Mission, vision, and core work

playground

Mission and vision

We lead the University of Michigan in co-creating a just, equitable, and inclusive community for LGBTQIA2S+ people.
 

Principles of work

Accessibility

We strive to be available and accessible to members of our campus and wider community in as many ways as possible. We focus on thoughtful and prompt communication, listening, and responding to student needs and desires in meaningful ways

Action

We believe that we must proactively do something to create our vision in partnership with campus and the wider community. In our action we value innovation by looking for new ideas and perspectives, and we work to always be on the cutting edge. Our vision is one of social justice in which we collaboratively fight oppression across multiple issues and -isms. In our work we navigate the complexity that comes with being social-justice oriented within a large institution.

Collaboration

We work to create an inclusive and collaborative space through our programming and physical space across multiple issues, multiple offices, and within our own office. We value all contributions, and we work as a collective system in which everyone contributes what they can in a feasible and effective manner.

Education

Our office works to constantly gain information about the field of LGBTQA affairs, student affairs, and our own student body through research, professional development, and on-the-job learning. We believe it is our responsibility to share our knowledge, experiences, and expertise in order to engage our campus and wider community in learning and reflective practice. We strive to be a learning organization by fostering a culture of challenging, modeling, and learning from one another. As constant learners we know that we, as an office, do not have all the answers; we are open to teaching and learning from others.

Student Leadership

Our work is accomplished through teams, each made up of professional staff, graduate, and undergraduate students. We value student engagement with a focus on self-authorship. We seek to enhance spaces to self-identify and contribute student voice and ideas.

Transparency

We engage in transparency both internally (among our staff, student staff, and volunteers) and externally (with campus and community constituents) through communicating context, sharing as much information as possible, acknowledging help and insight from others and other institutions, and avoiding unilateral decision-making.
 

Spectrum Anti-Racism Collaborative (SpARC)

A collective of professional staff and student staff within the Spectrum Center that ensures accountability and forward motion of dismantling whiteness and enacting anti-racism in our practices, policies and procedures. The structure and projects of the Lab are determined yearly by participants. Any questions and connections about the lab can be directed to [email protected] and we will get back to you to follow-up.

Goals:

  1. investigating how LGBTQ+ Centers across the country are prioritizing and engaging in anti-racist work
  2. examining gaps and opportunities for the Spectrum Center in how we can better center and support QTBIPOC students/staff/faculty
  3. creating and integrating a framework for the role of anti-racism and dismantling whiteness in our Center
  4. identifying opportunities for sustained integration throughout our organization
     

Learning lab

A team of professional and student staff members supporting the development of personal and professional opportunities for all staff including: all staff meeting design, creation of student staff onboarding materials, and social event planning for Spectrum Center staff.

Goals:

  1. Provide professional development and learning opportunities for Spectrum Center staff
  2. Develop onboarding materials for new and incoming SC staff members
     

Digital resources lab

A team dedicated to the creation of content that supports access to to crucial information for navigating campus and community resources and tools for building an inclusive campus community.

Goals:

  1. Provide robust resources for QTBIPOC students
  2. Create a sustainable structure of reviewing resource submissions to the Spectrum Center website