The Office of Faculty Development is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of our programming to create and ensure a respectful, safe, and inclusive campus for all members of the community.

UMass Amherst has a long-standing commitment to social progress and social justice. We value diversity and equity and strive for inclusive excellence in our classrooms, research labs, residence halls, workspaces, and beyond. All campus community members seek to uphold the following values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

UMass Amherst Advanced White Allyship (AWA) Group

The AWA group is an opportunity to strengthen your engagement in efforts to mitigate racial bias, racism, and inequity as a white person at UMass Amherst. Through reading, conversation, and subsequent action plans, the goal of AWA is to create a stronger climate of care on campus through personal accountability and systemic change efforts. As a group, we seek compassionate yet challenging discussion about white allyship could look like in our community, with support for related improvement in our programs and departments.

This group met in person on October 2, 16, 30 and on November 13 in Fall 2023. This group was facilitated by Carey Dimmitt, Professor and Director for the Center for School Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation in the College of Education.

Third Spaces Virtual Write-on-Site Sessions: Fall 2023 (Office of Equity and Inclusion)

These virtual sessions create spaces for faculty of color to gather and interact while pursuing writing goals. Sessions begin with a small group 15-minute check-in, with each participant introducing themselves, their writing project, and specific writing goals. Participants will then work independently on their writing goals, reconvening in the final 15 minutes to discuss their progress, challenges, and to set writing goals.

Fall 2023 Third Spaces sessions are open! Click here to join a virtual session during the times below.

If you have trouble logging in please contact the facilitator.

• Monday's, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., facilitated by Tara Mandalaywala
• Monday's, 3:00-5:00 p.m., facilitated by Joya Misra
• Tuesday's, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., facilitated by Judyie Ali-Bilali
• Tuesday's, 3:00-5:00 p.m., facilitated by Isabel Espinal
• Wednesday's, 3:00-5:00 p.m., facilitated by Alice Nash
• Thursday's, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., facilitated by Maria Galano
• Thursday's, 3:00-5:00 p.m., facilitated by Sindiso MnisiWeeks
• Friday's, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., facilitated by Kiran Asher

If you have questions, please contact facultydiversity@umass.edu

Faculty Diversity

Led by Senior Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion Wilmore Webley, UMass Faculty Diversity supports equity and inclusion in all aspects of faculty life through:

•  A rigorous approach to recruiting a diverse faculty, including comprehensive search committee training and support
•  Targeted programs aimed at attracting top faculty from diverse backgrounds
• An inclusive view of faculty development and advancement, which foregrounds mentoring and community building as central features of faculty success
•  Developing programs that will help faculty at all career stages reach their professional development goals

The Faculty Diversity Program also aids colleges and departments in conducting regular self-assessment, and provide an array of resources to foster inclusive practices toward faculty engagement and advancement.

UMass Amherst is an institutional member of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. As such, institutional membership with the NCFDD is available to all faculty at no cost. 

The NCFDD is an independent professional development, training and mentoring community of scholars and students from more than 450 colleges and universities. Its resources are intended to benefit faculty and students of color, as well as all who are in need of general mentoring and looking for support during their career transitions.

As members, individuals receive access to resources such as webinars, courses, discussion forums for peer mentoring, writing challenges, and more. The center also offers professional development training and intensive mentoring programs.

To activate your membership, visit the NCFDD website.

Office of Equity & Inclusion - Employee Resource Groups

The Offices of Equity and Inclusion and Human Resources launched the UMass Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as an initiative to provide UMass staff and faculty with resources for professional development, networking, and mentorship. Departments are encouraged to support to faculty and staff participation in ERG programming throughout the year. Sign up through this form for any of the following ERGs:

• UMass Allies for Illness and Disability Access (UMAIDA) Network
• UMass Faculty and Staff of Color Network
• UMass International Staff/Faculty Network
• UMass LGBTQIA+ Network
• UMass Veterans Network
• University Women's Network

Connect with more programs and offices that support our campus commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion:

