In addition, Washington University was one of the only higher education institutions in the United States to announce a delayed start, rather than an accelerated start, to the 2020 fall and 2021 spring academic terms and one of the first to reinstate retirement benefits and the university's salary merit increase program after the majority of institutions and organizations made similar budget cuts.

[9] CRE2 officially launched in August 2020 and utilizes field-defining research, innovative learning, and strategic engagement in order to transform scholarship, policy, and clinical interventions where race and ethnicity are at the center.

[10] In June 2020, Martin outlined a set of action steps to address issues of racial equity on Washington University's campus and throughout the St. Louis region, including a cluster hire initiative for 12 new faculty with a research emphasis on race and ethnicity, enhanced pedagogy and curricular programming, collaborative efforts to reimagine the university's police force and campus safety, increased supplier diversity in contracting and construction projects, and more.

[12] In 2021, Martin announced "Gateway to Success," [13] a $1 billon investment in student financial aid that allowed WashU to shift to need-blind undergraduate admissions.

The university’s efforts in the region also include offerings at the School of Continuing & Professional Studies, which offers a variety of degree and certificate programs tailored to meet the demands of the regional job market; and the St. Louis Confluence Collaborative for Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Practice, an initiative of the Here and Next strategic plan that serves as an organizing platform and convening unit for community-engaged research, teaching and practice across WashU, with St. Louis needs at the forefront.

On April 25, 2024, Martin engaged local police departments to respond to a pro-Palestinian protest on WashU’s Danforth Campus.

A large group of demonstrators had attempted to set up an encampment and refused to leave campus after being instructed to do so by police over a period of more than three hours.

Martin's actions were condemned by Representative Cori Bush [19] and City leadership and praised by national pundits [20] and some elected officials.