Bucknell University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Posse Scholars: Scholars who come to Bucknell via the Posse Program are assigned to a faculty or staff mentor who meets regularly with them during the first two years at Bucknell, and usually throughout students’ whole academic career at Bucknell. Bucknell now receives scholars from Washington DC, Boston, and Los Angelos The TEAM Program (Together Everyone Achieves More): a year -ong program engages intellectually talented student in the life of the University while fostering an affinity to the University. Students from underrepresented groups entering Bucknell as first-year or transfer students in the fall are invited to participate. TEAM partners first-year student scholars with an upper class mentor to establish a supportive and guiding relationship. Mentors receive extensive training and must be committed to developing a meaning relationship with their scholars. Those who participate in TEAM attend an exclusive pre-orientation program, RAMP up! (Ready, Aware, Motivated, and Prepared) focused on study skills, campus resources, and connecting with faculty and staff members. BCCS: This summer program focused on students from underrepresented groups who have just completed their first year at one of 5 community colleges, pairs students with faculty or staff mentors who help them navigate their summer and consider futures at Bucknell or other 4-year institutions. Mentors remained connected to the scholars throughout their second year at a community college, and at Bucknell if the student is accepted and transfers to Bucknell. Engineering Success Aliance: An academic success program that supports students from under-resourced high schools who have the skills to be successful in Bucknell’s engineering program. The Director of the ESA serves as a mentor to students.

Since the spring of 2014 a Bucknell team (Student, Faculty, Director of the LGBTQ Community Center, Associate Provost for Diversity) has met to review and revise/strengthen Bucknell’s Bias Related Harassment Policy. The focus is on ensuring that the revised policy (Bias Policy) is inclusive and clear, provides support and information for targets, and is tied to an online reporting system. Tied to this is training for Bias Response Team Members and awareness-raising related to the new/developed policy.