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The University of Arizona announced this week that it’s begun a national search for a vice provost for diversity and inclusion, also to be known as chief diversity officer.
The administrator will be charged with increasing diversity of all kinds on campus and will run programs that generate dialogue and understanding among demographic groups.
Provost Andrew Comrie said the UA has had a position like this in the past, but the office was vacant for the past year, when the position was restructured.
"It’s one thing to have an office that promotes diversity issues, but if we’re going to really do diversity properly on campus, we need it to happen right across the organization," he said.
There are already numerous groups working on diversity issues on the UA campus, Comrie said.
"So this position will partly an overseeing area, but can most importantly be a coordinating area to make sure that the campus benefits from all the things we’re doing in different places," he said.
Candidates for the position will be visiting campus in the spring and in a letter, Comrie said the university will hold open meetings and forums to make sure that even the search process is as inclusive as it can be.
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