| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.17 |
| Liaison | Ian McKeown |
| Submission Date | March 5, 2021 |
Loyola Marymount University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.92 / 3.00 |
Jessica
Hernandez Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management |
Does the institution have a publicly posted non-discrimination statement? :
The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:
The University prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental ability, legally protected medical condition (cancer-related), marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition), age over 40, veteran status, and sexual orientation, or any other bases protected by federal, state, or local law. The University does not discriminate on these bases, or any other basis protected by law, in the administration of any of its education or admissions policies, scholarship or loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered
policies and programs, or in its employment policies and practices. All University policies, practices, and procedures are administered in a manner consistent with LMU's Jesuit identity and character.
Does the institution have a discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team)?:
A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team:
The University provides support to those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, hate crime, act or discrimination or harassment. The University’s policies provide for supportive and remedial measures, including, but not limited to, no contact orders, or academic, residential, transportation and/or employment accommodations, intended to ensure the well-being of the complainant, the respondent, the investigatory process and/or the University community while the complaint is being investigated and prior to the determination on the complaint. Supportive and remedial measures are designed and implemented in a manner intended to achieve their purpose while at the same time limiting, to the extent practicable, any adverse effect to the complainant’s and/or respondent’s educational program or employment. Supportive and remedial measures remain confidential, to the extent possible, to achieve the measure. The University reserves the right to continue supportive and remedial measures following determination on the complaint. The University maintains confidentiality to the greatest extent possible in view of the method of complaint resolution chosen. The University’s policies also prohibit all persons from taking any retaliatory action against any other member of the University Community, including the complainant, respondent, or witnesses involved in the complaint.
The University provides information regarding/access to appropriate on and off-campus resources. This access includes but is not limited to: Student Health Services, Student Psychological Services, Disability Support Services, Campus Ministry, Community of Care, LMU’s Center for Student Collegiate Recovery, Employee Assistance Program, Human Resources, Department of Public Safety, appropriate law enforcement agencies, as well as other external agencies, as appropriate (e.g., UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, information regarding free legal aid services, etc.)
from the Discriminatory Harassment and Complaint Process policy [HR procedures for acts of hate crimes, bias incidents, discrimination/harassment]:
The University provides support to those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, hate crime, act or discrimination or harassment. The University’s policies provide for supportive and remedial measures, including, but not limited to, no contact orders, or academic, residential, transportation and/or employment accommodations, intended to ensure the well-being of the complainant, the respondent, the investigatory process and/or the University community while the complaint is being investigated and prior to the determination on the complaint. Supportive and remedial measures are designed and implemented in a manner intended to achieve their purpose while at the same time limiting, to the extent practicable, any adverse effect to the complainant’s and/or respondent’s educational program or employment. Supportive and remedial measures remain confidential, to the extent possible, to achieve the measure. The University reserves the right to continue supportive and remedial measures following determination on the complaint. The University maintains confidentiality to the greatest extent possible in view of the method of complaint resolution chosen. The University’s policies also prohibit all persons from taking any retaliatory action against any other member of the University Community, including the complainant, respondent, or witnesses involved in the complaint.
The University provides information regarding/access to appropriate on and off-campus resources. This access includes but is not limited to: Student Health Services, Student Psychological Services, Disability Support Services, Campus Ministry, Community of Care, LMU’s Center for Student Collegiate Recovery, Employee Assistance Program, Human Resources, Department of Public Safety, appropriate law enforcement agencies, as well as other external agencies, as appropriate (e.g., UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, information regarding free legal aid services, etc.)
BIRT info below. for more information please see attached document below that has protocal for faculty, staff, student on discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team) to respond to and support those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime?
BIRT manages university-wide communication and response protocols for incidents where bias may be a factor. BIRT’s duties include reviewing bias incident reports, making recommendations to the president on proposed responses, and developing university communication protocols.
BIRT's Role
BIRT ensures responsible university departments respond to incidents reported and actively engage the university’s standard operating framework. BIRT strives to operate transparently and communicate effectively and may update the community if appropriate information becomes available. However, BIRT does not preempt nor replace existing procedures. BIRT does not conduct its own investigations and may not be aware of the final disposition of a case.
BIRT's SUPPORT
BIRT will conduct an investigation on the matter. BIRT will work with Student Affairs, Judicial Affairs, and/or Human Resources to help the student get the support and resources they may/will need. Resources may include counseling, training, holding a town hall, etc. BIRT will also provide their feedback on the incident which may include recommended corrective action.
