
for this office. This work includes support for Black student
organizations, galas, and activities, depending on yearly
requests. It also includes Anti-Blackness: Difficult Dialogues
Town Hall Meetings; Addressing Slavery Speaker Series; Thriving
in the Academy Graduate Student Program; Thriving in the Academy
Faculty Program; Faculty Diversity Ally Program; Excellence
Through Diversity Speaker Series; Diversity Education Faculty
Certificate Program; Diversity Education Graduate Student
Certificate Program; Mentoring Across Differences Series;
Diversity in the Classroom Series; and the Hispanic Heritage
Celebration.
Support for the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center
(TRHT):
This past academic year, through the efforts of Teresa
Neighbors, Belinda Robnett and others, UC Irvine was awarded a
$20,000 grant from the American Association of Colleges and
Universities (AAC&U) to establish on campus a Truth, Racial
Healing and Transformation Center. Social sciences will
consolidate existing diversity-related outreach and education
activities (Global Connect and the Diversity, Inclusion and
Racial Healing Ambassadors program) under the TRHT Center. This
effort will result in greater coordination as well as assist in
attracting additional philanthropic support.
I am pleased to announce that with a generous gift from Larry
Kugelman as well as a gift from Tom Boellstorff and myself, we
will match the funding provided by the AAC&U in support of the
TRHT Center. I invite others to join me in supporting its
important work. Those in a position to give can do so
here
or contact Tracy Arcuri at tarcuri@uci.edu.
Valuing Diversity Work in Academic Personnel Reviews:
The school will draft a statement of our commitment to value the
hidden labor of faculty serving our diverse student body and
contributing to an inclusive climate, and supporting anti-racism
through research, teaching and service. Departments will be
expected to use these guidelines when reviewing contributions to
diversity in personnel reviews.
Diversity and Equitable Inclusion Awards (junior and senior
faculty awards, graduate student award):
While the school has led the campus in recognizing our
colleagues' achievements in activities promoting diversity and
anti-racism in service, teaching and research, our awards are
currently unfunded. We commit to deploying donor funds to
properly honor the recipients of these awards.
Research Funding for Pilot Projects:
With the generous support of the Dean's Leadership Society, the
school will launch a new small grants program ($15,000 annually)
to support faculty and graduate student activities to address
systemic racism; police use of force; alternatives to policing;
alternatives for economic empowerment; addressing implicit bias;
disparities in health, education and housing; and global and
critical race scholarship across the disciplines. This effort
will be coordinated by the associate dean for research and
graduate studies.
Undergraduate Research Funding for Black Lives:
The school will provide funding for undergraduate student
research to address racism and anti-Blackness. This initiative
will be coordinated by the associate dean for undergraduate
studies. We announce $1,000 annually in support of this effort
from the school's Board of Councilors, our philanthropic leaders.
Justice and Equity Research Paper Awards:
The school announces a paper award funded to the amount of
$1,000 annually from our Board of Councilors for top graduate
and undergraduate research paper(s) addressing race, racism,
equity, justice, and other related topics. This will be
administered by the associate deans for undergraduate studies
and research and graduate studies.
Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP):
For over 20 years, SAEP has been supporting first-gen and
underrepresented minority students through an intensive,
residential summer academic program. The school will expand and
enhance SAEP, and explore other models for its programming and
curriculum in order to reach more students, with the aim of at
least doubling participation.
Anti-Blackness and Fighting Racism Scholar Program:
The Social Sciences Academic Resource Center, which provides
career development and resources for undergraduates seeking
internships and applying to graduate and professional school,
will launch a new program to host panels, faculty dialogues,
and book talks devoted to anti-Blackness and racial justice.
Competitive Edge:
This year the school is supporting 3 additional Competitive
Edge graduate students (above the number already admitted) to
participate in the Competitive Edge program. The school will at
least double this commitment going forward.
Change School Requirements:
The school will work to create a new undergraduate school
requirement devoted to cultural competence, empathy, and
humility. The requirement will be for all incoming freshmen and
transfer students.
Create and Maintain a Curated List of Courses, and Incentivize
New Course Development:
The school will create and maintain a curated list of existing
classes on race and racism, and will work with chairs to
identify curricular gaps and develop a call for proposals to
incentivize the creation of new undergraduate and graduate
classes and mini-classes addressing systemic racism and
inequality. Such incentives will include funded, part-time
graduate student support for course development.
Associate Deans for Access:
The associate dean for undergraduate studies will enlist her
colleagues across campus to conduct outreach at low-income
schools with predominantly racial ethnic minority students. The
school will support undergraduate student "Access Coaches" to
serve as mentees to guide racial ethnic minorities in their
college application process. The program will have an ongoing
set of activities for students who are accepted to UCI and join
our school.