Inclusion Council Working Groups

As the University System of Maryland leadership previously stated, we believe that public colleges and universities are obligated to help end inequity and to promote social justice. UMBC is committed to promoting social justice and taking action to address inequities on our own campus in a number of important ways, including the work being done by UMBC’s new Inclusion Council.

The Inclusion Council was formed to provide advice and guidance to the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) from a variety of perspectives. Members also act as ambassadors for the office across campus, and Inclusion Council meetings provide a venue for discussing equity issues as they arise. The Inclusion Council is made up of students, faculty, staff, and alumni working with the campus community. UMBC’s important Retriever Courage initiative is now a part of the Inclusion Council’s work, which is also being advised by the Retriever Courage Faculty/Staff Advisory Committee.

The Inclusion Council is committed to partnering with the UMBC community. We acknowledge that there are many faculty, staff, and student groups that are already doing important inclusion work in our community and beyond. We believe in the power of collaboration and seek to help elevate and provide space for the important work that is already underway.

The Inclusion Council has launched working groups to gather information, develop recommendations, and propose a plan of action with respect to a number of issues that have been identified by our community as priorities. We encourage UMBC community members from a variety of backgrounds to participate in these working groups. As a community, we plan to draw on the leadership and wisdom of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff, many of whom confront these issues every day through their teaching, research, and activism.

Working Groups (and brief description bulleted below)

 

Working Groups
Co-Chair
ECR Liaison
Communications
  • Work on the communications of the Inclusion Council, support for the communication efforts of OEI
 TBD TBD
Alignment of Financial Decisions and Values
  • Addressing required use of supplies from Maryland Correctional Enterprises, selection and training of campus contractors including food vendors
 TBD      TBD
Land Acknowledgment and Indigenous Inclusion
  • Develop a land acknowledgement statement for use at events and on course materials; provide resources on the history of the appropriation of native land for state use and support related educational programs
 TBD TBD
Disability Issues
 TBD TBD
Spiritual and Religious Belonging

TBD

 

TBD

 
Conflict Resolution/ Restorative Practices
  • Alternative resolution, transformative/ restorative justice
 TBD TBD
Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, and Interpersonal Violence
  • Continue the work of Retriever Courage, including examining how to continue to address sexual assault, misconduct and harassment in the campus community
 TBD TBD
Faculty and Staff Diversity, Recruitment, Retention, Belonging
  • Reviewing data, making recommendations to increase the pool of applicants from underrepresented groups, recommendations for how to better retain diverse faculty and staff, how to maintain an welcoming inclusive environment, and how to provide opportunities for growth and leadership
 TBD TBD
Queer and Trans Life at UMBC
 TBD TBD

We will continue these important conversations and invite all to share their thoughts about the efforts these working groups will undertake through ecr@umbc.edu. For more resources on inclusive excellence in action, please visit the ECR website.