Action Item (as stated with DEI strategic plan launch in 2016)
The university will provide professional development experiences in DEI-related issues for deans and executive leaders both as part of their onboarding process and as continued leadership support. Training will be offered centrally as a supplement to professional development resources provided by the Office of the Provost. Topics will include recruitment and retention issues specific to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as skill development for fostering an inclusive climate.
DEI 1.0 Evaluation Update
During DEI 1.0, the university met all of its stated objectives for this action item, beginning with a day-long retreat on DEI Leadership for executive officers and deans held in June of 2018. This joint session, the first of its kind, was designed to achieve four goals:
- Deepen alignment and commitment to advance DEI objectives, with an emphasis on culture/climate change
- Foster and enhance collaborations and connections across U-M senior leadership
- Strengthen individual and team capacities in DEI leadership
- Solicit input in the creation of a roadmap for senior leadership development in DEI
All executive officers took the next step on this journey in July 2019 by participating in a half-day retreat and workshop. The goal of this follow-up gathering was to create a space for sharing key insights and actionable steps to enact change both as individual leaders and as a senior leadership team. In Year Five, deans and executive leaders engaged in two meetings to discuss DEI issues and plans. These discussions centered on refocusing and advancing efforts on anti-racism. They also underscored the importance of integrating DEI into the institution’s response to COVID-19. Other key topics included plans for transitioning from the initial five-year DEI Strategic Plan to the next DEI strategic plan, DEI 2.0.
In June 2022, deans, executive officers and the leadership teams of their respective units participated in a day-long DEI 2.0 Strategic Planning Retreat. This event had three main objectives: to build a foundation for DEI 2.0 strategic planning, anchored in the rationale for and impact of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within and across all U-M units; to identify tools for inclusive and collaborative DEI 2.0 strategic planning efforts (e.g., environmental scanning, grassroots engagement, prioritization); and to begin planning unit-based launch events that apply these tools.
Responsibility: Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion