In September of 2020, the University's Board of Visitors (BOV) endorsed long-term goals tied to specific actions to advance racial equity at the University. These initiatives were rooted in the analysis and recommendations of President Jim Ryan's Racial Equity Task Force, convened in the summer of 2020. This important work is now ongoing across many areas of the University. The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion supports the Office of the President in tracking the progress made on racial equity initiatives endorsed by the BOV. As a short term exploratory and advisory body, the Racial Equity Task Force (RETF) aligned initiatives with the University's Inclusive Excellence framework  and the University's 2030 Strategic Plan to orient and embed the initiatives in our institutional operations. This alignment ensures a sustainable approach for supporting the collective actions across the broad range of work necessary by many at UVA. Below you can review the status updates on initiatives endorsed by the BOV, and additional new and ongoing work contributing to achieving institutional goals for racial equity.

Read: Racial Equity Task Force Report

Progress on Board Resolutions and Endorsements Advancing Racial Equity

Infrastructure + Investment Racial Equity Initiatives

UVA Board of Visitors Endorsed Goal/Action	Strategic Alignment	UVA Implementation Leads/Partners	Time Period	Stage	Detailed Status Update (Fall 2023)
Develop plans for funding racial equity initiatives, including funds from UVA’s Strategic Investment Fund.	RETF:"Endow Equity"	University-wide endeavor	Short/Cont.	I	The Board of Visitors authorized University Leadership to identify funding for racial equity initiatives (2020). The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion established a Racial Equity Action Fund (2021). University Advancement hired the first Director of Development for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2021). The University has committed $7 million to endow the Carter G. Woodson Institute’s renowned post-doctoral fellowship program, a two-year residential fellowship for students whose work focuses on Africa and/or the African diaspora. Another $3 million went toward an endowed professorship, and $6 million was made available as matching funds for additional position types (2020). Secured multi-year, $5 Million dollar grant from the Mellon Foundation to support the growth of racial equity programs, fund post-doctoral fellowships, and supporting faculty teaching and research racial equity (2021).
Create a system of metrics and assessment to identify goals and mark progress around racial equity and report to the Board of Visitors on progress on a semi-annual basis.	2030 Goals 1, 2, 4 RETF: "Equity Scorecard"	University Data Governance Officers and Data Stewards	Short/Cont.	I	The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hired an Assistant Director for Assessment and Data analytics to support the sustainability and growth of this initiative (2021). The first phase focusing on student data is complete.
Ensure that the division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Community Partnerships has sufficient resources to do their work   STATUS: COMPLETE	2030 Goals 1 & 2 RETF: "Fund the Division for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion"	Office of the President   Office of the Executive Vice President and COO	Short	C	The Division received additional budgetary resources to support: Inclusive Excellence Fellows; Community Partnerships; Development of racial equity education programs; and Other programs and initiatives The University approved three additional full-time staff positions that are now a permanent part of the Division including: Director of Diversity Education Director of Communications Assistant Director of Assessment & Data Analytics

Access + Success Racial Equity Initiatives

UVA Board of Visitors Endorsed Goal/Action	Strategic Alignment	UVA Implementation Leads/Partners	Time Period	Stage	Detailed Status Update (Fall 2023)
Develop a plan and a time horizon for having a student population that better reflects the racial and socioeconomic demographics of the Commonwealth of Virginia and, as much as feasible, of the nation.	2030 Goals 1 & 2 RETF: "Represent Virginia"	Vice President of Enrollment   All Academic Deans	Mid/Cont.	I	The University hired a new Vice Provost of Enrollment. A key priority is working with a range of stakeholders and schools to enact a comprehensive strategy based on enrollment evidence (2021). Ongoing tracking of admissions and enrollment data can be accessed through this online dashboard.
Double the number of underrepresented faculty at UVA by 2030.	2030 Goal 1 RETF: "Inclusive Faculty Initiative"	Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost   All Academic Deans	Long	I	The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost is partnering with schools to assess faculty hiring and retention to develop a comprehensive strategic action plan. Ongoing tracking of faculty employment can be accessed through this online dashboard.
Review policies regarding staff hiring, wages, retention, promotion and procurement, in order to ensure equity.	2030 Goal 1 RETF: "Pathways for Staff Success"	Office of the Executive Vice President and COO   Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion	Short/Mid	C	University Human Resources and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost initiated faculty and staff salary studies and results will be shared with the UVA community (2023). University Human Resources engaged in a systematic policy review and will continue to monitor policies for equity through the UVA Policy Review Committee process (2022). The President's Council on UVA Community Partnerships, Pipelines and Pathways group has fully implemented the program after issuing their final report (2023). The University hired a new Director of Supplier Diversity (2021).