Excerpt from LMU's Non-Discrimination Policy Concerning Biased Incidents
The university does not tolerate hate crimes or bias-motivated incidents and will respond to them with appropriate sanctions, which may include: for students, expulsion, suspension, or exclusion from the campus; for faculty and staff, disciplinary action up to and including termination. Students, faculty, or staff who experience or witness any form of hate crime or bias-motivated incident should immediately report it to the Department of Public Safety.
The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) is comprised of the members below:
Lane Bove, co-chair and senior vice president for Student Affairs
David Sapp, co-chair and vice provost for Academic Affairs
Jennifer Abe, vice president for Intercultural Affairs
Rebecca Chandler, vice president for Human Resources
John Kiralla, senior vice president for Marketing, Communications, and External Relations
Devra Schwartz, vice president for safety and security
Sign Removals in Modern Languages and Literatures (Office Doors/Nearby)
January 8, 2016
Status: Closed
Student Resident Complaint
December 21, 2016
Status: Closed
Sign Removals in Theological Studies (Office Doors and Bulletin Boards)
November 29, 2016
Status: Closed
2015-2016 Academic Year
Malone Centennial Mural Incident
November 13, 2015
Status: Closed
Parking and Transportation Department, Loyolan Article Incident
December 9, 2015
Status: Closed
African American Professor Mail Incident
December 10, 2015
Status: Closed
Intramural Soccer Incident
February 14, 2016
Status: Closed
Student Immigration Wall Vandalism
April 4, 2016
Status: Closed
Removal of Authorized LGBTQ+ Awareness Week Signage (Palm Walk)
April 15, 2016
Status: Closed
Verbal Confrontation; University Employee and Students Reposting Signs
April 15, 2016
Status: Closed
Objection to Alternative Break Reflection Posters (Palm Walk)
April 19, 2016
Status: Closed
Office Nameplate and Door Notices Vandalism/Graffiti (University Hall)
April 22, 2016
Status: Closed
Please see link below reviewing policies and procedures should an incident occur.
Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups?:
Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
Does the institution have programs designed specifically to recruit non-academic staff from underrepresented groups?:
A brief description of the institution’s programs to recruit students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:
LMU engages in significant outreach and recruitment efforts designed to ensure that low-income students consider LMU during the college selection process. LMU Admission staff each year visit hundreds of high schools and community colleges that include significant populations of low-income students; LMU Admission and Financial Aid staff also regularly offer workshops at high schools and community colleges designed specifically to ensure that low-income students and families have access to relevant information about college and their options at LMU specifically. LMU also regularly offers presentations on the enrollment process in both English and Spanish. Over the past two years, the LMU Enrollment Management division has developed a number of programs that are outside the scope of traditional grants and scholarships, but designed to ensure access for low-income students. These new initiatives include support for low-income students to purchase their books and supplies during their first year of study, giving cohorts of incoming low-income students laptop computers to ensure that they have access to resources needed to be successful, and university-funded accounts that low-income students may draw upon to fund critical activities related to professional development (e.g. internships, conference travel).
Pathway Program
The LMU Pathway Program targets talented students who need additional academic preparation. This year, the LMU Pathway Program has offered fourteen students as part of its second cohort the opportunity to enroll at either Santa Monica College or East Los Angeles College, where they are directed to complete LMU-approved courses based on their majors. While enrolled at our partner community colleges, these students receive LMU Onecards and access to the LMU Library, Academic Resource Center, and other resources to experience LMU campus life. At the conclusion of this year, if Pathway students meet minimum GPA requirements, they will be admitted as full-time, degree-seeking students at LMU, on track to graduate with the same class as their original application to LMU. EM plans to expand this program to El Camino College next year, with an enrollment goal of 15 students per location.
Transfer Guaranteed Admission Agreements
Enrollment Management has also developed a Guaranteed Transfer Admission Agreement with a number of community college partner institutions. Most recently on November 1, President Snyder gathered with the Chancellor, President of the Board of Trustees, and college presidents from the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) in an official signing ceremony hosted at Los Angeles Harbor College. The ceremony capped off a year- long effort to solidify LMU’s collaboration with LACCD to enhance the existing transfer pipeline and increase the number of qualified transfer applicants from the district. With the addition of LACCD (9 institutions – the largest community college district in California) to our six previously existing Transfer Admission Agreement partnerships, LMU continues to strengthen ties with partner institutions and serve as a leader in transfer enrollment in both the region and the state.
