Working groups to address campus climate challenges
In 2026, the CCRT will continue its work through working groups focused on four themes: Benchmarking, Michigan Medicine, Prevention and Education, and Vulnerable Communities. CCRT members selected their top choices to groups that aligned with their interest areas. Members serve as Chairs or Co-Chairs of one of the working groups on a volunteer basis.
Working groups will meet one to two times a month and include students, staff, and faculty from all three U-M campuses and the U-M community. Working groups are responsible for assessing community needs, collecting data, benchmarking information from other institutions, researching best practices, and developing evidence-based recommendations. Each group has also been charged with prioritizing the needs, perspectives, and experiences of individuals from marginalized communities in their work.
Working group Co-Chairs meet regularly with the CCRT Co-Leads to enhance synthesis between the groups’ work.
Benchmarking
The Benchmarking Working Group is charged with reviewing prior recommendations, with particular attention to those that were not advanced through the approval process, to assess whether alternative approaches may be available to address the underlying issues. Working collaboratively across CCRT focus areas, the group will identify innovative and feasible pathways to advance solutions to the critical needs previously identified by the CCRT.
Michigan Medicine
The Michigan Medicine working group blends specialized insights and operational frameworks of an academic medical center with campus-wide initiatives. This group will evaluate the current state to identify areas for improvement and create strategic recommendations that serve Michigan Medicine in light of the University of Michigan’s overall goals.
Prevention and Education
The Prevention and Education Working Group examines existing U-M prevention programming with the goal of strengthening coordination, expanding access, and enhancing overall effectiveness. Building on the Communications Committee’s efforts from the prior year, the group’s 2025–2026 focus is the exploration of a coordinated tri-campus and Michigan Medicine marketing and awareness campaign for students, staff, and faculty. Our aim is to educate the campus community about sexual and gender-based violence while increasing awareness of available resources and response options. To support the successful development and implementation of the campaign, the group is also assessing potential funding opportunities.
Vulnerable Communities
The Vulnerable communities working group seeks to ensure that all efforts from the Coordinated Community Response Team are responsive to the unique needs, challenges and experiences of vulnerable populations. Our goal is to increase access to existing resources and support current efforts on campus that are responsive to vulnerable communities.