Christopher Manning, vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer (CIDO), announced on Nov. 29 he would be leaving USC next semester.
Manning was the first to hold this position at USC when he joined President Carol Folt’s leadership team on March 1, 2021.
“As our first CIDO, Dr. Manning has worked to establish a new Diversity and Inclusion Council at USC, per the recommendation of the REDI Task Force, including subcommittees for staff, faculty, students, health systems, and more,” Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew Guzman and Senior Vice President of Human Resources Felicia A. Washington said in a joint email. “Through his leadership, USC recently launched a workshop effort to support hiring committees to be more inclusive in their searches for faculty candidates.”
While at USC, Manning was responsible for the development of restorative justice practices as well as the partnership to produce an annual minority-serving institutions graduate and professional school conference.
Before joining the USC faculty, Manning was an assistant and associate provost for academic diversity for almost five years at Loyola University Chicago.
Manning will leave USC Feb. 2 to take on the role of vice president for student affairs and campus diversity at San Diego State University, where he previously served as the American Council on Education (ACE) leadership fellow.
“Dr. Manning is highly regarded nationwide for developing programs and initiatives that change and improve lives,” SDSU President Adela de la Torre said in a statement. “Also, given his earlier time with SDSU, he already knows our environment, our strategic priorities, our mission and our success story very well. He also knows where we need to make important progress in support of our students, faculty and staff.”
At SDSU, Manning will collaborate closely with the University Senate and Associated Students to help guarantee the essential components of their strategic endeavors and decision-making processes revolve around the voices and interests of students, faculty and staff.
“SDSU’s deeply held commitment to student success, innovative diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging infrastructure, and expansive vision makes it one of the most exciting places to be in American higher education,” Manning said in the statement. “I am thrilled to join President de La Torre’s team and eager to serve the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity as we expand our impact as America’s public transborder university.”
Guzman and Washington said USC’s diversity and inclusion efforts would continue following Manning’s departure.
“We will develop a plan to keep the work moving forward and find ways to keep the community informed,” they said.