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University of Miami

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
Coral Gables, Florida 33124
Phone
(305) 284-2211
Email address
admission@miami.edu
School Information
"A private research university with more than 17,000 students from around the world, the University of Miami is a vibrant and diverse academic community focused on teaching and learning, the discovery of new knowledge, and service to the South Florida region and beyond. "The University comprises 11 schools and colleges serving undergraduate and graduate students in more than 180 majors and programs. "Established in 1925 during the region's famous real estate boom, UM is a major research university engaged in $324 million in research and sponsored program expenditures annually. While the majority of this work is housed at the Miller School of Medicine, investigators conduct hundreds of studies in other areas, including marine science, engineering, education, and psychology." (Source: https://welcome.miami.edu/about-um/index.html)
General Information
The University of Miami has made implicit bias and microaggression training modules required for both students and staff. Additionally, the University announced that it will be increasing research funding for scholars studying racism through the U-LNK award, although the amount of funding is not clear. It is unclear whether these trainings contain elements of C.R.T. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated it would "continue to put strategies in place to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need at admission by 2025, including a renewed commitment to scholarship programs for Black students."
Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • Implicit Bias and Microaggression training modules will be required for students and staff.
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration Renae Myles Payne "has been named chief diversity officer for the Department of Athletics." Payne would be "responsible for implementing a diversity and inclusion plan for our student-athletes, administrators, and coaches" which would begin with a "nine-week educational process focused on race relations, and will also include implicit bias testing and training, a review of hiring practices and policies, and customized sessions on specific topics, partnering with University offices and organizations."
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated it would "launch comprehensive training on implicit racial bias, microaggressions, and how to engage in the necessary yet difficult conversations around structural racism, abuse of power, and societal healing for students, faculty, and staff." The trainings are annual and would also include "diversity and inclusion evaluations of University and classroom practices."
  • The Office of Multicultural Affairs offers a variety of training programs that create "environments where students, staff, and faculty can reach a deeper level of understanding around issues of equity and inclusion."
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • The racial justice report authors recommended that, "The Miller School should adopt core competencies related to anti-racism. These should be vertically and horizontally integrated across each phase of the NextGenMD curriculum."
  • UM's 2022-2023 Academic Bulletin states that students majoring in Community and Applied Psychological Studies (CAPS) "must complete a Diversity requirement that is fulfilled by taking one of the following courses:  EPS 411, EPS 412, or EPS 430."
Program and Research Funding
  • Increased research funding for scholars studying racism through U-LNK Award
  • University opened applications for the "Racial Justice Grant Program" to "implement tangible initiatives to challenge anti-Black racism and empower Black communities on and off campus
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated that the "Provost’s Office has announced plans to fund up to 10 teams of faculty representing at least two distinct disciplines through a special U-LINK award aimed at catalyzing interdisciplinary collaboration to advance understanding of individual, institutional, and structural racism..."
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated that the University "earned a planning grant from the Mellon Foundation to establish a Center for Global Black Studies." The aim of the Center would be to "assist in the holistic coordination of multiple initiatives addressing structural racism and structural inequalities, both internally and externally." Additionally, the Office is "committed to fully funding the Students of Color Symposium each January."
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated that it would "expand the existing One Book, One U program and commit to using it as a platform for exploring issues of racial justice and equity." The expansion includes "campus-wide activities such as the selection and common reading of a book related to the topic, as well as sets of lectures, events, and roundtables to facilitate discussion of the book."
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated that it would "launch an internal grant program to support interdisciplinary teams of faculty, staff, and students to implement tangible initiatives to fight racism."
  • UM's Office of Civic and Community Engagement, Multicultural Student Affairs, and Butler Center for Service and Leadership are "proud to announce the 2023-2024 cycle of racial justice grants to support service, research, and/or programmatic activities that center on race, racial justice, and racial equity with a focus on Black communities on campus and/or in South Florida."
Re-Imagining Policing
  • As part of the Office of the President's Key Initiatives for racial justice at UM, the Office stated, "While we already require all certified UMPD [University of Miami Police Department] officers to complete discriminatory profiling training, the University will convene a conversation with both the University and Coral Gables police departments to share best practices.." The aim of the conversation, which would include student representation, would be to "agree upon de-escalation policies, community action steps, diversity, and sensitivity training."
Resources
  • The university launched its "Climate and Racial Justice" talks to "inspire a new generation of antiracism and climate justice scholars and advocates."
  • On February 28, 2022, the university opened the Center for Global Black Studies to “serve as a unifying platform to assist in the coordination of initiatives that address structural racism and inequalities throughout society.”
  • UM's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Certificate Program is designed for students and faculty to "become immersed in the University’s commitment to diversity and participate in programs that support a culture of belonging..."
  • On July 2, 2020, UM's President announced the "appointment of Dr. Donald Spivey, Distinguished Professor of History, as Special Advisor to the President on Racial Justice."
  • On July 1, 2020, UM's Office of the President outlined "steps the University of Miami will take in pursuit of racial justice on campus and beyond."
Symbolic Actions
  • On May 3, 2021, the University announced several name changes to university buildings including “the naming of the new Student Services Center after ‘a distinguished Black alumnus/a,’” and the removal of Henry Fillmore’s name from the music rehearsal hall and the founder of the University, George E. Merrick’s name since they serve as a reminder of segregation.
  • UM's Office of the President published a document titled "Historic Review Committee on Naming at the University of Miami" which states that the University would "consider renaming features of the University, such as buildings and streets, when there is strong evidence that retaining the name is inconsistent with the University’s mission and values."
Last updated April 21st, 2023
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