Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Important Policies and Resources
POLICIES
● Graduate Faculty Code of Conduct
● University Policy on Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action
RESOURCES
● Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education
The Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education provides a free and confidential space for students, faculty, and staff affiliated with the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and Augsburg University who are victims/survivors/concerned people of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual harassment.
● Disability Resource Center
The Disability Resource Center (DRC) works in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University to eliminate or minimize barriers and facilitate inclusion on campus.
● Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
EOAA addresses reports of discrimination, harassment, nepotism, sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking and relationship violence) and related retaliation.
● Mental Health Services
Please contact the Mental Health Clinic by phone (612-624-1444) to schedule an appointment, or if you are experiencing a crisis that requires immediate attention, call an urgent care counselor (612-625-8475).
● Student Conflict Resolution Center
The Student Conflict Resolution Center offers informal conflict resolution services to resolve students' university-based problems and concerns.
● Student Counseling Services
Their mission is to promote student success by helping you with:
- Mental health and life concerns
- Learning and academic skills challenges
- Career uncertainty
- Faculty/staff - student communication
Medical School and University Resources
● Office of Equity and Diversity
● Minority Affairs and Diversity
● Campus Climate reporting portal
● Office of Biomedical Graduate Research, Education, and Training (BGREAT)
● Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP)
● Office of Professional Development
● Fall Diversity Conference in Biomedical Science
● International Student and Scholar Services
● Institute for Diversity, Equity, and Advocacy (IDEA)
● Center for Women in Medicine and Science (CWIMS)
● The Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education
● Diversity of Community Practice (DoCP)
● University of Minnesota Affinity Groups
National Programs and Resources
● National Institutes of Health Research Education Program
● National Institutes of Health Post-Baccalaureate Training Program
● National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity
● HHMI Hanna Gray Fellows Program
● Society for Neuroscience Neuroscience Scholars Program
● Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
● Annual Biomedical Research Conference For Minority Students
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
As members of the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, we are committed to excellence and compassionate conduct in research, education, and service. We recognize that transformative progress in these domains requires equity of access and opportunity to safe workplaces for all people, regardless of culture, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical capabilities, religious expression, country of origin, or immigration status. As a department, we make an unequivocal commitment to fostering equity and inclusion for students, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty of diverse backgrounds and identities.
We acknowledge that this commitment requires targeted, persistent action and resource allocation across multiple areas:
Departmental Climate
We commit to improving departmental culture to promote the wellbeing of all. In service of that goal, we expect that all members of the community will engage in self education and training to identify personal bias tendencies for improvement. We will regularly assess our workplace climate and the efficacy of initiatives directed toward climate improvement.
Student, Staff, and Faculty Recruitment
We commit to improving equity and inclusivity in our hiring and graduate school admission practices.
Retention, Mentorship, and Promotion
We recognize that recruiting diverse communities is insufficient without dedicated efforts to retain, mentor, and promote people from underrepresented groups into leadership positions within the department and university. We commit to changing the status quo by amplifying diversity in leadership.
Community Engagement
As researchers and educators, we acknowledge the profound disparities that also exist outside of the academic sphere. We commit to using our platforms and expertise to promote social justice, through access to research, health care, and educational opportunities for people from underrepresented groups.
*As employees at the University of Minnesota, we acknowledge that we live and work on land taken from the native Dakota and Ojibwe people. We acknowledge the history of colonialism and racism in academia and STEM, and commit to counteracting that injustice through inclusive education, research, and service practices.