University of Maryland, College Park
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

“The University of Maryland is committed to creating and maintaining an educational, working, and living environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. This Policy prohibits discrimination on grounds protected under Federal and Maryland law and Board of Regents policies. University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class. Retaliation against any individual who files a complaint or participates in an investigation under this Policy is strictly prohibited. In furtherance of the University’s commitment to equal opportunity, this Policy and associated procedures are established to address and remedy complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class.” Read more at: https://policies.umd.edu/assets/section-vi/VI-100B.pdf

The Office of Diversity & Inclusion Bias Incident Support Services (BISS) is charged with responding, educating, and reporting to the campus about hate-bias incidents. The program oversees bias reporting and response, the coordination of campus support services to individuals affected by hate-bias incidents, and prevention programming and efforts. Learn more at: https://diversity.umd.edu/bias

Response to Hate Bias Incidents (https://diversity.umd.edu/bias/response):
After receiving a bias incident report, BISS will support by having intake conversation(s) center on the impacted person and exploring options, offer outreach to support others impacted, and provide ongoing support and check-ins. Possible outcomes include 1-on-1 ongoing support, engaging with the person impacting others, engaging leaders to address systemic issues, and conflict resolution. BISS will also share information including daily website updates showing incident numbers and trends and bi-weekly response team meetings and monthly student advisory group meetings. As needed, BISS will refer to other reporting bodies including UMPD, the Office of Student Conduct, and the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct, and provide access to confidential resources including the Counseling Center and CARE to Stop Violence. BISS is not a sanctioning body and does not determine or implement consequences.

The Office of Civil Rights & Sexual Misconduct (OCRSM) administers UMD’s non-discrimination policies and works to foster a learning and working environment free from all forms of discrimination and harrassment, including sexual misconduct. The office administers all policies and procedures prohibiting and addressing discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, pyhsical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. Learn more at: https://ocrsm.umd.edu/

There are many offices and departments at the University of Maryland dedicated to recruiting and retaining students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented groups. Some examples include:

The Faculty Advancement at Maryland for Inclusive Learning and Excellence (FAMILE) program is a new faculty initiative to improve diversity by increasing the number of underrepresented tenured or tenure-track faculty at the university. The Assistant Professor Targeted Hire Program is a fixed non-base funding salary support program that provides funding for a period of five years for tenure-track Assistant Professor diversity hires. Before funding is available, departments are required to engage in a “readiness” assessment; ensure search committee members receive implicit bias training; and develop and submit a retention plan for recruited faculty. This program is supported by the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost and submissions for funding are submitted via the Office of Faculty Affairs. The FAMILE initiative was one of five commitments outlined by President Pines in his inaugural address. Learn more at: https://www.faculty.umd.edu/media/183/download

The ADVANCE program works to support the recruitment, retention, advancement and professional growth of a diverse faculty at the University of Maryland. The Office is supported through a campus-wide investment in faculty development and inclusive excellence by the Provost's Office, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Office of Research and all college deans. Visit https://www.advance.umd.edu/ to find a description of ADVANCE Professors, peer networks for faculty, access to the dashboard, research and evaluation and much more.

The Equity Council (https://diversity.umd.edu/our-team/equity-council) serves as an advisory group to the President and supports the longstanding and continuous goal of the University of Maryland to be a national leader in recruiting and retaining a diverse community of staff, faculty and students. The Council established "Equity Guidelines for Search and Selection" and continues to support programs, initiatives, and policies that promote the recruitment of staff and faculty from underrepresented groups. The Guidelines establishes the Equity Administrator role in all Search and Selection processes. Through authority vested by the Unit Head, Equity Administrators have final oversight on the Search and Selection Plans and Implementation which include writing job postings, sharing job postings among diverse groups, establishing diverse and equitable search committees, and monitoring the diversity of applicant pools. Specifically in terms of recruitment of broad and diverse pools of candidates, the Guidelines specify that search plans should include recruitment from professional associations that serve underrepresented groups, minority serving institutions, and disability caucuses. The Committee has created a variety of resources for hiring officials throughout UMD colleges and departments that discuss diversity, equity and inclusion in the hiring process. Other Presidential Committees that provide resources, oversight, and policy guidance on faculty, staff, and student recruitment and retention from underrepresented groups include the President's Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues and the President’s Commission on Women's Issues.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has created a multi-tiered strategy designed to impact students prior to the point of application through enrollment. The strategy includes: education about the college application process, recruitment, a holistic application review process, special program and merit scholarship review and selection, and yield efforts.

The Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion (OGDI) works closely with graduate programs to recruit “the best and brighter students to the vibrant campus graduate community, including those from historically underserved and underrepresented populations.” OGDI hosts a Diversity Recruitment Working Group Team and the Graduate Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board to promote diversity in graduate programs. The Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion participates in many events to recruit underrepresented and underserved students to graduate programs at UMD. OGDI works closely with UMD faculty and program coordinators in its recruitment efforts. Big Ten Academic Alliance recruitment events include ABRCMS, SACNAS, Big 10/Expo (GEM Consortium), and SROP Coordinators Conference. OGDI is a co-sponsor of the BSOS Summer Research Initiative and UMD's Annual National McNair Conference held each year in March through UMD's Academic Achievement Programs. Other recruitment initiatives include the Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) through Phillips Academy, the National Name Exchange, NSF's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program, and a pipeline infrastructure with McNair Programs, HBCU institutions, and The Universities at Shady Grove (USG). Learn more at: https://gradschool.umd.edu/node/4112 and https://gradschool.umd.edu/ogdi/graduate-diversity-initiatives

The A. James Clark School of Engineering offers two examples of offices that are specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups: the Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering (CMSE) and the Women in Engineering Program (WIE). Their missions are to recruit, retain, and graduate underrepresented minorities and female students in the engineering and science fields. Learn more at: https://eng.umd.edu/minorities and https://eng.umd.edu/women

UMD offers many Academic Achievement Programs that aim to recruit and retain low-income and first-generation students. Some program examples include: Intensive Educational Development program, Summer Transitional Program, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Center, and McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program.

The UMD Incentive Awards Program supports the recruitment of economically disadvantaged students from Baltimore City and Prince George's County. Learn more at: https://www.umincentiveawards.umd.edu/

The Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE) College Success Scholars program is aimed at retention of Black and Latino men. Learn more at: https://omse.umd.edu/

The Student Success Initiative at UMD “builds student-led programs that empower the Black student population at the University of Maryland, College Park academically, financially, and professionally.” Explore UMD’s SSI network at: https://www.ssiumd.org/

University Human Resources (UHR) supports the recruitment and retention of underrepresented staff and faculty populations through Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity. Learn more at: https://uhr.umd.edu/eeo/

There are many offices and departments at the University of Maryland dedicated to supporting students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented groups. Some examples include:

The Veteran Student Life Program offers a resources hub to serve veterans and military-connected students, staff, and faculty. The Program includes access to individual counseling, group counseling, financial management guidance, and Veterans Affairs (VA) advice. Learn more at: https://stamp.umd.edu/veteran_student_life

The Counseling Center is committed to providing culturally-sensitive services to the campus community and developing the multicultural capacities of its staff. They strive to provide services and programs that are inclusive and give voice to the varied experiences of students, staff, and faculty by providing a safe place to be heard, appreciated, and accepted. Staff members in the counseling service have expertise in providing therapy, campus outreach, and consultation that welcomes and celebrates human diversity. Visit: https://www.counseling.umd.edu/cs/diversity/

The Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) Office provides peer support, mentoring and other programs to promote culturally specific and cross-cultural collaboration and leadership experiences. MICA houses resources and positions, which continue to support and advocate for many of campus’ historically marginalized communities (e.g., Asian Pacific American,Black, Latina/o, Indigenous/American Indian, Multiracial, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender). In pursuit of its vision, the Center builds community and networks; provides support and resources; fosters leadership; educates and promotes academic excellence; and advocates for equity. Visit: https://stamp.umd.edu/multicultural_involvement_community_advocacy

