Respect, Integrity, Innovation. Openness, justice, responsibility. UVM VT US.

UVM continues to make real institutional and strategic progress in its committment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  The University's comprehensive Framework for Building a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Multiculturally Competent Campus is organized by four pillars each with its own strategies and priorities that further support our vision in achieving inclusive excellence at UVM.

Academics

students working on a project

Academics Pillar

Central to the mission and strategic goals of the University of Vermont is excellence in the academic experience to help prepare members of our community to be globally responsible and engaged citizens, advance knowledge, and build critical thinking and problem solving skills. 

In addition, steps are being taken, currently, to review and assess the Diversity General Education requirement at UVM.  The Chair of the Faculty Senate’s Diversity Curriculum Review Committee has the following goals for this current academic year:

• To simplify and reduce the General Education Diversity outcomes from 14 to 4
• To initiate a review of all D1 courses on a 5-year schedule

The Faculty Senate’s General Education Diversity Assessment Committee, in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Research and the University Assessment Initiative, completed an initial assessment of a sample of D1 courses this past spring using student focus groups led by trained student facilitators, as part of the University Assessment Initiative.

This year the Faculty Senate’s General Education Diversity Assessment Committee is undertaking an assessment of a sample of D1 courses using direct evidence: pre-post changes in student performance artifacts as determined by blinded faculty raters. This project is funded by the Office of the Provost and will receive assistance from the University Assessment Initiative and the Office of Institutional Research.

As part of the University Assessment Initiative, the Faculty Senate’s General Education Diversity Assessment Committee must develop and implement a sustainable long-term assessment plan by the end of next year. The Committee chairs report progress each semester, and at two retreats each year.

A new General Education website is under construction to make clear to all constituencies the General Education outcomes, transfer credit processes, assessment processes, etc. This will apply to the Diversity requirement as well as the other three General Education requirements. This website is expected later this fall.

 

 

Community

Community Pillar

The University of Vermont aspires to be a community that affirms and demonstrates the value of the diverse identities and backgrounds of its members, promotes multicultural competence, and builds positive and productive connections throughout the community.  

1. Senior Leadership Diversity Training – Biannual Leadership Professional Development workshops for all senior leaders, including all deans and vice presidents, offered through the Office of Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

2.  New Faculty Orientation. A two-day event mandatory for all incoming faculty. Topics include:

  • Inclusive Excellence at UVM. The Vice President for Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs provides an historical overview of diversity efforts at UVM
  • ​Diversity, Engagement and Professional Development Panel and Roundtable.  Representatives from the Office of Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs and Office of Affirmative Action, and directors of LGBTQA Center, The Mosaic Center for Students of Color, and Women’s Center provide an overview of the services and assistance available to faculty.

3.  Blackboard Jungle Symposium. Annual day and a half symposium with invited speakers, panel discussions, and workshops that includes students in a community learning opportunity with faculty and staff open to the faculty, staff and students:
“designed to support UVM faculty, staff, and all others seeking to develop skills, knowledge, and a deeper understanding of diversity that supports excellence in teaching, service, and research. The symposium sessions are dedicated to creating “open spaces” where all members of our community can participate in authentic dialogue, valued reflection, and expanded learning to promote inclusive excellence for all.”

4.  Faculty Development Series – offers workshops on, among other topics, engaging students and reducing resistance in the diversity classroom.

5.  Administrative units (such as Student Affairs) hold mandatory professional development sessions that encompass a breadth of social identities and the systemic power, privilege, and oppression that exists in our culture.

6.  New Employee Orientation - The Office of Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs provides a twice-monthly orientation program for all new staff titled: “UVM Culture and Community”. These sessions introduce all new staff members to our UVM principles, ethos and shared values of diversity and inclusion to foster and nourish an open, affirming and respectful workplace, as well as our aspirations as outlined in Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice and Responsibility.

7.  Numerous other units on campus provide ongoing diversity training for existing employees.

We are committed to the pursuit of aggressive strategies to increase the number of faculty of color. It should be  noted that hiring of faculty is done by the faculty in their respective departments, colleges, and schools. 

