The Many Faces of Racism: A Campus Conversation- Q&A Responses

A comprehensive plan to increase the diversity of our faculty was developed in 2009 and recently updated in 2019 to increase the number of faculty who are or have been underrepresented in higher education, including race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability and national origin. We have made progress toward these goals as shown by these efforts.  Through the STRIDE program, we have established diversity hiring practices for all faculty and leadership searches to ensure that our practices are in line with our goals to hire and support diverse faculty and increase the number of diverse faculty in leadership positions.

While we have made significant progress, we can, must and will do more. We will continue to deepen and expand our efforts to recruit and retain a diverse and inclusively excellent faculty, and will continue and expand those deliberate efforts to ensure that we also retain and elevate diverse faculty to administrative committees and leadership positions.

We are also committed to implementing real and meaningful training and education for our existing leadership, faculty and staff.  We intend to work with the Inclusion Council to assess our practices and policies, to recommend and implement changes to those that do not include efforts to ensure representation of diverse faculty and staff at all levels, including leadership positions.

UMBC recognizes that Native Americans have helped shape this country and has made efforts to provide resources that will help others learn about native cultures.

We also recognize that we have far to go in terms of increasing numbers of and creating a community for our native students, faculty and staff.  As of 2019 less than 1% of students in Maryland’s four-year public Universities self identified as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander; that percentage is consistent with numbers at UMBC.  Both student and employee data are published regularly by the UMBC Office of Institutional Research and the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

As the work of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights continues and the work of the advisory Inclusion Council continues, we plan to work to provide resources and information on how to honor and acknowledge the origin of the land on which UMBC sits.  Consistent with the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the University is committed to working towards building relationships with Native American communities through acknowledgment and recognition, academic programs, and enrollment and hiring efforts.

UMBC is committed to facing the challenge of understanding our position in society and our role in dismantling structural racism and other forms of discrimination.  Some clearly thought that by the 1980’s the United States had turned a corner, had moved away from blatant and overt racism.  However, the reality is that what had once been public behavior became more private and insidious.  The current climate has brought many forms of bigotry, racism and bias out into the open again. In response, Americans, and those around the world are marching for justice in unprecedented numbers.

The increased focus on this issue is welcomed.  As many of our speakers noted, changing race bias and prejudice is a complicated endeavor and requires open communication and acknowledgment of the reality of racism and prejudice.

The unique history and structure of race issues in the United States presents a particular set of circumstances.  This history began with the arrival of Europeans to the land already occupied by native people, continued with the forced emigration and enslavement of Africans beginning in 1619, and has been preserved through the intentional perpetuation of economic, political and educational structures that propagate these disparities today.

It will take deliberate efforts through education, civil engagement, and action.  Systems and structures don’t just appear. They are created and maintained by our own action or inaction.

As noted by our speakers, the history and structure of institutional racism in the U.S. is complex, and it will therefore take a significant and direct effort through yes, reason and education, as well as disruptive innovation and action at UMBC and in the wider world in order to dismantle structural racism.

According to data provided by Enrollment Management about the schools that feed our UMBC student body, in Fall 2019, UMBC enrolled 157 Baltimore City public school students, of which 64 (41%) were African American/Black.  Another 11 (7%) of enrolled Baltimore City public school students identified as “2 or more” ethnicity.  (2020 numbers are not yet available).

The UMBC Diversity Report and the accompanying USM Institutional Programs of Cultural Diversity Annual Progress Report which, among other goals, details UMBC’s strategies and initiatives aimed to increase the numerical representation of traditionally underrepresented student groups, including students from Baltimore City.

The report suggests that Baltimore City public school students perform as well academically as their peers at UMBC (as indicated by cumulative gpa) and are retained at a similar rate as their peers as indicated by the first year retention rate.

However, the report also indicates that there is a gap in 4 and 6 year graduation rates for Black Baltimore City public school students as compared to their peers.  Based on these numbers we still have work to do.  We also have much work to do in order to increase the numbers of black students from Baltimore City Public Schools that we admit.

As noted in the UMBC Programs of Cultural Diversity Annual Progress Report, several current initiatives are aimed at specifically supporting our Baltimore City students as well as first generation and low income students including the Raiseme (a micro-scholarship program targeting urban public high school students), Pre-Orientation Golden Ticket Program, the Retriever Jump-Start Scholarship Program, the First Generation Network Program and the FinancialSmarts CashCourse Grant Program.

In 2016 UMBC, Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS), and the Northrop Grumman Foundation launched a $1.6 million partnership to boost science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education through the UMBC Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program that works to increase the quantity and quality of STEM teachers in partnership and provides additional support for students in Baltimore City Public Schools.

The UMBC Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities, is a multidisciplinary center which seeks to build a strong foundation for learning and develop best early education practices for urban schools through partnerships with schools, families, and communities.

We also work directly with communities in Baltimore City through the work of the Shriver Center, including the Choice Program, a highly successful national model for community-based intervention that has served more than 20,000 youth and their families from Maryland’s highest risk communities Through increased funding and programs which began in 2012, the Choice Program was expanded to provide a continuum of services to youths facing challenges at school and at home to include 24/7 wraparound services including goal-setting and ensuring school attendance; providing transportation to and from school; home visits and family support services; classroom coaching, speakers, and specialists; and afterschool activities.

For 25 years, the Peaceworker Program has infused its program curriculum with community-based learning about Baltimore’s history of racial and social inequity, experiential learning about the many creative, courageous, and nonviolent efforts to lead positive social change and keep hope in the struggle. Peaceworker combines this curriculum with significant service leadership placements for its Fellows who work 20 hours/week with local community partners who are addressing these issues. For example, at Patterson Park Audubon, Peaceworker is working with local schools, Friends of Patterson Park, and other local organizations to expand inclusive programming and holistic educational opportunities for City youth. At the Lakeland STEAM Center, Peaceworker has been a central partner in UMBC’s work in the Lakeland School and community.  We currently support the STEAM Center programming and community outreach to families and young students.

The Shriver Center’s Service-Learning & Community Engagement (SLCE) program collaborates with partners to identify needs and connect UMBC students with service opportunities – the largest of these involves placing UMBC students in-school, afterschool, and nonprofit settings in Baltimore City and communities of color. Reading Partners is a nonprofit that operates in selected Baltimore City elementary schools to help students master basic reading skills in one-on-one settings. Reading Partners Impact Report demonstrates the impact of these types of partnerships. College JUMP (Journey Upwards Mentoring Program) was a partnership with the Refugee Youth Project out of Baltimore City Community College focused on mentorship with high school students and their college application process.

Through the Path Before Me Program, launched in 2018, UMBC students work with high school students at three Baltimore City Public Schools to ensure college access/readiness and to increase the number of Baltimore City Public School students who are ready to enroll and succeed in college degree programs.  Through the TRIO program and a related grant, UMBC works to support low-income, first-generation to go to college and students with disabilities.

Through a grant from the Charlesmead Foundation, the Division of Fine Arts provides funds to UMBC faculty, staff and students from 2018 – Spring 2023 for projects aimed at strengthening Arts engagement opportunities for K-8 students in Baltimore City Public Schools, inspired by the idea that all children are entitled to quality arts programming in the full spectrum of artistic disciplines, including Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts.

The School of Social Work regularly places students in Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore City Department of Social Services for field placement education.  The UMBC Education Department, in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, places many UMBC students in Baltimore City Public Schools as part of their learning experience.

These programs highlight the level of involvement of UMBC in Baltimore and the surrounding area.  We know that we have much more to do and we continue to work to grow and expand these programs and implement new ones.

UMBC is committed to using our resources, opportunities and information to ensure we are working to improve the educational opportunities available to Baltimore area students and communities and to increasing the numbers of Black and other underrepresented students on our campus.

Achievement gap data compares 6-year graduation rates for incoming freshmen (6 years after they enter).  Unlike many other institutions, UMBC has traditionally had higher or similar six-year graduation rates for African-American/Black students compared to the overall rate.

For the fall 2013 cohort, the latest cohort for which we have six-year rates, AA/Black full-time new freshmen have a 71.9% six-year graduation rate, compared to 69.7% for all students.  You can find this on the IRADS website.  Retention and graduation rate data can be found here.

