The University of California San Diego, also known as UCSD, has dedicated itself to integrating Black studies into STEM programs by adding new faculty.
The public research university will add 13 new professors that would be on track to receive tenure in eight of their divisions and schools. Six of the 13 new professors have already been hired with three already having been announced, according to a report by Diverse Education. Neurobiologist Dr. Hiruy Meharena, computer scientist Dr. Imani N.S. Munyaka and chemist Dr. Lisa Jones will join the UCSD family.
The new professors will combine their knowledge of their fields with Black studies in their programs. For instance, Dr. Jones’ was drawn to the position because of the opportunity to teach about health disparities that link medicine with Black studies.
“When I was an undergraduate focused on STEM, my plan was to minor in African American Studies, so when I heard about this program, I thought I would have loved that as a student,” said Jones to Diverse Education, also adding on that about 50% of the students at UCSD minoring in Black studies also major in STEM. “I think these kinds of programs are important for students today.”
The new steps to diversify the UCSD board come as a result of a lack of Black professors, in colleges across the U.S. According to a 2020 report by the American Association of University Professors, only 6% of all the positions available in private and public colleges across the U.S. were held by Black educators in 2018. As for tenured professors, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 5% of the professors guaranteed tenure nationwide were Black and only 2% were Black women.
In 2020, the rates continued to stay just as low even after the global support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The rates were especially low for Black professors in teaching positions in the STEM field. In universities like Yale, only 3% of the professors in STEM studies like medicine, engineering and public health were Black.
“A diverse faculty is about institutional excellence. It improves teaching and learning for all students,” said UCSD’s vice-chancellor, Dr. Becky Petitt, in conversation with Diverse Education. “Substantial research shows that diversity helps us solve big, complex challenges because you are bringing multidisciplinary, multi-background lenses together. This is all part of our comprehensive strategic plan for inclusive excellence.”
To fund the diversification of the staff at UCSD, the university will use a $500,000 grant they were given by the University of California’s Advancing Faculty Diversity Program back in 2020.
“If there is any linkage to 2020, this is it: to the statements we made then that Black Lives Matter, Black Scholarship Matters, and Black Minds Matter, here is how you know that we are serious, that our actions match our words,” said Dr. Petitt to Diverse Education.
