Rhetaugh Dumas was an esteemed leader with vision, insight, and wise counsel who had a major impact in the advancement of nursing, health care, and academic programs at U-M. Vice Provost Emerita Dumas was the first African-American woman to hold the position of a Dean at the University of Michigan when she was appointed in 1981. She remained Dean of Nursing until 1994, when she was named the inaugural vice provost for health affairs and the Lucille Cole Professor of Nursing. Prior to those appointments, she was the first woman and first nurse to serve as a deputy director of the National Institute of Mental Health. Dumas was Deputy Director, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (1979-1981) and before that, Chief, Psychiatric Nursing Education Branch of the Division of Manpower and Training Programs (1972-1976). She was also a founding member, a Charter Fellow, and a former president of the American Academy of Nursing. Dumas served the University of Michigan for over 20 years with vision and a commitment to excellence.
The rationale for the Rhetaugh G. Dumas Award is that the achievement of a diverse faculty requires an institutional commitment to change that transcends the impact of individual actors. The full professor rank presents the zenith of faculty career ranks. Having concurrent ethnic/racial and gender diversity in the faculty holding the rank of full and associate professors, tenured and non-tenured, provides an emblematic statement about the institutional commitment of that unit to implementing a climate of inclusion. Thus, in the past, the Academic Women’s Caucus sought nominations from academic units that have demonstrated the vision, commitment, and dedication to achieve a truly diverse faculty. In 2026, CEW+ changed the award to an individual one, honoring Dumas and those whose work reflects her legacy.
Nominations
Nominations for 2025-2026 are closed.
CEW+ looks forward to reviewing your nominations for the Rhetaugh Dumas Award.
Nominations are encouraged from all three University of Michigan campuses – Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn.
Nominees for the Rhetaugh Dumas Award will be judged according to the following criteria:
- Affiliation with the University of Michigan (full-time faculty, including instructors, lecturers, primary researchers, librarians, and curators; and senior administrative staff)
- A demonstrated, sustained effort across an academic or administrative career that has resulted in greater equity regarding gender, race, class, age, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation at U-M or beyond.
- Significant achievement in contributing to the advancement of higher education as it pertains to human rights.
- Significant contributions to staff and faculty success in academic programs by using one’s position to serve as an advocate, mentor, and/or champion for those in positions of lesser power.
The Award Ceremony will happen in February 2026. Recipients will be asked to give a short presentation about the impact of their work.
Preference is given to nominees who have gone above and beyond their regular work responsibilities.
Nominations are due October 27, 2025.
Questions? Contact [email protected].
Award Recipients
2025
Ellen Rowe, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation and the Earl V. Moore Professor of Music, School of Music, Theatre and Dance
2024
U-M Marsal Family School of Education
2023
U-M Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
2022
U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering
U-M School of Kinesiology
2021
U-M School of Information
2020
U-M Women’s Studies Department
2019
U-M School of Nursing
2018
UM-Dearborn’s College of Engineering and Computer Science
2015
U-M Department of Communication Studies, LSA
2014
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the School of Public Health
2013
Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Division of General Pediatrics
2011
The American Culture Department of College of Literature, Science and the Arts
2010
Department of Psychology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts