UAB, consistently ranked among the nation’s most diverse campuses by The Princeton Review, is in the initial stages of its search for the next vice president of Equity and Diversity to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Louis Dale, Ph.D., who will leave at the end of February. Dale was the first to hold that position at UAB, which had been created in 2003.
“Diversity is a core value and strength of UAB. It is a part of the very fabric of our university and is the guiding force behind our involvement in our community, throughout Alabama and around the globe,” said President Ray Watts. “We continue to recruit and retain outstanding students, faculty and staff because of our deeply embedded culture of diversity.”
Before a candidate search begins, UAB is conducting a comprehensive assessment of the roles and functions of the UAB Office of the Vice President for Equity and Diversity, led by The Desir Group Human Capital Management Group, a national human capital management firm with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“We have an amazing opportunity to continue to be a front-runner in terms of diversity and inclusion and want to work collectively with our UAB community to ensure that their diverse needs are met,” said Alesia Jones, UAB’s chief human resources officer. “This preliminary assessment process will ensure that all views are considered and we are best positioned to recruit the very best talent to lead UAB into the future.”
Since the first of the year, the Desir Group has met with faculty and staff representatives of groups and programs that advocate for diversity on campus, the UAB Faculty Senate, undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and senior leadership in both individual and group focus sessions. “More than 100 stakeholders have participated in these discussions,” Jones said.
UAB faculty, staff and students are encouraged to provide their input through an online survey, which will be available through Jan. 23.
Following this assessment process, a final position description will be developed and the position will be advertised, Jones said.
