Arizona State University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Policy statement:

Academic Affairs Manual – ACD 401: Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation

Arizona State University is committed to providing an environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation for the entire university community, including all students, faculty members, staff employees, and guests. ASU expressly prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by employees, students, contractors, or agents of the university based on any protected status: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and genetic information.

See full policy at:

https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html

ASU policy prohibits discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation directed at any member of the ASU community or any person participating in a university-sponsored program or activity. See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html

The procedure for responding to alleged violations differs based on whether the respondent is a student. Claims of violations of ACD 401 by students are addressed under the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) Student Code of Conduct (SSM 104–01) and related procedures. See https://eoss.asu.edu/dos/srr/codeofconduct. Claims of violations of ACD 401 by employees are set forth in P20 (https://provost.asu.edu/policies/procedures/p20 ), and investigations are conducted by the Office of University Rights and Responsibilities (https://urr.asu.edu/).

Both sets of procedures provide for prompt and equitable methods of investigation and resolution to stop discrimination, remedy any harm, and prevent its recurrence. In addition, both procedures provide for interim measures to be used to avoid continuing harm while a complaint is being addressed. Anonymous reporting obligations are also available, including through the ASU hotline, which accepts reports regarding any kind of ethics or compliance issue. See https://cfo.asu.edu/asu-hotline and https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/report/hotline.

In addition to the complaint and investigation procedures addressed above, ASU provides additional supports to individuals who have experienced or witnessed incidents of discrimination. These supports are available whether or not the individual chooses to proceed with a formal complaint, and include counseling and health services for student employees as well as victim advocates. Additional information about available university resources is available at https://www.asu.edu/reportit/ and https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/sites/default/files/sexualassault_flowchart.pdf. In addition, ASU provides and publicizes information regarding off-campus resources available to those who experience acts of discrimination and harassment. See https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/resources.

STUDENTS
ASU and its partners also provide a wide range of scholarships and financial aid programs to recruit and support students from under-represented groups. Examples include:

ASU Latino Partnership/ASU-Hispanic Business Alumni Scholarship
- HBA partners with this community of Latino organizations to provide undergraduate students with scholarships each academic year. The ASU Latino Partnership Scholars is comprised of the following partners: César Chávez Leadership Institute, Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association, Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., ASU Hispanic Business Alumni, Los Diablos Alumni, and Hispanic Women’s Corporation.

ASU Latino Partnership Scholars-Chicano/Latino Faculty & Staff Association Scholarship
- Each year, the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association (CLFSA) pays tribute to former faculty member Laura Rendón’s leadership; character and academic excellence by awarding scholarships to three students whose academic merit demonstrate these same virtues that will impact the Chicano/Latino community. Preference is given to first-generation college students.

Havasupai Promise Scholarship
- Up to 30 scholarships covering direct educational costs for eligible Havasupai tribal members who have been admitted as full-time, degree-seeking students at an ABOR university (ASU, UA, NAU)

Many recruiting programs and efforts are also operated at the individual college and school level. For example, the Fulton Schools of Engineering offer the following programs:

Young Engineers Shape the World is a two-year program offered by Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering for high school students to view engineering as a socially relevant profession. We are targeting primarily Title 1 schools for this program. http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/young-engineers-shape-the-world/

EPICS is a designed-based service learning and social entrepreneurship program that focuses on engineering and human-centered design providing solutions to real-world problems. We currently partner with just over 25 schools in the greater Phoenix area and have support from great industry partners to continue program expansion. http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/k-12-programs/epics-high/

Through participation in Fulton Summer Academy, students grades 1-12 get the opportunity to experience life on campus and take part in instructor-led engineering design challenges and activities. Our camps utilize best practices in hands-on STEM to actively engage participants and empower them to seek out other STEM opportunities beyond their experience at ASU. We offer a variety of programs – from half-day camps, full-day camps, and overnight camps – there is something for everyone.
• The Fulton Summer Academy works with and provides scholarships to Mesa Public Schools Migrant team, Alhambra Schools, foster facilities, and the Roosevelt School District to bring students to summer camps
http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/summer-programs/
• The National Summer Transportation Institute is a program focused on 10th -12th-grade students from rural and underrepresented groups http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/project/summer-transportation-institute/

FIRST LEGO League Robotics
• A program that serves 380 teams composed of around 3000 students across the state, of which 50+% are from underrepresented groups
http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/k-12-programs/first-robotics/

Girls Make-a-thon
• http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/girls-make-a-thon/

NCWIT
• http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/events/ncwit/

Girls Gear Day
• http://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/events/girl-scouts/

Sources: Mike McBride and Hope Parker of Ira A Fulton Schools of Engineering

STAFF
ASU’s Human Resources department sends its job postings out weekly to hundreds of community partners of underrepresented groups for staff positions. This includes:
Arizona Department of Economic Security
Maricopa Skills Center (part of Gateway Community College)
Chicanos Por La Casa
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona
Goodwill of Arizona
US Department of Veteran Affairs

ASU’s Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) provides policies, procedures, and responsibilities for implementing, monitoring, reporting and communicating compliance with the university’s Equal Employment Opportunity or Affirmative Action policy. Responsibility for AAP development, reporting, and monitoring of employment activity have been delegated to the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

FACULTY
The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs gives hiring workshops at every campus (two for the Tempe campus) each fall, to provide strategies for recruiting faculty from under-represented groups. It is something we not only strongly encourage but for which we also provide a great deal of guidance to all units.

