Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 45.28
Liaison Nina Bisbee
Submission Date Sept. 22, 2023

STARS v2.2

Bryn Mawr College
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.75 / 3.00 Nina Bisbee
Director
Facilities Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Non-discrimination statement 

Does the institution have a publicly posted non-discrimination statement? :
Yes

The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:
Bryn Mawr College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other College-administered programs.
https://www.brynmawr.edu (bottom of home page)

In conformity with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, it is also the policy of Bryn Mawr College not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs, activities or employment practices. The admission of only women in the Undergraduate College is in conformity with a provision of the Act. Inquiries regarding compliance with this legislation and other policies regarding nondiscrimination may be directed to the Equal Opportunity Officer, who administers the College’s procedures, at 610-526-5275.

Bias response team 

Does the institution have a discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team)?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team:
The Bias Response Team includes the Dean of the Undergraduate College, Dean of Graduate Studies, Associate Dean for Equity, Inclusion and Community Life, Equal Opportunity officer & Title IX Coordinator.

The role of Bias Response Team is to help to establish the facts and the nature of a reported incident; ensure that personal support is available to the targeted individual(s) and/or group(s); assist in directing all parties involved to available community resources and proper channels for reporting and action; assist in mediating communication between the individual(s) reporting the incident and the individual(s) responsible for it; maintain ongoing and follow-up communication with involved parties to address the concerns and needs of all parties involved.

The Bias Response Team also tracks incidents to assess the potential impact of incidents on the community; gauge emerging patterns and climate of the College; and inform community educational and training initiatives such as teach-ins, solidarity programs, campus speakers and bias awareness programming.

https://www.brynmawr.edu/bias-response/bias-incident-response-team-0

Recruitment programs 

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Does the institution have programs designed specifically to recruit non-academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
Yes

If yes to any of the above, provide:

A brief description of the institution’s programs to recruit students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:
Undergraduate Recruiting: Undergraduate admissions invests in targeted outreach, travel, and on-campus programs to interest high-achieving students of color and first-generation students in Bryn Mawr. Programs include mailings to and visits with community-based organizations working with underserved students; targeted marketing to first- generation, high-performing students of color and to community organizations that work with such students; targeted travel to selected cities to conduct access and diversity workshops for students of color; and full travel scholarships for under-resourced prospective students of color to participate in the fall prospective student event. An Officer for Access and Inclusion, supported by a student intern, is a liaison to the campus community and connects prospective and current students. In addition, Bryn Mawr has partnered for 21 years with the Posse Foundation, which identifies students from under-represented groups that are overlooked by the traditional college application process. The College currently hosts a traditional Posse from Houston, TX (in its ninth year) and a STEM Posse from Boston (in its ninth year; previously hosted a traditional Posse from Boston for 12 years).

Faculty: Search procedures designed to increase the number of minority candidates included in our searches and to increase the number of minority candidates hired include:
a. position recruitment plans specific to the field and position
b. special attention is given to advertising in places where minority candidates can be reached (including institutional membership in The Registry, National Registry of Diverse and Strategic faculty)
c. Search committee member on every search, the ‘Diversity Representative’, who meets with interviewees and advises the search committee
d. Search committee members receive training on diversity in searches.

Staff :"Bryn Mawr tries to attract a diverse candidate pool and uses all available means to communicate employment opportunities at the College that will foster diversity. Depending on the position, searches are conducted at either a local level or at a national level. When conducting a local search, the College tries to pool from the entire Philadelphia metropolitan area. When newspapers are utilized, we include the advertisement in various papers that cover the entire metropolitan area, not just the immediate suburban region. We also make it clear to prospective applicants that the College is easily accessible by two train lines, both which originate in or near the City of Philadelphia.

When conducting a national search, the College uses national publications and websites that appeal to diverse audiences. This includes, for example, publications such as Latinos in Higher Education and websites such at that run by the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers. Ads placed through Higher Ed Jobs and The Chronicle of Higher Education will be included in the "Diversity/Inclusion" listing on their web sites, as appropriate."

Mentoring, counseling and support programs 

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, academic support, or other programs designed specifically to support students from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs designed specifically to support academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support non-academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s programs designed specifically to support students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:
Bryn Mawr has partnered with the Posse Foundation which provides 100% Scholarship funding as well as other support systems such as mentoring and career development.

Bryn Mawr College also provides the McBride Scholars Program. The Katharine E. McBride Scholars are women over the age of 24 who are in the process of beginning or completing their college education. McBride Scholars participate in the same classes and programs as traditionally-aged students. https://www.brynmawr.edu/admissions-aid/how-apply/nontraditional-students .

Bryn Mawr created two new Assistant Dean positions beginning in fall 2021: one to provide advising and support to first-generation, low-income, and DACA students and a second to provide staff leadership for the residence for Black and Latinx students as well as advising for all multicultural student groups.

The College offers many academic programs to support students who are underprepared for the demands of a rigorous undergraduate education. These include the new STEMLA Fellows Program, to support retention and success in STEM for low-income, first-generation students; a Quantitative Center that offers a Quantitative Seminar and tutoring services; a Writing Center that offers peer tutoring; and a 1/2 credit seminar for first-seminar students that builds study skills, time management skills, etc.; and Breaking Barriers program offered to first generation low income students.

The College has a voluntary mentoring program offered to new faculty members. Specifically, we offer a mentoring program in partnership with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) that was put in place with supporting underrepresented groups in mind. We also provide course releases for faculty who mentor BIPOC students and participate in anti-racism teaching.

Support for future academic staff

Does the institution have training and development programs, teaching fellowships and/or other programs that specifically aim to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:
In 1988, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation made a long-term commitment to help remedy the serious shortage of faculty of color in higher education through the Mellon Minority Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program (now known as the Mellon Mays Fellowship Program). Bryn Mawr College has participated in the MMUF program since its inception in 1988. In any given year, there are ten MMUF students at the College: five seniors and five juniors. The application process is open primarily to sophomores and takes place every spring. http://www.brynmawr.edu/mellon/about.html

Optional Fields 

Does the institution produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?:
No

Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:
Yes

Website URL where information about the institution’s support for underrepresented groups is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Gender neutral bathrooms are available across campus and in all dormitories.

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