Keene State College
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Keene State College has a detailed non-discrimination statement. The following overview outlines the scope of the program: "In accordance with University System of New Hampshire policy and applicable state and federal laws, discrimination and discriminatory harassment are expressly prohibited at Keene State College. All students, staff, and faculty at Keene State College have the right to work and learn in an environment free of discrimination and discriminatory harassment as such conduct interferes with the mission of the College by diminishing access to education and employment; compromising the free and open exchange of ideas; and impeding relationships among students, faculty, and staff. All persons shall have equal access to the College’s programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran’s status, or disability. No member of the campus community may engage in behavior within the jurisdiction of the College that unjustly interferes with any individual’s required tasks, career opportunities, learning, or participation in campus life. All members of the campus community share responsibility for preventing and reporting discrimination and harassment, cooperating in any investigation which might result, and maintaining confidentiality." Additional details can be found at: http://www.keene.edu/administration/policy/detail/discrimination/

Individuals who have a concern about incidents or behaviors which may constitute harassment or discrimination should contact any of the Intake Officers listed below for information about the College’s discrimination and harassment policies, available support services, procedures for making a complaint, and/or assistance in resolving the situation informally or formally. Intake Officers Chief Officer for Diversity and Multiculturalism Title IX, Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator Assistant Director of Human Resources for Employee Relations The KSC Code of Student Conduct also contains information regarding our bias response program.

The KSC Admissions team has admissions counselors and recruitment staff that focus on underrepresented groups. Also, KSC prides itself on being a destination for many first generation college students, as well as adults and Veterans returning to school. Also, the Chief Officer of Diversity and Multiculturalism is a member of all search committees and works with each committee as position descriptions are developed in order to ensure that language encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds. All position are posted in publications targeted at potential applicants from diverse backgrounds.

All of these programs are administered through KSC's Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism (http://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/office/). The Diversity and Multiculturalism Office is charged by the Keene State College President’s Cabinet with providing institutional leadership in diversity initiatives, policy and practice development including development of system to report and respond to bias related incidents, programming, recruitment and retention efforts of underrepresented faculty, staff and students, and creation of a strategic inclusive excellence plan for the campus. STUDENTS are well supported through Keene State’s Office of Multicultural Student Support (OMSS). This group offers myriad student support services listed at http://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/multicultural-student-support/. Examples include: Common Ground Multicultural Club, Keene State Pride. Keene State College also offers a Counseling Center for all students (see http://www.keene.edu/life/services/counseling/) that offers a variety of programs, including for underrepresented groups. The ASPIRE program also is targeted for students: http://www.keene.edu/academics/departments/aspire/ ALL CAMPUS MEMBERS are supported by the Title IX Office (see: http://www.keene.edu/administration/student-affairs/title-ix/) which is charged with fostering a respectful and safe environment for all members of the campus community, The Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness supports Keene State’s principles of equal opportunity, just treatment, and respect for all people through stakeholder engagement and a variety of programs (see http://www.keene.edu/campus/diversity/commissions/). Mentoring, counseling, and peer support for faculty and staff from underrepresented groups is provided through contact with the Officer for Diversity and Multiculturalism, as well as through the Human Resources Employee Assistance Program.http://www.usnh.edu/hr/health-wellness/reduce-stress.html

Information provided by Dottie Morrie, Chief Officer of Diversity and Multiculturalism, and compiled/submitted by Cary Gaunt, Director of Campus Sustainability.