In 1994, the Board of Regents revised bylaw 14.06, guaranteeing that students, staff, and faculty will not be discriminated against because of sexual orientation. In 1998, two lawsuits were filed against the University and the Law School, alleging that admissions policies are discriminatory. The University is responding with a vigorous defense that, as befitting a research university, convincingly demonstrates the equity and effectiveness of its actions and policies. Building academic programs As a university with a national and global reputation for excellence, the University of Michigan is constantly strengthening its faculty and finding ways to support and advance the best research and teaching. The pursuit of excellence is ongoing and iterative.
Faculty generate streams of fresh research, seeking out fresh ideas and new collaborations.
Schools, colleges, divisions, and departments direct ongoing focus to the design of curricula and the effectiveness of learning. Several visible features of this profoundly important and productive aspect of the University might be noted for this decade. Michigan has long been a place that encourages an enterprising spirit of research among its faculty. Many internal resources are available to stimulate new investigations, and many new initiatives succeed in finding sources of external support. This decade has seen an unprecedented increase in faculty collaborations.