Campus Climate

What's Inside

• Message from Chancellor Black
• Organizational Structure
  • Leadership Team
  • Campus Change Team
  • Unit Change Team
• Model for Change
• Strategic Plan Goal 2
• Strategies and Actions
• Definitions of Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice
• Climate Surveys
• Campus Events and Programs
• Related UMD Offices and Programs
• Related UMD Student Organizations
• State and National Resources
• Reference Materials
• How to Report Incidents that Undermine and Degrade the Campus Climate
• Contact Us

• Office of the Chancellor Home

Message from Chancellor Black

April 2012

Welcome to the Campus Climate Web Page,

Twenty months ago, I announced a major campus initiative to create an inclusive campus climate for all who learn and work at UMD. I also launched a comprehensive strategic planning process that culminated in the adoption of UMD’s Strategic Plan in May 2011. These two efforts align and intersect in Goal #2 of the Strategic Plan: “Create a positive and inclusive campus climate for all by advancing equity, diversity, and social justice.”

I would like to recognize the extraordinary commitment by many students, staff, and faculty who took the words of Goal #2 and transformed them into actions. Because of their hard work, the UMD community has realized many accomplishments fostered by Goal #2 of which to be proud. These achievements have been developed and implemented by the various change teams and include:

• Putting in place an institutional infrastructure to support and sustain campus climate change. The infrastructure includes creating the Campus Change Team, Leadership Team, and 18 Unit Change teams.
• Increasing numbers of students, faculty, and staff engaged in changing the campus climate. Nearly 300 individuals serve on the various change teams.
• Establishing a Multicultural Living Learning Program in residence halls for new freshman students during 2011-12.
• Initiating a campus-wide effort to integrate equity, diversity and social justice into the curriculum across disciplines. A website has been created to provide print and electronic resources, as well as materials from UMD colleagues and from other campuses to create an inclusive classroom climate.
• Engaging the UMD community in a growing number of workshops to increase awareness and skills related to equity and diversity.
• Sponsoring a Train the Trainer workshop in May 2011 to provide diversity and equity awareness and concrete training tools for UMD staff to use in training and orientation programs. These skills are applied to training RAs in the residence halls, UMD Seminar faculty, new faculty, Rec Sports students, and staff in Athletics.
• Collaborating with other community partners on United Way’s Delegation on Educational Outcomes to narrow the achievement gap of students of color.
• Assessing the campus climate by conducting student focus groups and developing comprehensive climate surveys.
• Co-sponsoring a workshop with the College of St. Scholastica on Promising Practices to Recruit and Hire a More Culturally Competent, Racially Diverse Faculty and Staff.
• Creating an Intercultural Leadership Proficiency development program in which thirty campus administrators are engaged.
• Creating this Campus Climate webpage that provides numerous links about this important campus initiative.

A most recent effort is UMD’s partnership with other Duluth community organizations to support and provide leadership to the UnFair Campaign, a major anti-racism effort focusing on the role white people can play in addressing racial disparities. Developed in Duluth, the UnFair Campaign strives to raise awareness about white privilege in our community, provide resources for understanding and action, and facilitate dialogue and partnership that result in fundamental, systemic change towards racial justice. UMD is sponsoring a variety of activities as part of the campaign. For information about the initiative and for a list of events taking place at UMD and in the greater community, please visit: http://unfaircampaign.org.

People have taken notice of our work for equity, diversity, and social justice. Last November, UMD received the 2011 Equity and Diversity Outstanding Unit Award from the University of Minnesota’s Office of Equity and Diversity, located on the Twin Cities campus.

Advancing equity, diversity, and social justice requires persistence and long-term difficult work at all levels of our campus community. Remember, “Equity and diversity efforts must be led not only by people with formal authority, but also by faculty, staff, students, and administrators at every level of operation and responsibility.” (Reimagining Equity and Diversity: A Framework for Transforming the University of Minnesota)

Thank you for your commitment and ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive campus. I am committed to staying the course and to working with you and the UMD campus community to reach our goals.

Your ideas, comments and feedback are welcome at uchange@d.umn.edu

Chancellor Lendley "Lynn" Black