Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

As we begin the fall 2021 semester, I’m pleased to share that CCA has launched its search for a Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). CCA has engaged Isaacson Miller, a leading executive recruitment firm, to help us with this search with the goal of hiring a candidate by early 2022.

The search committee will be chaired by Tammy Rae Carland (provost) and includes Jaime Austin (director of Exhibitions and Public Programming), Susan Avila (senior vice president, Advancement), Nelson Chan (assistant professor, Photography), Genevieve Hyacinthe (assistant professor, History of Art and Visual Culture), George Luis Sedano (vice president for Student Affairs), and TT Takemoto (dean of Humanities and Sciences). Adriana Lopez Lobovits (special assistant to the president and board liaison) is executive administrator for the search committee.

I’m grateful to everyone who provided input that helped us define and shape this new role, as well as those who have shared recommendations for racial justice and equity initiatives to help advance anti-racism at CCA. Your participation in this process has been invaluable as we work together to address structural inequities and make our campus a more just and welcoming place for all.

Reporting directly to me, the new vice president will serve as a visionary leader of CCA’s ongoing DEIB work and nurture strong collaborative relationships across the college and beyond. As an advocate, transformational educator, and catalyst for change, the vice president will capitalize on institutional momentum to advance CCA’s commitment to DEIB, relaunch the Center for Art and Public Life as a nexus of DEIB and a vital intellectual and community hub on campus, and further innovative arts education and professional artistic practice in the years to come. You can see the complete job description here.

We welcome your input on this position and encourage you to share your nominations for potential candidates.

CCA is a community defined by our shared values, and the actions we take to uphold them. We have taken many concrete steps over the past year: channeling resources to advance DEIB goals; actively working to diversify the college’s Board of Trustees; expanding programs, mentorships, and internship opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds; raising funds for student scholarships and financial aid; requiring and providing anti-bias training for all staff, faculty, and students; and creating ongoing forums for discussing and gathering input on challenges and opportunities to make CCA a more equitable campus.

I look forward to welcoming an inaugural VP of DEIB into this role to lead our college community in furthering this ongoing, collaborative work and help create an ambitious vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at CCA.

Sincerely,

Steve