If you want to see what an institution values, follow the money. The departments and plans that a university invests in often reflect what it cares about.
So it stands to reason that the University of Michigan makes diversity, equity, and inclusion work part of its annual budget meetings. It puts the work front and center, says Robert Sellers, vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer.
“There is no other institutional ritual, for lack of a better word, that every single unit has to go through that is as consequential,” Sellers says. “It makes it very clear that this is something that is extremely important and needs to be on the leaders’ radar.”
During meetings with deans and administrators, departments are evaluated on recruiting, retaining, and developing a diverse community, alongside other annual benchmarks.The tactic is part of the university’s five-year strategic DEI plan, rolled out in 2016. Action items for each department are different, but the goal is uniform: Create a more equitable climate and culture at the University of Michigan.
Read the full article at The Chronicle of Higher Education.
