Commitment to DEI Anti-Racism Mapping

University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and Anti-Racism

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Statement ▾
At the heart of the UMB mission is the improvement of the human condition. We strive to improve the human condition by addressing racism, breaking down oppressive systems, improving equitable access to higher education and employment, and creating an inclusive learning and work environment for all. We will continue to work to address systemic racism and break down barriers that prevent success, inclusion, and respect. Our four primary goals are to become a more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist institution.

Click to read the UMB's Commitment to DEI and Anti-Racism Statement.

Our Commitment in Action ▾
The Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism statement outlines the University's anti-racism and DEI commitments.

The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) has mapped below how some of those actions have been accomplished, how some have evolved, and where further action will be taken.

Appoint a Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2021: Dr. Diane Forbes Berthoud was hired as the inaugural Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President (CEDIO/VP).

Establish and fund an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion capable of contributing to the UMB's mission of continuing to create an environment where "[a]ll people at UMB thrive, belong, and contribute wholly to the mission, vision, and values of the institution." ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2022: The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion was funded and staffed starting in January 2022. The office staff are Wei Ming Dariotis, PhD, Assistant Vice President of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (AVP of OEDI); Reetta Gach, MS, MBA, Acting Program Director; and Katie Hughes, MA, Executive Assistant to the CEDIO/VP.

Spring 2022: The office developed OEDI's vision statement that "[a]ll people at UMB thrive, belong, and contribute wholly to the mission, vision, and values of the institution" and the mission statement that the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion "leads, builds capacity, and cultivates collection action to advance sustainable, system change, that promotes equity and justice in all dimensions of the mission and culture of UMB." OEDI's 2022 to 2026 strategic plan was developed in the same year.

 

Create an “Anti-Racism” tab on the University website where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives will be outlined.  ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2022: Spring of 2022, OEDI launched a website for the office, and a link to the page was added to the University's "About UMB" page. OEDI's website includes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Resources, which include names and titles of all the DEI Officers for the schools and Units across campus; DEI Events, DEI News; Letters to the UMB Community; information about the Diversity Advisory Council; Diversity Spotlight; Data Dashboard; Be JEDI Innovation Grant; and information about the Diversity Strategic Plan.

Publish an annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report to communicate progress and promote accountability. ▾

AccomplishedAccomplished

2022: OEDI completed the first phase of the University's first data dashboard that displays the state of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) for faculty and staff across all schools and administrative units and is a tool that makes UMB's EDI data more accessible and transparent.

2023: OEDI created a Reports website where UMB Cultural Diversity Reports and UMB DEI highlights can be accessed.

2023: OEDI prepared the UMB Spring 2023 Institutional Programs of Diversity Report for the University System of Maryland.

Create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion presidential leadership team or advisory board for the President. ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

Rather than duplicate the work of the DAC, this body was reorganized to better represent the campus.

March 2022: A Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) realignment team (DRT) was formed to provide recommendations to realign the Diversity Advisory Council with the new Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

August 2022: DAC members vote on recommendations made by DRT.

2022: Call for DAC nominations advertised

2023: New DAC established. DAC co-chair is VP/CDEI, who liaises between the DAC and UMB leadership.

 

Increase marketing efforts of how students and employees can report acts of discrimination to the Office of Accountability and Compliance. ▾

Opportunity for Improvement

2023: OEDI added a link to UMB Accountability and Compliance under “Resources” on the OEDI webpage. UMB's Accountability and Compliance website provides data on Bias and Discrimination reporting; nondiscrimination-related Policies and Procedures; the ability to file a report; and information for UMB's Title IX coordinators. 

Establish a University-wide team to develop a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan and deliverables. ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

Fall 2022: Formed a Diversity Strategic Plan (DSP) Core Leadership Committee and a Diversity Strategic Planning Committee to contribute to creating and developing UMB's first Diversity Strategic Plan.

Fall 2022: UMB DEI leadership participated in an assessment delivered by the Educational Advisory Board’s (EAB) Institutional Strategy Index for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, which helped UMB measure the state of DEIJ efforts on campus and prioritize future investments.

Fall/Winter 2022: Committee reviewed reports and data to establish DSP themes and formed workgroups.

Winter 2023: OEDI launched an interactive site on Konveio for DSP engagement and participation.

Spring 2023: Committee members led in-person and virtual listening sessions structured around professional identities (eg. staff, rank, student status) and personal identities (eg. race and gender). Roughly 160 people registered for sessions and there were approximately 40 sessions conducted over 3 months. In addition to the 40 sessions, Administration and Finance held separate listening sessions for facilities and operations staff. Approximately 200 employees attended 9 sessions.

Summer 2023: The diversity strategic plan draft was developed.

Create an anti-retaliation statement. ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

Fall 2015: UMB's anti-retaliation policy has been in effect since October 1, 2015. 

Conduct and publish an accurate history of UMB’s role and the ways that it benefited from structural racism. ▾

On Track

2023: The project is ongoing.

Provide fiscal support or sponsorship for the planning and implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

Spring 2023: The Be JEDI Innovation grant was launched in Spring 2023 to support DEI initiatives across campus. The first cohort was awarded $27,000 over three granted proposals.

Affinity Group Funding: OEDI also co-sponsors events like Pride and Juneteenth and funds affinity group events (Stonewall and Unidios).

Additional OEDI Anti-Racism Commitment Actions

DEI Data Dashboard ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2022/2023: The DEI Data Dashboards were launched in Spring 2023. These interactive dashboards provide detailed information about faculty and staff demographics over the past decade.

On Track

2023: Student data will be added to future dashboards, allowing for greater transparency and accountability.

Staff Experience Survey ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2022: A Staff Experience Survey was conducted in Fall of 2022.

2023: Data from this survey was communicated across campus in the Spring and Summer of 2023.

A series of follow-up staff surveys will be conducted, allowing for data to be viewed across time in order to provide a measure of change.

Faculty Experience Survey ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

2023: A Faculty Experience Survey was conducted in Spring 2023. Data from this survey will be communicated across campus in Summer and Fall 2023.

A series of follow-up faculty surveys will be conducted, allowing for data to be viewed across time in order to provide a measure of change.

Student Experience Survey ▾


Not Yet Started

2024: A Student Experience Survey will be conducted in Spring 2024. Data from this survey will be communicated across campus in Summer and Fall 2024.

A series of follow-up student surveys will be conducted, allowing for data to be viewed across time in order to provide a measure of change.

University Diversity Email ▾

Accomplished

Accomplished

Ongoing: A dedicated email address, diversity@umaryland.edu, is maintained as an open communication conduit.