The University of Cincinnati is combating the under-representation of women and people of color through the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) and the Affirmative Action Plan (AAP).

To ensure equal opportunity for all persons, the OEO collected data in September 2010 to determine the university’s commitment to diversity, and how UC statistically compares to the largest academic institutions in Ohio — the information presented to the Board of Trustees.

“The reports summarize the progress the university is making to achieve the goals established in the Affirmative Action Plan,” said George Wharton, director of OEO. “While the university has not yet met all of the goals under the Affirmative Action Plan, we are making progress to increase the representation of women, African Americans and people of color in faculty and executive positions.”

In management, black people fill 7.9 percent of senior executive positions, 10.6 percent of senior administrator positions and 12.7 percent of managing or supervisor positions.

“Currently, only five African-Americans are in executive positions,” Wharton said. “We have room for improvement there.”

Women in management hold a higher proportion of the total workforce with 41.3 percent holding positions as senior executives, 65.1 percent as senior managers and 66.7 percent in a managerial or
supervisorial position.

People of color — Asians, Hispanics, American Indians and African Americans — hold 12.7 percent of senior executive positions, 20.3 percent of senior managerial positions and 15.7 percent managerial and supervisorial positions.

“We are making progress on our goals in the Affirmative Action Plan in many areas but we can do better,” Wharton said.

In comparison with Kent State University and The Ohio State University, UC stacked up adequately against other state institutions.

Out of a total faculty workforce of 2,303, UC employs 949 women and 618 people of color. Kent State University employs 272 women and people of color out of a total workforce of 1,252. OSU’s workforce of 27,263 is comprised of 16,913 women and 876 people of color.

“I feel that we are moving in the right direction but we are not moving as fast in the Midwest as institutions on the East coast or the West Coast are,” Trustee Stanley Chesley said.