University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
22,000 employees
CEO: Bernie Machen
CDE: Paula Fussell
www.ufl.edu
Diversity mission: As the University of Florida harmonizes efforts to become one of the top public research institutions, a commitment to diversity is clearly illustrated in the University Work Plan to improve student and faculty diversity.
Nearly 20% of the University of Florida’s employees are students. Its student body totals over 50,000. This unique environment drives a diversity strategy that includes reducing stereotypes among faculty, students and campus staff while working toward measurably increasing diversity representation within the employee population. The school’s Institutional Equity & Diversity Office provides oversight for its diversity initiatives. Through this portal, the President’s Council on Diversity, established in 2009, performs critical review, analysis and reporting of academic department practices relating to diversity. Council members, who are representative of all spheres of the university employee community, are appointed for one-year (if a student) or two-year terms, (if faculty or staff). While in the council, participants provide broad support university-wide, proposing process solutions to raising and retaining diverse faculty and staff. The school’s “Diversity at Work!” training course is a cornerstone project. It guides participants through the realities of working within a staff and student community as diverse as the university’s.
