Elizabeth A. "Beta" Mannix, the Ann Whitney Olin Professor of Management at Cornell's Johnson School and the Robert S. Harrison Director of Cornell's Institute for the Social Sciences, has been named the university's vice provost for equity and inclusion, effective July 15.

"We are delighted that Beta Mannix will be Cornell's new vice provost for equity and inclusion," said Provost Carolyn "Biddy" Martin. "Her appointment to this vital post will help us do what is necessary to enhance the diversity of our administration, faculty, staff and students."

"I am eager to build on the foundational work of recent years and work with others across the university to design and implement a plan to achieve our diversity goals," Mannix said.

The vice provost for equity and inclusion is a one-year appointment that serves as a transition from the former position of vice provost for diversity and faculty development to the future vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer at Cornell. Former Vice Provost for Diversity and Faculty Development Robert L. Harris has returned to the faculty to resume his duties as professor of Africana studies. The university is conducting a search for the vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer position.

"In this role as vice provost of equity and inclusion, Beta Mannix will oversee programs associated with many of our diversity initiatives, including the faculty summer institute for diversity and the Breaking Bread program," added Deputy Provost David Harris. "She will also serve as co-chair of the University Diversity Committee Working Group and as the provost's representative on the ADVANCE project."

The Cornell ADVANCE project is dedicated to increasing the number of women faculty members in science and engineering.

Mannix, an expert in leadership training, focuses her research on such areas as organizational diversity, the effects of diversity on group performance, effective performance in management teams, and organizational change. In her new role, she will work to develop and implement initiatives consistent with Cornell's diversity goals to ensure that faculty, staff and students have access to the knowledge and conceptual frameworks required to think critically about human diversity and to further Cornell's commitment to embrace and support individuals from every race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, class, disability and nationality.

For more information about diversity issues at Cornell, visit: http://www.cornell.edu/diversity/.