Brandeis University
PAE-8: Support Programs for Underrepresented Groups

Programs include but are not limited to: MOSAIC Program: The Intercultural Center works in conjuinction with the Department of Community Living and the First-Year Experience Program to support a smooth transition for incoming students.This programs includes: programs, retreats, and a Mentor program for incoming students. Ally Openness and Understanding Training: This program is sponsored by the Intercultural Center and Queer Resource Center. It is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer ally training program. The training focuses on sexual orientation and gender-identity issues on college campuses, including identity development and coming-out experiences.The program is open to all Brandeis undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff. The Brandeis Gateway Scholars Program: Developed to provide students with the high level of English necessary to be successful in the challenging academic program at Brandeis. Students join the Brandeis community in July for courses focused on developing skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students will also visit many museums and historical sites in and around Boston. Upon completion of the summer session, Gateway Scholars will participate in first-year orientation before beginning the fall semester. In the fall, scholars will take a combination of undergraduate courses and Gateway English courses. Upon completion of the program, students will continue with a full undergraduate curriculum in the spring. BRANDEIS POSSE PROGRAM: Brandeis Posse is a merit-based scholarship program founded by Brandeis alumna Debbie Bial, '87. Each year, ten students are selected as Brandeis Posse Scholars from a pool of over 1600 candidates in New York City, making Posse one of the most competitive scholarship competitions in the country. Brandeis Posse Scholars are selected for their academic, leadership, and communication skills. They are expected to be not only strong students but also demonstrate outstanding interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Brandeis Posse Scholars reflect the diversity of New York City, and race, family income, and parental background are not factors in the awarding of the scholarship. Community Prejudice Response Task Force is a group of staff, faculty, and students which was formed in the fall of 2006 to deal with issues of discrimination affecting the Brandeis community. As its mission statement says, the CPR task force aims to promote the University's commitments to mutual respect and social justice, while taking necessary steps should those commitments be compromised. Our mission is to serve the Brandeis student body in addressing acts of bias, intentional or accidental, by offering resources for students seeking advice, while assuring their safety and well-being on campus.

Programs include but are not limited to: Faculty Diversity Representative on Faculty Search Committees:The faculty diversity representative system is the method currently used at Brandeis University to ensure that minority and female candidates are given due consideration in hiring procedures for tenured and tenure-track faculty. It is the DR’s responsibility to monitor the emerging applicant pool and to alert the search committee (chair) if it lacks diversity so that reasons for the deficiency can be identified and further outreach initiatives implemented, if necessary.

Programs include but are not limited to: Brandeis has Employee Assistance Program which to offer employees consultation, education, and referral services designed to save time and stress. Nursing Moms: An employee who chooses to breast feed her child will be provided reasonable break times during her work schedule to express milk for her child. Human Resources staff will assist employees in getting access to a place within their assigned building or close to the building, which is shielded from the view of others and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public to express milk. Ally Openness and Understanding Training This program is sponsored by the Intercultural Center and Queer Resource Center. It is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer ally training program. The training focuses on sexual orientation and gender-identity issues on college campuses, including identity development and coming-out experiences.The program is open to all Brandeis undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff.