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University of Montevallo

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
Reynolds Hall
Station 6030
Montevallo, Alabama 35115
Phone
(205) 665-6030
School Information
"In October of 1896, the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School opened its doors to some 150 young women from all parts of the state. They had come to participate in a great experiment, in an innovation in education for Alabama. They had come to be trained as teachers, bookkeepers, artists, musicians, dressmakers, telegraphers and milliners. In other words, at last, there was a school in Alabama whose purpose was to educate women to be self-supporting; at last, here was an opportunity to escape from the drudgery of field work, mill work, or from the ignominy of depending on a father or brother for lifelong support if there was no husband. At last, here was an opportunity for young women to expand their minds and dreams in a state, poverty-stricken by economic circumstances, that could provide little public education for its citizens. In 1911 AGIS became Alabama Girls’ Technical Institute. The phrase “and College for Women” was added in 1919. In 1923, the school became Alabama College, State College for Women, a degree-granting institution. Two men enrolled in January of 1956, and with 33 more arriving by September, a new era had begun for the school. In 1969, in order to reflect this changing atmosphere, the school changed its name to University of Montevallo, and its four distinct colleges (Arts and Sciences, Education, Business, and Fine Arts) were established" (https://www.montevallo.edu/about-um/history/). The student to faculty ratio is 14 to 1 and there are 70 degree programs offered. The undergraduate enrollment is over 2,000.
General Information
The University of Montevallo has recently been shifting towards incorporating diversity dialogue in its curriculum. The school appointed a new chief diversity and inclusion officer who set in place structural changes in order to reflect the university's goals of incorporating equity and inclusion in its framework. This also includes the use of workshops, programs, and mentorship. No mandatory Critical Race Training sessions are yet required of students. However, see developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • The university's 2022-2023 Strategic Plan Highlights states that it would "[d]evelop strategies and initiatives to increase minority student enrollment with emphasis on African American and Latinx Student [sic]."
Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • Dr. Samuels facilitated a diversity workshop alongside other school officials. The diversity workshop covered the span of two days and was designated for educators and administrators. This was followed by an additional three day workshop for the same purposes.
Program and Research Funding
  • As part of the UM Diversity and Inclusion initiative, the school created M.A.D.E. (Minorities Achieving Dreams of Excellence) which is a program that offers seminars and mentorship to minority students.
  • The Peace and Justice Studies minor (College of Arts and Sciences) at Montevallo "examines causes and consequences of economic disparity, institutionalized inequality, and strategies of peace building and conflict resolution." Additionally, the program includes a course titled "Social Policy" which "[utilizes] Critical Race Theory Intersectionality Theory, and Conflict Theory..." as part of its instruction.
Resources
  • Dr. Samuels was appointed as the chief diversity and inclusion officer for 2020-2022, and his goal is to institute "a strong foundation for his work advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion in academic programs at the University."
  • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion links to the Equal Justice Initiatives website which "focus[es] on the development and implementation of initiatives that explore the biases (conscious and unconscious) and beliefs that have contributed to racial tensions and violence in the state of Alabama."
  • The Dr. Wilson Fallin, Jr. Lecture series at Montevallo "highlight[s] educational and socio-cultural topics related to African American heritage, social justice and racial justice."
  • On July 15, 2021, UM's College of Business hosted a "virtual panel of distinguished alums...to discuss the important roles diversity, equity and inclusion play in the college’s mission."
Symbolic Actions
  • In June 2021, the university chef diversity and inclusion officer released a statement on the school's diversity initiatives. Dr. Gregory Samuels stated, "My goals center around having a campus that strengthens, advances and sustains increased diversity, equity and inclusion and actively promotes social justice."
  • In response to George Floyd's death, the university president released a statement saying, "The University of Montevallo has a lengthy and proud history of acceptance, inclusion and unity and we actively work every day to dismantle the barriers of inequality in our community and across the nation."
  • The university's 2022-2023 Strategic Plan Highlights states that it would "[c]ritically examine the history of the University to identify and acknowledge UM’s part in furthering institutional racism."
  • The university's 2022-2023 Strategic Plan Highlights states that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has designed a "Diversity Statement prompt for potential UM faculty applicants" which would "[allow] each faculty applicant to express their knowledge of and alignment with concepts and practices of diversity among students, professionalism, teaching, research, and service."
  • On June 7, 2020, the university issued a message concerning the names of campus buildings that are associated with those who may have been proponents of racial injustices in Alabama. The university states, "We understand and sympathize with these concerns, especially at such an important time in our civil rights history" and that the "UM administration will make this concern one of the primary topics of discussion in the coming weeks as we engage student, faculty, staff, alumni and volunteer board leaders in a plan to ensure UM is doing all it can to support racial justice and equity."
Last updated February 6th, 2024
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