• Accessible Workplace: The Accessible Workplace unit within the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA) of Human Resources is responsible for administering workplace accommodations for faculty and staff.
• Black Advisory Council (BAC): The UMass Black Advisory Council regularly convenes to address topics related to the Black community at UMass, provides education and guidance on Black issues, and advises university leaders on matters related to positive campus climate for Black students, faculty, and staff. 
• The Blacklist: Women and Non-Binary Faculty of Color Group: This group brings together self-identified women and non-binary faculty of color in order to facilitate mentoring networks, community building and enhance the capacity of women faculty of color as talented leaders on the UMass Amherst campus and in their fields. 
• Black Presence Project: The UMass Black Presence website serves as a living history of the experiences, contributions, and stories of Black students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
• Center for Employment Equity (CEE): The UMass Center for Employment Equity conducts research on workplace equity, working towards the shared goal of a equitable, diverse workplace.
• Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS): CMASS's mission is to advocate for and advance the personal growth, academic and professional success of diverse populations on campus through courageous, inclusive and supportive programs and services. 
• Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research (CRJ): The Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research centers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the work of racial and educational justice through community-school-university partnerships.
• Center for Women & Community: The Center for Women & Community works to provide innovative and informed education, leadership opportunities, advocacy and support services that address the cause and impact of sexism and recognize the multiple oppressions experienced by women.
• Disability Services: Disability Services is committed to providing members of the University community with the finest educational opportunities and the most appropriate accommodations available for students with disabilities.
• Faculty Senate Status of Diversity Council: The Status of Diversity Council makes recommendations on all matters affecting the status of diverse populations and underrepresented communities on the campus, including such matters as faculty, librarian and staff recruitment, retention, promotion and salaries, the recruitment, admission and retention of undergraduate and graduate minority students, granting of financial aid, and the development of programs to reflect the needs of our diverse community.
• Faculty Senate Status of Women Council: The Status of Women Council makes recommendations affecting the status of women on the campus, including such matters as recruitment, promotion and salaries, the granting of tenure, the establishment of day care centers, the admission of undergraduate and graduate women students, the granting of financial aid, the development of programs for women whose careers have been interrupted by marriage or childbirth, and the availability and conditions of part-time work.
• Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE): The Office of Inclusion and Engagement is part of the Graduate School’s commitment to fostering diversity and a positive campus climate to promote graduate student success. They work to promotes student success through recruitment efforts, graduate fellowships, mentoring, and community-building programming.
• Institute of Diversity Sciences (IDS): The Institute of Diversity Sciences is a cross-college unit at UMass Amherst that brings together faculty and students from UMass and the Five Colleges, Massachusetts educators from K-12 and community colleges, business leaders, and practitioners to promote multidisciplinary STEM research for social justice.
• Learning Community Book Groups: Learning Communities are based on carefully chosen books to foster constructive conversations around the topics of inclusion, bias, race, empathy, understanding, and respect. Groups are launched near the beginning of each semester, and participants meet regularly to discuss the issues and themes covered by the authors. 
• Native Advisory Council: The UMass Native Advisory Council regularly convenes to address topics related to the Native community at UMass, provide education and guidance on Native issues, foster mutual relationships with area Native Nations, and advise university leaders on matters related to positive campus climate for Native students, faculty, and staff. Comprised of a circle of campus administrators, faculty, staff, and students, the Council represents a braided network of over thirteen different programs, departments, and resources.
• Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA): EOA's mission is to ensure the UMass Amherst campus community is free from harassment and discrimination, as mandated by law and University policies.
• Office of Equity and Inclusion: Led by Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Nefertiti Walker, the Office of Equity and Inclusion guides the university's efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Office of Veteran Services: The Office of Veteran Services is committed to offering quality services and support programs for student veterans, active military, and their families.
• Stonewall Center: The mission of the Stonewall Center is to provide support, resources, programming, and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA) and allied students, staff, and faculty at UMass Amherst and for the larger Pioneer Valley.
• Title IX: The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access works to promote an inclusive, equitable, and caring campus culture and oversees Title IX policy and processes prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education. 
• UMass ADVANCE: Through the power of collaboration, UMass ADVANCE transforms the campus by cultivating faculty equity, inclusion and success. ADVANCE provides the resources, recognition and relationship building that are critical to equitable and successful collaboration in the 21st century academy. UMass ADVANCE is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is advancing women faculty, including women faculty of color, in science and engineering.
• UMass JEDI Collaborative: The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Collaborative is a digital space for collaboration and mutual support for UMass faculty and staff who are involved in the important work of building diversity, equity, and inclusion rooted in justice on campus.
• Women of Color Leadership Network (WOCLN): The Women of the Color Leadership Network at the Center for Women & Community provides advocacy, mentoring, programming, training and a home for women and nonbinary people of color as well as workshops and events for the general public.

Writing Group for Latinx & Spanish-Language Bilingual/Multilingual Faculty and Librarians

Partnered with the Office of Faculty Diversity, OFD is pleased to regularly offer a Writing Accountability Circle for Latinx and Spanish-Language Bilingual/Multilingual Faculty and Librarians. A Writing Accountability Circle (WAC) is a small group of colleagues who meet weekly to write and share their progress on individual writing projects. Sessions include time for brief check-ins and writing. Members should have a commitment to their own writing project and to supporting fellow circle members in their writing goals.

UMass Land Acknowledgement

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. In a year-long consultative and deeply collaborative process with respected advisors from local Tribal Nations, the UMass Native Advisory Council co-developed the UMass Land Acknowledgement. 

Reporting a Climate Incident