We are pleased to see that our many efforts to recruit and retain Black students over the last 20 years have shown true progress.

However, we recognize that these statistics do not reflect the actual experience of Black students at UMBC.  We understand and appreciate that in many instances success comes at great emotional price for those that continue to experience bias across our campus.  The Office of Equity and Civil Rights and advisor Inclusion Council intend to work to try to identify and develop programs to address these concerns.

UMBC prohibits discrimination in its educational programs and activities on the basis race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information. UMBC also prohibits retaliation against any student, faculty, staff, or applicant who asserts a claim of discrimination or bias, or who participates in an investigation.

Students may report any concerns about discrimination to the Office of Equity and Civil Rights through our online reporting form.  ECR is also working to provide additional training to faculty, staff and students on discrimination and bias.

The new Inclusion Council will also be working to identify issues on campus, propose solutions and take action.  One of the issues that has been noted is the need to ensure University policies provide true accountability for faculty and staff who fail to abide by our policies.

UMBC prohibits discrimination in its educational programs and activities on the basis race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information. UMBC also prohibits retaliation against any student, faculty, staff, or applicant who asserts a claim of discrimination or bias, or who participates in an investigation.

Students may report any concerns about discrimination to the Office of Equity and Civil Rights through our online reporting form.  ECR is also working to provide additional training to faculty, staff and students on discrimination and bias.

The new Inclusion Council will also be working to identify issues on campus, propose solutions and take action.  One of the issues that has been noted is the need to ensure University policies provide true accountability for faculty and staff who fail to abide by our policies.

UMBC prohibits discrimination on the basis race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information.

As noted above, students may report anonymously to our office. The online reporting form can be used to report  discrimination, hate or bias incidents and sexual misconduct by students, faculty, and staff, and reporting may be anonymous.  Incidents don’t have to be witnessed by others to be believed or found credible.

UMBC prohibits retaliation against any student, faculty, staff, or applicant who asserts a claim of discrimination or bias, or who participates in an investigation.

Microaggressions are often hard to address as they do not always meet the legal definition of illegal discrimination.  However, the Office of Equity and Civil Rights intends to work hard to ensure that even if conduct does not rise to the level of an official finding of discrimination under applicable laws, we address it as we understand that these kinds of experiences seriously impact the learning environment.  ECR, together with the new Inclusion Council, will also be looking at ways in which existing UMBC policies can and should be modified to address these types of concerns.

More than 2 million people are currently imprisoned in the U.S. Although the country has just 4% of the world’s population, it accounts for a quarter of the world’s prison population.

Starting in the 1960’s changes in federal laws systematically targeted and mass incarcerated hundreds of thousands of people of color, using the criminalization of minor offenses, increased penalties for juvenile offenders and harsher sentencing policies.  Between 1980 and the present, many prisons were privatized, resulting in an exponential increase in for-profit prisons and the prioritization of the growth and maintenance of these prison systems, over the rehabilitation of prisoners.

As you noted, UMBC is required by law to buy its furniture from the Maryland prison system by the Annotated Code of Maryland, State Finance and Procurement Article, §14-103 (a)(1).  UMBC sources many supplies, including university furniture, from Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE).

MCE claims that in Maryland the prisoner work program gives incarcerated people job experience, work skills and satisfaction, and contend that participation helps lower recidivism rates.  Even if true, this fails to address the miniscule wages paid to prisoners, the economic benefit to the state, and the financial incentive to keep prison populations high to continue to reap these benefits.

UMBC recognizes and acknowledges that over several decades, federal and state governments and public institutions implemented policies that led to mass incarceration and the collateral consequences that followed. Prison Systems have often capitalized on this policy approach and worked to sustain it.

ECR, together with the new Inclusion Council, will be looking at this and other issues to address the various ways in which our economic decisions further institutional racism and social and economic oppression, and will make recommendations on further action.

The premise of your question presumes something that is not universally true or accepted, and is itself based on inherent bias.