The Guarantee Program provides access and a clear pathway to an LMU education by outlining a set of standards by which students gain automatic admission if completed. What is unique about this program is that it rewards student behavior and is not just a list of required courses. This behavior includes taking a full course load (12+ units) every semester, and consistently earning the required GPA in consecutive terms. By rewarding students that demonstrate successful behavior, Transfer Enrollment Services ensures that students are ready to meet the demands of an LMU education. In the near future, EM plans to increase the number of Guarantee Programs across California and in competitive transfer markets out of state.
Community Outreach
Enrollment Management has successfully engaged prospective students from underrepresented backgrounds via a suite of community-facing initiatives that focus on building strong pipelines to LMU. Now embarking on its third year, Summer Programs brings a diverse set of talented middle and high school age students to LMU’s campus to participate in academic programs and social activities in order to cultivate academic and personal development among participants and strengthen the interest of prospective LMU students earlier in the pipeline. In fall 2017, 17 students who attended the 2016 pre-college program matriculated as full-time freshmen; currently, 58 of 91 current high school seniors from the 2016 and 2017 summer cohorts have applied to LMU for fall 2018 enrollment.
Moreover, Pre-College Summer Programs has forged partnerships with Girls Who Code and Wishbone to provide greater access for students from underrepresented backgrounds. In 2017, LMU partnered with Wishbone, a community based organization whose mission is to “fund the next generation of dreamers,” to identify and fully fund two high-achieving, low-income students to attend LMU’s pre-college session in Environmental Science. Since 2016, EM has offered $88,000 in pre-college scholarships to 29 summer scholars; among these recipients, 62 percent were Latina/o, 28 percent were African American, and 38 percent identified as first-generation college students. Pre-College Summer Programs has also partnered with Girls Who Code, a nationally recognized community-based organization, to launch two new summer programs that will help middle and high school aged women, many from underrepresented backgrounds, gain experience in computer coding and connect with same- gender peers with similar interests.
Additionally, Enrollment Management has placed strategic focus on access via recruitment. Undergraduate Admission’s Local Outreach Counselor has continued our efforts in reaching out to primarily Latina/o and first-generation students in the Los Angeles area. This fall, we visited 41 inner city Los Angeles schools, establishing relationships with 9 schools LMU has not been able to visit before. We also increased our presence at local college fairs, focusing on fairs aimed at making college an accessible reality for students of underrepresented communities. Enrollment Management also hosted the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Conference on the LMU campus in December, offering college access and admission related workshops to middle and high school students and their parents, many in both English and Spanish. Supporting organizations include the American Indian College Fund, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Inc., College Board, Jack and Jill Foundation, and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Parent workshops will be hosted in both English and Spanish.
As the assistant to the president for intercultural affairs, Dr. Robinson-Armstrong was a part of a
team that worked to create a series of programs to train faculty to recruit for diversity. The
programs’ intent was to clarify the mission of diversity recruitment for faculty and to debunk myths
and stereotypes for hiring. Attendance was mandatory for anyone who wanted to sit on a hiring
committee. This ensured that people doing the hiring at LMU believed in the mission of the
university and wanted to support it.
Framework for the programs came from research obtained as one of 14 participants in a Diversity
Scorecard program created by the University of California. LMU “took the data and ran with it,” said
Dr. Robinson-Armstrong, using it to inform its decisions and shape its programming.
She described her school’s strategy for increasing faculty diversity at the fall meeting of the
Southern California Higher Education Resource Consortium (HERC) meeting at UC-Riverside in
September.
Staff:
"The University recognizes the important contribution a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff makes towards the advancement of its goals and ideals."
Please see link below to read HR's policy on recruitment/hiring of staff.
Staff recruitment policy diversity...
Colleges and universities with a predominantly white faculty drastically limit their ability to provide educational experiences that produce “an empowered, informed, and responsible student capable of negotiating the inevitable differences in a diverse society” (University of Arizona 2006). Conversely, institutions with diverse faculty provide significant benefits for everyone in the campus community.
Not only can a diverse faculty prepare students to live and work in an increasingly complex global society, a professoriate marked by diversity
(1) “promotes cognitive, social and emotional growth and development in students,
(2) increases and raises the level of intellectual discussion within the faculty, and
(3) adds multiple perspectives, theories and approaches to scholarship and the curriculum that students consume” (Milem and Hakuta 2000).
