Gustavus Adolphus College
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Within the limits of its facilities, the College shall be open to all applicants who are qualified according to its admission requirements.
1. The College shall make clear to all applicants the characteristics and expectations of students that it considers relevant to its program.
2. Under no circumstances may an applicant be denied admission or financial aid because of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, status with regard to public assistance or other categories protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
3. Financial aid administered by the College shall be disbursed on the basis of financial need and academic promise and/or academic ability.

https://gustavus.edu/facultybook/allcollegepolicies/#Anchor-Nondiscriminatio-3757

Every bias incident or hate crime reported is investigated. The Bias Response Team (BRT), convened out of the Dean of Students Office:
1. REVIEWS the bias related report and contacts the reporting party for more information, if the reporting party’s identity is provided. If the identity of the reporting party is unknown, then the BRT may seek additional information from the campus community.
2. RESPONDS to the incident by providing support using on and off campus resources.
3. RESEARCHES the incident by gathering evidence, collecting statements, and contacting the accused.
4. Seeks to REDRESS the incident (if determined to be bias/hate) through the student conduct process, criminal prosecution, or other informal options. Please note: The decision to take action is contingent upon those affected and/or intervention of the College.
5. Seeks to RESOLVE incidents (if determined to be bias/hate) in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, mediation, BRT intervention, and adjudication.

If the incident is determined to be classified as bias/hate, the BRT REPORTS to the campus community a summary of the event, current status of the incident, and classification code. All incidents for the current academic year will be recorded on the Bias Response Team online Alert Board. The information will be collected and reviewed annually to help develop strategic educational programming efforts. Confidentiality will be maintained in all reported cases to the fullest extent possible. The Bias Response Team, along with Human Resources and Marketing and Communications, will coordinate and release all public statements for incidents to the broader campus community.

Bias Response Team link: https://gustavus.edu/deanofstudents/BiasResponseTeam.php

Students: Gustavus does specific recruiting of high school students from historically underrepresented groups and those outside of the U.S, including the College Possible partnership (empowering students form underserved backgrounds), membership and participation in the MN Association of Admissions Counselors of Color college fairs, & airfare reimbursements for college visits for Pell-eligible students.

Faculty: The Bruce Gray Postdoctoral Fellowship program is designed to increase faculty diversity at liberal arts colleges. Gustavus names a Bruce Gray Postdoctoral fellow each academic year.

Staff: While there are no formal programs for recruiting staff from underrepresented groups, Gustavus has worked with an outside consultant and we have updated the language, requirements and posting locations of our job descriptions to increase underrepresented groups to apply for positions on campus. These practices have been proven to work with YOY increases in applications and hire rates.

Students: Gustavus’ Center for Inclusive Excellence has a mentoring program which is structured to help low socioeconomic status, first-generation, and underrepresented students navigate through their college experience to commencement. The mentoring program has a group of individuals who are committed to sharing the skills and knowledge that is necessary to be a successful student at Gustavus. Interested individuals can participate in the program by registering as a: Mentee - 1st or 2nd year students who have a desire in being supported throughout their academic career at Gustavus, Peer Mentor - Students who volunteer their time to share their knowledge, experiences, skills, and leadership abilities to help 1st year and 2nd year students, who are typically Juniors, Seniors, or recent Gustavus graduates (less than 2 years), or Success Coach - Faculty, staff, administrators, and alum (2+ years) who commit their time mentoring, advising, and cultivating Junior and Senior year students to enter the workforce. They accomplish this through career preparation, academic advising, and life-coaching.
Gustavus also provides the Mosaic Dialog through Counseling Services. Mosaic Dialog serves as a supportive space for students of color to explore and discuss their unique, challenging experiences and concerns with a therapist who will provide support from a culturally affirming lens. Challenging concerns may include cultural adjustment, toxic relationships (roommate, friendships, romantic, family, etc.), sense of inadequacy, academic distress, microaggression, or social isolation, just to name a few. Discussions are 15 minutes at length and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Gustavus also has programs, peer support and resources for LGBTQ+ students through the Counseling Center.

Faculty: Gustavus has a Faculty Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, as well as a Faculty Associate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, who works with VP for Equity and Inclusion.

Staff: Through HR, there is an Americans with Disabilities Act Human Resources Accelerator Group. There have also been ad-hoc groups pop-up on campus for underrepresented groups. The President's Council for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an important group on campus to provide connection, information and support for all campus constituents.