Guidance on Documenting Contributions to Diversity in Merit and Promotion Files

Division of Physical Sciences, Spring 2021 (PDF)

The Division of Physical Sciences seeks to create and sustain an environment that embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences. Faculty are encouraged to make contributions to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in their Department, the Division, at UC San Diego, and on larger scales, and to foster the success of diverse students in the classroom and in STEM degree programs and careers. Such contributions will be recognized and can include enhancing EDI through research, teaching, service, or a combination of these areas. Contributions that provide detailed success metrics are encouraged.

In the context of the Division of Physical Sciences, contributions to diversity activities are activities related to making math and science accessible to groups historically underrepresented in STEM (at student, postdoctoral and faculty levels). Such under-represented groups (URGs) include under-represented ethnic or racial minorities (URM), women, LGBTQ, first-generation college, people with disabilities, and people from underprivileged backgrounds.

Faculty are strongly encouraged to document their professional contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion in their merit and promotion files. EDI is not a “fourth leg” of the stool; as an activity it is infused within research, teaching, and service. As such, EDI activities can be presented within the sections of the personal statement on research, teaching, and service as appropriate, and can also be highlighted and reiterated in a separate EDI section. If a separate EDI section is included, faculty should not be concerned about duplication; the same activities can also be listed in the relevant sections on research, teaching, and service.

Ad hoc committees are strongly encouraged to highlight the EDI activities of candidates in their reports as well, in a separate section and/or throughout the report as appropriate. Highlighting such efforts in a separate section helps campus reviewers (CAP, etc.) identify such efforts clearly.

Examples of contributions to diversity activities can include:

Research/Scholarly Activity

Research goals

1. Pursued research goals that focus on addressing inequalities (health, environmental, social, economic, or cultural), and/or identify underexplored topics pertaining to underserved communities or ways to improve outcomes for these communities.

Research practices

2. Established authentic collaborations with diverse institutional partners (MSIs, CCs, PUIs, tribal colleges, etc.), industries, or internationally-based researchers.

3. Developed and maintained an inclusive research team, uncovering and addressing systematic barriers and implementing practices that support a positive work environment. For example, created a group position for a student to organize EDI activities, such as brief presentations in group meetings, outreach activities, and/or communications to the larger community.

4. Proactively recruited URG students or postdocs into your research group or to UCSD on a sustained basis, spanning several years. [Note that having women or other URGs in your group alone does not indicate proactive recruitment.]

5. Published articles, editorials, policy recommendations, etc. related to URGs in STEM.

Teaching and Mentoring

Pedagogies and classroom strategies to advance equity and inclusion

6. Implemented research-validated inclusive classroom pedagogical techniques in your taught courses, with details of methods provided.

EDI-focused course content and curriculum

7. Developed an inclusive syllabus for a course, with details provided.

8. Used Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches to course design.

9. Selected course content and materials (e.g. textbooks) that recognize diversity and acknowledge barriers to inclusion for an existing course.

10. Designed a seminar or course (e.g., DEI requirement) focused on the URG experience in STEM.

11. Designed and implemented a service learning course which addresses issues of equity, diversity, and access to STEM education in the wider community.

Recruitment and retention of URG students

12. Led effort to recruit and support URG undergraduate students through your departmental major and related courses.

13. Served as an advisor for a campus or national group supporting URGs in STEM.

14. Led effort to establish holistic graduate admissions processes within your department, with documented outcomes for URGs.

15. Mentored URG students, postdocs, or junior faculty through a mentoring program.

16. Led summer programs focused on providing research experiences for URGs.

17. Established or led a bridge or engagement program with a minority-serving institution(s).

18. Developed co-curricular opportunities to enhance the EDI competencies of non-minoritized and minoritized students.

Service and Outreach

Campus or external committees and efforts

19. Served on campus or national committee related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (include list of specific responsibilities).

20. Participated as a speaker in panels for URGs in STEM.

21. Led or contributed to campus events supporting URG communities.

22. Gave invited talks on URG issues in math/science on campus or elsewhere.

23. Partnered with the Student Success Center in the Division and/or the Teaching and Learning Commons or other campus organizations on leading EDI initiatives (ie, Diversity in STEM talk series, DPS Summer Bridge program, URM focus groups, etc.)

Professional or scientific associations or meetings

24. Attended a conference aimed at women and/or URM such as SACNAS, NOBCChE, CAARMS, Undergraduate Women in Physics, NSBP, NSHP, etc.

25. Organized a workshop or panel at a conference aimed at URGs in STEM.

Outreach activities designed to increase participation of URGs

26. Participated in sustained (beyond one day and/or one time) outreach efforts aimed at URGs at the K-12 or community college levels.

27. Applied for and received campus or external funding or grant support specifically for STEM outreach or diversity activities.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, rather it is meant to provide an idea of the kinds of substantive activities that are valued by campus and should be documented within merit and promotion files. Note that relatively insubstantial efforts, such as having a small fraction of URGs in your research group, or one-time outreach efforts of minimal investment, will likely not have a significant positive impact on your file.