The University’s LGBTQ+ Equity Center serves University of Maryland students, staff, faculty, and alumni of all gender identities and sexual orientations to establish and maintain a safe, inclusive, and welcoming campus environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities or expressions. The Center has developed programs to serve students, staff, faculty and alumni like the Rainbow Terrapin Network, Speakers Bureau, LGBT Scholarship Fund, Lavender Convocation, and Lavender Graduation. Learn more at: https://lgbtq.umd.edu/

The University of Maryland Nyumburu Cultural Center has served the UMD community since 1971 and continues to build on its foundations as the center for Black social, cultural and intellectual interaction. The Nyumburu Cultural Center assists the campus in its diversity programming for students’ of the African diaspora and students of other ethnicities; thereby, creating an environment of cultural pluralism. Nyumburu’s productions and activities include lectures and seminars, art exhibits, workshops in the dramatic arts, dance, and music. Academic courses in blues, jazz, gospel performance, Hip-hop, and creative writing are also offered. The Center has a large number of programs including: Nyumburu Leadership Series, Sisterhood of Unity and Love (SOUL), Black Male Initiative (BMI) Program, Annual New Student Welcome, Miss Unity Scholarship Pageant, Black History Month Programming, The Maryland Gospel Choir, Black Explosion Newspaper, Dance Afrika!, Literature Conference, Adopt-A-Road, Tribute to our Warriors, Graduation Seniors Ceremony, Annual Student Awards Ceremony, Kwanzaa Celebration, Shades of Harlem Performing Arts Ensemble, Student & Community Outreach to Campus Organizations, and Black Ministries Program (Sunday Inspirational Worship Service). Learn more at: http://www.nyumburu.umd.edu/index.html

The Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE) serves undergraduate multi-ethnic students to increase rates of matriculation, retention, graduation and overall GPA. OMSE provides programs and resources that support undergraduate students in their goals to achieve academic and personal success at the University of Maryland. While many of the students OMSE serves are high achievers, others experience academic and personal challenges that have an impact on their ability to thrive at the University. OMSE’s programs aim to increase rates of matriculation, retention, graduation among under-represented students. Currently, over 12,000 students are served. OMSE’S programs include the College Success Scholars, Sister to Sister, University Partners Program, and the Tutoring Program. Learn more at: https://omse.umd.edu/

The ADVANCE Program hosts the ADVANCING Faculty Diversity initiative, a year-long peer network that promotes the retention, advancement, agency, and professional growth of faculty of color. AFD is open to all full-time faculty and postdoctoral fellows that self-identify as people of color. This program brings together faculty to form a network designed to strengthen each other's career advancement and find a way to better attract and retain faculty of color. Learn more at: https://advance.umd.edu/node/117

The University Human Resources office provides programs to support students, staff, and faculty that provide care to children and elderly individuals (https://uhr.umd.edu/benefits/family-care/). UMD offers the Care@Work employee benefit, with the monthly premium fee paid for by the University and Backup Care subsidized by the University. UMD also hosts campus child care centers including the UMD Child Development Center (in partnership with Bright Horizons) and the Center for Young Children. UMD sponsors networks that support parents and guardians including the UMD Parents Group, the Students with Kids program, and the UMD Babysitters and Local Parents of Littles networks. In Fall 2020, President Pines convened the Caregiver Options Workgroup to continue to provide recommendations to ease challenges faced by working caregivers. As a result of this committee's efforts, a new position in UHR will serve as a program manager of family care resources.

Other Programs include: Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogues; University of Maryland Incentive Awards Program (IAP); and many more.

