University of the Pacific
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

University of the Pacific has embarked on a transformative journey to establish itself as a national leader for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in American higher education. Guided by President Christopher Callahan's vision and the commitment of the Board of Regents Social Justice Policy to eradicate systemic racism, the university developed a comprehensive action-oriented program to address problem areas and achieve established goals. the DEI office prioritizes policy and decision-making that acknowledges and responds to the socio-cultural forces impacting students, faculty, and staff. These forces encompass various aspects such as race, gender, ability, sexuality, and socio-economic status. These priorities were distributed across governance committees, with each assigned specific oversight responsibilities:

1. The Audit Committee: ensured that all future audits included DEI dimensions.
2. The Committee on Regents: focused on diversifying the Board based on gender, race, and sexual orientation.
3. The Finance and Facilities Committee: aimed to expand vendor diversity in procurement processes, considering factors such as gender, race, veterans, and small businesses.
4. The Academic Affairs/Enrollment Committee: dedicated efforts to diversifying the faculty regarding race to achieve Hispanic-Serving Institution status.
5. The Advancement/Alumni Committee: sought to increase scholarships for students from underserved populations.
6. The Investment Committee: worked on diversifying the university's portfolio, focusing on DEI and sustainability dimensions.
7. The Human Resources Committee: focused on diversifying the staff based on race and gender.
8. The Student Life and Athletics Committee: targeted increased retention and graduation rates for students, considering factors of race and gender, in alignment with the work of the Academic Affairs/Enrollment Committee.

Throughout the academic year, Dr. Lomax-Ghirarduzzi collaborated closely with President Callahan and senior leaders (Vice Presidents and Deans) to execute the DEI priorities established by the Board. The university developed and implemented a robust DEI Training and Education Program (The Pacific Anti-Racism Challenge) for all faculty, staff, and students, to raise awareness, promote cultural competency, and address implicit bias. Efforts were also made to integrate DEI topics into the curriculum through collaboration with academic departments, ensuring a well-rounded education on diversity and inclusion. To extend the impact beyond the university, partnerships with local organizations and community leaders were established to develop initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the surrounding community. Collaborations with K-12 schools and community colleges were also fostered to enhance outreach efforts and provide opportunities for underrepresented students to access higher education.

The Anti-Racism Challenge is a 9-week course designed to engage members of the university community on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The course is designed to provoke dialogue, thought, and action. The intent is to introduce DEI praxis that leads to anti-racism attitudes, behaviors, and mindsets.

Additionally the VP of DEI presents to every new employee through the University's onboarding process and DEI is included in staff annual performance reviews.

https://www.pacific.edu/about-pacific/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/addressing-social-justice