Here are some highlights from our DEI Strategic Plan that reflect our ongoing work to become a more diverse and welcoming community.
Recruitment for an Intellectually and Culturally Diverse Community
Bridging Master's Programs
Our Bridging Master's Programs are intended to broaden access and participation in STEM doctoral pathways. Program participants are Rackham Merit Fellowship (RMF) -eligible students who are provided intensive academic, research, and mentoring resources to support their interest and efficacy in pursuing PhD study.
Collegiate Fellows Program
LSA has successfully recruited 37 Collegiate Fellows over 4 years, with more than 3,000 received applications to date. We have recruited fellows in all three divisions of the humanities, natural science, and social science. The Collegiate Fellows are top scholars in their fields who have also demonstrated a track record of accomplishments in DEI. The majority of fellows have moved into tenure-track faculty positions.
Hired-In
This training was redesigned to focus exclusively on the risks of bias impacting the search and hiring process for staff, as well as strategies to reduce this risk of bias at every stage of the hiring process.
Retention and Building Upon a More Inclusive Community
Inclusive Campus Collaborative
The Inclusive Campus Collaborative seeks to foster a campus climate in which all members of the University of Michigan community feel respected, valued, and empowered to engage in the life of the university. Serving as powerful allies to students and colleagues affected by all forms of bias, racism, and structural inequality.
Kessler Scholars Program
The Kessler Scholars Collaborative builds upon our success welcoming low-income, first-generation college students to U-M with an expansion to five other colleges and university campuses. We also expanded the cohort model at U-M with the addition of the U.P. Scholars, which supports incoming students from Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
LSA Staff Inclusive Acts Recognition Program
The LSA Staff Inclusive Acts Recognition Program celebrates acts in the LSA community that promote camaraderie and a sense of belonging. It was relaunched this year in a digital format that allows for increased engagement and more detailed information about the specific acts being recognized.
LSA Transfer Student Center
The Transfer Student Center connects transfers to the university community and provides tools and resources to achieve their goals at Michigan and beyond. This is a specific effort to recruit, retain, and support transfer students, especially veterans, international students, and those entering from community colleges.
DEI in Education, Research/Scholarship, and Professional Development
Inclusive Teaching Website
The Inclusive Teaching Website, developed by the LSA Committee on Inclusive Pedagogies, includes curated materials to help instructors and staff think about the creation of intentionally inclusive syllabi, pedagogy, and course content. It includes classroom exercises, videos from faculty and students, recommended readings, and more to help build capacity to create inclusive classroom spaces. Special pages highlight resources for online, STEM, and large courses.
Intergroup Relations
Intergroup Relations (IGR), with support from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI), offered a series of workshops, “Building a Dialogic Community: Skills for Faculty and Staff,” in Fall 2019. The series engaged 111 attendees, including faculty, staff, and administrators, across 33 units and seven schools and colleges.
Science Learning Center
The Science Learning Center (SLC) received a $5,000 grant from the Center for Academic Innovation to create new DEI modules for student workers. They assessed best practices across peer institutions, piloted new training workshops, participated in Disability Awareness and Etiquette training, and established a DEI Advisory Committee to advise on the new training program.
