Dear Students,

As many of you know, last May I invited students to apply for the inaugural Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Student Advisory Board (SAB). In that announcement, I said I was looking for advisors, liaisons, and problem solvers who would support my Office’s mission of building equity for all. And that’s exactly what I got—which is to say, I’ve been thrilled with the work the SAB has done this past year.

We will soon be soliciting applications for between 3-5 vacant positions on the Board for the 2017-2018 academic year. All undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are eligible to serve on the Board. To ensure adequate representation, we particularly encourage applications from graduate and professional students. We’re committed to ensuring the SAB represents the full diversity of the UCLA student body.

Below are additional details about the SAB, including the scope of work Board members perform, the term of service, and the application process. I encourage you to visit the SAB page on Facebook and the EDI website to learn more about the current Board.

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BOARD MEMBER EXPECTATIONS

ADVISORS | LIAISONS | PROBLEM SOLVERS

Roles and responsibilities within the SAB are shaped by the goals of the EDI team, Board member passions, and the needs of the UCLA community. To meet these goals, Board members will work collaboratively, professionally, and collegially to support equity, diversity, and inclusion at UCLA consistent with the terms of this memorandum of understanding. A specific articulation of requirements of SAB service is provided below.

Advisors. The SAB is the student “brain trust” for EDI. SAB members are expected to draw on their experiences and insights as students to fill gaps in EDI’s knowledge about student matters with the aim of making UCLA a more equitable and inclusive environment. The core charge of all Board members is to advise the Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (VC-EDI) on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion that directly impact students. Each Board member will be asked to provide independent perspectives and assessment, drawing on her/his/their individual knowledge and experiences.

Liaisons. SAB members also function as liaisons between EDI and UCLA’s entire student population. This role includes, but is not limited to, communicating to EDI the full breadth of student concerns and perspectives that arise on any given issue and providing periodic updates to the student body about their collaboration with the Office.

Problem Solvers. Successfully tackling issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion requires a problem-solving mentality. SAB members must therefore be interested and invested in doing so with a commitment to solve, and not merely describe, diversity-related problems. EDI will provide training on a range of interdisciplinary problem-solving tools, including laws, regulations, and policies; the mind science of bias and discrimination; and institutional politics, strategies, and tactics.

SAB STRUCTURE

The SAB will comprise approximately ten (10) members. The particular number will depend on how many qualified applicants apply in any given year and the available capacity of the SAB. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are eligible to serve on the Board, and all members must maintain a minimum of 2.5 GPA throughout their term of service.

A member of the EDI staff will serve as an advisor to the SAB. The VC-EDI will serve as an ex officio Board member.

Compensation. SAB is a service board; SAB members are selected with the understanding that insight and engagement with EDI will be both personally and professionally beneficial. Members are expected to be intrinsically-motivated and excited about the opportunity to contribute to the mission to “Build equity for all.” No members will receive monetary compensation in exchange for their involvement.

Scope. SAB members do not, and should not, speak on behalf of EDI or any of its members. Nor should SAB members, in their capacity as SAB members, act as representatives of a particular student organization or constituency. SAB members are free to, and encouraged to, speak in their individual capacities about whatever issues SAB members wish to engage.

Confidentiality. Given the nature of equity, diversity, and inclusion work, SAB members will inevitably encounter sensitive and controversial subjects. In order to promote an environment that promotes robust discourse and discussion, SAB members agree to keep confidential internal deliberations during all SAB meetings. Members recognize that their confidentiality obligation extends beyond their time on the Board.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Monthly Meetings. All SAB members must participate in monthly SAB meetings. These meetings allow SAB members to share updates on pertinent projects; respond to campus developments; and engage in strategic planning and decision-making. The VC-EDI will attend at least one meeting each quarter.

Ad-hoc Projects. EDI Staff regularly request student input on relevant projects or initiatives. When needed, SAB members will be invited to participate in these projects and initiatives. Time commitment and project length will vary.

SAB-generated Projects. SAB members will also have opportunities to develop projects based on their various interests. These projects will necessarily shift based on the composition of the Board and the projects members see as best fulfilling the needs of the UCLA student body. These sub-committees will meet weekly or bi-weekly. Time commitment and project length will vary.

General Board Responsibilities. SAB members should budget an average of 2-3 hours per week to their SAB responsibilities. At least one hour each month will be devoted to mandatory monthly Board meetings. The remainder of SAB responsibilities will commonly involve sub-committee engagements. Additional involvement is welcomed, but not required, and will occur at the discretion of each student.

APPLYING TO BE ON THE BOARD

TERM LENGTH

Students will serve on the SAB for 1 year, with the potential for renewal of up to one additional year.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications for the Student Advisory Board will be accepted from June 9, 2017 to July 7, 2017. All applications must include the following components:

(1) A Personal Statement of Interest

(2) A Letter of Reference

The Personal Statement of Interest is limited to two single-spaced pages. It must explain (a) why the student is interested in joining the Board; (b) why the student is qualified to serve on the Board; and (c) why UCLA would benefit from the student’s service on the Board.

The Letter of Reference should speak to the student’s qualifications to serve on the Board. It may come from a UCLA student, faculty member, staff member, alum, or community member. Only 1 Letter of Reference is required, but up to 2 will be accepted.

At the close of the application window, the SAB Advisor, Dr. Evelyn Carter, will review complete applications and selected applicants will be invited to interview, either in person or via Skype; final decisions will be announced by September 1, 2017.

Applications can be submitted at this link: https://tinyurl.com/SABApp-17-18.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Evelyn Carter at 310-206-7411 or ecarter@equity.ucla.edu.

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Thanks in advance for considering this opportunity. I know many of you care deeply about changing UCLA for the better, by building equity for all. Help me do just that.

Warm regards,

Jerry Kang
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion