Diversity and Equity Committee

Who We Are

The Department of Political Science established the faculty Diversity Committee to identify targets of opportunity to recruit faculty under a university provost's initiative. In April 2018, the committee was expanded to include two graduate student representatives and to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the graduate student body as well. On April 9, 2018, the committee was renamed the Diversity and Equity Committee.

Like the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Political Science believes that "diversity in the graduate student body enhances the intellectual experience and achievements of the entire academic community." The department also defines diversity broadly, encompassing considerations of race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic background, family history of post-baccalaureate opportunity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, life experience, and veteran status.

Committee Membership

Faculty

Page Fortna
Timothy Frye
Vicky Murillo

Graduate Students

Viviana Rivera-Burgos
Julia Rubio

What We Do

The Diversity and Equity Committee performs the following roles and activities:

  • Holds an annual meeting to discuss challenges common to women in the department and in the discipline in general;
  • Holds an annual meeting to discuss challenges common to members of underrepresented minority groups in the department and in the discipline in general;
  • Holds a Diversity and Equity Town Hall, where graduate students and faculty can learn and inquire about the activities of the Committee;
  • Hosts an annual workshop on implicit bias;
  • Hosts a social event during Ph.D. recruitment week to further the goal of increasing the number of students from underrepresented groups in the department;
  • Creates and implements an annual quality of life/climate survey;
  • Tracks and shares data on graduate student admission and attrition and faculty recruitment and attrition;
  • Provides information on university resources pertaining to topics such as inclusive teaching and sexual misconduct.