Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)

UMBC’s Political Science Department is committed to enhancing the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of our curriculum, pedagogy, faculty, and student outreach. Our discipline has a long history of exclusion that will take years to rectify, and we are making immediate changes that will continue into the future.

What have we done?

  1. Created the DEIA Committee comprised of POLI faculty and undergraduate student representatives
  2. Met regularly with student representatives to discuss curriculum changes
  3. Individual faculty implemented curriculum and pedagogical changes in response to student feedback and committee discussions. Here are some examples:
    • Incorporating broader viewpoints in course readings, materials, discussions, etc.
    • Including scholarship from or about historically marginalized groups in political science and higher education
    • Designing assignments and activities that are culturally relevant and inclusive
    • Developing assessment measures that recognize diverse learning styles
    • Structuring classes that promote equitable access to resources and establishes community among diverse students
  1. Revised the Department Promotion and Tenure policies to recognize faculty DEIA contributions in research, teaching, and service, in coordination with UMBC’s system-wide commitment to DEIA
  2. Created a hiring Plan for Inclusive Excellence for future full-time faculty searches in accordance with CAHSS’s recommendations and in coordination with STRIDE 
  3. Administered the first-ever Student Climate Survey

In Spring 2023 The Department was awarded a College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Pedagogy and Teaching grant to develop a Department Climate Survey for undergraduate students. In consultation with members of the DEIA Committee and undergraduate student assistants, the survey was created and administered on Qualtrics in May 2023. Fully anonymous, the survey included a broad base of respondents, including Political Science majors, minors, and other students who enrolled in at least one political science course.  Going forward, the survey will be administered at the end of each academic year and a summary of the results will be posted on this website.

What are we doing?

  • Hiring a full-time tenure-track faculty member in American Government who specializes in Race and Ethnic Politics
  • Implementing our Hiring Plan for Inclusive Excellence in additional tenure-track faculty searches
  • Meeting regularly to discuss curriculum and pedagogical changes and measures of success
  • Evaluating the results of the Department Climate Survey and developing a list of specific action items for AY 23-24
  • Continuing to administer the Department Climate Survey and evaluating results
  • Developing culturally relevant and inclusive course offerings
  • Increasing student awareness of the Department’s DEIA initiatives as part of a university-wide commitment to inclusive excellence

 

 

Additional Resources:

Check out our own Professor Filomeno’s efforts on DEI initiatives

Some of the resources below do an excellent job showing the diversity of views found within Political Science:

  •  Database of Women Experts and Authors in Political Science

https://www.womenalsoknowstuff.com/#)

  • Database of POC Experts and Authors in Political Science

https://sites.google.com/view/pocexperts/home?authuser=2)

  • National Conference of Black Political Scientists: National Political Science Review (website:

https://www.ncobps.org/about-us/national-political-science-review)

  • BLM Micro-Syllabus developed by Nadia E. Brown* (website:

https://think.taylorandfrancis.com/pgi-black-lives-matter/)