What has changed?

Accessibility in instruction: All UMSI classes use lecture capture and other means to provide more accessible course materials.

Course syllabus content: All UMSI syllabi are required to include content on available accommodations and information on mental health resources.

Inclusive teaching liaison: UMSI assigns a faculty member to serve as the UMSI Inclusive Teaching Liaison to the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching.

Student success program: Student success programming and support (including tutoring, workshops and more) was created to support the diverse needs of learners.

Gender-inclusive restroom: UMSI converted a restroom into a gender-inclusive restroom.

Meditation room: UMSI led development of a meditation room in North Quad for community members to use for reflection, prayer or meditation.

Adult-capable changing station: UMSI Facilities advocated successfully for a changing station to support adults with disabilities in a restroom near the event and meeting room, Space 2435.

ADA compliance: UMSI Facilities worked closely with UM Interior Design to ensure Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements were met or exceeded with UMSI renovations and office moves.

Computing practices: Digital accessibility is now a key criteria when acquiring new products, including provisions for rendering on multiple screen sizes and supporting assistive technologies. When faced with entire product segments with weak accessibility support, UMSI works with central ITS services to best support our users.

Accessible event planning: UMSI staff developed and follow a best practice guide for accessible events.

UMSI website and communications: UMSI improved accessibility across various communications platforms including testing and improving accessibility of the UMSI website, ensuring that photos on UMSI social media and other platforms are accompanied by effective alt text, and use of informative hyperlinks to better serve experienced, high-speed screen reader users.

Gender-inclusive applications for admission: With input from community members, UMSI admissions advanced gender-inclusion in language and choices in UMSI admissions applications and advocated for similar changes for the PhD application handled by Rackham Graduate School. A key change is ensuring a person's name in use is in all communications and is the visible name in the application review process.

GRE removed: The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) policy was changed, removing the GRE standardized test as part of the application and decision making for all graduate level programs. This resulted in a substantial increase in applications from students of color as well as first generation college students and lower socioeconomic status students.

Mitigating bias: UMSI developed and continues practices for mitigating bias in admissions and scholarship reviews in all programs. This includes training with returning and new staff reviewers and faculty who participate in the scholarship decision process.

Admissions data: To support accountability and transparency, a Tableau dashboard with demographic enrollment and admissions data was created. The admissions team shares a 5-year comparative report with the DEI committee and academic program committees annually.

Transfer credit policy: UMSI was first at UM to accept all college level transfer credit when we launched the BSI External Transfer Program.

Faculty hiring: All faculty serving on search committees complete the ADVANCE Office STRIDE training aimed at reducing bias in faculty hiring; many suggested strategies are now included in our process.

Staff hiring: UMSI HR staff and unit managers completed training to reduce bias in staff hiring and the hiring process incorporates anti-bias measures at every stage.

Onboarding: New faculty are supported with launch committees, a faculty orientation, and are assigned a faculty mentor. All new staff participate in onboarding meetings over several weeks to help orient them to the school.

Exit interviews: UMSI Human Resources conducts exit interviews with all employees who leave UMSI.

DEI mini-grants: UMSI offers mini-grants to faculty, staff and students for DEI-related programs, speakers, training and/or conference attendance. While UMSI has provided DEI funding since 2013, during the five-year DEI plan (2016-2021), we allocated over $50,000 in support of 92 requests, ranging from $100 to $5,000.

Student emergency funding: Student emergency funding was increased and expanded to meet a wider range of needs for unexpected challenges.

Student laptop program: A new laptop program was created, providing a free laptop to students entering UMSI who meet specified financial need criteria.

Free tutoring: Available to all students, a new, free tutoring program was established focusing on Programming classes.

Home office support: During the pandemic, UMSI Faculty set up a fund that provided $500 to each UMSI staff member to help with home office expenses.

DEI fund: A new DEI Fund was established in 2021. Forty-six individual donations were received in 2021-22 resulting in nearly $20,000 in available resources to support school DEI efforts.

DEI scholarships: Donors Roger and Carin Ehrenberg established UMSI’s first DEI focused scholarship in 2016 and an Internship Fund to support equitable access to unpaid internships in 2022.

DEI Consultations: The assistant dean for DEI and the Director of inclusion, equity and outreach provided confidential consultation, conflict resolution support and referral to campus resources and reporting options for students, faculty, and staff related to DEI related issues and concerns.

Conflict Resolution Training: The UM Office of Student Conflict Resolution has regularly provided conflict resolution workshops for students engaged in group project based courses and community based group project work.

Reporting Information Redesign: In 2021 our DEI GSSA conducted campus benchmarking and interviews with students to inform a redesign of the information on our website to provide greater clarity and transparency around support, consultation and reporting for climate concerns.

Learn more about reporting & feedback

Embedded CAPS counselor: UMSI added a full time Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor to support student mental health. The counselor provides individual counseling and group workshops to UMSI students and provides consultation to faculty and staff regarding support for students in distress.

Student Wellness: UMSI Student Life formalized student wellness support including programs, events, and information on wellness practices and campus resources.

M-Healthy Champion: A UMSI staff member serves as our M-Healthy Champion as part of their job responsibilities. Serving as a liaison to M-Healthy, they share information and resources and have arranged for presentations and health and well-being focused activities for staff and faculty.

Mental Health First Aid Training: During the COVID-19 pandemic, UMSI organized an effort for multiple faculty and staff members to complete an online course in “Psychological First-Aid” to increase the availability of helpers in our community.

Flexible & Hybrid Schedules for Staff: UMSI continued and has enhanced options for flexible and hybrid schedules for staff while providing full access to facilities and services on campus.

DEI in Faculty Activity Review (FAR): DEI-related professional activity was added as a component in the annual accounting of faculty activity and annual goal setting. Faculty DEI efforts are addressed in annual evaluation letters sent by the Dean.

DEI in staff performance reviews:
DEI-related professional development was added to the staff performance review and goal setting document. This includes individual and/or unit/team goals, as well as professional development goals.

Faculty mentorship and promotion review: Strategies that support equity have been incorporated into practices with faculty mentorship, the promotion, and tenure review process, and in promotion and review meetings.