Where Can I Find Help?
All of the members of our committee are here to help you, whether you are dealing with possible harassment or bullying, a conflict with a co-worker or advisor, difficult inter-personal situations, or are just looking for help finding the correct resources to mitigate stress or conflict. We strive to listen compassionately and without judgment and help you find the solutions that work best for you. You can email any one of us to arrange a time to talk, or find us in our offices.
However, we also want you to know that you have many resources besides the Climate and Diversity Committee. Below we have highlighted a list of University resources that you may wish to access for a range of problems that you may encounter. Please feel free to ask any one of us for more information about them if you are unsure and we will be happy to assist you in finding the right place to go.
Confidential resources
Boynton Mental Health Services - provides individual and couples therapy, medication assessment and management, social work assistance, urgent/crisis consultation, eating disorder services, chemical health assessment and treatment, group therapy, ADD/ADHD treatment.
Student Conflict Resolution Center - offers informal and formal conflict resolution services to resolve students' university-based problems and concerns. An ombudsman provides confidential, neutral and informal options. An advocate is available to assist students in formal grievance or disciplinary proceedings.
Advising Information - for graduate and professional students is also found on the SCRC website. The first two files are particularly useful: Success and Preparing for a difficult conversation
Student Counseling Services - promotes student success through individual and group counseling, classes, workshops, and presentations, and consultation to faculty, staff, and students. Our services address a wide range of issues impacting student success, including mental health and life concerns, learning and academic skills challenges, career uncertainty, and faculty/staff-student communication.
Aurora Center - a safe and confidential space for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and family members or friends affiliated with the University of Minnesota, TC or Augsburg College who are victims/survivors/concerned people of sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking.
U Report - an anonymous way to report activities that may be violations of the University's policies or other laws, rules and regulations.
Diversity and discrimination
Disability Resource Center - works in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University to eliminate or minimize barriers and facilitate inclusion on campus, including implementing accommodations in work and academics to improve accessibility.
Office for Equity and Diversity - Mission: Leverage the transformative power of equity and diversity to advance excellence in teaching, research and community engagement at the University of Minnesota.
Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action - EOAA investigates complaints about discrimination; harassment, including sexual harassment; sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence; nepotism; and retaliation. EOAA provides educational programming on issues related to discrimination, harassment, sexual violence, bullying, religious discrimination, and the hiring process. EOAA also is responsible for recommending changes and making revisions to relevant University policies and procedures. Commonly asked questions about confidentiality, obligation to report, and EOAA investigations are answered here.
Student Counseling Services - Affinity Groups - these groups offer an opportunity for students who share a specific identity to come together to discuss their lived experiences and build community. Current affinity groups include:
BAAAM! - Black, African American, African Meeting space
DACA and Undocumented Student Affinity Group
Mixed/Multiracial Connections
Affinity Group for Asian/Asian American Students
Pláticas: Latinx Connection Space
Physics and Astronomy Student Organizations
Women and Gender Minorities in Physics and Astronomy (W+iPA) (wipa@umn.edu) - W+iPA was established to raise awareness throughout the entire school of not only the important contributions women and gender minorities have made and continue to make in physics and astronomy, but also about the various mechanisms that make it difficult for them to make those contributions. Planned activities raise the visibility of women and gender minorities within the school and encourage interactions amongst graduate students, faculty and/or research associates. A major goal is to encourage a respectful climate for women in the school. Website: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/wipaumn
GradPhi (spa-gradphi@umn.edu) - Our goals are to create a sense of collegiality among Physics and Astronomy graduate students and provide informal mentoring for the incoming graduate students. We also provide a forum through which the graduate student community can select representatives to committees which require graduate student representation, such as the colloquium committee, graduate studies committee, and COGS (Council of Graduate Students). Website: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/gradphi/home
Society of Physics Students (umnsps@gmail.com) - We are a group of undergraduate students interested in physics. We are located in PAN 364, which is a great place to hang out, get help on homework, or advice about life in general.
Undergraduate WIPA - An undergraduate group dedicated to advancing the interests of women and gender minorities in physics and astronomy. Email Stella Christensen at chri5144@umn.edu for info.
University-wide Organizations/Resources
The National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (NCFDD) offers some great resources on time management, how to prioritize amongst all the things that need to get done, and how to connect with peers and mentors. The resources are especially helpful for members of underrepresented communities (there are resources on topics like navigating an environment where most people are from a different demographic from you) but they are not limited to that target audience. Any graduate student, postdoc, researcher, and faculty member in the School of Physics and Astronomy would likely find these resources useful. In particular, graduate students working on their dissertations or scientific papers have found the emphasis on daily writing practices to be influential, and new faculty have found the advice on balancing research, teaching, and services responsibilities to be helpful.
UMN has an institutional membership to the NCFDD that provides free access for students and employees (more information here). Tenure-track faculty interested in the NCFDD’s Faculty Success Program are encouraged to contact the School and the College about institutional financial support for this; see this link for more information.
University of Minnesota Resources for Creating an Inclusive Environment and Reducing Barriers for Employees and Other University Members A catch-all document with links to resources for aquiring accomodations for disabilities and religious practices/observances, as well as resources for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and finding gender-inclusive campus spaces.
CSE Organizations