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
In 1964, Justice Thurgood Marshall delivered the winter commencement address at the University of Michigan, emphasizing the vital role of free speech in fostering the progress of a democratic society. Six decades ago, Justice Marshall challenged the incoming generation to advocate fiercely for human rights and free speech. He underscored the arduous nature of this endeavor, stressing that genuine commitment to these principles necessitates sacrifice and relentless effort.
Unfortunately, there can be misconceptions that free speech on our campuses is sacrificed because of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and that one cannot support both DEI work and free speech. In reality, if those holding this belief had a more accurate and precise definition and understanding of DEI work, they would know otherwise.
As our campuses become more diverse in the ways we say we want, we should expect and welcome more diversity of thought, even diversity in what people think DEI is, should be, and how we should work toward those values. As we bring people in with diverse perspectives, our DEI work is foundational to educating university communities on how to use their free speech in ways that involve respect (challenging ideas, not the basic humanity of others) and to offer ways to engage even when ideas seem to conflict, even if there is vehement disagreement.
With regard to equity, if we support and protect free speech, we have to do so equitably across all communities. We can’t only protect the speech that we like; it also means protecting speech that we might find offensive or abhorrent. An equity-oriented approach to free speech means protecting the rights of those even with whom we disagree.
Where this implicates inclusion – inclusion should not be conflated with comfort or discomfort (e.g., if I feel discomfort, then I am not included). Inclusion means that community members feel valued, that their voice matters, that their presence matters, that they contribute to our environment, and that they have just as much right to use their voice as someone else. We can feel discomfort in learning new ideas and having our own ideas challenged and countered, but can still think that we’re an essential part of and included in a community.
It’s important to recognize that protecting free speech is not without its costs and tensions and that DEI work is hard work, as we see across our nation today. Indeed, speech can cause discomfort and harm; however, as educators, we have a responsibility to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where ideas can be rigorously interrogated and tested, and students are pushed beyond their comfort zones. This kind of learning requires critical engagement, self-reflection and remarkable grace.
At the same time, free speech principles and DEI values call on us to consider both the rights and responsibilities of free speech and to weigh community health and harm – that is, just because we have the right to say something, does it mean we should? What is the purpose of expressing our views and in particular ways? How will our choices serve our goals and respect the humanity of others?
Higher education institutions are obliged to create and support spaces where diverse opinions can be offered and heard and flourish, not just simply hope that these voices emerge and that all perspectives are included. This is at the heart of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work.
The real test of our values and principles is whether we hold to them when it is not easy to do so. Indeed, all of higher education (and society) is being tested. Although challenging, the practices of DEI and free speech are worth it – as they are crucial in providing students with a superior education and equipping them to be effective contributors in a diverse democracy.
Along with serving as the Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Michigan, I am a professor of education and psychology. Evidence and facts matter at my institution and in my field. As a professor, my job is to help students understand how to support their ideas and assertions with evidence. I challenge my students to think critically about their information sources and show the data that supports their claims.
So when I tell communities that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work at U-M is inseparable from our pursuit of excellence in education, research and public service, and when I say that DEI work makes our institutions and nation stronger because it drives innovation, improves decision-making, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, it is because I can reference 30 years of data across many fields and disciplines that demonstrate the educational value of DEI.
However, even with over three decades of rigorous research and empirical evidence, some people have positioned DEI as the root cause of all that ills our society – from plane doors being ripped off mid-flight, to boats crashing into bridges, to the economic and cultural failings of our education system, to causing the many centuries-old problem of antisemitism. DEI is also blamed both for suppressing free speech and for enabling too many people (or rather, the wrong people) to have free speech rights.
These are baseless assertions, and I offer some clear definitions and truths.
What is DEI? It is not a brand—it includes three terms that get at the heart of the conditions research shows are essential for better performance, problem-solving, and helping people thrive in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
Diversity includes race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, culture, national origin, religion, age, disability and political perspective, among many areas of background and identity. Bringing together people with different experiences, pathways, and views results in a more intellectually rich learning environment, leading to more creative and effective solutions. To get the benefits of diversity, we also need equity and inclusion.
Equity recognizes that inequalities exist—that talent is equally distributed across all communities, but opportunity is not. So equity means doing all that we can to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to be successful and contribute to the larger good.
Inclusion means deliberate efforts to ensure that campuses are places where differences are expected and welcomed, where people can share and respectfully debate different perspectives, and where all can feel a sense of belonging. This doesn’t mean that people won’t encounter ideas or views that make them uncomfortable; it means that all feel valued and equally supported in using their voices. Inclusion also means different types of people and voices are included at the table when decisions are made.
In other words, DEI is not an empty phrase. It is not a single belief or ideology. DEI efforts include all communities. DEI requires a diversity of perspectives and supports free speech. DEI is integral to academic excellence.
The facts tell us that DEI work on our campuses affords us the best chance of solving problems by including all in solution-building, of deep learning and innovating, and offers our best chance for a prosperous future for our country.