May 19, 2006The Definition and Importance of Diversity
for California Universities
Diversity is a defining feature of California's past, present and future. Diversity refers to the variety of personal experiences, values, worldviews, and circumstances that arise from differences in race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion/spirituality, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, heritage, socioeconomic status, and geographic context among other characteristics.
For each of our universities, diversity is integral to the achievement of excellence and enhances each institution's ability both to accomplish its academic mission and to serve all the people of California and the nation. Diversity enriches both the educational experience and the scholarly environment in several ways. Having diverse campus communities brings varied interests, experiences, and perspectives to the teaching, learning, scholarship and creative activity that are the core missions of our universities. Diversity helps students, faculty and staff learn to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds, which prepares them to participate in an increasingly complex, pluralistic society. Diversity also promotes mutual respect and teamwork, which contribute to more effective use of the talents and abilities of all our people to foster innovative, creative ideas and to train future leadership. These outcomes of diverse university communities will help sustain California's and the nation's economy and well-being in the 21st century and beyond.
Therefore, as leaders of California's universities, we renew our commitment to promoting diversity and equal opportunity in our education, services, administration, and research and creative endeavors. We particularly acknowledge the acute need to remove any barriers to recruitment, retention and advancement of talented students, faculty and staff from historically excluded and/or currently underrepresented populations.
California Institute of Technology
Claremont Graduate University
Stanford University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Merced
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Francisco
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Office of the President