In addition, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs checks all applicant lists and ask about under-represented candidates who may not have made it onto the finalist list. Search committees look again and either provide a solid explanation as to why these candidates were not included or, in a few cases, add them to the finalist list.

STUDENTS
Student and Cultural Engagement (SCE) works to support the engagement experiences of students attending ASU. SCE works collaboratively across ASU and the community to facilitate and support our students’ cultural/social/intersectional identity development through a variety of experiences and engagement opportunities.

The Student & Cultural Engagement (SCE) team advises and works to support our Council of Coalitions - comprised of our seven cultural coalitions. The Council coalitions are: American Indian Council; Asian/Asian Pacific American Coalition; Black African Coalition; Coalition of International Students; El Concillio; Rainbow; Womyn's Coalition.

Through trainings, mentoring and support, Student Organization Services (SOS) and Student and Cultural Engagement (SCE) jointly support faculty advisors of student clubs focused on underrepresented groups.

The Student & Cultural Engagement (SCE) staff experts advise and support our Council of Coalitions and the faculty/staff advisors to those coalitions. The Council is comprised of our seven cultural coalitions, including: American Indian Council; Asian/Asian Pacific American Coalition; Black African Coalition; Coalition of International Students; El Concillio; Rainbow; Womyn's Coalition.

(Source: Mark Sanders, SCE)

Culture@ASU is a university value through which the university community, through student-led efforts, celebrates our diverse cultural community. Programs that share these values include the Fall Welcome CultureFest, a weekly Express Yourself Talent series, and ASU's Got Talent. Additional programs include the monthly Heritage Celebrations, International Night, WorldFest, and the hundreds of other socially/culturally-based programs.

International Student Engagement(ISE) works to support the transitional and engagement experiences of international students (both undergraduate and graduate) students attending ASU. ISE works collaboratively across ASU and the community to facilitate and support our international students’ cultural/social/transitional experiences and engagement from door to door.

Guided by ASU's commitment to excellence, access, and impact, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) supports a safe and inclusive environment that fosters the intellectual, personal, social, ethical development of all students. In partnership with university departments and programs, we help students see themselves as responsible members in a diverse community. SRR provides students with the opportunity to consider the ways in which their conduct may define and impact their college experience-personally and in relationship with others.

Student Organization Support (SOS) - a unit of Engagement Outreach and Student Services (EOSS) - provides Sun Devil Sync as a comprehensive online support platform for all ASU student organizations, including a wide range of student organizations involved in engaging and supporting students from under-represented groups. SOS also provides staff support for student organizations and their faculty advisors. Each advisor supports a portfolio of clubs with related themes, including two that, collectively, serve cultural & ethnic, LGBTQIA and religious & faith-based clubs and their advisors.

(Source: AJ Montes, SOS)

SOS also produces a regular newsletter and conducts regular workshops for student groups and their advisors to strengthen the impact of those groups for their members and the broader ASU community.

ASU’S Bridging Success program provides support and training to youth from foster care to succeed in starting and completing their university education. (https://students.asu.edu/foster-youth)

Individual colleges and schools also have programs to support students from underrepresented and low-income groups. For instance, the Schools of Engineering support 62 student engineering organizations, twelve of which focus on underrepresented groups. The Schools of Engineering also provide peer mentors, free tutoring centers, advisors, student success workshops and Retention Specialists who work with advisors to identify and reduce retention risks.
The Office of Academic and Student Affairs also has a special programs advisor for students in the Engineering Exploration major with training and experience in counseling at-risk students:
(https://engineering.asu.edu/advising/lyndy-gregorski/)
The Assistant Dean of the Schools of Engineering also leads an Engineering Futures program with a goal to boost the persistence of young engineering students who may not be familiar with a university environment and may not know what engineers actually do in the workplace. “They are the students who most often will not have a support structure of peers and role models who are engineers around them,” Ganesh explains. “We want to provide them a network that will give them those things, and help keep them on track with their education and career pursuits.”

STAFF (AND FACULTY)
Equal employment opportunity includes, but is not limited to, recruitment, hiring, promotion, termination, compensation, benefits, transfers, university-sponsored training, education, tuition assistance, and social and recreational programs.

