The Committee on Diversity is a Standing Committee of the Faculty Senate. Committee members include the Dean of the University (ex-officio), the Chief Diversity Officer (ex-officio), no fewer than seven appointed faculty members, and one student.

The duties of the Committee on Diversity are:

1. To serve the university’s goal of increasing the social diversity of the campus.

2. To participate in the development of initiatives that enable the university to hire new faculty from historically underrepresented populations and support such faculty's retention and success.

3. Work with the President, Vice-Presidents, and the Chief Diversity Officer concerning diversity initiatives that can benefit from faculty presence and leadership, as needed.

4. To establish liaisons with key university units, including staff and student diversity groups, to assess strategic needs and work collaboratively in diversity-related initiatives, as needed.

5. To work with colleagues to maintain an educational environment that welcomes and supports diversity even as it protects and assures the rights of academic freedom outlined in the Faculty Code.

6. To activate annually a group of faculty, staff, and students that will review aggregate data about patterns of bias and hate in our campus community to create educational opportunities for reflection and dialogue.

7. To report annually to the Faculty Senate on the committee’s work related to diversity goals.

8. Such other duties as may be assigned to it by the Faculty Senate.