To the extent such sentiments exist they are based on the history of black people in America, which has deliberately fostered a view of black people as less than human and presumptively criminal. The stereotypical notion of black people in this country is part of ingrained racism that has existed in American society for generations, and is inextricably tied to the history of slavery, jim crowe, segregation, and institutionalized racism. Hundreds of years after the arrival of enslaved Africans, a presumption of danger and criminality still follows black people everywhere.

For more on this subject we recommend The 1619 Project. Additional resources on the social and historical context of race in American are available here.

Some also theorize that internalized Racism also plays a prominent role in the social “distance” between black people, including Africans and African Americans.  This is also true of many underrepresented racial groups in America who, in spite of many shared experiences of racism and social injustice remain separated by myths, misperceptions, and negative stereotypes.

The concept of internalized racism impacts peoples and communities of color on inter- and intra-group levels.

The answer to your question is therefore quite complex — but in part, the social, economic and political history of African-Americans, structural racism, and internalized racism are several of the factors that result in the current stereotypical/negative notation of African-Americans that persists today.

The two are not exclusive.  Certainly all lives matter.  But in the United States, right now, it is apparent that various U.S. systems and institutions act as though Black lives are dispensable, and matter less, and are not worth preserving, that is why we must say “Black lives matter,” as opposed to “all lives matter.”

The point of Black Lives Matter is not to suggest that black lives should be or are more important than all other lives. Instead, it’s simply pointing out that black people’s lives are relatively undervalued in the US — Blacks are more likely to be subject to the use of force by police — and more likely to have their lives ended by police — and the country needs to recognize that inequity to bring an end to it.

Racism is hardwired into America’s DNA, and it touches Black lives every single day—from cop killings to redlining and housing disparities, predatory lending and poorly-funded schools. “Black lives matter” acknowledges that in many ways we never did—not to suggest that anyone else matters any less.

In a moving viral photo which encapsulated this concept in a clear and brief manner, a 6-year-old girl named Armani from Paris, Tennessee holds a poster that reads

We said ‘Black lives matter.’
We never said ‘only Black lives matter.’
We know ‘all lives matter.’
We just need your help with #BlackLivesMatter
for Black lives are in danger!”

This cartoon shows another simple analogy that has been used recently: A house is on fire, instead of directing your resources to that house, you say, all houses matter and spray a little water on each one — the house that was on fire burns to the ground.

Black people in America are living in a house that is on fire.  To respond with “all lives matter” suggests that you cannot or will not acknowledge that basic fact that is clearly apparent all across the United States.

Until the day comes that Black Americans aren’t being shot in their homes while they sleep, in the street while jogging, while walking home from the store, and in their cars, you cannot truly say that all lives matter in the eyes of our society.

The Center for Democracy and Civic Life supports people in developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to create just and inclusive communities. Their work builds from the premise that people can develop power to enact change by organizing in everyday settings as well as at the level of communities, institutions, and systems. They offer workshops, conversation series, immersive programs, and courses, and provide coaching and consultation for students, faculty, and staff.

The Center is committed to challenging structural racism and white supremacy, and to advancing social justice in every facet of their work. Center staff work with other members of the UMBC community to leverage all of our talents so we can build just, inclusive communities and a society in which everyone can thrive.

These are longstanding commitments reflected in the design of initiatives like Alternative Spring Break, the STRiVE leadership for social impact retreat, and workshops that build people’s solidarity, critical awareness, and collective power to address injustices. Students who are Black, indigenous, and people of color have led, facilitated, coached, and participated in these programs in numbers consistently greater than their representation in UMBC’s student body.

In this time of heightened attention to the devastating effects of structural racism, the Center has been  reflecting on how we can do more to support its eradication. Among the steps they are taking is evaluating our programs to ensure that in addition to supporting students and colleagues in pursuing change through voting, advocacy, and strategic work in institutional settings, we are supporting them in directly challenging oppressive systems.

Over the past few weeks, many people have been looking for sources to find more information about the history and subject matter of racial injustice in the United States. To aid those who want to learn more, the Retriever compiled a list of courses that provide a comprehensive look at some of the topics that are part of our national conversation.  The course catalog provides another way to search and locate classes and programs at UMBC that address concepts of race and inequality.

A number of resources are also available to our community to learn more about institutional and structural racism impact our communities and actions we can take to address it.

