Fellow Bruins, I hope you are well. Earlier this month, I solicited your feedback regarding my proposal for the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Student Advisory Board. I want to thank you for sharing your thoughtful perspectives. In light of your responses, I have made some small but important tweaks to the proposal. I am pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the inaugural EDI Student Advisory Board (the “Board”), which will launch in Fall 2016. Please find all relevant information below.
[update: all candidates who applied to serve on the inaugural EDI Student Advisory Board will be notified regarding Board selection by August 15, 2016]
GENERAL CHARGE: ADVISORS | LIAISONS | PROBLEM SOLVERS
Advisors. The core charge of all Board members is to advise me 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 or his individual knowledge and experiences. In this advisory role, Board members shall not act as representatives of particular student organizations or constituencies. Rather, they are beholden to the entire student body.
Liaisons. Board members also function as liaisons that ensure communication and understanding between my Office and UCLA’s entire student population. On the one hand, they must communicate to my Office the full breadth of student concerns and perspectives that arise on any given issue. On the other hand, Board members are also expected to provide periodic updates to the student body about their collaboration with my Office.
Problem Solvers. Successfully tackling issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion cannot succeed without active student engagement. I see this Board as one mechanism to formally integrate students into my Office’s various problem-solving efforts. Board members must therefore be interested and invested in tackling equity, diversity, and inclusion challenges with both hearts and minds. They must be willing to learn, for example, about laws, regulations, and policies; about the mind science of bias and discrimination; about institutional politics, strategies, and tactics. Board members must view themselves as a transdisciplinary team, collectively committed to fostering community and building equity for all of UCLA’s students. To be clear, the above charge sets a baseline; it does not create a ceiling. I anticipate great things from the Board members and expect to be surprised by their collective smarts and imagination.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS
All Board members must participate in three quarterly meetings (Fall; Winter; Spring), each of which I will attend. I will lead the first of these meetings, which will take place in Fall Quarter 2016. The Board will be responsible for leading the Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter meetings.
All Board members must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 g.p.a. throughout their term of service.
BOARD STRUCTURE
The Board will comprise up to fifteen (15) members. The particular number will depend on how many qualified applicants apply in any given year. Undergraduate students and graduate students are eligible to serve on the Board.
During academic year 2016-2017, the Board will launch with members serving one or two-year terms. Following this inaugural year, Board members will be expected to commit to a two-year term. Exceptions are available for students who will graduate prior to the completion of a two-year term. Staggering terms will promote institutional stability and continuity.
The Board will have an advisor from my staff. This advisor will act as the Board’s primary point of contact with my Office. I will serve as an ex officio Board member.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The application window is open. We will accept applications through June 10, the final day of the Spring Quarter.
All applications must contain the following two components: (1) a Personal Statement of Interest and (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 I will accept up to 2.
Applications must be submitted via the following link: https://ccle.ucla.edu/course/view/BruinX. From here, complete the basic questionnaire and upload your Personal Statement of Interest and Letter(s) of Reference. Only complete applications, containing both a Personal Statement of Interest and a Letter of Reference, will be considered. Applications should not be emailed to my Office. Only those applications submitted through the above link will be considered.
My staff and I will review all applications during the Summer Quarter. I will make selections and notify all applicants before the beginning of the Fall Quarter. Should you have any questions regarding the application process, feel free to email my Office at WeListen@equity.ucla.edu with “Student Advisory Board Application” in the subject line.
With appreciation,
Jerry Kang
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
