Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2001
Abstract
While we had historically recruited a large number of minority candidates to campus, because of the departures of our minority faculty, we needed to evaluate both our ability to recruit and our ability to retain minority faculty. Discriminatory hiring based on race is forbidden by law. The University of Florida is an equal opportunity employer. As a practical and legal matter, and in contrast to our current student admissions policy, we can consider race in employment decisions only to remedy past discrimination and only if narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest. First, it is important to understand the central role of diversity for our particular institution. The University of Florida is a state institution located in a state that is racially and ethnically diverse. By 2050, the majority of Florida citizens will be persons of color. Second, the university and our college of law are keenly focused on the importance of being global institutions. We are increasingly aware of the importance of preparing our students for the globalization of the practice of law. A diverse student body and faculty is a representation of the diverse professional world our students will join. Therefore, part of our mission supports the desirability of a diverse faculty and student body. In fact, diversity is and will always be a core asset for our college of law. In pursuit of this overall goal, our college of law undertook specific measures addressing the issue of hiring and retaining minority faculty.
Recommended Citation
Jon Mills, Diversity in Law Schools: Where are We Headed in the Twenty-first Century, 33 U. Tol. L. Rev. 119 (2001), available at http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/facultypub/526