Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), seeks a seasoned, strategic, and galvanizing inaugural Vice President for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer (VPIE/CDO). This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to lead and advance inclusive excellence at an R1 institution with national prominence in teaching, research, and service. Serving as a relentless connector, the VPIE/CDO will coordinate action and enhance the culture and climate to support UMBC’s commitment to a safe and inclusive community in alignment with federal and state laws. The inaugural VPIE/CDO will be among Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby’s first cabinet-level appointments.

UMBC is proud to be one of the fastest-growing and most diverse public research universities in the nation, with just over fifty percent of its nearly 14,000 students self-identifying as students of color. The University’s vibrant campus is regarded as a new model for American higher education – a place where talented students, faculty, and staff thrive in a culture that embraces new ideas and strong shared governance. UMBC is one of a handful of research-intensive and minority-serving institutions in the United States. As the United States becomes increasingly more diverse, UMBC represents the prototype of what universities will look like in the future and as such can innovate in ways that will define public higher education.

Capitalizing on the current momentum and the University’s strengths, the role of VPIE/CDO calls for an inspiring individual with exceptional communication skills and decisive leadership. Reporting directly to the President, the empowered leader will oversee and manage the Office of Equity and Inclusion which has primary responsibilities over civil rights matters, which include a clear focus on discrimination, harassment, hate, and bias. The VPIE/CDO will be responsible for designing and implementing a vision and strategy for inclusive excellence; building a team and infrastructure to support the diverse, growing campus community; assessing and integrating relevant policies and procedures; and communicating to sustain trust.

Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby has appointed a search committee to conduct this confidential search in partnership with Keight Tucker Kennedy and Berlinda Mojica. Inquiries, nominations, and/or applications should be directed in confidence electronically below.