Michigan offering diversity grants to boost DEI at graduate student level
Michigan's Rackham Graduate School is calling for diversity project proposals from faculty and students and will award thousands of dollars for them next year.
'This grant is an opportunity to experiment with new and innovative activities, events, and initiatives that foster diversity and address the concerns of increasingly diverse graduate student cohorts.'
The University of Michigan is continuing its push for advancing DEI, this time at the graduate level.
The Rackham Graduate School is calling for diversity project proposals from faculty and students and will award thousands of dollars for them next year.
The school will fund the projects through its Faculty Allies for Diversity and Student Ally Supplemental Grant initiatives, according to the university website. The application opened on Nov. 15 and will close on March 4.
“This grant is an opportunity to experiment with new and innovative activities, events, and initiatives that foster diversity and address the concerns of increasingly diverse graduate student cohorts,” the web page says.
The faculty initiative awards up to $8,000 to faculty members “on behalf of their programs for activities, events, and programming to help improve diversity, equity, and inclusion among graduate students.” Students who assist with the faculty-led projects can also receive up to $5,000 through the student grant.
The page says the purpose of awarding the money is “to improve DEI at the program level in meaningful ways.”
Applicants for the funding are instructed to be specific in their requests. The school provides certain topics that it especially desires to see addressed: “climate; retention and completion; academic and professional development; career outcomes; and alumni engagement.”
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One section of the application, titled “Narrative,” asks applicants to explain their understanding of and commitment to DEI issues. Some of the questions include “What are the DEI issues that are currently front of mind for your program?,” and “What ways will your faculty, leadership, and department contribute to supporting DEI efforts in your program and the activities for which you are seeking Rackham funding?.”
Rackham has been offering diversity grants since at least 2019.
Campus Reform contacted Michigan for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.
