We are committed to improving diversity in all forms to achieve the following by Fall 2020:
The University at Buffalo (UB) School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) is committed to creating and sustaining a multiculturally competent student body, faculty, and staff. UB SEAS values diversity as a strength critical to its educational mission. UB SEAS expects every member of our community to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture for all, in its classrooms, work environments, and at campus events.
The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) declared 2014-15 a “year of action in diversity,” and challenged the Deans of U.S. Schools of Engineering to take affirmative and meaningful steps to increase opportunity for women and underrepresented students. ASEE recognized, as does the University at Buffalo, that we still have work to do to significantly increase the participation of women, African-American, Latino/a and Native American students in engineering.
UB SEAS Dean Liesl Folks coauthored the Engineering Deans Council Diversity Initiative Letter, which is a pledge to promote engineering education to those historically underrepresented, provide an experience that’s equitable and inclusive, and improve the broader engineering culture to fully engage future generations. We are taking specific steps to increase diversity among underrepresented groups by increasing enrollment among talented students from a multitude of backgrounds.
Our vision in UB SEAS is to create an inclusive and diverse community that allows our students, faculty and staff to create, discover and disseminate knowledge within our discipline, that benefits our region, our state, our nation and the world.
We will continue to develop our plan with input from national organizations that are committed to diversity in engineering and measure our success by an increase in the matriculation, retention and graduation of underrepresented students.
Rajan Batta
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Diversity
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Letitia Thomas
Director for STEM Diversity Programs
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences