DEI Resources on Campus

Below is an ever-growing list of resources available at the University of Minnesota to students from traditionally underrepresented and under-resourced backgrounds.

First-Gen Connect
First-Gen Connect is a new supportive network for first-generation college students who are in graduate programs at the University of Minnesota.

Graduate Student Community Organizations & Academic and Professional Support Resources
Graduate School resource and student group list

Immigration Response Team (IRT)
The Immigration Response Team exists to ensure all who are affected by immigration policy changes have access to resources and support. Services include consultations, Immigration Drop-In hours for students, the writing of travel letters for faculty and staff, and the monitoring of the impact of immigration policy changes on the UMN community. The IRT also administers The Dream Fund, a fund that provides modest grants for emergency situations to students who have/had DACA, lost Temporary Protected Status, are undocumented or face other challenges due to immigration policy changes. 

International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)
International Student & Scholar Services staff is professionally trained to provide information and counseling to foreign nationals about academic, immigration, legal, career, financial, personal and family issues, as well as issues of cross-cultural adjustment and professional integration upon returning to home countries.

Office of Equity and Diversity (OED)
The Office of Equity and Diversity’s mission is to leverage the transformative power of equity and diversity to advance excellence in teaching, research and community engagement at the University of Minnesota.

Community of Scholars Program
Based in the Graduate School Diversity Office, the Community of Scholars Program (COSP) works towards creating an institutional environment that supports the academic and professional success of Native American graduate students and domestic graduate students of color who are underrepresented in academia.

Student Parent Help Center
The Office for Student Affairs has provided funding for a part-time dedicated Student Parent Help Center (SPHC) staff position specifically focused on the needs of graduate student parents. More info on services, assistance, and events on the Student Parent Help Center website.

Twin Cities Multicultural Directory
The Twin Cities Multicultural Directory serves to inform new and current students, staff, and faculty about resources and services within the Twin Cities area.

Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence
The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) is a campus-wide resource that promotes an inclusive atmosphere to foster and enrich multicultural understanding among all members of the University of Minnesota community. MCAE's commitment to creating such a climate is driven by a student-first culture in which students are the highest priority.

Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life
The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life provides education, advocacy, outreach, and support to students, staff, faculty, alum and community members. They strive to create a campus climate where more inclusive understandings of gender and sexuality foster a sense of belonging for all.

Disability Resource Center
The University of Minnesota values diverse identities and experiences, and honors disability as an important aspect of human diversity. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) works in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University to eliminate or minimize barriers and facilitate inclusion on campus. 

Improving Campus Climate
Campus Climate emerged in 2014 as a pressing issue through the Twin Cities campus strategic planning process, as well as past and current grassroots efforts led by campus groups concerned about the experiences of marginalized groups at the University of Minnesota. This site contains a number of initiatives and projects that are currently under way to advance campus climate on the Twin Cities campus.

Gender-Inclusive Restrooms
The University has also been at work over the past four years to increase the number of gender-neutral restrooms across campus. There are now more than 300 gender-neutral restrooms in public spaces on campus and approximately 100 more in spaces with controlled access areas such as departments. This effort is the culmination of the long advocacy of the University's Trans Advisory and Action Team (formerly the Transgender Commission) and the Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life (formerly GLBTA Program's Office), as well resolutions last year from the U Senate and the Council of Graduate Students. A GIS-enabled map of these facilities is being developed for the University website and will be updated as the project progresses. More information: Dave Hutton, Operations, hutto007@umn.edu 

Bias Response Referral Network (BRRN)
The Bias Response and Referral Network responds to reports of bias incidents on the Twin Cities campus. The BRRN’s goal is to contribute to a campus climate that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful for all. The BRRN provides support resources to impacted parties, promotes education and dialogue, and affirms the University's commitment to equity and diversity, free speech, and academic freedom.

Women’s Center
The Women’s Center advances gender equity across identities. They educate and inspire feminist leaders, advance an empowering intellectual environment, and advocate for an equitable University culture and community.

Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Alliance for Diversity & Inclusivity
The Alliance is a graduate-student and postdoc-led initiative intended to provide opportunities for all graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to work collaboratively on issues that support diversity and inclusion through education, advocacy, networking, discussion, recognition, and celebration.

Student Legal Service
Student Legal Service offers legal advice and representation to Student-Service-Fee-paying students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. They also provide educational programming on legal issues to students, staff, faculty, and the community.