UMD Continues Action Plan to Shape a More Welcoming and Inclusive Campus

The University of Maryland released a video today with updates on its ongoing action plan to shape a more welcoming and inclusive campus.

UMD is committed to creating a campus free from hate, one where our community feels physically safe and safe to be who they are. The university has undertaken many actions to accomplish these goals, and significant work is still underway.

Additional information on the university’s actions include:

• Partnered with the Anti-Defamation League on trainings for the President’s Cabinet, Deans and university leadership.

• Established and charged the Joint President/Senate Inclusion & Respect Task Force to consider how best to nurture a climate that is more respectful and inclusive of all members of our campus community, stands against hate, and reaffirms the values that define us a University. The task force plans to report its findings in April 2018.

• Developed a streamlined protocol for hate-bias incident response that will ensure a coordinated response, provide support to impacted community members and ensure transparency with the campus community. In addition, UMD is in the process of forming a Hate-Bias Response Team to assist victims of hate and bias on campus, and hiring a Hate-Bias Response Program Manager in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.

• Implemented a university-wide survey on campus climate to help us better understand the experiences of students, faculty, staff, and administrators on our campus with respect to diversity, inclusion, equity, hate, bias, well-being, and belongingness. We will use the findings from this research to help inform and shape policies and practices that promote a safe and welcoming campus.

• Developed an “African-American History and the University of Maryland: A Campus Landmark Tour” that focuses on the historic and contemporary presence and contributions of African Americans to the physical and social infrastructure of the university. The walking tour is grounded in the history of the institution and the State of Maryland — conveying the complexity of racial politics and slavery as it has impacted the state's flagship institution.

• Established a UMD Student Leadership Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to help focus and improve collaboration between students and administration.

• Hosted more than 100 events on diversity last semester, featuring several speakers, including Congressman John Lewis, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings and U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown.

• Launched the Center on Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education, a national hub for research, policy, professional standards, and consultation for universities on critical issues related to diversity and inclusion in higher education.

• Strengthened the Intercollegiate Athletics policy to explicitly prohibit hate-bias symbols or actions to its list of items banned from athletic venues.

• Completed mandatory training in implicit racial bias for the entire force of 100+ sworn UMPD officers and installed additional surveillance cameras in and around campus buildings.

The University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) has 100 police and auxiliary officers serving our community:

• We have over 400 cameras on and off campus that are monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

• There are more than 300 blue light phones on our campus where the caller will be put in direct contact with a UMPD dispatcher.

• We offer walking safety escorts that can be requested at any time of the day, year-round.

• The UMD Guardian Safety App serves as virtual walking escort service, automatically contacting UMPD if you do not arrive at your expected destination.

For more information on UMD’s work on these important issues, visit https://umd.edu/weareumd.