There are a number of programs at the University of Maryland that support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers in academia. Some examples include:

PROMISE: Maryland's Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) is a university-system wide effort to increase the number of minority students receiving doctoral degrees and entering the professoriate in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As one of PROMISE’s founding partners, the University of Maryland coordinates several programs and activities in collaboration with the other founding partners, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Learn more at: https://gradschool.umd.edu/promise

Created by the Graduate Deans of the Big Ten Academic Alliance, the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) encourages talented underrepresented undergraduates to pursue graduate study, and subsequently, academic careers. At UMD, many colleges offer summer research opportunities consistent with SROP's goal -- one example is the Summer Research Initiative in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The BSOS SRI is designed to encourage and enhance the diversity of scholars working in the social and behavioral science fields. The program was created in 1999 by the Office of the Dean in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and is supported by the Office of the Provost, the Graduate School, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the University of Maryland. The program specifically aims to increase knowledge of, and interest in, doctoral-level training in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences; provide junior and senior students opportunities to learn about graduate studies and the range of research and scholarship in the social, behavioral and economic science at UMD, provide laboratory experiences, lectures, workshops, didactic exchanges, and other programming to enhance student knowledge of graduate school applications and challenges while also exploring career paths including faculty positions. Learn more at: https://gradschool.umd.edu/summerresearch.

Another two examples of SROPs are the School of Public Health's Summer Training and Research (STAR) program and Aging, Diversity and Professional Development (ADAPT) program. The STAR program is designed to provide traditionally underrepresented and disadvantaged undergraduate students with two consecutive summers of a 10-week research training and career development program to enhance their potential to apply for and complete PhD degrees in biomedical and behavioral science relevant to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease. The ADAPT program provides underrepresented or disadvantaged University of Maryland College Park undergraduates with two years of research, ethics, and career development training for individuals who choose careers in biomedical/behavioral research related to aging. Both programs offer professional development opportunities in the second year, focusing on preparation for graduate school (testing, applying, selecting programs and advisors) and exploring research and academic careers.

The Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion (OGDI) recruits the best and brightest students to the vibrant campus graduate community, including those from historically underserved and underrepresented populations. OGDI also develops programs and initiatives to support, retain, and graduate these talented students, and fosters a strong inclusive community by providing opportunities for intellectual and social interaction. Specific programs include the Ronald E. McNair Graduate Fellowship, which invites outstanding McNair alumni from institutions around the country to UMD doctoral programs; the fee waiver program for graduate student participation in diversity preparatory programs; and many others. Visit https://gradschool.umd.edu/ogdi for more information.

The Consortium on Race, Gender and Ethnicity (CRGE) is a university-wide, interdisciplinary research organization and pedagogic/mentorship unit that collaborates with departments and colleges across the University of Maryland campus to promote faculty and graduate student development. It is dedicated to the promotion of intersectional scholarship examining the lived experiences of historically underrepresented minorities (URM) and dimensions of inequality; mentoring of intersectional and URM groups in the pipeline from undergraduate degrees through early career faculty; and fostering collaboration. CRGE's work seeks to identify effective and responsive practices to increase retention and promotion of URM faculty. Learn more at: https://crge.umd.edu/

The ADVANCE program works to support the recruitment, retention, advancement and professional growth of diverse faculty at the University of Maryland. The Office is supported through a campus-wide investment in faculty development and inclusive excellence by the Provost's Office, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Office of Research and all college deans. Visit https://www.advance.umd.edu/ to find a description of ADVANCE professors, peer networks for faculty, access to the dashboard, research and evaluation and much more.

Map of Gender Neutral Bathrooms:
https://maps.umd.edu/map/index.html?xmax=-76.93562059335545&xmin=-76.95103796934936&ymax=38.99374423112132&ymin=38.98352867265686&NoWelcome=True&MapView=Detailed&Layers=restroomG

Recognition by Campus Pride and Best Colleges as No. 1 college in the US for LGBT+ students: https://today.umd.edu/articles/maryland-named-no-1-college-us-lgbtq-students-9a3c0954-dc5d-4a23-809b-31706ec10c9a
Maryland is one of 15 Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success in the nation and received a generous grant through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to further address the academic, financial, physical and social needs of student Veterans on campus through the U.S. Department of Education.
https://stamp.umd.edu/engagement/veteran_student_life/about_veteran_student_life