The University of Michigan has launched a new program designed to establish equitable, sustainable and mutually beneficial research collaborations with minority-serving institutions.
The program aims to enhance faculty research capabilities while reinforcing the university’s role as a leader in fostering equity and excellence through strategic partnerships.
In an effort to engage with the evolving priorities of federal funders, who are increasingly emphasizing collaborations with MSIs, the initiative is committed to help faculty build meaningful relationships with MSI partners.
The program, inspired by President Santa J. Ono’s Strategy to Amplify Research and Scholarship, creates new opportunities for U-M researchers to pursue groundbreaking research.
“At the University of Michigan, we believe in the power of collaboration to propel innovative research,” said Arthur Lupia, interim vice president for research and innovation. “With the establishment of the MSI Partnerships team, we are cultivating a community that amplifies diverse perspectives and fortifies the societal impact of our research.”
A critical component of the strategy is the formation of a specialized team dedicated to serving researchers at U-M’s Dearborn, Flint and Ann Arbor campuses. This team will facilitate essential support functions, including matchmaking, responsive team building, proposal assistance and community empowerment.
“This initiative lies at the core of our vision for inclusive excellence at U-M,” said Trachette Jackson, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, professor of mathematics in LSA and associate vice president for research-DEI initiatives.
“Through strong ties with MSIs, we are expanding the scope of research opportunities and creating a fertile environment where diversity underpins the very essence of groundbreaking research, scholarship and creative practice.”
Employing a “triple helix” approach with three strands of action — cultivate, activate and advocate — the MSI Partnerships initiative aims to invigorate research collaborations.
The cultivation phase focuses on establishing MSI relationships centered on equity in research partnerships. The activation phase leverages institutional data to spark new connections among researchers. Success will be measured by the quantity and quality of partnerships, their influence on research funding and the depth of relationships established.
“As this ambitious program nears its rollout, U-M aspires to set a standard that prioritizes opportunity creation and equitable partnerships at every stage of the research enterprise. In doing so, U-M continues to position itself at the forefront of academic innovation,” Lupia said.
The fifth annual Juneteenth Symposium will take place June 20-21 at the Michigan League, showcasing two days of visual art, performances and thought-provoking discussions, all celebrating Black activism and progress.
The free event is hosted by the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives in partnership with the Juneteenth Planning Committee.
“Juneteenth represents a pivotal step in integrating Black people as full citizens of the United States. This year’s symposium will explore the power of art to challenge authority and advance equality, sparking discussions about how African American activism and creative expression go hand in hand to advance social justice on our campus and beyond,” said Rachel Dawson, director of OAMI.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. On that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, federal troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, and announced that the state’s enslaved Blacks were free by executive decree.
The U-M symposium will kick off June 20 with a Juneteenth Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at the Trotter Multicultural Center, followed by an Activist Art Display at the Michigan League Concourse and Vandenberg Room.
The opening keynote address, titled “Effective Activism in the Age of Hate and Divisiveness,” will be delivered by Loretta J. Ross, activist, 2022 MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award recipient and an associate professor at Smith College, in the Michigan League Ballroom. It will be followed by a panel discussion on “The Activist Artist Engaging with Community.”
The evening will feature a Negro League Baseball Display at the Ann Arbor Top of the Park – KidZone Tent and the Activist Art Display at the Ann Arbor Top of the Park Exhibit Tent.
The June 21 closing keynote will feature Debbie Mitchell Covington, director of strategic partnerships and equity initiatives in the College of Engineering, and post-disciplinary artist Damon Davis, who co-directed the documentary “Whose Streets?” about the 2014 uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri. They will speak on “Using Art as an Effective Means of Activism” in the Michigan League Ballroom, followed by “Activist Art in Action Live Performances.”
The event concludes with a Juneteenth Block Party at Regents Plaza.
Besides Ross and Davis, featured speakers include Harold Green, an artist, poet, and event producer; Sherrie Nunn-Berry, a renowned gospel singer; and U-M alumna Erika “Red” Stowall, who will perform an original dance for the event.
More Information: Event schedule – Register for events
This article originally appeared in The University Record on June 10, 2024