UMM Diversity Policy
The University of Maine at Machias will seek a campus community that includes--and an environment that values--differences in race, ethnicity, ability/disability, gender, sexual orientation, geography, religion, income, age, and ideology. The campus community includes the people who live, work, and/or take classes, and provide services to the campus.
Vision Statement on the Role of Diversity in Higher Education
Our vision of diversity is that of a resource that invigorates the learning process and energizes the campus community being mindful that it can be a source of misunderstandings and wasted potential. Diversity is the tie that binds, linking together the curricular and the extra-curricular, the individual and the collective, and one group to another. Diversity also underscores the need to examine, reaffirm, and cultivate certain individual and institutional values. Experience has shown that diversity initiatives are most like to succeed in environments characterized by strongly shared values, including: the value of academic excellence, civic responsibility, self-respect, and good will towards members of the campus community. Diversity invigorates the two major types of learning that take place in the university: academic learning that occurs in the classroom and interpersonal learning that takes place outside the classroom in sites like residence halls and the library.
Academic Learning:
The respect for diversity entails a set of values, outlooks, and social practices that are indispensable for academic excellence. Open-mindedness, for example, is a hallmark both of academics and multi-culturalism. The recognition of human differences and nuances of belief and behavior within all groups bypasses the tendency to think in gross generalizations and over-simplifications. Individuals from different backgrounds teach others to interpret ideas or written works in new and unexpected ways. Differences between and within groups fuel academic dialog. Without difference and even disagreement in perspective, a dialog is impossible! Through collaborative exchange and interaction comes the release of creative energies. Through variety, learning can mix with the pleasure of discovery and experimentation.
Interpersonal Learning:
The respect for diversity also provides the basis for interpersonal learning that takes place outside the classroom. Attending college opens up unique opportunities of cultural exposure. In the university setting students regularly interact interpersonally with individuals from diverse backgrounds, which can shatter barriers that separate groups and which can energize even mundane social interactions, making them exciting opportunities to broaden a student's horizons. Students also come to recognize differences and disagreements within communities--a recognition that breaks down misconceptions that stereotype groups. Exposure to diversity outside the classroom teaches students to reexamine their own underlying assumptions and values, which can lead to a reaffirmation or transformation of those norms.
UMM Diversity Committee Members 2009-10
Lois-Ann Kuntz, Arts and Letters Faculty lkuntz@maine.edu
Carlos Roldan, Environmental & Biological Sciences Faculty croldan@maine.edu
Daniel Qualls, Professional Studies Faculty dqualls@maine.edu
Brenda Frey, Career Development & International Services blfrey@maine.edu
Nichole Cote, Residence Life, Dorward Hall nichole.cote@maine.edu
Prabh Jot (PJ) Singh, Admissions AAI psingh@maine.edu
Elisa Boyd, Student elisa.boyd@maine.edu
Derik Lee, Student derik-lee@hotmail.com
Jim Thompson, Board of Visitors twojaysthompson@verizon.net
Sandy Sparrow, Board of Visitors sparrowsandy@hotmail.com
Betty Kelley, Assistant to the President bkelley@maine.edu
Diversity-Awareness Sites of Interest
Learn about Maine's Passamaquoddy Tribe, with locations at Princeton and Indian Township.
Would you like to know more about UMM's student organization, the 100% Society? They advocate awareness and acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and other groups' issues.
At FreeRice you can play games that build knowlege while earning food for those in need! FreeRice is a sister site of Poverty.com and partners with Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and the United Nations World Food Program. Their two goals are to provide education to everyone for free and to help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.
Campus Pride's site, Stop the Hate, promotes safer college environments for LGBT college students.
Southern Poverty Law Center provides a site where you can Sign a Petition to stand against hate.
Learn about hate groups in your area by using the Hate Map at a Southern Poverty Law Center site.
Southern Poverty Law Center provides publications that teach you ways to fight hate at 10 Ways to Fight Hate and to respond to everyday bigotry at Speak Up!
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals, and protects civil liberties.
Diversity-Related Campus Events
9-9-09 Faces of America, a multicultural theatre event was open to the campus and community. The program blended entertainment and education while addressing serious issues regarding diversity.
11-4-09 Disability Awareness Night - Committee members Daniel Qualls and Nichole Cote hosted a table at Disability Awareness Night that focused on Anti-Hate Crime Legislation.
11-6-09 Safe Zones Train-the-Trainer Workshop - Committee members Carlos Roldan and Betty Kelley, along with Athletic Director, Brac Brady and ODP members, Stephanie Wilson and Sean Stoddard attended a training at the System Office. ODP will take the lead, supported by the Diversity Committee, to establish Safe Zones on the UMM campus; places where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions are accepted, affirmed, and can feel safe. At Safe Zone sites, visitors will have access to further information about support and resources.
12-4-09 International Student Presentation & Potluck - Committee members PJ Singh and Brenda Frey organized a pot luck dinner and a presentation on the Philippines that was free and open to the public. UMM student, Eric Tan, a Marine Biology major, gave a talk about his home country, the Philippines.
2-25-10 and 3-25-10 UMM Safe Zones Trainings for Faculty and Staff - The Diversity Committee is partnering with Omicron Delta Pi, UMM's Human Rights and Advocacy Collegiate Fraternal Organization, to conduct trainings to re-establish "Safe Spaces" on campus. The workshops are intended to help participants support LGBT students, faculty, and staff. Although campus climate has improved substantially over the years, LGBT people still sometimes experience negative environments and bias-related incidents. At the conclusion of training sessions, each participant receives a "Safe Space" sticker to display in their office/work space. The sticker is an easily recognizable symbol that says the office/work space that displays it is a place where people of all sexual orientations are affirmed and can feel welcomed. It is meant as a symbol of a safe haven and a place of inclusion for all.
PRIDE WEEK EVENTS 2010 - Sponsored by UMM's 100% Society will take place the first weekend after spring break 2010.
4-10-10 Rainbow Ball - (a component of Pride Week) The Rainbow Ball is an outreach event to all Maine high school students that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or allies to attend a prom with the person they would like. The Rainbow Ball is free to high school students and is open to all others for an admission charge of $20 per couple, or $15 for individuals. It is scheduled for Saturday, April 10, 2010.
UPCOMING DIVERSITY AWARENESS EVENTS - SCHEDULING TBA:
Spring Semester International Student Presentation & Potluck
Hispanic Culture Event
Passamaquoddy Culture Event