2008 Woodie Awards
Face to Face with Friedman
Diversity and staff appointments
President Steven J. Friedman
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Opinions & Editorials
Senior Administration: I was pleased to see the attention the Pace Press devoted to the important issue of diversity ("Faculty-wide diversity needed for comprehensive education," April 16.). On all Pace campuses, diversity, nondiscrimination, and inclusiveness are important values that play a significant role in the social and intellectual life of the University.
I was disappointed, however, to see that parts of the article prompt the conclusion- which I think is quite mistaken - that the University has a "bad record" in this area and that our national search policy has been ignored. I think we are doing pretty well in achieving diversity in some areas, particularly gender, and that we could and should do better in others.
The Management Council, the highest level administrative deliberative body, is composed of 12 men and 11 women. Three members are African-American. That data includes interim appointments, which reflect my own appointment decisions. Of the six appointments I have approved, made or recommended to the Board, three have been women.
National searches are in progress or about to begin for the Dean of the Law School; Vice Presidents for Enrollment Management, Human Resources and Information Technology and Senior Vice President for Administration.
Of the Provost's direct reports, who are diverse along lines of race, gender and sexual orientation, 8 of 16 are women. All the Deans and Interim Deans are women except one. At a time when the leadership of the schools and college are put front and center in the Three-Year Plan, it should be clear that women have a significant role in guiding the direction of the University.
I have recommended to the Board the promotion of a woman from Vice President to Senior Vice President and created from existing resources a new Senior Vice President for Administration position, which will be filled by a man on an interim basis and will be the subject of a national search. I also approved the promotion of an African-American man from Director to Associate Vice President.
I was disappointed, however, to see that parts of the article prompt the conclusion- which I think is quite mistaken - that the University has a "bad record" in this area and that our national search policy has been ignored. I think we are doing pretty well in achieving diversity in some areas, particularly gender, and that we could and should do better in others.
The Management Council, the highest level administrative deliberative body, is composed of 12 men and 11 women. Three members are African-American. That data includes interim appointments, which reflect my own appointment decisions. Of the six appointments I have approved, made or recommended to the Board, three have been women.
National searches are in progress or about to begin for the Dean of the Law School; Vice Presidents for Enrollment Management, Human Resources and Information Technology and Senior Vice President for Administration.
Of the Provost's direct reports, who are diverse along lines of race, gender and sexual orientation, 8 of 16 are women. All the Deans and Interim Deans are women except one. At a time when the leadership of the schools and college are put front and center in the Three-Year Plan, it should be clear that women have a significant role in guiding the direction of the University.
I have recommended to the Board the promotion of a woman from Vice President to Senior Vice President and created from existing resources a new Senior Vice President for Administration position, which will be filled by a man on an interim basis and will be the subject of a national search. I also approved the promotion of an African-American man from Director to Associate Vice President.
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