The University of Michigan has incorporated a new platform for community engagement as part of a significantly updated online portal for diversity, equity and inclusion.
The redesigned website — diversity.umich.edu — supports diversity-related interests and efforts and highlights the Nov. 4-13 Diversity Summit on the Ann Arbor campus.
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- The Be Heard community is open to everyone with a umich.edu email address. Get additional details on this platform.
The first comprehensive overhaul of U-M’s diversity, equity and inclusion-related Web presence since its 2007 launch, the new website is designed by Michigan Creative for accessibility and interactivity.
The redesigned website introduces a new idea-creation platform, called Be Heard, designed for engaging any university affiliate in the campuswide strategic planning dialogue.
“This tool will allow us for the first time to have online, communitywide discussions, share ideas and even weigh in on the ideas we as a community feel are the best,” President Mark Schlissel said during his recent Leadership Breakfast.
Robert M. Sellers, vice provost for equity, inclusion and academic affairs, said he was confident the new website will meet the information needs of the university community on this important topic.
“The new website will serve as a marketplace for ideas and information regarding diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Michigan,” Sellers said.
“It will also play an important role in the diversity, equity and inclusion strategic planning process by providing a mechanism by which every member of the University of Michigan community can contribute their visions and recommendations to the formation of the various diversity plans.”
Raye Holden
One often overlooked area of diversity is related to political beliefs. I worked on central campus for 15 years and supported different high level administrators. At one point I supported a Director and it was not uncommon for him to apologize to me after a steering committee meeting when negative comments were made about Republicans. When I worked in Lane Hall – Women’s Studies, they printed a poster and plastered it all over campus promoting an event, “The Republican War on Women.” Thank goodness it got to President Coleman’s attention and she requested they modify the title. at the actual event they had a panel of female speakers and one actually had the audacity to make a comment that you can identify the Catholic families as they have a bunch of little kids following behind their parents. I feel sad for the student group for the Republicans, they must take a lot of negativity. This is an area that never gets addressed and really needs to be included especially with another Presidential election year ahead of us.