Columbia med school offering up to $70k for DEI role
The position will help ‘advance the breadth of diversity, equity, and inclusion.’
A 2018 report revealed that Columbia spent almost $200 million to promote ‘faculty diversity’ to little effect.
Columbia University’s medical school in New York City is hiring a full-time “Senior Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI), a position with an annual salary of $62,400 - $70,000.
Minimum qualifications for the job, as seen on the job site Indeed, include “[p]rior DEI programming or diversity-related projects experience” and a “Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience plus three (3) years of related experience.”
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The position will be under the Columbia Irving Medical Center’s Human Resources Department and will help with initiatives that “advance the breadth of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Other responsibilities include helping to lead meetings and managing a calendar for DEI-focused events.
Dr. Alade McKen, the Medical Center’s head DEI official, is prioritizing “the development of workshops and trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion for employees and collaborating with DEI officers at the medical center to establish mentorship programs and support systems for staff. These initiatives aim to shape the institutional culture and enhance employee satisfaction.”
McKen also “encourages employees to see the [Employee Resource Groups] as safe spaces that offer opportunities to collaborate and further employees’ professional development.”
The medical school’s Employee Resource Groups include groups for “LatinX” and “LGBTQ+” employees.
Promoting DEI has been a focus at Columbia for years. A 2018 report found that the school spent $185 million to promote “faculty diversity,” but that the tens of millions of dollars spent had almost no effect.
[RELATED: MSU awarding DEI scholarships for ‘inclusive excellence’]
Other universities also spend millions on DEI. In March, a report from Open The Books found that the University of Virginia spends $20 million each year on DEI positions.
On May 29, The Free Press wrote that Columbia uses a “Candidate Evaluation Tool” that values a candidate’s ability to promote DEI more than their teaching ability.
Campus Reform contacted Columbia University for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.