The new Inclusion Council will also be addressing how we as an institution can look at ways to incorporate these priorities into the curriculum across the University, including the issue of whether and how to make such courses part of the required curriculum.

Racism is a pandemic; but unlike Covid, it is entirely human made and cultivated.  During this time in America, each of us is faced with the challenge of understanding our position in society and our role in dismantling structural racism.

UMBC is committed to taking action to examine and address structural and institutional racism on our campus, and in our community. One of the most important things we can do is acknowledge that we as a campus and a community still have much work to do. We must take action, both on campus and through our engagement in the larger community, to address the impact of structural racism and inequality.

In January 2020 the University’s newly established Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR) began its work.  ECR is responsible for promoting and coordinating the University’s core values of inclusive excellence and equity, and is responsible to ensuring compliance with sexual misconduct and non-discrimination laws, regulations, and policies through prompt, fair investigations, education and training, and outreach and engagement.

ECR is also working on new mandatory training for students, faculty and staff on discrimination and bias.

UMBC announced the creation of a new Inclusion Council on June 30, 2020. This group of students, faculty, staff, and alumni began work immediately to identify short- and long-term goals and recommendations. They will meet regularly with the University Steering Committee (USC) and the Campus Equity Advisory Council (CEAC), a subcommittee of the USC.

UMBC’s Division of Student Affairs announced on June 30, 2020 that Campus Life’s student diversity and inclusion unit, including the Mosaic, Pride, and Interfaith Centers, will be realigned to create an independent department focused specifically on diversity, equity, and inclusion work supporting students.

The UMBC Center for Social Science has provided Anti-Racism Resources to our community members who would like more information about how to participate in the movement that is currently sweeping our country, and the world.

The Counseling Center has provided information about support services available to those struggling with Racism and Systemic Oppression in Black Communities, as well as ways to get involved with anti-racism work.

The new Inclusion Council will also be addressing how we as an institution can identify, prioritize and take action to address these issues on our campus and in our community.

This time, and this place can be and will be different.  The University is dedicated to ensuring that we do not simply discuss change — we will not let this opportunity pass.

UMBC prohibits discrimination on the basis race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information.

Faculty and staff may report specific concerns to our office. The online reporting form can be used to report discrimination, hate or bias incidents and sexual misconduct. UMBC prohibits retaliation against any student, faculty, staff, or applicant who asserts a claim of discrimination or bias, or who participates in an investigation.

Bias impacts many faculty and staff members on a regular basis and is often hard to address.  The Office of Equity and Civil Rights understands that these experiences impact the work environment.  ECR, together with the new Inclusion Council, will also be looking at ways in which existing UMBC policies can and should be modified to address these types of concerns.

We are also mindful of the burden the current climate and current events place on our staff and faculty of color.  Now, more than ever, we are being asked to step up and lead and participate so voices of color can be heard – this can leave us depleted.  We also may not have the energy or fortitude to constantly engage on these issues with our non-Black colleagues.

It is ok to say no, or to not engage and take a rest when you need to. Communicate to your non-Black colleagues when you are feeling tapped out, and seek support from allies and Black colleagues. Seek resources for self-care.  You will come back refreshed and ready to continue the work.

Please know we are also here to provide you institutional support.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or unsupported, let UMBC colleagues know. Talk to your supervisor and/or colleagues and contact ECR for troubleshooting and ongoing training and development. This work is on all of us. You are not alone.

The Student Disability Services Office is responsible for providing accommodations for students.  Students have the right to report lack of compliance with an accommodation to SDS.  Students who have a concern about an accommodation have the right to file an appeal.

A UMBC student who believes she or he has not received or has been denied appropriate accommodations or modifications, or has been the recipient of discrimination based on disability under the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended, has the right to pursue a prompt and equitable resolution.

The Office of Equity and Civil Rights is responsible ensuring compliance with non-discrimination laws, regulations, and policies through prompt, fair investigations, education and training, and outreach and engagement.

Complaints regarding the denial of an accommodation for a student with disabilities can be made through our online reporting form.  ECR is also working on new mandatory training for students, faculty and staff on discrimination and bias.

