"A more diverse College is a better College.  Our basic goals – the enrichment of the human spirit, the creation of fundamental knowledge – are best achieved with a faculty and a student body that reflect the range of experiences and perspectives in society at large."
        —Howard Gillman, Dean, USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

The Vice Dean for Diversity and Strategic Initiatives is responsible for ensuring that the fundamental commitment to the benefits of a diverse USC Dornsife community is effectively translated into best practices throughout all departments and units of USC Dornsife.

These areas include faculty recruitment, mentorship and retention, including ensuring the every USC Dornsife faculty search committee cast its net widely in search of diverse faculty candidates.  This work also includes successful recruitment, advancement, and placement of diverse Ph.D. students, such as the encouragement of innovative graduate student programs aimed at enhancing the diversity and quality of the USC Ph.D. experience.  It also includes promoting the retention and academic success of USC Dornsife undergraduates from all backgrounds, especially advancing research opportunities for diverse undergraduates through a variety of established programs and encouraging successful transitions to opportunities for advanced degrees.