Racial Equity, Implicit Bias and Diversity training offered at Hutchinson Center

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

June 22, 2021 Outreach

Registration is now open for a one-day professional development program, “Racial Equity, Implicit Bias and Diversity Training,” from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. July 23. The program, facilitated by the Racial Equity & Justice Firm, is offered in partnership with the University of Maine Hutchinson Center.

The program will further participants’ understanding of racial equity, diversity and implicit bias, and seeks to move institutions beyond reflecting and into the active work of creating a more equitable world. Held synchronously via Zoom, this interactive program includes in-depth organizational analysis, solution-based discussions and provides resources for change.

The program is co-facilitated by UMaine alumni David Patrick and Desiree Vargas, cofounders of Racial Equity & Justice Firm (REJ). More information about REJ, which offers tailored programs to employers, is online. Patrick also serves as the associate director of The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine. Vargas has experience with racial justice advocacy, anti-gender-based violence advocacy, harm reduction activism and heart-centered decolonization consultation.

The fee for this online, instructor-led program is $95; a limited number of need-based scholarships are available for people who live or work in Knox or Waldo counties. For those interested in continuing education credits, 0.4 CEUs and 4 contact hours are available.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Michelle Patten, 207.338.8002; um.fhc.pd@maine.edu.