Communications
April 1, 2022
Office of the Chancellor Inclusive Excellence Fellows Program
The Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Fellows Program is designed to provide faculty members with an opportunity to play an active role in amplifying the campus’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts by working on programs and projects that will engage and benefit our community.
Program Overview
The scope and the type of activities performed by the fellows will be aligned with the campus strategic planning efforts and the recommendations put forward by the DEI Working Group. We encourage candidates with a particular interest in working on projects and topics related to inclusive excellence as defined by diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and justice to apply. The duration of the Fellowship will be one academic year, with the possibility for renewal at the discretion of the Chancellor. While there will be some flexibility in terms of assigning projects, most work will involve team collaboration and will take place over a period of several months or longer.
Funding: The expectation is that faculty fellows will be given two-course releases for the academic year and a $5,000 stipend. Funding for these releases will be provided by the Office of the Chancellor coordinated with the Provost and the appropriate academic dean.
Eligibility: Any tenured member of the faculty is eligible to serve as a Chancellor’s IE Fellow.
How to Apply: As the program represents a collaboration between the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost and the academic units, it is essential that faculty consult with their department chair and dean prior to applying for the program. Applicants must submit a current vitae as well as a letter of endorsement signed by the appropriate academic unit administrator (dean and department chair) which indicates support for the faculty member’s application. Additionally, applicants should submit a brief statement detailing their interest in the fellowship, projects they would like to explore, associated outcomes, metrics and how the work will relate to the overall campus strategic goals. Application details can be found here.
Potential Projects May Include (but are not limited to):
- Developing curricular practices to support inclusive and diverse learning environments and teams
- Partnering with key areas such as Enrollment Management or Human Resources to support outreach and recruitment efforts
- Supporting Scholarly Engagement and Collaboration with Practitioners
- Working closely with the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer to support the implementation of the DEI working group’s recommendations
- Creating resources, toolkits and/or usable materials for faculty or students so that best practices are replicated and circulated
- Identifying areas of potential collaboration to enhance diversity and inclusion across the campus, colleges or departments
Deadline to submit proposals is April 18, 2022, by 5 pm EST.
Electronic submission of materials is preferred, however, proposals may be submitted by emailing Jackie Kortes ([email protected]) in the Office of the Chancellor.
Selected Fellows will be invited to a meeting to discuss.
For more information on the program, contact Keisha Blevins ([email protected]), Chief of Staff and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
January 28, 2022
Keisha Blevins appointed Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Dear Colleagues,
To better support the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts on campus, I have named Keisha Blevins UM-Dearborn's chief diversity and inclusion officer. Keisha will continue to serve as my chief of staff and senior advisor and continue to be a facilitator for our campus-wide strategic planning initiatives. As DEI is one of our strategic priorities, in her new role, Keisha will also be a key partner in providing purposeful leadership for university-wide DEI efforts. She will also serve as the primary point of contact for all university matters related to DEI initiatives and activities. Collaborating, coordinating, and strategizing with internal and external stakeholders, she will help us develop, manage, and support data-informed diversity and inclusion strategies, identify new resources, programs or initiatives to strengthen respect, diversity and inclusivity, support strategic collaboration between units, address issues facing various populations on campus, and promote change and culture initiatives that will enable UM-Dearborn to realize our shared vision of a more diverse, equitable, inclusive and just campus community. Keisha will continue to engage with the DEI Working Group. To be clear, the appointment of Keisha to this role does not relieve any of us from continuing our steadfast and resolute commitment to supporting the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Prior to serving as chief of staff and senior advisor to the chancellor, Keisha served as the director of human resources for the Dearborn Campus and associate director in academic human resources at UM-Ann Arbor. Since the beginning of her employment at the university in 2005, she has also held roles as a human resources consultant at Michigan Medicine and in Staff Human Resources, where her responsibilities included administration of collective bargaining agreements and advising on the interpretation and application of a broad range of human resources policies, procedures, and practices. She has received several certifications in executive coaching, diversity, equity, and inclusion, mitigating unconscious bias, positive leadership, human resources, and mediation. Keisha holds a bachelor's degree in organizational studies from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a juris doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.
Please join me in congratulating Keisha on her new appointment. Let us all commit to supporting her in her new role, but also let us all continue our commitment to work together to make sure UM-Dearborn’s campus culture exemplifies inclusive excellence.
Go Blue - Go Dearborn!
Domenico Grasso, Chancellor