|
The Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations at the
University of Michigan was created in 1957 to provide a
vehicle for research and a focus within the University on issues
pertaining to employment and labor relations. The Institute brings
research together with practice to address a wide variety of topics,
from labor relations and labor market structure to services in
the workplace, employment discrimination, and the "underground"
economy.
The Institute operates as a free-standing unit, under
the joint direction of the schools of
Business Administration and
Social Work.
Its activities involve not only its own staff,
but also faculty members with primary appointments elsewhere in
the University. Although the Institute does not offer its own
degree programs, Institute staff regularly teach in the University
and work directly with students, from mentoring undergraduates
to dissertation research. Through its Labor Studies Center, the
Institute regularly offers a range of educational programs for
the public. These include courses specifically related to union
education and more general programs addressing issues arising
in a diverse and rapidly changing employment environment.
One of the strengths of the Institute is its unique
position within a major research university. Over the years,
the Institute has been a partner with the schools of
Business Administration,
Engineering,
Nursing,
Law,
Medicine,
Public Health, and
Social Work, as well as with the departments of
Economics,
Psychology,
Sociology, and
Political Science. The University's
advanced computer network and library resources, combined with
the Institute's internal software development and support, add
a critical dimension to the Institute's ability to explore the
nature and implications of the evolving workplace.
|
