Carnegie Mellon University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

https://www.cmu.edu/policies/administrative-and-governance/statement-of-assurance.html 

Policy Statement

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.

The Campus Climate and Bias Reporting Protocol (CCBRP) is a non-disciplinary mechanism for reporting and informally resolving incidents of alleged bias focusing on education, restoration, and strengthening and upholding CMU's core values as a university community.

Reports can be made anonymously using an online form or reported via email or telephone. 

To support the CCBRP process, a group of trained professional community members from across the university will skillfully assess and address reported incidents of bias. Their mission is to be educative, coordinated and strategic in helping members of our community navigate bias situations. They are not an investigatory, disciplinary or adjudicating body and have no authority to initiate or conduct investigations. The Assistant Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator will oversee their efforts, serving as the first point of contact for all reports, and will appropriately route reported incidents that are considered Title IX violations or reports of discrimination through the appropriate channels.

Student Recruitment

CMU has launched two targeted access and affordability initiatives for students: the Tartan Scholars program for undergraduate students and the CMU Rales Fellows program for graduate-level STEM students. Both programs are aimed at supporting high-achieving students from demographic groups that have been historically and disproportionately removed from such opportunities.

The Tartan Scholars program is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of high-achieving student leaders with limited resource backgrounds. In 2019, the first Tartan Scholars cohort was welcomed by the University and to date we have had over 400 students join the Tartan Scholars family. The Tartan Scholars program strives to close the opportunity gap by providing a rich network of academic, social and financial support.

The Carnegie Mellon University Rales Fellows Program is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders and drive innovation by increasing access to a life-changing graduate education. By removing financial barriers to obtaining advanced degrees and providing Fellows with holistic support, the Rales Fellows Program empowers and connects scholars with others who share a passion for progress and innovation. The CMU Rales Fellows Program provides graduate students with full tuition as well as a stipend to cover living expenses such as housing and health insurance.

Faculty Recruitment

The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty advises University leadership on the best way to enhance standards for diverse and inclusive recruiting practices, including mandatory training in implicit bias for search committees and how CMU can committ to recruiting diverse personnel at all levels of leadership.

Staff Recruitment

In order to have DEI goals evident in the recruiting and hiring practices, HR Recruiting implemented SkillSurvey, a reference check tool that promotes greater engagement with a candidate’s references and allows the selection committee to gather useful feedback on desired skills and abilities.

The HR recruiters also partnered with Equal Opportunity Services on the Diversity Recruitment Advocate program, which will advance Carnegie Mellon University’s efforts to attract and hire staff from underrepresented populations and embrace our mission to "cultivate a transformative university community committed to attracting and retaining diverse, world-class talent."

Supporting Students:

The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion hosts a 10-person staff and expands CMU's ability to support communities of color, students who are first in their families to attend college, low-income, LGBTQIA students, women, and any others on this richly diverse campus who seek a safe and supportive space to navigate the terrain of under-representation and societal, systemic inequality during their college years. Team members are available to meet with students about their experiences and interests in advancing a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable campus environment. The approach is student focused and built on developing strong one-on-one relationships in a mentoring and advising position.

https://www.cmu.edu/student-diversity/about-us/  

Supporting Faculty:

The Offices of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Vice Provost for Education work together with the schools and colleges to help CMU's faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students engage in effective mentoring, professional development, network building, and connections with one another. All faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are eligible for memberships with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD). In addition, they host live workshops with NCFDD, and are developing faculty peer mentoring workshops. 

https://www.cmu.edu/faculty-office/mentoring 

Supporting Staff:

CMU supports the establishment of employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs are groups formed by members of an organization with the overarching purpose to unite individuals to a common cause and to provide a structured framework for awareness opportunities for members. To be formally recognized, an ERG's goals must align with the objectives and culture of CMU through self-identifying its purpose through the application process. Individual membership in ERGs is strictly voluntary; open to all interested individuals; and supports diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Additionally, ERGs serve the purpose of acting as a conduit for outreach efforts for the local community and for other campus initiatives. 

https://www.cmu.edu/hr/work-life/get-involved/employee-resource-groups 

The Presidential Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program is a collaborative partnership with the University of California to offer postdoctoral fellowship opportunities at Carnegie Mellon. Sponsored by the Provost and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty, CMU offers the potential for postdoctoral research fellowships in all fields represented at the university, coupled with faculty mentoring, professional development and academic networking opportunities. The university seeks applicants whose research or creative practice, research, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education. The program is also available to "post MFA's" in our Schools of Art, Drama and Music. The program is particularly interested in scholars with the potential to bring to their research and other academic pursuits the critical perspective that comes from their non-traditional educational background or understanding of the experiences of groups historically underrepresented in higher education. 

https://www.cmu.edu/faculty-office/ppfp