Montclair State University

On June 29, 2023, Montclair issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action which reads in part as follows: "Montclair does not consider an applicant’s race or ethnicity in making admissions or financial aid decisions. We believe that students of all backgrounds deserve an equal opportunity to earn a high-quality education, and we are deeply committed to creating pathways for all students to succeed...We will evaluate all of our programs and scholarships to ensure compliance with the rulings, but we want all of our Red Hawk community to be assured that this does not change our commitment to make affordable, high-quality education accessible for all."

Montclair State's 2025 Strategic Plan states that it would "[c]ontinue to refine the University’s student recruitment practices to attract and recruit applicants that are fully reflective of the diversity of New Jersey, including under-served socio-economic students [and] all racial and ethnic groups...."

Montclair offers a voluntary Equity and Compliance Search Committee Training program.

The Office for Social Justice and Diversity at Montclair State provides a variety of workshops and trainings and lists its Spring 2024 workshop schedule.

The College of Education's Department of Family Science and Human Development 2020-2024 Social Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan states that it would "collaborate with the Office of Social Justice and Diversity and other departments and offices to establish training and professional development opportunities for students, staff, and faculty."

The university president announced, "The College of Humanities and Social Science Dean’s Office and the College Working Group on Equity and Inclusion prepared for the fall semester by reminding the College of the commitment to social justice at the core of their mission, and asking every instructor to take one week this fall and dedicate it to focusing on Black Lives Matter, as related to the specific discipline. To assist with the implementation of this idea, the Working Group provided a highly accessible syllabus to members of the faculty."

The College of Education's Department of Family Science and Human Development 2020-2024 Social Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan states that it would "[d]evelop a curriculum enhancement plan based on the assessment findings and informed by the advisory board that enhances training in social justice, equity, and inclusion."

The Montclair State University Community Action Nexus includes a value statement which says, “We value diversity of approach, experience, expertise, and worldview in our workforce and partnerships. We recognize the power of encouraging and embracing diverse perspectives to inform the work we do. We strive to create an environment that is accessible and equitable for all.” In support of this value, Charles J. Muth donated $5 million to Montclair State University.

The Transformative Education Network at Montclair State "prepares, supports and develops teachers who teach toward antiracism and social justice."

The Montclair library offers a guide of resources to consult for those who wish to further "understanding and knowledge about race, racism and anti-racism."

On March 4, 2022, the school held an event on the topic, “How Do We (Mis)Understand Critical Race Theory In The Classroom.”

The Office for Social Justice and Diversity offers several recorded workshops on topics such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Connecting the Dots: Diversity and Inclusion Training Presentation,” and more.

Montclair has a site dedicated to resources on Black Lives Matter, ranging from books, articles, videos, and others.

Montclair hosts an annual virtual symposium on “Transforming the Health Research Landscape for Justice and Equity” in November.

Montclair has a site which defines terms related to DEI as a resource for teachers.

The Office for Faculty Excellence encourages professors to incorporate their curriculum with DEI principles. A website describing precisely what steps professors should take to do this has been made, outlining steps such as course content auditing, “adding a diversity statement to your syllabus,” and others.

The Critical Urban Education Speaker Series at Montclair State "provides a forum to develop attendees’ racial and political analysis through a series of lectures and workshops focused on social and cultural issues influencing urban schools and communities."

The Office of Instructional Technology and Design Services at Montclair State provides strategies and resources for faculty in order to develop courses that incorporate diversity and inclusion.

The Office for Social Justice and Diversity of Montclair State "champion[s] practices and programs rooted in social justice and intersectionality through the lenses of anti-racism and anti-oppression." One of its goals is to "[s]upport the developmental process, well-being, academic success and retention of all marginalized populations."

The Multicultural Center at Montclair State "provides a centralized location for Montclair State University students of color to come for programs, resources, and referrals to other resources within the university and local community."

In April 2022, Roman Liera, an Assistant Professor at Montclair State, participated in a meeting of the "Committee on Advancing Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM Organizations."

The university's Transformative Education Network released its bi-monthly newsletter from April 2022 and spotlighted the "Squeaky Wheels, Mothers From Hell, and CEO’s of the IEP: Institutional Ableism, Privilege, and the Politics of Inclusive Education" spaker event.

The school is conducting a campus survey and has appointed Dr. Ashante Connor as the leader. This survey will be done in order to “gather information about our campus climate around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging” in an effort to “strengthen our inclusivity and belonging.”

On May 5, 2023, Montclair State University highlighted Dr. Milton Fuentes, a faculty member who received the 2023 Society for the Teaching of Psychology Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award.