Building Community, Repairing Harm

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:13:01 -0500

As part of UMBC's ongoing commitment to fostering equitable and inclusive learning and working environments, we're excited to offer departments a meaningful opportunity to strengthen community, repair relationships, and build trust across campus through Restorative Practice sessions. These offerings include multiple circle types, facilitated by partners in the Division of Institutional Equity (DOIE), and tailored to the unique needs of faculty and staff departments.

We invite faculty, staff, supervisors, and department leaders to discover how restorative practices can empower your teams to cultivate cultural competency, equity, accountability, and community care. These collaborative sessions provide a dedicated space to enhance communication, deepen connections, and foster a more inclusive work environment. To learn more or explore how these practices might benefit your department, please reach out to the Community & Culture team at culture@umbc.edu.

DOIE RESTORATIVE OFFERINGS

Restorative circles, community conversations, and dialogues

Circles provide structured, equitable spaces for dialogue and connection. Whether used proactively to build community or responsively to address harm, circles honor the voices and experiences of all participants through guided conversation. DOIE offers various circle types, including community-building, learning, restorative dialogue, healing, resetting, and re-entry circles to support faculty and staff (individuals, groups, departments).

Reach out for DOIE support when: Your department wants to strengthen culture proactively, address interpersonal tensions or misunderstandings, process the impact of bias incidents or crises, support colleague reintegration after conflict or leave, or explore challenging topics related to equity and inclusion.

Restorative Conferences: Formal Support for Complex Situations

In DOIE, restorative conferences are structured, facilitated meetings designed to address significant harm, policy violations, or formal workplace conflicts, particularly when navigating identity-based issues, community climate, and cultural differences. These conferences bring together affected parties with institutional representatives to repair relationships, establish accountability, and create clear paths forward.

Reach out for DOIE support when: There has been a formal complaint, policy violation, or significant identity-based interpersonal harm; parties are ready to engage voluntarily in structured dialogue; institutional representatives need to be part of the resolution process; or clear, documented agreements and follow-up are essential.

Group Facilitation: Retreats, Listening Sessions & More

DOIE provides customized facilitation for departmental retreats, listening sessions, and other gatherings where skilled, restorative facilitation helps groups navigate complexity and move toward shared goals, particularly when navigating identity-based issues, community climate, and cultural differences.

Reach out for DOIE support when: Your department is planning a retreat and needs skilled facilitation; you want to gather qualitative feedback through listening sessions or town halls; your team is navigating organizational change or climate concerns; or you need support creating inclusive dialogue spaces for sensitive or complex topics.

*Available Facilitators: Jasmine A. Lee, Associate Vice President for Community & Culture/Co-Director of Social Justice Dialogue, and Sy Simms, Learning and Development Specialist, and other trained members of the Community & Culture team and UMBC campus.

Learn More & Get Involved

We encourage all campus partners to take advantage of these opportunities to strengthen our shared culture of equity and belonging.

For questions about requesting restorative practices support, scheduling a circle, or determining the best approach for your department, please visit doie.umbc.edu or contact the Community & Culture team at culture@umbc.edu.

To participate in a Restorative Practices training hosted by Student Conduct and Community Standards, visit https://conduct.umbc.edu/programs/restorative-practices/events-and-workshops-offered/.