Cultivating a Diverse Campus

Learn about the most recent efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate admissions and the Wolverine Pathways program in encouraging diversity and success at U-M.

University Action Items

University action items focused on recruitment and retention are designed to bolster and extend the work of all units by introducing effective programs and procedures aimed at recruiting, retaining and supporting a diverse campus community.

Featured Recruitment & Retention Action Items

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Faculty Training and Mentorship Resources

UM-Ann Arbor continued to collaborate with the university’s Dearborn and Flint campuses in sponsoring a system-wide membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD).
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Go Blue Guarantee

In Fall 2020, 1,428 current students were eligible for the Go Blue Guarantee and collectively received $20.5 million in institutional and federal support for that term.
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First-Generation Student Support

Year Five was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, programming continued as usual through virtual formats, and two new projects were launched.
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Campus Spotlights

Our campus spotlights share stories of progress in recruitment and retention efforts from among the 50 unit DEI Strategic Plans.

Featured Recruitment & Retention Spotlights

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A diverse group of women having a discussion in a hallway

U-M ADVANCE Program

Studies Analyzing Faculty Departure and Retention

In Year Five, the U-M ADVANCE Program conducted research to help the university better understand faculty concerns and improve overall retention rates. Our interview studies pinpoints and describes key factors that influence faculty departure. These factors include unit climate, research support and resources, opportunities for mentoring and leadership and family needs. See the report executive summary or or see this synopsis. Focus groups including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) faculty additionally point to issues such as high levels of service, including so-called “invisible” service, challenges navigating perceived  racism on campus and pressure to secure an outside offer. Moving forward, ADVANCE will continue to take advantage of other opportunities to address climate, such as through its RISE Committee, various workshops, an ongoing collaboration with the CRLT Players and partnerships with schools and colleges.

A winter knit hat with the CEO logo on a desk

Center for Educational Outreach

Development of Technology Infrastructure

In Year Five, amidst the global pandemic, the Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) partnered with the Center for Academic Innovation (CAI), ITS, Children on Campus and the University Outreach Council. The goal was to sustain outreach efforts by CEO and University Outreach Council members in support of underserved K-12 students and educators in the state. CEO also increased its technical infrastructure to bolster virtual and hybrid initiatives by designing and creating sustainable virtual and digital companions. These included the launch of three CEO pilot programs (Ecoach, Gradecraft and Virtual Wolverine Express) in conjunction with CAI to increase impact statewide. In the year ahead, plans call for expanding the Explore Canvas Catalog and providing continued support for any new requirements of the Children on Campus policy.

Two people having a conversation on the Diag in front of West Hall

College of Literature, Sciences & the Arts

Faculty Recruitment Efforts in LSA

LSA’s faculty initiatives include its Collegiate Fellows program, which aims to recruit and retain 50 exceptional early-career scholars in all liberal arts fields with a sustained commitment to building an inclusive and diverse intellectual community. Since 2017, the College has successfully recruited 37 Collegiate Fellows (from a total of 3,296 applications) to 22 different departments in all three divisions of Humanities, Natural Science and Social Science. All selected Fellows are evaluated for tenure-track positions in LSA departments. To date, a total of 35 Fellows have entered or will enter the tenure track based on accepted offers (a 95% transition success rate). To complement Fellows’ departmental mentoring plans, the National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) continues to provide professional development offerings to support successful pathways to tenure for early-career scholars with DEI commitments, create a sense of community within and across cohorts, build professional networks and connect Fellows with relevant U-M resources.