Nefertiti Walker

We are a campus that strives to live out our values to form and strengthen socially just learning and working environments that foster a culture of excellence through diverse people, ideas, and perspectives. We aim to create a campus climate where all students, staff, and faculty can thrive, and where the race/ethnicity/nationality, gender identity and expression, sexuality, class, religion and/or ability composition of your peers does not dictate your belonging or your chances of success.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst aims to foster an institutional culture that promotes a robust exchange of ideas, cross-racial and cross-cultural interaction and engagement, and the opportunity for all to participate. The campus community weighed in honestly in our 2021 Campus Climate Survey. There is much work to do to cultivate a campus community that is welcoming and inclusive for all. The many voices and perspectives reflected in the survey show our complexity and our promise. “Many Voices, Our UMass” recognizes the importance of preserving the plurality of voices, valuing difference and freedom of expression, as well as the need for respect and tolerance to sustain community.

The vice chancellor for Equity and Inclusion oversees the implementation of the Diversity Strategic Plan, provides strategic leadership for campus diversity efforts to institutionalize a climate of equity and inclusion, and is responsible for nurturing a positive campus climate for students, staff and faculty.