Diversity Profile

The University of Massachusetts is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.

To fulfill that policy, the University of Massachusetts is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.

It is the policy of the University of Massachusetts to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Chancellor J. Keith Motley’s Statement on Diversity & Affirmative Action

The University of Massachusetts Boston is a leader in higher education as it relates to diversity, access, and excellence. With its urban mission to stand with the city of Boston—a mission established by its founders—the university reflects the growing diversity of the local community it represents and the strengths that these differences in people exhibit. At the University of Massachusetts Boston, 39.3% of our students are persons of color. Ours is a community that naturally extends itself to, and welcomes into its student body, faculty, and staff, a broad spectrum of people in terms of race, ethnicity, age, and economic background. It is our belief that the academic experience here is enriched and enhanced by the inclusion of the varied backgrounds and perspectives that we all bring to it. The result has been a richness of diversity unmatched by any other public university in New England, a fact in which we take great pride.

The University of Massachusetts Boston has reinforced its commitment to and support of the principles of diversity, access, and excellence by incorporating a diversity requirement into the curriculum. We at the university see the realization of the values of diversity and access as critical to the evaluation of excellence in all of our academic programs, at all levels.

In keeping with its long and proud tradition of initiatives in support of affirmative action in employment, the university will continue to pursue a comprehensive affirmative action agenda in all areas of the campus. On the one hand, as chancellor I have primary responsibility for achieving our goals in this regard, while delegating authority and daily responsibility for the implementation of our plans to the vice chancellors. On the other hand, affirmative action is the responsibility of all who are a part of the university community. I regard all hiring units as responsible for striving to attain our affirmative action goals and implementing our affirmative action and equal opportunity policies. And of course everyone who is associated with the University of Massachusetts Boston shares in the responsibility of fostering an environment that will allow the strengths of diversity to flourish and the goals of affirmative action to be achieved.

Our Affirmative Action Plan reaffirms the campus’s commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, ancestry, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a veteran (with particular emphasis on disabled and/or Vietnam-era veterans). The plan reaffirms as well our dedication to giving all employees and students the opportunity to work and study in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.

Finally, the Affirmative Action Plan reaffirms our policy of non-discrimination in all employment decisions. It reasserts our commitment to treating University of Massachusetts Boston employees and applicants equitably and fairly in all matters relating to employment. No university employee or applicant shall be unlawfully discriminated against or harassed.

As Boston’s only public research university, we have the unique opportunity and responsibility to represent access to excellence in higher education for a diverse student body, and we will continue to ensure that our employees reflect the diversity of the community we serve.

J. Keith Motley, PhD

Chancellor