 

 

Environment

campus

Environment Pillar

The University of Vermont strives to create physical, virtual, and educational living, learning and work environments that are inclusive and accessible to all in our community. 
  • Student Government Association (SGA) on 10/24/17 passed a bill to support a 50% increase of their Diversity Enhancement Fund from $10 - $15k.
  • A UVM Foundation officer has been assigned to focus on additional fundraising for diversity initiatives, working closely with Human Resources, Diversity & Multicultural Affairs to better identify potential funding for the University identity centers, e.g. LGBTQA Center, Mosaic Center for Students of Color, Interfaith Center, and the Women's Center.  These fundraising initiatives have the potential to address the ongoing operating budget increases you cite.
  • Gender-Inclusive Restrooms Project began in 2016
  • Move Mountains, the Comprehensive Campaign for the University of Vermont which is scheduled to conclude in June 2019, includes more than $32M in diversity-related campaign priorities. 

Existing diversity-related funds (i.e., those funds which already have been established and to which donors can direct their gifts) include:

  • Black Student Union Fund
  • Alianza Latinx Club Fund
  • Asian Student Union Fund

The UVM Foundation has created a new gift fund for any SGA-recognized student group that wants to do fundraising or receives a gift.  Furthermore, the UVM Foundation has set up easily accessible giving to the identity centers: Interfaith Center, LGBTQA Center, Mosaic Center for Students of Color, and the Women's Center.  Please visit the UVM Foundation website to see these and other giving opportunities.

There also are a number of existing scholarships that are intended for (and are awarded annually to) students from diverse backgrounds.

Included in the $32M of diversity-related campaign priorities mentioned above are additional scholarships specifically for students from diverse backgrounds.

Operations

Brownstone peaks with setting sun in the back ground.
Business operations and organizational processes (e.g., policy development, fiscal and capital planning, human resource functions, and organizational practices and procedures) are critical to the daily functioning and long-term health of the University of Vermont.   
  • Affirmative Action Recruiting Guidebook - This “Best Practices for Affirmative Recruitment” guide is intended to assist you with conducting recruitments in a way that is consistent with the University’s core value of inclusive excellence, and that furthers the goals of our Affirmative Action Plan. 

Current recruitment initiatives:

  • Senior Leaders Recruitment – All senior leadership positions searches (vice presidents and deans) have an instructional sessions on diversity goals and expectations.
  • Faculty Staffing Proposals – approval process requires units to work with Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs to develop and present recruitment plans intended to yield a pool of candidates that reflects the diversity among available candidates in the hiring discipline.
  • Faculty Affirmative Recruitment Training – mandatory training for search committee members. Multiple sessions offered throughout the year by Human Resource Services recruitment and retention advisor.
  • Chairs and Associate Deans Training workshop – review of best practices for attaining diverse pool of candidates.
  • Group recruitment – all positions advertised in a high visibility higher education e-publications and jobs portal to showcase UVM’s commitment to diversity (an institutional Diversity Profile statement and Diversity Focus listings). 
  • Outreach and networking – attendance at conferences and event with high numbers of underrepresented minority participants. 
  • Leadership oversight and directives – Every faculty search committee is charged with diversity expectations, including new approaches to posting and advertising positions in more effective, visible, and targeted ways.
     

Current retention efforts:

  • Faculty Mentoring Program (Office of the Provost) – for all faculty.
  • Faculty Professional Development Program (Office of the Provost) – for all faculty (workshops, panels, speakers).
  • Office of Diversity, Engagement and Professional Development (Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs) – for all faculty and staff.
  • Faculty of Color Retreat - organized through the College of Arts and Sciences with sponsorship from the Office of Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs and Office of the Provost.
  • Community Forums – organized by President’s Commission on Inclusive Excellence, and the Office of Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs.
  • Social gatherings and cultural events– organized by the Office of Human Resources, Diversity, and Multicultural Affairs.
  • Percentage of tenure/tenure track faculty of color, Fall 2016: 14.7%

Please see the President's Commission for Inclusive Excellence report on Diversity and Inclusion Actions & Accomplishments for more information.  Also visit our Updates & Correspondence link for the most up-to-date correspondence regarding our initiatives in advancing diversity.