Faculty at the University of Michigan (U-M) have historically made significant contributions to excellence through their commitments to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). These contributions have been made through excellence in scholarly inquiry related to DEI, inclusive teaching and mentoring, as well as impactful service and engagement that has provided greater access and opportunity.
The U-M University Diversity & Social Transformation Professorship (UDSTP) both pays tribute to and builds upon the University’s legacy of faculty commitment to, and achievement in, DEI. This professorship was established to honor senior faculty who have throughout their careers demonstrated a commitment to the University’s ideals of DEI through their scholarship, teaching, and/or service and engagement. Like other U-M professorships such as the Thurnau, Collegiate, and Distinguished University Professorships, the University Diversity & Social Transformation Professorships will be reserved for only the highest level of achievement.
It is envisioned that the UDSTP will be used in two ways:
- to acknowledge outstanding senior U-M faculty who have been deemed to have made significant contributions to DEI at the University of Michigan and/or beyond, and
- to recruit outstanding senior faculty from other institutions who have been deemed to have made significant contributions to DEI at other institution(s) and/or beyond.
The University Diversity and Social Transformation Professorships are sponsored by the Office of the Provost, and jointly administered by the U-M National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) and the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI).
Professorship Features
Award for Research and Professional Development. Faculty members appointed as University Diversity & Social Transformation Professors will hold this title for the duration of their appointment at the University of Michigan. The Provost’s Office will award each University Diversity & Social Transformation Professor $20,000 per year for their first five years as a UDST professor. These funds may be used to support a range of activities related to their scholarly and professional work.
NCID Faculty Fellow Status. During the initial five-year UDST professorship appointment, awardees will be appointed as faculty fellows at NCID. In their roles as NCID faculty fellows, they will interact with other UDST professors, other NCID faculty fellows, postdoctoral scholars, and students via structured (e.g., brown bags, workshops) and unstructured/informal activities designed to foment community and collaboration.
They will spend at least one semester as a faculty fellow in-residence (see below) at NCID, during which they will have no other teaching and administrative responsibilities at the University. As an NCID faculty fellow in-residence, they will be asked to articulate a set of goals related to their own scholarship, teaching, and/or service engagement that they plan to accomplish during that term. They also will have access to NCID’s administrative infrastructure and other center resources to support their activities as an NCID faculty fellow in-residence.
NCID Faculty Fellow-in-Residence. To support the faculty members’ award, including additional scholarly engagement and leadership related to their roles as UDST professors and NCID faculty fellows, the school/college submitting the nomination is expected to provide a semester leave from teaching and administrative duties (equal to 50% of required annual teaching effort) within their first two years of the UDST Professorship. This contribution should be in addition to any accrued sabbatical leave, administrative leave, and course release provided as a part of the faculty hiring and negotiation process typical to the school/college unit.
Questions?
Please email udstp-info@umich.edu.