Loyola Marymount University
PAE-8: Support Programs for Under-Represented Groups

There are many academic programs, student groups, centers and university-sponsored efforts that help support underrepresented groups within the student body. With regard to academic programs, there are many majors and minors that focus on underrepresented groups in academia. These majors and minors include: African American Studies major, Chicana/o Latino Studies major, Asian and Pacific Studies major, European Studies major, Urban Studies major, Women’s Studies major, Irish Studies minor, Modern Greek Studies minor, and Asian Pacific American Studies minor. Also, one American Cultures class needs to be taken by every student as a part of the core curriculum. The student groups on campus that support underrepresented students are hosted by the Ethnic and Intercultural Office (EIS) and its sub-offices: Asian Pacific Student Services (APSS), Chicano Latino Student Services (CLSS), Office of Black Student Services (OBSS) and Intercultural Affairs, and Jewish Student Services. These students groups include the Black Student Union, Movimento Estudiantil Chicana Y Chicano de Aztlan, Asian Pacific Islander Student Association, and Hillel. A full list of the groups can be found at http://www.lmu.edu/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3998. EIS Peer Mentors give counseling to identified minority students through their first year a the university. Additionally, there are other offices on campus that help support underrepresented groups within the student body: First to Go (for first generation college students), The Learning Community (TLC) (for first-year African American students), Academic Community of Excellence (ACE), Disability Support Services (DSS), Transfer Programs for community college transfer students, LGBT Student Services, and Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS). http://www.lmu.edu/about/diversity/intercultural/Diversity_Resources/For_Students.htm

As a part of LMU’s Strategic Plan for the Office of Intercultural Affairs, Initiative 2 is creating an inclusive work and learning environment. LMU’s Office of Intercultural Affairs plans to do this for faculty by: 1) Introducing faculty search committees to the topics of LMU’s mission in a three part-program, including ethnic diversity and religious identity in U.S. Catholic universities 2) Using strategies from the Faculty Retention Toolkit 3) Conducting a Faculty Exit Survey 4) Having flexible and accommodating faculty retention policies and programs 5) Implementing the Executive Level Diversity Project which introduces new Vice Presidents, Deans, and Directors to LMU Interculturalism and Diversity through a workshop 6) Hosting the Ethnic Minority and Gay/Straight Faculty/Staff Network which addresses issues of interculturalism as it pertains to faculty and staff in their professional lives. http://www.lmu.edu/about/diversity/intercultural/Strategic_Plan/Initiatives/Intiative_2__Inclusive_Work___Learning_Environment.htm

Under-represented groups within the staff: As a part of LMU’s Strategic Plan for the Office of Intercultural Affairs, Initiative 2 is creating an inclusive work and learning environment. LMU’s Office of Intercultural Affairs plans to do this for staff by: 1) Introducing staff search committees to the topics of LMU’s mission in a three part-program, including ethnic diversity and religious identity in U.S. Catholic universities 2) Implementing the Executive Level Diversity Project which introduces new Vice Presidents, Deans, and Directors to LMU Interculturalism and Diversity through a workshop 3) Hosting the Ethnic Minority and Gay/Straight Faculty/Staff Network which addresses issues of interculturalism as it pertains to faculty and staff in their professional lives. http://www.lmu.edu/about/diversity/intercultural/Strategic_Plan/Initiatives/Intiative_2__Inclusive_Work___Learning_Environment.htm