University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel sent an email Tuesday morning informing students, faculty and staff of a new campus climate survey regarding diversity, equity and inclusion to be sent out later this month.
“I am committed to ensuring that everyone is given an equal opportunity to succeed at the University of Michigan and that our campus is a welcoming and inclusive place for all,” Schlissel wrote in the email. “To help us achieve these goals, I am writing to encourage you to participate in a survey designed to measure the current campus climate regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Schlissel said the survey will be confidential and voluntary with a randomly selected sample size of 3,500 students, 1,500 faculty and 3,500 staff members. The questions were formulated by the Office of the Vice Provost for Equity, Inclusion and Academic Affairs and advisory committees of faculty, students and staff.
Results of the survey will be shared with the public in the spring of 2017, and the first survey will establish baseline statistics regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, asccording to the email. It will be repeated in future years to assess progress toward goals set forward by the University’s five-year diversity, equity and inclusion plan, announced Oct. 6. The plan includes 49 individual unit plans, individualized for the schools, colleges, and administrative, athletic or other departments within the University.
In the email, Schlissel encouraged participation in the survey as a way to better understand the experiences and needs of people in the University community.
“The better we understand the experiences of our students, faculty and staff, the more effective we can be in responding to the needs of all people in our community,” Schlissel wrote.