Affinity Groups

Affinity groups help make the University of Minnesota a more welcoming and inclusive place to work and learn. 

The U of M Affinity groups include Asian American Pacific Islander Desi (AAPID) Staff & Faculty Association, American Indian Faculty & Staff Association, Black Faculty & Staff Association, Disabled Employees at the U, Latino/a/x Faculty & Staff Association, Pride at Work, U of M Indigenous Women & Women of Color, and U of M Veteran and Military Affinity Group.

Visit the Office of Equity and Diversity page for the latest information on U of M Affinity groups.

Campus Climate

http://campusclimate.umn.edu (Twin Cities specific)

The University of Minnesota supports a welcoming campus climate in which all persons are treated with respect. Toward that end, the University facilitates, sustains, and advances a culture that supports equity, inclusion, and community by fostering dialogue, respect, and personal growth. These purposeful activities and shared responsibility provide an environment that allows everyone the opportunity to succeed.
Respect. Everyone. Every day.

This site contains information about campus climate, news and perspectives, ways to get involved, initiatives and projects, and resources for concerns.

Disability Resource Center - U Return

https://disability.umn.edu/employee-services

UReturn is designed to assist and support all University faculty and staff who experience an illness or injury that affects their ability to work. UReturn works to ensure access to University services and accommodations for employees throughout their recovery/return to work. As a supervisor, the UReturn staff can assist you in working with employees who may need accommodations. Disability Resource Center works to ensure that all employees have access to University employment, courses, programs, facilities, services and activities by documenting disabilities and providing or arranging reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, training, consultations and technical assistance.

Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential professional consultation and referral services to address any personal or work concern that may be affecting your wellbeing. You can request up to eight sessions per year at no cost if eligible. Confidential consultation is provided in areas that include: work productivity, work relationships, conflict resolution, mental health, alcohol/substance abuse, family/relationships, adjustment to loss/change, coping with stress. EAP also provides consultation for administrators, supervisors, union representatives, or anyone in a leadership position. Consultation areas include: managing the people-side of change, performance issues, conduct issues, and work climate.

Through the U, our EAP offers manager consultations with clinical specialists to support managers. Learn more about Manager Consultations from Lyra.

Environmental Health & Safety

http://www.dehs.umn.edu/

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) ensures the safety of the University of Minnesota community. They work with our community members to prevent accidents, report unsafe conditions and protect the environment by providing consulting services, training programs, and regulatory compliance support for all University community members. Specifically, they can consult with you about biosafety; ergonomic resources; environmental compliance; hazardous waster; food, water, and housing; indoor air quality; industrial hygiene & safety; radiation protection, research safety, and shipping.

Office for Conflict Resolution

http://ocr.umn.edu/ 

The Office for Conflict Resolution addresses employment conflicts with respect and skill. It is a neutral and independent office where faculty and staff can raise concerns. Consultations are confidential (subject to very limited exceptions). The role of the Office for Conflict Resolution is to serve as third-party, skilled neutrals to help employees express differences, evaluate interests, and reach resolution. The Office is not an advocate for the particular point of view of faculty, staff, administrators, or student workers. Conflict resolution staff do not provide legal advice and they are not trained as therapists. They provide consultations, facilitated discussions, mediation, peer hearing process, and educational programming. As a supervisor, know that you can consult with OCR before there is a conflict. Meet with them if you are going into a conversation or situation where you believe conflict may arise to brainstorm or think through your approach.

Conflict Resolution Centers

The Conflict Resolution Centers offer free, impartial, informal, and confidential assistance with any University issue.

Student Conflict Resolution Center

Faculty and Staff Conflict Resolution Center

Office for Equity and Diversity

https://diversity.umn.edu/

It is our responsibility as an institution—as part of our commitment to creating a welcoming and affirming climate—to serve and support the following individuals and groups at the University of Minnesota: American Indians and other indigenous populations; people of color, including underrepresented groups and new immigrant populations; people with both apparent and non-apparent disabilities; people who identify as women; people of various gender and sexual identities and expressions; first-generation students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

We also address issues of access and climate for individuals who might encounter barriers based on their religious expression, age, national origin, ethnicity, or veteran status. Furthermore, we recognize the importance of working with people who claim more than one of the above identities.

There are many opportunities offered by the Office of Equity and Diversity for education and training.

Office of the General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advice to Human Resources and University Departments on a host of employment-related matters. Specifically, they provide advice and counsel in the areas of Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Employee Labor Relations Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and related federal and state employment laws; union contract negotiation, grievances, and collective bargaining obligations; employee discipline and termination; and drafting of employment separation agreements; employment-related tort claims, contract issues and common law claims; in-house discrimination charges pending before the EEOC and state employment agencies, including conducting fact investigations and document review, drafting and submitting position statements, and appearing before such agencies in mediations and fact-finding investigations. For frequently asked questions with answers about Labor and Employment, visit http://ogc.umn.edu/faqs/employment-and-labor-relations.

Office of Human Resources

The Office of Human Resources works as a strategic partner to provide the workforce and organizational capabilities that drive excellence in the University. Their vision is to create the diverse workplace of the future where people are engaged, connected, thriving, and achieving. You can access information, resources on the OHR website or call 4- UOHR (612-624-8647) or 1-800-756-2363 to learn about employment opportunities, resources for new employees, benefits, wellbeing and wellness, perks for those working at the U and resources for supervising at the U.

Risk Management & Insurance

The Office for Risk Management offers resources that help you to understand what risks the University is concerned with, what tools are available to manage risk, and how to report important events to the University; such as, reporting claims and events of injuries to university employees (Workers Compensation), damage to university property, and accidents involving university vehicles.