Inclusion and Diversity

Mission

The mission of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee is to foster a climate of inclusion in our department and to develop and implement data-driven and scientifically proven strategies for increasing and maintaining diversity across all constituencies, as defined by the vision set out in Section V of the department’s Strategic Plan. The committee also serves as a liaison between our department and other diversity and inclusion-related activities/organizations across the campus, including, but not limited to the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Diversity Committee

Share Your Diversity Activity

Faculty and staff please use this form to share your diversity, equity, and inclusion information with us. These efforts are tracked as part of the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing efforts. 

You can view the Fall 2020 approved UMD BPC Department Plan here.

Graduate and undergraduate students as well as student organizations, you may also share diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts using this form. 

Follow the link below to report your diversity activity:

Report Your Diversity Activity

Charter

Membership

The committee comprises at least six members with at least one member from each of the following constituencies, assuming eligible individuals are available to serve:

Recommended Permanent Members

  • Asst. Director of Undergraduate Studies (permanent)
  • Asst. Director for Graduate Education (permanent)
  • Asst. Director and/or Director for the Iribe Initiative (permanent)

Other Eligible Members

  • Teaching track faculty
  • Assistant professors
  • Associate professors
  • Full professors
  • Staff

Members will serve for a renewable term of 3 years. To ensure continuity, at most half of non-permanent members may change in any given year. It is assumed that the committee will involve students when appropriate.

Committee members are appointed by the department chair.

Charter

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee will develop, implement, review concrete plans of action related to diversity and inclusion, including, but not limited to, the strategies outlined in the Department's Strategic Plan.  The committee will report on its activities on a regular basis to the Chair, the department and the advisory board while regularly consulting with other permanent committees of the department.

The responsibilities of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee include:

  1. Collect, analyze, and report data related to diversity and departmental climate
  2. Provide guidance to department staff, faculty, and other stakeholders on how to improve the department climate with respect to diversity & inclusion, including supporting student success
  3. Promote awareness of the potential impact on diversity & inclusion of departmental initiatives and policies, including curriculum and instruction
  4. Assist departmental stakeholders and partners to ensure communication and outreach utilizes best practices for diversity & inclusion

To enable these activities, the Department chairperson support the Committee by:

  • Ensuring the Committee is provided with or have access to relevant data and/or otherwise provided tools to collect said data
  • Providing an opportunity to comment on how proposed changes in department policies and curriculum may impact issues around diversity and inclusion
  • Ensuring that the processes for review and slate of candidates/applicants selected by the hiring and admissions committees and are regularly reviewed and approved by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
  • Assisting the Committee in gaining cooperation from others to aid its initiatives
     

Student Advisory Board Leadership

The Department of Computer Science’s Student Advisory Board has a committee focused on Diversity and Inclusion efforts. This sub-group 

  • assists in shaping diversity and inclusion programs 
  • promotes diversity and inclusion within the department
  • serves as an advocate for all underrepresented populations in computing.

The Student Advisory Board Application is open to undergraduate and graduate students in computer science at the begining of each semester. Students must be in good academic and judical standing.

Advisors:

  • Monica Hillard, Assistant Director,  Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Department of Computer Science
  • Veronica Sanchez, Retention Coordinator, Iribe Initiative for Incluison and Diversity in Computing

 

 

June 2020 Letter

In Summer 2020, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee committed to specific actions steps to support Black Lives Matter and address systemic rasicm. You can see our updates and status here

Read The Letter Here

Submit Feedback

Follow the link below to send feedback to the chair of the Diversity Committee:

Submit Feedback