Bentley University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Bentley University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants in compliance with all applicable laws. Bentley does not discriminate and strictly prohibits discrimination against employees, applicants and any other covered persons because of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, age, citizenship status, disability, genetics, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. All Bentley employees and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all employment practices and all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, performance reviews, training, development, promotion, demotions, transfer, compensation, benefits, educational assistance, layoff and recall, social and recreational programs, termination, and/or retirement.

For more information: https://www.bentley.edu/offices/human-resources/eeo-and-non-discrimination

Bentley has a Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT). The BIRT is responsible for responding to student reported bias incidents. Additionally, in working closely with appropriate administrators, students, faculty, committees, organizations and offices, BIRT plays an educational role in both fostering an inclusive campus climate and supporting targeted individuals when bias and/or hate incidents occur. The team has broad membership in order to support and affirm Bentley’s educational mission and to support our vision to create an institution in which people do not experience barriers because of aspects of their identity.

More information on the BIRT is here: https://www.bentley.edu/offices/student-affairs/birt

In addition, the Office of the Ombudsman provides a safe space for students, faculty, and staff to seek advice and assistance, and to pursue the resolution of any university-related concern through an independent, impartial, and confidential process. The use of these services is voluntary and free to any member of the Bentley community. The Ombudsman is an impartial dispute resolution practitioner whose major role is to provide confidential and informal assistance to students, staff, faculty and administrators.

More information: https://www.bentley.edu/offices/ombuds-office

Students
Bentley offers a variety of scholarships and programs to encourage the recruitment of a diverse student body. Some examples of these financial programs and opportunities include:

Women's Leadership Award and Program:
Each year, Bentley selects a group of high-achieving students from the incoming First Year fall class for the Center for Women and Business (CWB) Women's Leadership Program. This award recognizes women who have demonstrated strong leadership potential while in high school. Recipients will participate in a four-year leadership program that empowers young women with the essential skills, real-world experiences, and confidence needed to advance into leadership roles. CWB Leaders receive $10,000 per year.

MOSAIC Experience:
The MOSAIC Experience is a pre-orientation program for first-year students of color and their allies. Freshmen and transfer students are welcome to participate. The MOSAIC program begins three days prior to First-Year Orientation. That allows students of color and their allies to move into campus sooner and start adjusting to life at Bentley. During the program, students receive tools and training to prepare them for academic success and make meaningful connections within their new college community.

Bentley Leon Sullivan Scholarships:
The Bentley Leon Sullivan Scholarship Award is more than just a scholarship, it is an opportunity for young and inspired incoming MOSAIC students with financial need to experience the true meaning of “business ethics.” Students will work as interns at the W. Michael Hoffman Center for Business Ethics during their undergraduate years.
The Hoffman Center for Business Ethics annually offers two $6,000 scholarships to entering, need based, first-year MOSAIC students (The MOSAIC Experience is a pre-orientation program for first-year students of color and their allies).

https://www.bentley.edu/centers/center-for-business-ethics/about-center/bentley-scholarships

Discover Bentley:
Now in its 8th year, is a graduate school exploration program open to underrepresented students of color from US institutions. Participants are flown to our Waltham campus, just 12 miles outside of Boston, where they spend two days exploring all that Bentley’s graduate school has to offer through class visits, conversations with current graduate students and faculty, networking with corporate partners, and an introduction to the admission and financial aid process. There is no cost to apply or attend; transportation, housing accommodations and meals are provided for participants accepted to the program.
https://www.bentley.edu/offices/diversity-inclusion/brave

Faculty
Bentley has a formal relationship with the PhD project which promotes African American, Hispanic and Native American PHD's in business. Bentley has recruited several faculty members as a result of this relationship. For more information on the PhD project: https://www.phdproject.org/

Staff
Bentley has a program to train managers and the H.R. department staff to recognize bias in interviewing and recruitment. In addition, Bentley offers a diversity retreat to all staff and faculty. The retreat includes a two-hour session on campus, followed by 2 days at a nearby off-campus conference facility.
The retreat is designed to deepen awareness and understanding of diversity issues on the Bentley campus. It provides a forum for members of the Bentley community to discuss and learn about how diversity issues such as gender, nationality, race and sexual orientation affect our functioning as a University. The sessions are highly interactive and designed to be non-confrontational.

These programs are run out of Bentley's Diversity and Inclusion office. Bentley has committed to having a diverse pool of candidates for as many positions as possible and uses the bias training as a tool to make sure as many underrepresented candidates are hired.

Programs for Students

1. Mosaic Experience:
The MOSAIC Experience is a pre-orientation program for first-year students of color and their allies. Freshmen and transfer students are welcome to participate.

The MOSAIC program begins three days prior to First-Year Orientation. That allows students of color and their allies to move into campus sooner and start adjusting to life at Bentley. During the program, students receive tools and training to prepare them for academic success and make meaningful connections within their new college community.

3. Counseling Center services include:
-Individual, short-term therapy sessions
-Group counseling for issues such as anxiety, relationships, surviving the death of a loved one; and support for LGBTQ, ALANA, or international students.
-Group process consultations for academic groups
-Downloadable podcasts to help induce relaxation or sleep
-Disability services for students with diagnosed learning, psychiatric, medical, or other disabilities

4. ALLY group
Allies are individuals who help create a safe place for our LGBTQ students, faculty and staff, and are some of the most effective and powerful voices of the LGBTQ movement. Not only do allies assist people in the coming-out process, but they also help others understand the importance of equality, fairness, acceptance and mutual respect.
More than 130 faculty and staff members, representing more than 50 departments, have completed ally training to become members of the Faculty and Staff Ally Network
http://www.bentley.edu/campus-life/student-life/lgbtq/allies

Programs for Staff and Faculty

Faculty & Staff of Color: The Faculty & Staff of Color affinity group was created to provide a forum for networking and support of employees who identify as African-American, Latino, Asian-American, Native American, or multi-ethnic. The group meets monthly during the academic year for professional development, training, and informal networking.

LGBTQ @ Bentley
Bentley University strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of the LGBTQ community and their allies. Our campus fosters an atmosphere that values and supports all individuals no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Through cross departmental collaborations, educational programming and workshops, the Bentley community dedicates itself to openness and mutual respect for all.

Bentley has a formal relationship with the PHD project, supporting the organization and recruiting faculty from it's memberhsip.

The PhD Project was founded upon the premise that advancements in workplace diversity could be propelled forward by increasing the diversity of business school faculty. Today, our expansive network of supporters, sponsors and universities helps Black/African-Americans, Latinx/Hispanic-American and Native Americans attain their business PhD and become the business professors who will mentor the next generation of leaders.

In collaboration with the PhD project, Bentley hosted a teaching seminar in 2019. For more information: https://www.bentley.edu/news/bentley-hosts-teaching-seminar-diverse-future-professors

The publicly accessible inventory of gender neutral bathrooms can be found here: http://www.bentley.edu/campus-life/culture-diversity/lgbtq/lgbtq-resources