Among other problems, there were apparently multiple accusations of microaggressions. Oh my.
The College Fix reports:
Campus diversity program accused of having toxic environmentUniversity of Michigan’s ADVANCE program has been hit with allegations of discrimination, with former employees accusing its leadership of allowing microaggressions and a toxic environment to fester, among other claims.The program employs about a dozen people and is focused on faculty recruitment, retention, climate and leadership development as it works “to address necessary institutional changes to support the needs of a diverse faculty in all fields,” its website reads.An investigative piece by The Michigan Daily, the school’s student-run newspaper, found 12 alleged instances of discrimination and a hostile work environment spanning eight years from 2012 to 2020.Among the allegations was that women of color were told their writing was not eloquent or effective and that microaggressions were common, according to the March 16 report.“There were lies about my performance which relates directly to white supremacy culture at ADVANCE,” said Maria Ozor Commer, a former program employee and a central source in the Daily’s investigation.ADVANCE employees declined to comment to The College Fix and instead directed inquiries to campus spokesman Rick Fitzgerald.“The ADVANCE program, like most programs on our campus, is continuously looking for ways to improve its operations in a manner that respects diversity, equity and inclusion,” he wrote to The College Fix in an email.Fitzgerald did not answer any of The Fix’s specific questions, such as whether or not the university administration or the ADVANCE leadership team had a position on the truth of any particular allegations.
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