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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
901 W Illinois St
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Phone
(217) 333-1000
School Information
"Illinois students, scholars, and alumni are a community with the power to change the world...With our land-grant heritage as a foundation, we pioneer innovative research that tackles global problems and expands the human experience. Our transformative learning experiences, in and out of the classroom, are designed to produce alumni who desire to make a significant, societal impact." The university enrolls 47,000 students and has more than 150 fields of study. (Source: https://illinois.edu/about/index.html)
General Information
No mandatory Critical Race Training sessions are yet required of students. However, see developments below:

Actions Taken

Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • The Racial Justice Allies and Advocate Training Program will be hosting several training sessions during the Spring of 2022.
  • On February 2, 2022, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for DEI hosted a speaker event called "Centering Anti-Racism in the Paradigm of Pedagogy", featuring keynote speakers Lisa Elzey Mercer and Terresa Moses, co-developers of Racism Untaught.
  • On October 6, 2022, UIUC had a keynote conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi for their Social Injustice Research Symposium.
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • The I-Connect Diversity & Inclusion Experience is mandatory for all full-time first year and transfer students. In order to receive credit, students must complete the eText Workbook and an Interactive Zoom Workshop.
  • The university has started offering the "Social Justice Issues Dialogue" course and the "Exploring Cultural Diversity" course.
Faculty/Staff Requirements
  • Starting the 2025-26 academic year, UIUC will require all faculty members to submit a diversity statement to be considered for tenure or promotion. Until then, diversity statements from promotion and tenure candidates will be accepted on a voluntary basis only.
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • The university hosted the "Centering Anti-Racism in the Paradigm of Pedagogy" speaker event with Racism Untaught founders Terresa Moses and Lisa Elzey Mercer. At this event, they discussed how "primarily white institutions (PWIs) tend to struggle to foster campus climates that support and retain non-white students through matriculation."
  • In April 2022, the university wll be hosting the "IJourney Workshop 'Environmental Racism" as well as the "IJourney Workshop 'Enhancing Stereotype Awareness."
Program and Research Funding
  • The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion announced its "Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice Research Program 2022–23." Research focuses on "systemic racism and social justice," "Law enforcement and criminal justice reform," and "Disparities in health and health care." The university is willing to fund up to $75,000 for each project.
  • The Office of DEI is offering the "Broadening Inclusion Grant," which provides up to $5,000 in funding to encourage students to "think broadly about innovative ways to engage across disciplines and perspectives to create a more inclusive and just society."
  • UIUC Psychology Department's Diversity and Inclusion Committee established an Anti-Racism Grant in 2020 to "recognize and support anti-racism events and initiatives" by department members.
Resources
  • The university will be offering online parenting seminars and other activities focusing on the impact of the 2020 presidential election on children's mental health, the influence of "white supremacy culture in parenting", and the role of learning in "healing racial wounds".
  • UIUC's Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has an Addressing Racism and Social Injustice at the University of Illinois Steering Committee. There are four working groups based on these themes: Teaching and Scholarship; Diversity and a Culture of Inclusion; Public Safety, Policing, and the Justice System; Community Action and Public Engagement.
  • The Institute for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (IDEA) under the College of Engineering has an "Understanding and Addressing Racism" page where it offers anti-racism resources including webinars, blogs, reading materials, action items, talks, and more.
Symbolic Actions
  • The Grainger College of Engineering has implemented an "Anti-Racism Task Force." From mid-June through late-August 2020, it met weekly and "identified key concerns and provided productive proactive suggestions... to combat racism."
  • UIUC's university housing program has an inclusion statement and an Inclusion and Talent Development unit.
  • The Food Science & Human Nutrition Department has a DEBI (Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion) statement.
Last updated September 16th, 2023
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