Diversity and the Mission of Claremont McKenna College

The value that we place on diversity at Claremont McKenna College - in our student body, in our faculty and staff, and in our curriculum - derives directly from our mission to educate our students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions. In helping students to acquire the vision, skills, and values they will need to lead society, we must ensure that they are able to succeed in the current social, political, and economic environments, which are increasingly diverse and globally-oriented. To execute our mission, then, it is crucial that we seek to enroll a diverse student body, to recruit a diverse faculty and staff, and to place great value on respect for differences.

Our commitment to achieving institutional diversity is well evidenced by our Strategic Plan (2002). In the context of our chief priorities - the continued recruitment of highly able students and an exceptional faculty of teacher-scholars - the Strategic Plan lays out the following goals:

"The College seeks to enroll a diverse and increasingly talented student body, comprised of individuals with established records of achievement in academic and co-curricular activities. We seek those students who aspire to future positions of responsible leadership. We also seek a student body that is diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, race, geographic region, and life experiences."

"The College should continue to develop a faculty of teacher-scholars who will stimulate and promote student learning and will contribute to the College's vitality in pursuing its mission. The College should recruit, select, and promote faculty on the basis of their individual achievements, their promise as teachers and scholars, and their contributions to the mission of the College. It should maintain its historic practice of hiring faculty members who represent a broad spectrum of political and academic philosophies. Subject to these priorities, the College should recruit a faculty of increased balance and diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, and age. The College should assure a strong faculty culture that provides appropriate mentoring and other support to all junior faculty."

Having a diverse Board of Trustees is also essential for our ability to execute our mission. The Board has made it an "important priority" to expand the pool of trustee candidates to improve the diversity of the Board with respect in particular to gender, race, and ethnicity. (Guidelines on Board Composition and New Trustee Appointment Priorities; approved 2004)

While achieving and promoting a diverse community is a job that we must all take on together, the College has instituted a special Diversity Committee to maintain particular focus on these issues. According to the committee charge, "Diversity itself is defined broadly to include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and cultures, geographic and national origin (both U.S. and international), socio-economics, life experiences, and intellectual viewpoints." The committee, a group of faculty, staff and students, meets regularly throughout the year to implement diversity-related initiatives, react to diversity-related issues as they arise, review and respond to campus climate survey results, and organize special programming to promote both tolerance and respect.

Passed by the CMC faculty in April 2007 and by the CMC Board of Trustees in May 2007.