As we commit to equity, a strategy identified by the College of Natural Sciences Action Team and where we are focusing is on:
Continuing and expanding upon recruitment and retention efforts aimed at improving the way our college supports people with marginalized identities such as Black, indigenous and people of color.
- diversify our faculty by developing postdoc-to-faculty bridge programs; assuring dedicated resources for new hires; and planning a new visiting scholars’ program
- extend a welcome mat to students of color through: coordination of cross-sector recruitment events; expansion of summer research opportunities for prospective undergraduate and graduate students; reevaluation of application practices (such as standardized tests and application fees) that may unnecessarily stand in the way of qualified and talented students seeking admission; and allocating appropriate resources for fellowships, scholarships, new hires and affiliated and outreach efforts.
Examples of Progress:
- Partnered with the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost for the Provost Early Career Fellowship in partnership with the Departments of Integrative Biology, Neuroscience, and Astronomy.
- Initiated multiple efforts to attract, recruit, and employ a diverse faculty and/or faculty who demonstrate past or potential contributions to DEI within their research, teaching and/or service
- Reevaluated standard admissions practices with equity implications, such as the GRE requirement for graduate program admissions. University-wide the GRE was suspended as a requirement during the pandemic, and three departments have successfully instated permanent waivers.
- Saw departments and individual units take steps forward related to recruitment and retention, such as:
- Awarded five CNS Actions that Promote Community Transformation grants aimed at creating inclusive hiring practices, anti-racist toolkits, and more
- Established a partnership across Textiles and Apparel and Dell Medical School to create a Cientifico Latino chapter at UT Austin
Priorities for the future:
- Introduce a faculty visiting scholars’ program
- Further enhance summer research opportunities for prospective graduate students from underrepresented populations in the mode of the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences’ program
- Partner with Austin Community College and with the Dell Medical School on pathways programs to support career success for CNS students from underrepresented populations
