The University offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, education, engineering and technology, nursing, liberal arts, music and the pure and applied sciences. A wide range of continuing education programs serve individuals who cannot attend classes full-time. The four strategic priorities of the University of Massachusetts Lowell include a commitment to sustain industrial development, reaffirm teaching and learning, pioneer the interactive university and embrace diversity and pluralism. This context provided framework for the University to establish a Council on Diversity and Pluralism in December 1994, to celebrate cultural differences, encourage and facilitate discussion of issues relating to equity and excellence in higher education, and to recognize diverse teaching methodologies, learning abilities, and lifestyles among faculty, staff and students. The Council also makes recommendations to the Chancellor and the Provost on affirmative action and equal opportunity programs.
Membership is open to all students, staff and faculty.
Under direction of the Council, the Center For Diversity and Pluralism facilitates research, sponsors conferences, and conducts seminars to bring new perspectives to existing views on diversity. The Center also serves as a clearinghouse to collect and disseminate data and research literature on diversity issues in higher education and at the workplace. Each year, the Center fully or partially funds more than 20 programs through Diversity Grants, conducts a series of development seminars for faculty and staff, sponsors survey research on enrollment and retention, assists student organizations with program development and leadership-building skills and coordinates outreach programs at area middle and high schools. The Council celebrates many campus initiatives and successful programs, ongoing studies of enrollment, retention and graduation of students of color, a network of 29 public higher education institutions in Massachusetts, numerous outreach programs with area public schools and community organizations and the development of additional resources for program implementation. Each July, the Council on Diversity and Pluralism funds 20 to 40 grants to support research, curriculum enrichment, professional development, student activities and community collaboration.