The Legislative Assembly of the UCLA Academic Senate has given final approval to a proposal requiring all UCLA College undergraduates to complete a course focused on diversity.
The vote, taken Nov. 20, was 85-18 in favor of the requirement with four abstensions. The Legislative Assembly includes faculty representatives from academic department across campus. The proposal previously received approval from College faculty and various Academic Senate committees.
The diversity-related requirement is expected to take effect for incoming freshman in fall 2015 and incoming transfer students in 2017.
Supporters say universities have a responsibility to prepare students for work in a multicultural world, in part by helping them to understand the perspectives of others.
“I am delighted that the Academic Senate has approved the diversity-related course requirement,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said. “This has been one of my longstanding priorities and demonstrates our strong commitment to expose undergraduates to views and backgrounds other than their own. I want thank the Diversity Initiative Committee for their outstanding work and acknowledge the many faculty members and students who for years have worked so hard to make the diversity requirement a reality.”
The requirement brings the UCLA College into alignment with seven other UC campuses and the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, which already have similar requirements.