 

Climate + Intergroup Relations Racial Equity Initiatives

UVA Board of Visitors Endorsed Goal/Action	Strategic Alignment	UVA Implementation Leads/Partners	Time Period	Stage	Detailed Status Update (Fall 2023)
Improve the climate at UVA by rethinking, reframing, retelling, and renaming UVA’s historic landscape.	2030 Goal 1 & 2 RETF: "Grounds for All"	Office of the President   Office of the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer	Long/Cont.	C/I	President Ryan named members of the re-constituted Naming and Memorials Committee  to support the Board's approval of the 5 specific recommendations in this area and to support these efforts for the future (2021). BOV approved 5 changes impacting the historical landscape at the University (2020). BOV approved a multi-year digital contextualization project (2021).
Thoroughly review University Police practices and policies to ensure fair, equitable and transparent practices reflecting 21st-century policing principles and developing relevant training for officers and supervisors.	2030 Goal 1 & 2 RETF: "Grounds for All"	Office of the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer	Short/Cont.	C	The Department of Safety and Security created and hired a Diversity Officer position (2021). University Police Department (UPD) completed a comprehensive review of policies and procedures as part of the quadrennial CALEA accreditation process. UPD is committed to a regular and ongoing annual review of practices and outcomes in collaboration with the UVA Student Council University Police Accountability Board (2021). The UPD Diversity Officer and Chief of Police have implemented a program of officer training which includes recurring engagements with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) procedural justice curriculum, a course on Bias Free Policing, and a course which includes academic partnerships at UVA focused on the historical context of policing in relationship to race (2022).
Form a Department of Safety and Security Advisory Council	2030 Goal 1 & 2 RETF: "Grounds for All"	Office of the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer	Short/Cont.	C	UVA Student Council empaneled the University Police Accountability Board which has the support of the Associate Vice President for Safety and Security and Chief of Police (2021).

 

Education + Scholarship Racial Equity Initiatives

UVA Board of Visitors Endorsed Goal/Action	Strategic  Alignment	UVA Implementation Leads/Partners	Time Period	Stage	Detailed Status Update (Fall 2023)
Review the tenure and promotion process.	2030 Goal 1 & 3 RETF: Review Tenure & Academic Policies"	Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost   All Academic Deans	Mid	I	The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost developed a plan for a comprehensive review of four key policies related to faculty promotion and tenure. Two comprehensive reviews were completed (2021).
Endow the key programmatic elements of the Carter Woodson Institute and provide funding to create more faculty positions. STATUS: COMPLETE	2030 Goal 1 & 2 RETF: "Endow Carter G. Woodson Institute"	Office of the President   Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost   Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences	Short	C	The University committed a total of $7 million which endowed the institute’s renowned post-doctoral fellowship program, a two-year residential fellowship for students whose work focuses on Africa and/or the African diaspora. Another $3 million went toward an endowed professorship, and up to $6 million will be available as matching funds for the creation of three Bicentennial Professorships (2020).
Develop a series of educational programs around racial equity and anti-racism, including leadership development programs focused on equity, including racial equity.	2030 Goal 1 & 2 RETF: "Provide Anti-Racism Education"	All Academic Deans   Office of Faculty Development   Center for Teaching Excellence   Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion	Short/Mid	I/C	UVA Faculty Development built an opt-in session in support of leadership for an inclusive departmental/area climate (2022). UVA Faculty Development developed an opt-in recurring place-based seminar supporting faculty teaching around race at UVA (2021). University Human Resources partnered with the Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to provide the Remembering for Our Future dialogue session as a standard part of an opt-in signature leadership development program (2022). The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion launched a full series of learning in support of equity (2022). The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion developed a strategy for delivering an opt-in program of racial equity education for employees of the University (2021).

 

Healing + Repair Racial Equity Initiatives

UVA Board of Visitors Endorsed Goal/Action	Strategic Alignment	UVA Implementation Leads/Partners	Time Period	Stage	Detailed Status Update (Fall 2023)
Encourage related organizations to develop a scholarship program for the descendants of enslaved laborers who worked to build and maintain the University.	2030 Goal 2 & 4 RETF: "Pay Our Debts"	UVA Alumni Association	Mid	C	The University committed to an extension of the work of the genealogist commissioned to identify and connect with descendants of people enslaved by the University (2021).
Explore potential initiatives to recognize and support Native American students and Native American studies.	2030 Goal 2 & 4 RETF: "Indigenous Nation's Platform"	Office of the President   Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost   Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion   Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences	Short/Mid	I	UVA hired its inaugural Tribal Liaison (2023). UVA, in consultation with representatives from indigenous nations, commissioned a re-design of University Avenue Park which is the former site of the George Rogers Clark Statue (2022). UVA and SCHEV approved the minor in Native American Indigenous Studies (2021). UVA officials participated in a historic meeting with the leaders of all 7 federally recognized tribes in Virginia (2021). The UVA Admission office appointed an outreach officer to work specifically with tribal nations and enhance access to UVA for Native Indigenous youth (2021). The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion created an Inclusive Excellence Faculty Fellowship in partnership with the Native and Indigenous Relations Community to engage in consultation with leaders of all 7 federally recognized tribes in Virginia to articulate a pathway for University to Nation relations (2021). A report on a pathway for University to Nation relations was transmitted to the President (2022).