In 1976 the UMBC Police were officially authorized to enforce the laws of the State of Maryland on UMBC’s campus.  From nearly its inception, UMBC has been policed by armed officers.

The mission of the UMBC Police Department is to provide a safe and secure environment that enhances the quality of life for the university community. They are committed to the prevention of crime; protection of life and property; preservation of peace, order and safety; enforcement of laws and university policies and the safeguarding of individual rights.  The Police staff includes sworn police officers, communications specialists, and student marshals.

The UMBC Police believe that the most important crime prevention efforts are accomplished through mutual trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the Police Department and the community they serve and of which they are a part.  This includes an increased emphasis on community policing, part of which was the addition of a comfort dog program with a full time officer assigned to community policing initiatives.

In addition, the UMBC Police Department places restrictions on use of force that go beyond restrictions set forth by law.  Members are required to de-escalate as soon as possible and appropriate, and UMBC Police Department members have a duty to intercede to prevent the use of excessive force by another member toward any person.

Officers received diversity and inclusion training in summer of 2019. The Department is also continually making efforts to ensure that they recruit and maintain a diverse police force; 43% of current officers are Black, including the Deputy Chief.

The new Inclusion Council has been tasked with identifying topics of concern across the campus, including concerns about the impact and role of policing on our campus.

Over the last five years OIA has undertaken a deliberate effort to increase diversity at all levels of the organization.

Eighteen months ago OIA launched a division-wide diversity and inclusion initiative that has (1) launched formal training and informal reflection and education exercises; (2) produced a Diversity and Inclusion survey to assess divisional understanding and perspectives around race, ethnicity, gender, and other identity-based communities; and (3) reorganized their divisional leadership structure to improve communication and accountability.

The division is also working to accelerate additional concrete efforts; (1) developing policies and practices related to recruiting, hiring, on-boarding and retaining all employees, with an emphasis on persons of color; (2) improving professional development and the evaluation process to include accountabilities relative to participation and engagement in diversity and inclusion efforts; and (3) using data to measure the effectiveness of these efforts.

Over the past several weeks, OIA has worked with the Office of Equity and Civil Rights to implement a series of trainings to examine implicit bias and how to create a more inclusive office culture.

OIA is committed to taking actions to ensure that OIA reflects UMBC’s commitment to inclusive excellence. Doing this work thoughtfully and sincerely is essential to creating a truly supportive, positive work environment for all.

Yes, it is sometimes overwhelming, sad and depressing to talk about disparities, and the impact of race and color amidst a pandemic.  However, we cannot address something if we don’t recognize it, and address it.

Changes in laws absolutely have made a difference in this country, including the 13th Amendment which ended slavery, the 14th Amendment which made black men citizens, the 15th Amendment which gave men the right to vote regardless of race, the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which banned segregation and required equal rights, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited literacy tests and other discriminatory voting practices, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which banned discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of property, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (prohibiting disability discrimination by public entities); and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (prohibiting age discrimination), the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

In addition, science and technology are inherently intertwined with issues of race and equity.  The intersection of public health and race is apparent in recent data showing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color.

As noted by the CDC, long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put some members of racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting COVID-19 or experiencing severe illness, regardless of age.  Structural forms of racism and their relationship to health inequities remain under-studied.

During the pandemic, Asian Americans have been targeted, spat on, punched or kicked — and in one case even stabbed. Outright violence, bullying and more insidious forms of social, academic and political pressure have also targeted Asian Americans.

Some argue that data or “scientific neutrality” can overcome prejudice.  However, studies show the opposite is true — “scientific racism” would be a more accurate term.  The structure of scientific study, the scope of the research, the goal of the research, and even the study findings, inevitably, are influenced by the biases of the people conducting the work.

Institutional and historical racism have had an impact on all areas of academic and scientific study including the environment, robotics and artificial intelligence, facial recognition software and computer algorithms, medical care, genetics, social work and policy, and economics.

It is imperative that we identify and address structural racism as we work to advance science and technology in order to ensure that the very best minds, resources, and talent are devoted to solving our most difficult scientific challenges, without regard to bias.

As noted by our speakers, the history and structure of institutional racism in the U.S. is complex and solutions will take time and concerted direct effort through inquiry, study, disruptive innovation and action both at UMBC and in the wider world in order to dismantle structural racism.

UMBC is committed not only to addressing racism but to ensuring that we look at the intersectionality of race, national origin, gender identity, and sexual orientation as we identify and address the many ways that structural and institutional racism impact students, faculty and staff in our community.

UMBC is committed to working to ensure that our LGBTQ students, faculty and staff and those from other underrepresented groups are represented, that they have a seat at a table, that their voices are heard and that issues that are impacting them are addressed.

This work has already begun.  UMBC has established all-gender restrooms across campus, we offer gender inclusive housing, enabled students, faculty and staff to provide a chosen name for the campus directory and campus ID, students can have their chosen name read at graduation, we have published a style guide for inclusive language, and a task force is working to enable students to indicate their gender identity and pronouns in University records.  A number of resources are available across campus to support LGBTQ students, faculty and staff.

The Office of Equity and Civil Rights was established in order to promote and coordinate the University’s core values of inclusive excellence and equity, and address civil rights issues. ECR has implemented online reporting for incidents of hate, bias and discrimination. ECR is also working on developing mandatory training on discrimination and bias for all students, faculty and staff.

UMBC’s Division of Student Affairs announced on June 30, 2020 that Campus Life’s student diversity and inclusion unit, including the Mosaic, Pride, and Interfaith Centers, will be realigned to create an independent department focused specifically on diversity, equity, and inclusion work supporting students. This department will report to Dr. Jasmine Lee, director of inclusive excellence in the Division of Student Affairs.

UMBC has made many strides to promote equity and inclusivity in the areas of race, national origin, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We believe the programs and resources mentioned are good steps in fostering an inclusive community, but we also recognize and acknowledge that there is still work to be done. UMBC’s commitment to inclusive excellence means that we are always striving to ensure that the University is constantly working to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our campus community.

UMBC contracts for food services on campus with Chartwells and the current contract goes through 2023; it is Chartwells that has a business relationship with Chick-fil-A.

UMBC is aware of the concerns of members of our community about the continued presence of Chick-fil-A on campus given the company’s history of donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations.  While Chick-fil-A has made changes to their charitable giving, many concerns remain.

It is also important to note that on UMBC’s campus, Chick-fil-A and all companies that do business on campus are required to follow Maryland law, and UMBC policy which protect against discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.  Recently the U.S. Supreme Court also found that federal anti-discrimination laws prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

ECR, together with the new Inclusion Council, will be looking at this and other issues to address the various ways in which we can ensure our economic decisions are consistent with our community values.

UMBC’s newly established Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR)  is responsible for promoting and coordinating the University’s core values of inclusive excellence and equity, and has primary responsibility for managing UMBC’s efforts related to Title IX and other civil rights issues. The office ensures compliance with sexual misconduct and non-discrimination laws, regulations, and policies through prompt, fair investigations, education and training, and outreach and engagement. Complaints regarding issues of racial equity and inclusion can be filed online here.  ECR is also working on new mandatory training for students, faculty and staff on discrimination and bias.

In accordance with its purpose, ECR is committed to partnering with various UMBC departments and organizations in fostering continued conversations that provide community members with the opportunity to speak about their own experiences.

The new Inclusion Council is composed of a broad group of students, faculty and staff from across our campus.  Together with this new Inclusion Council, ECR will be holding additional campus discussions and conversations and looking at ways in which UMBC can provide community members with ways to speak about their personal experiences.

UMBC’s newly established Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR)  is responsible for promoting and coordinating the University’s core values of inclusive excellence and equity, and has primary responsibility for managing UMBC’s efforts related to Title IX and civil rights issues.

ECR is in the process of developing new mandatory training for students, faculty and staff on discrimination and bias. ECR will also continue to work with various schools and departments in implementing racial bias training for members of the department and will continue to be a training resource going forward.

The new Inclusion Council will also be working with ECR to identify issues on campus, propose solutions and take action.  One of the issues that has been noted is the need to develop curriculum that addresses structural racism, and to evaluate University policies to ensure that they provide true accountability for faculty and staff.