Cluster Hires of Tenure-Track Faculty to Support the African American community

San Diego State is embarking on a bold new effort to hire nine tenure-track faculty with a demonstrated history of working with and supporting the African-American community. 

This cluster hire is an important opportunity for the university community to continue to act on our values. In Spring 2019, students requested that President de la Torre “[Hire] more Culturally competent faculty and staff who are experienced on connecting with diverse experiences and identities of black/brown Communities,” and the University Senate passed a resolution, “Fostering a Welcoming and Safe Campus Climate for African American Students,” later signed by President de la Torre, that included a call for cluster hires of faculty with “a demonstrated record of research, teaching, and/or service focused on Black/African-American issues and populations”¹.

In Spring 2020, the University deepened its commitment to building a diverse faculty by requiring that all successful candidates for tenure-track faculty positions satisfy the Building on Inclusive Excellence (BIE) criteria. This cluster hire builds on the BIE program by focusing on scholars who have an established commitment to teaching, research and/or service in and with the African-American community.

The President and Provost have reserved the following positions to be part of this cluster:

• Africana Studies, Afrolatinidad
• Africana Studies, Social Justice Movements
• Political Science, Public Law and Race in America
• English, Black Children's Literature
• Counseling and School Psychology, School Psychology
• Social Work, Mental Health Clinical Practice
• Public Health, Dissemination and Implementation Science
• Social Work, Child Welfare and Clinical Practice
• Art and Design, Graphic Design

In order to be considered for this initiative, candidates must satisfy two or more of the adjusted BIE criteria:

1. Is committed to engaging in service with African American populations
2. Has demonstrated knowledge of barriers for African American students and faculty
3. Has experience or has demonstrated commitment to teaching and/or mentoring African American students
4. Has experience or has demonstrated commitment to integrating understanding of African American populations and communities into research
5. Has experience in or has demonstrated commitment to extending knowledge of opportunities and challenges in achieving artistic/scholarly success to African Americans
6. Has experience in or has demonstrated commitment to research that engages African American communities
7. Has interest in developing expertise in cross-cultural communication and collaboration
8. Has research interests that contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education

For additional information about San Diego State's support for faculty and committment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please see the resources from the Office of Faculty Advancement and the Center for Inclusive Excellence, as well as other diversity initiatives.

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^{1 "}Conduct cluster hires of faculty members with a demonstrated record of research, teaching, and/or service focused on Black/African-American issues and populations, given that research shows cluster hiring to be one of the most impactful ways to build faculty diversity. These faculty should be hired in disciplines that have limited representation from African-American faculty and demonstrate cultural competency and prior commitment to Black students and communities.”