Ithaca College
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

It is the policy of Ithaca College to offer equal opportunity in all matters in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Article 15 of the Executive Law of New York State (the Human Rights Law), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other related federal, state and local legislation, executive orders, regulations, and guidelines. https://www.ithaca.edu/ogc/harassment/

Ithaca College provides support for those who experience or witness bias incidents, discrimination acts, and hate crimes. Our students are connected with the I-Care Team to help them determine the most appropriate reporting system. Students are then conected with CAPS (The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services) for assistance as needed. Staff and Faculty are encouraged to report through their supervisor or Human Resources, and are then directed to ENI, a third-party Employee Assistance Program for additional support as needed. Ithaca College takes bias and discrimination-related incidents seriously and will investigate them thoroughly. Responding in a timely manner to a bias-related incident will increase the chances that the investigation will be successful and that the College can hold the person(s) accountable for their actions. The college has posted instructions to encourage timely reporting, and depending upon the apparent severity, has policies in place to ensure a fair investigation and resolution. Please see this link for details on our reporting and response systems. https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity/support/?item=10417

The Office of Human Resources has well established guidelines and practices in place to help us recruit a diverse and talented work force. Below is the "Recruitment Outreach and Advertising Plan" from the "Ithaca College Inclusive Search and Selection Procedures" manual (Oct 2017) that is utilized by every search committee. Recruitment Outreach and Advertising Plan The recruitment outreach plan is typically developed by the search chair, hiring supervisor, and members of the search committee. The plan should include the following items: • a list of major professional meetings and conferences (if any) where recruitment will take place, • a list of discipline specific journals, publications, websites, and list servs where the ad will be placed • a list of placement services, laboratories, and programs at other institutions/organizations where the notice will be sent to attract graduates of directly related programs or passive candidates in the field of expertise, • details regarding what specific efforts will be made to attract underrepresented groups and what additional outreach will take place, • a list of five individuals that the search committee will personally contact/call in an effort to solicit interest and/or get nominations of candidates from underrepresented groups who meet or exceed the preferred qualifications for the advertised job, • dates of any and all outreach. It is imperative to have a comprehensive advertising plan that compliments the rest of your recruitment outreach plan. Countless discipline-specific websites, publications, and journals exist. Departments are expected to research and place these advertisements as appropriate, keeping in mind that the costs for these postings are the responsibility of the hiring department. When using electronic media, a paper copy of the posting must be retained for the search file. The Office of Human Resources has institutional subscriptions and will advertise job postings on Inside Higher Ed, Higheredjobs.com, and the Upstate New York Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (UNY-HERC.org) websites and diversity-focused websites such as Diverse Issues in Higher Education and Latinos in Higher Ed. Departments are expected to advertise in additional discipline-specific sources to enhance the quality and diversity of the applicant pool. The Office of Human Resources also maintains a listing of recruitment resources. Additional strategies to assist you when recruiting: • Make personal contacts with minorities and women at professional conferences and invite them to apply. • Go beyond the ‘usual’ range of institutions from which you recruit. • When contacting colleagues, specifically ask for recommendations of candidates from groups that are underrepresented in your department, in addition to other recommendations. • Utilize directories and rosters of prestigious fellowship programs at both the dissertation and postdoctoral levels that support individuals from diverse backgrounds (i.e. Ford Foundation Fellowship Program, American Association of University Women, Minority Fellows Program of the American Sociological Association, Minority Scholarship Award sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association). • Contact faculty members from racial, ethnic or gender groups that are ‘underutilized’ within your academic unit to seek their knowledge of prospective candidates. Specifically ask your contacts, if they know any qualified women or minority candidates who fall within one of more of these underutilized groups. • Consider candidates who may be currently under-placed and thriving at less well-ranked institutions. • Send announcements and request nominations from departments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian serving institutions. • Place announcements in newspapers, journals, and publications aimed specifically at underrepresented groups. The referenced Diversity Recruitment Resources document is available at this web site: https://www.ithaca.edu/hr/docs/recruitment/hiring/online_hiring_guide/DIVERSITY_RECRUITMEN/ The Admissions Department is focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented student body. The Diversity and Inclusion web site details a number of goals, including 1) increase underrepresented ALANA student enrollment; 2) increase international student enrollment; 3) increase the graduation rate for underrepresented ALANA students to match the six-year graduation rate of their counterparts; 4) improve the student life/residence hall experience for ALANA/LGBT students; and 5) create a physical campus environment that recognizes and celebrates diversity. Additional information is available at this web site: Please see this link as reference: https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity/statement/

Please refer to the following web sites for additional information on programs specifically supporting underrepresented groups: + LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services (faculty, students and staff) - * The LGBT Center is open for everyone. Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and heterosexism hurt people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Challenging and confronting oppression is vital in a learning environment. Our resources and services include: * an office staffed by a professional director, Luca Maurer, and a resource room staffed by trained student volunteers * a resource room with a welcoming and supportive environment for LGBT people and their allies; books, videos, periodicals, and computer stations are also available for use. * educational presentations and training workshops on a large variety of LGBT issues, including: LGBT 101, history, health care, reaching out to LGBT students and much more. referrals, resources, and information on LGBT issues and concerns * campus-wide LGBT-themed education programs and social events including speakers, a film series, and Gaypril, LGBT Awareness month. (Most events are open to the larger community.) * brochures and pamphlets that address issues and concerns of LGBT people, their families, and allies * information for incoming students and their families * https://www.ithaca.edu/center-lgbt-education-outreach-services/resources-and-services + The Center for IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, And Social Change) * IDEAS Mission - The Center is focused on supporting students in their journey to better connect their lived experiences to larger ideals of Inclusion Diversity Equity and Social Change (IDEAS). We empower marginalized students by creating culturally validating spaces. Through educational opportunities, we aim to expand the global perspective of Ithaca College Students. * https://www.ithaca.edu/center-ideas + Bias-Related Incident Reporting - https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity/support/?item=10417 + Request a Diversity Peer Educator - https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity/support/?item=10418

In 2010-2011, the School of Humanities and Sciences initiated a new predoctoral diversity fellowship program. Four scholars in anthropology, art history, sociology, and speech communication were in residence to teach classes, work with students, and complete their dissertations. According to Dean Leslie Lewis, "We expect that this program will introduce a large number of future faculty members to Ithaca College, will help to increase the diversity of our applicant pool for future faculty hiring, and will help to establish the College as a leading supporter of diversity in higher education. [We] anticipate that our fellows will add exciting dimensions to the curriculum, bring their enthusiasm to the classroom, and add to the intellectual vibrancy of H&S and the College."