Equity & Social Justice (ESJ) Committee

Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Committee’s Role

Works to bridge DEI efforts between the Institute and the broader SSW community
Monitors progress of the ESJ Action Plan and holds committees accountable to the action steps within them
Takes feedback and suggestions about equity to the ESJ committee and leadership team for review and implementation
Collaborates with the ODEI to develop questions for the Pulse Check Survey and conduct analysis
Assesses the results of the Pulse Check Survey and holds listening sessions as needed to gather feedback directly from staff
Uses feedback and data to inform the ESJ Action Plan

What is the ESJ Action Plan?

The Institute is dedicated to being an equitable and anti-racist organization, both internally and externally. This commitment requires evaluation and action. The Institute uses data from the annual climate survey, the School of Social Work’s Pulse Check Survey, and feedback from employee processing spaces to examine areas of improvement and create an action plan to address those issues. The ESJ Action Plan documents the action steps and responsible party(ies), and provides a timeline for the Institute to follow. Several sub-committees within the Institute, as well as the ESJ Committee, work to hold everyone accountable to the plan. The ESJ Action Plan is a living document that is refined as new data and feedback are provided.

Access the current ESJ Action Plan here.

How do I report an equity concern?

The SSW’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Office of Accountability and Compliance is piloting the Bias Prevention and Response Protocol at the School of Social Work. The purpose of this is to provide a coordinated and systematic response to incidents involving bias and microaggressions that occur within the SSW community.

To report a DEI concern to the SSW, visit: https://umaryland.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1TcjRtSUzuGpcW2

If you have questions about reporting an incented or accessing support for an equity matter, please reach out to the ESJ Committee and the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

How do I get more involved with the ESJ Committee?

Keep up to date on ESJ updates, discussion, and progress by accessing the monthly meeting notes here: https://umbcits.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/SSW-III_EquityandSocialJusticeCommittee/Ek-U_5DCzjxEh4Lbw1GpLzgBFzYV9BlUrFo1OaYHqBGY9g?e=ZMEwL1

To join the ESJ Committee, members have to dedicate to a few actions:

Complete the training on the brief history of oppression and resistance available on Blackboard
Complete the LEAD Program (we will need to balance this requirement with the available spots as cohorts are implemented)
Dedicate to being part of the committee for at least a year

Reach out to any ESJ Committee Member(s) to get started.