College of William & Mary
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

We, as members of the William & Mary community, will: Treat other people with dignity and respect, ensuring there is no discrimination or harassment at William & Mary. http://www.wm.edu/offices/compliance/policies/index.php#codeofethics II. Non-Discrimination Unless otherwise constrained by law, William & Mary is committed to providing an environment for its students, employees and others present within the community that is free from discrimination based on any personal factor unrelated to qualifications or performance. Such “irrelevant personal factors” include (without limitation) race or color, citizenship, national origin or ethnicity, ancestry, religion or creed, political affiliation or belief, age, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, marital status, pregnancy status, parental status, height, weight, military service, veteran status, caretaker status, or family medical or genetic information. Discrimination is conduct[5] based on any irrelevant personal factor that adversely affects a term or condition of an individual’s employment, education, or participation in a university activity, or is used as a factor in a decision affecting an individual’s employment, education, or participation in a university activity,[6] or constitutes harassment that creates a hostile environment or quid pro quo sexual harassment, each as explained below. Discrimination also includes failure to provide reasonable accommodations for a person’s disability[7] or religion[8] as required by law, or any other violation of a disabled person’s rights under applicable anti-discrimination laws.[9] W&M makes modifications and adjustments to its programs and activities for qualified students with disabilities as required by law, under the Student Accommodation Policy and Procedure. W&M also makes modifications, changes, or adjustments to jobs, work conditions and work environment for qualified employees with disabilities, or to the job application process for applicants, as required by law, under the Employee Reasonable Accommodation Policy and Procedure. http://www.wm.edu/offices/compliance/policies/discrimination_harassment_retaliation/policy/index.php#ii

W&M assembles a Review Team to assess any report of harassment, discrimination, or sexual misconduct. The members of the Review Team are trained and familiar with university policies and procedures. The Review Team conducts a threat assessment if appropriate and determines how the report should be handled, including whether a formal investigation should be conducted. For example, the Review Team may determine that the incident reported does not present as a violation of university policy because it describes conduct that is offensive, but not severe or pervasive so as to constitute discrimination. In this situation, the Review Team may recommend that an educational intervention with the person reported to have engaged in the offensive conduct, to prevent the conduct from recurring or continuing. For a fuller description of the Review Team process, see, for example, the Appendix to the Sexual Misconduct Policy http://www.wm.edu/offices/compliance/policies/sexual_misconduct/policy/appendix_b/index.php

Students: Each fall the admission office runs a special weekend visitation program and open house called Autumn Blast, which is designed to bring underrepresented to campus in order to learn more about W&M and to enable these students to see themselves as undergraduates here. Likewise, in April underrepresented students who have been admitted to W&M are invited to a similar program, which is called Escape. Autumn Blast and Escape are complementary to the standard slate of programming offered by the admission office for all prospective applicants in the fall and for all admitted students in the spring. Additionally, the admission office administers multiple email campaigns and direct mailings to underrepresented students who, on the basis of their PSAT scores, self- reported grades or SAT scores, appear to be a good match for W&M. Working di- rectly with the College Board, W&M's admission office employs all available radar to ensure that high-achieving, in-state, underrepresented students will hear from them directly and will be encouraged to look closely at W&M.

Students: The purpose of the PLUS program is to provide a positive, transitional summer experience between high school and college life. The 2016 Program dates are July 9th - 16th. PLUS provides an intensive, yet supportive introduction to academic life at William and Mary, providing participants with the opportunity to interact with some of our most distinguished faculty members here at William & Mary. During the PLUS Program, students will engage in mock class sessions, while also gaining invaluable insight from professors and current students about being holistically successful at the College. Participants will also be provided the opportunity to become familiar with numerous campus resources, including the Cohen Career Center, Academic Advising, Swem Library and the D.C. Office. The SPAN Peer Mentoring Program is an opportunity for students who feel their transition to college may benefit from connecting with other students based on a shared experience or identity, such as: Students of color or multiracial students Students from minority faith backgrounds (e.g. Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, etc) Students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender Students with disabilities (whether physical, learning, psychiatric, or other) Benefits of the program include individualized support, group activities, and a personalized introduction to campus resources. Support for staff from underrepresented groups is provided by the Black Faculty and Staff Forum, Women's Network, Staff Assembly, and Professionals and Professional Faculty Assembly. Support for staff from underrepresented groups is the Faculty Assembly.

In order to fully support students and to provide even greater access for students who are historically underrepresented, The William and Mary Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE) was created in 2010. This program provides formalized mentoring, programming, and increased research opportunities in order to nurture the academic skills and leadership potential of all students at the College of William and Mary, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. While the program supports the William and Mary Scholars, it is not exclusive to only them. This program includes workshops on transitioning from undergraduate school to graduate school, preparing for graduate school exams, as well as an undergraduate fellow program so WMSURE students gain experience teaching and peer educating.