Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost

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Equity and Diversity

Rusty Barceló
Vice President & Vice Provost

The Office for Equity and Diversity envisions the University as a place where equity and diversity are woven into the very fabric of the University’s operations, and where colleges, administrative units, coordinate campuses, and external communities are partners in the work with shared responsibility for its success. The office’s responsibilities and programming include:

• Collaboration with the University community on policies, programs, and institutional priorities related to equity and diversity.
• Overseeing initiatives designed to increase campus diversity, including faculty awards, student scholarships, project and bridge funding, and partnerships with K-12 organizations.
• Producing campus-wide programming, including research forums, conferences, and the Equity and Diversity Research Institute, a proposed research center that will bring faculty together to do diversity-focused, interdisciplinary research.
• Administrative responsibility for the six service units that comprise the Office for Equity and Diversity. The units work together to strengthen the University’s commitment to equity, inclusiveness, and diversity by serving as resources to the broader University community.

The units of the Office for Equity and Diversity are:

• The Bridge to Academic Excellence: The Bridge to Academic Excellence is a year-long program designed to prepare first-year students for the academic rigors of the University of Minnesota.
• Disability Services: The mission of Disability Services (DS) is to be a catalyst for ensuring equal learning and working opportunities for students, faculty, staff and guests with disabilities by working to eliminate physical, programmatic/policy, informational, and attitudinal barriers.
• Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action: The Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) office is the University’s primary resource for questions and information about equal opportunity and affirmative action topics, including the search and hiring process, affirmative action policies, protected classes, and conflict around possible discrimination.
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally Programs Office: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally (GLBTA) Programs Office is dedicated to improving campus climate for the GLBTA community and addressing the effects of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
• Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence: The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) develops and fosters inclusive, coherent learning for multicultural undergraduate students at the University through educational support programs, community engagement, cultural activities, and campus-wide collaborations.
• The Office for University Women: The Office for University Women (OUW) works to improve and enhance the work and learning environment for women faculty, staff, and students at the University.

Office for Equity and Diversity Web site