ASU's Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI) supports and fosters a culture of inclusiveness. ODEI promotes and assists with equal opportunity and diversity initiatives. ODEI also provides university leadership and hiring officials with clear and accessible employment data, timely and effective consultation, high-impact training, and rigorous review of employment-related policies and procedures.
The mission of the Committee for Campus Inclusion (CCI), a faculty, and staff advisory group to the provost, is to promote a positive, harmonious campus environment that celebrates individual and group diversity, promotes individualism, provides information to the campus community, and resolves issues in such a manner as to respect all persons and their dignity. More information: https://inclusion.asu.edu/cci
SAFE ZONE provides departmental trainings in LGBQTIA topics in order for those departments to qualify their facilities for a plaque designation as a SAFE ZONE. More information: https://eoss.asu.edu/student-and-cultural-engagement/culture/sun-devil-civility/safezone
Commission on the Status of Women: The mission of the Arizona State University Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is to identify and advocate for needed changes in the university environment in order to enhance opportunities for women and underrepresented groups, with a focus on staff. To fulfill its mission, the Commission is committed to education and empowerment, and offers numerous programs and resources to the ASU community to promote success. Among the many programs offered, include professional development, leadership development, and staff mentoring opportunities. The CSW hosts a series of leadership programs that highlight successful women staff leaders and explores dialogues in areas such as career advancement, as well as “first generation” identities. Additionally, the CSW hosts the CSW Staff Mentoring and Development Program which is focused on helping staff develop a long term successful career at ASU. It is the only program of its kind nationwide. The program runs in a six month cohort cycle and has both one on one mentoring, peer networking, and leadership development training.

University Career Women provides opportunities for professional and personal development and advances the status of, and improves the environment for, women at Arizona State University.

LGBTQ* ASU Faculty And Staff Association works: To promote and exchange ideas about the policies and issues that affects the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community at ASU; To promote a better understanding and appreciation on the part of the university and the community as a whole of the issues and concerns faced by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) at this university; To identify effective ways and means of expressing the community’s concerns to the proper university officials and to suggest practical remedies as appropriate; To cooperate with student organizations and others who share the organization’s concerns and philosophy; To communicate to university administration the issues and concerns of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community at ASU. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1671728389810016/

The Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association (CLFSA) seeks to be an active and effective advocate in furthering the principles of access and social impact and to be a leader in addressing issues that are important to the Latino community. CLFSA supports and advocates for Chicanos and Latinos at ASU by educating university administrators, faculty, staff and students on the policies, issues and challenges that affect the community. https://clfsa.asu.edu/

FACULTY
Faculty Women of Color Caucus: The Arizona State University Faculty Women of Color Caucus (FWOCC) is a gathering of faculty from across all ASU campuses, working together to plan and host forums for students, staff, faculty and administrators, to discuss vital issues, research and ideas in critical, healthy and inviting settings. FWOCC is committed to fostering an ethos of dignity and collaborative trust in our collective endeavors, to respond to issues that might otherwise erupt in ways not conducive to the inclusive and educational climate we are creating. As members of FWOCC, we are rooted in our shared capacities as scholars. We are committed to supporting ongoing innovation and improvement of the climate at ASU through dialogue and positive action, informed by powerful scholarly research and creative activity. In an inclusive university culture, our identities should no longer find themselves simply "on the table" as topics of debate or discussion. Through engaged and inclusive responses, FWOCC is working together with the ASU community to constitute and re/create the ways in which we interact as a culture that embraces diversity in every part of our work. More information: https://inclusion.asu.edu/fwocc

SCE also coordinates a wide portfolio of cultural heritage weeks and celebrations in order to raise awareness among students, faculty, and staff of the strong and diverse heritage that individuals from underrepresented groups bring to the ASU community

ASU’s Graduate College supports a suite of programs that, combined, prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty. The Graduate College first seeks nominations of students from underrepresented groups for interdisciplinary fellowships offered through a number of Graduate College Diversity Support Programs (https://graduate.asu.edu/diversity). Students from these programs who receive Graduate College financial support are then required to enroll in a year-long Interdisciplinary Research Colloquium (IRC) (https://graduate.asu.edu/irc) during their first year of graduate school. IRC provides graduate students with an additional source for social interactions that aid to strengthen both personal and career development, coupled with intense faculty mentorship. IRC is an interdisciplinary course that provides an opportunity for students who are underrepresented in their field to hone their skills, gain self-confidence, successfully communicate their research topic, and develop leadership abilities. During their second year, these students are then prepared and encouraged to pursue a year-long course - Preparing Faculty and Future Scholars (https://graduate.asu.edu/current-students/enrich-your-experience/preparing-future-faculty-and-scholars-pfx-program). PFx supports an environment in which the diversity and variety of human experience are welcomed and valued. The program, staff, and administrators recognize that race/ethnicity and gender are historically markers of diversity in institutions of higher education, and also further recognize that diversity includes socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, nationality and intellectual perspective. As PFx reflects and represents the makeup of our regional and national populations, we acknowledge and appreciate the unique history of each student and are committed to meeting the needs and providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere sensitive to all students.

This suite of programs produces impressive results in supporting students from underrepresented groups for faculty career positions. Approximately 1/4 of the students from the IRC program take the Preparing Future Faculty course. Some students enrolled in the IRC also receive support from the Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) and IMSD program (https://imsd.asu.edu/), which requires students to be "from an underrepresented group in biomedical research".

ASU’s W.P. Carey College of Business also participates in The PhD Project (https://www.phdproject.org/), with ASU doctoral students attending the conferences and faculty presenting at the conference. Also, for over ten years, ASU’s Graduate College has waived university application fees for Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program scholars (https://mcnairscholars.com/).

https://housing.asu.edu/content/gender-inclusive-housing