The iSchool is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment. In addition to teaching, service, and research, the iSchool has several positions and organizations specifically devoted to promoting and celebrating diversity and inclusion in the iSchool and connecting the iSchool to wider university, local, state, national, and international communities.
- Diversity and Inclusion Officer – Coordinates efforts related to diversity and inclusion in the iSchool and serves as the primary representative of the iSchool on campus-wide and broader community initiatives. Dr. Paul T. Jaeger, the iSchool’s Diversity and Inclusion Officer, is primarily responsible for monitoring and evaluating diversity efforts in the iSchool.
- Equity Administrators and Associate Diversity and Inclusion Officer – Ensures that considerations of diversity and inclusion are central to hiring and personnel decisions at the iSchool. Renee Hill, the iSchool’s Equity Administrator for Faculty positions and Associate Diversity and Inclusion Officer—who works to promote diversity and inclusion in the college as a workplace.
- Diversity Committee – Is responsible for increasing the iSchool’s ability to inclusively engage and meet the needs of all faculty, staff, students, and partners. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting awareness of diversity issues within the College; facilitating efforts to increase representation of underrepresented populations among the students, staff, faculty, and partners; arranging for the College to work with organizations and be represented at diversity events; and coordinating the James Partridge Award.
- iDiversity Student Organization – The iSchool also is home to iDiversity, an organization fo iSchool graduate students interested in inclusion information practice and diversification of the information professions. iDiversity hosts a range of talks and events on these topics. The activities of the organization include providing information literacy tutoring at local educational institutions, helping local libraries with fundraising, building free libraries for communities with no local library access, and other advocacy projects. You can follow iDiversity on Twitter at @iDiversityUMD #iDiversity.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Every community owes its existence and strength to the generations before them, around the world, who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy into making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to migrate from their homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Truth and acknowledgment are critical in building mutual respect and connections across all barriers of heritage and difference.
At the College of Information Studies, we believe it is important to create dialogue to honor those that have been historically and systemically disenfranchised. So, we acknowledge the truth that is often buried: We are on the ancestral lands of the Piscataway People, who were among the first in the Western Hemisphere. We are on indigenous land that was stolen from the Piscataway People by European colonists. We pay respects to Piscataway elders and ancestors. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today.
The land acknowledgment we use was organized by Ghonva Ghauri from MICA and approved by Piscataway elders.
ADVOCACY RESOURCES
Accessibility & Disability Service (ADS)
The Accessibility and Disability Service (ADS) provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals to ensure equal access to services, programs and activities sponsored by the University of Maryland.
1101 Shoemaker Building, 4281 Chapel Lane
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 314-7651
http://www.counseling.umd.edu/ads/
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Equity Center (LGBT Equity)
The LGBT Equity Center works to ensure that the University of Maryland is a fully equitable community that empowers innovators and agents of social justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The LGBT Equity Center serves University of Maryland students, staff, faculty, and alumni of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
2218 Marie Mount Hall
7814 Regents Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
301-405-8720
https://lgbt.umd.edu/
Multi-Cultural Involvement and Community Advocacy Office (MICA)
MICA focuses on empowering students through education on issues of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion and their intersections.
1120 Adele H. Stamp Student Union
3972 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
301-314-3375
http://thestamp.umd.edu/multicultural_involvement_community_advocacy
Nyumburu Cultural Center (NYUM)
The mission of the Nyumburu Cultural Center is to promote an understanding of and appreciation for African-American Culture in all of its richness and complexity; it strives to improve the life for African- American students and students of the African Diaspora.
Nyumburu Cultural Center
4018 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
301.314.7758
http://www.nyumburu.umd.edu/
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
The Office of Diversity & Inclusion encourages and supports the efforts of units throughout the University to achieve their diversity and inclusion goals. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion provides expertise and leadership at the University of Maryland to enrich the experiences of individuals, to build stronger communities, and to create a more just and compassionate world.
2411 Marie Mount Hall
7814 Regents Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-6810
https://faculty.umd.edu/diversity/
Veteran Student Life
To build and maintain a community of University of Maryland students, staff, faculty, and alumni, all who have served in the US military, that supports a seamless transition from military life to civilian college life.
0110 Stamp Student Union
3972 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
301-314-0073
http://thestamp.umd.edu/veteran_student_life
Community Advocates for Family & Youth
Provide victim services which include case management and court companionship.
9201 Basil Court, Suite 160
Largo, MD 20772
301-390-4092
Community Outreach and Treatment Services (COATS)
Comprised of outreach teams, COATS is designed to seek out and treat people who have difficulty using traditional outpatient mental health services.
6490 Landover Road, Suite A
Landover, MD 20785
301-772-1192
Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, Inc.
The Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc. is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to serving the interests of crime victims in Maryland.
1001 Prince George’s Boulevard, Suite 750
14750 Main Street
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
301-952-0063
http://www.mdcrimevictims.org/