Thus, the Recruiting and Hiring Teacher-Scholars for Mission Initiative includes systematic efforts to recruit and hire an ethnically diverse, gender-balanced faculty which enhances the university’s educational goals, strategic objectives, and adds to the overall quality of the institution. Simultaneously, the Initiative provides professional development for search committee members on a variety of topics including the history of LMU, reflections on LMU’s Catholic identity, the Catholic intellectual tradition, ethnic diversity and religious identity in U.S. Catholic universities, benefits of faculty diversity, the definition of hiring faculty for mission, and legal and ethical principles and strategies for recruiting and hiring faculty. The school has many programs for recruiting and hiring specifically through direct outreach, social media, events, community leaders and more
https://resources.lmu.edu/officeofinterculturalaffairs/resources/capacitybuilding/#d.en.287563
Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, academic support, or other programs designed specifically to support students from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs designed specifically to support academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support non-academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
A brief description of the institution’s programs designed specifically to support students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented 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).
https://resources.lmu.edu/officeofinterculturalaffairs/
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Staff and faculty support options. There is a ton of options for support for faculty and staff from underrepresented groups.
many can be found in this guide
https://resources.lmu.edu/media/lmuinclusiveexcellence/documents/Faculty%20Staff%20Affinity%20and%20Networking%20Groups%20brochure.pdf
More our outlined below. Support exists from help getting equipment/supplies, transportation, career development, skills training, language training, to support network of likeminded individuals.
The Latino Staff Association was created to provide an avenue of communication
and resource sharing among cross-divisional staff interested in communication,
networking and advancement of Latino staff. The Latino Staff Association
collaborates with the Office of Chicano/a Latino/a Students Services in Student
Affairs, Latino Faculty Association as well as many other departments in LMU.
The Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles provides intercultural resources
such as: 1) a resident follow-up survey on the LA Riots 15th Year Anniversary that
reports on the impact of the LA Riots, and the relationships between ethnic
relations; community attitudes; government and community relations and activities;
social class and immigration; quality of life; and demographics and 2) the Research
Collection Program, which promotes the study, documentation and understanding
of the history and social development of Los Angeles through a substantial archive on
such topics as post-World War II real estate and industrial developers; reformers and
reform movements; public officials; and prominent Los Angeles families.
The Ethnic Minority and Gay/Straight Faculty/Staff Network is housed in the
office of the vice president for Intercultural Affairs. Network executives include two
representatives from the African-American, Latino/a, and Asian-Pacific Islander
Faculty/Staff Associations and the Gay/Straight Faculty-Staff Network. The
network addresses issues of interculturalism as it pertains specifically to faculty and
staff at critical points such as recruitment and retention as well as other aspects
relevant to their professional lives. For example, one of the associations or the
gay/straight network may introduce new faculty and staff to members of their
affinity group. University-wide acknowledgement of the network enables
participating faculty and staff to claim “credit” for their service contributions in ways
that may be more easily recognized by departments and other campus units.
Human Resources recruitment attends at least two diversity job fairs annually (i.e.,
Career Builder Diversity Job Fair and Latino’s For Hire).
Human Resources provides a number of training and development workshops (i.e.,
Interculturalism I & II, Star Power, Attitudes Towards Differences, Discriminatory
Harassment Awareness, Exploring Diversity Through a Common Language), films,
games and e-learning programs (i.e., Workplace Diversity, Exploring Diversity With
Your Team).
Does the institution have training and development programs, teaching fellowships and/or other programs that specifically aim to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members?:
A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:
Educational Studies Integrated 4+1, M.A. will provide students in the teacher preparation pipeline, working through the Center for Undergraduate Teacher Preparation, the opportunity to earn their Bachelor of Arts, preliminary teaching credential, and Master of Arts in Educational Studies within five years at LMU. The BA and preliminary teaching credential will be earned within the first four years of undergraduate study. Students will earn their BA in a major of their choice from within the various Schools/Colleges at LMU. Simultaneously, the preliminary teaching credential will be earned through the School of Education. The MA in Educational Studies degree will be earned in an additional year through the School of Education as well.
Loyola Marymount University's ACCESS program (A Community Committed to Excellence in Scientific Scholarship) is designed for students who are either 1) among the first in their families to obtain a 4-year degree or 2) come from an under served or low-income community in the Seaver College of Science and Engineering. ACCESS provides students a scholarship to participate in an engaging program that focuses on future success in their field.
Project ROYAL Bilingual Teacher Scholarship is funded by a multi-year National Professional Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Education that was awarded to the School of Education's Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) in 2016. One of the goals of Project ROYAL is to help build the bilingual teacher pipeline through a scholarship program. CEEL has established this scholarship to help academically successful Spanish-English bilingual teacher candidates in their preparation to effectively teach English Learners.
Academic Community of Excellence that is designed to prepare underrepresented students for graduate and professional programs. It consists of faculty and staff mentoring, workshops on academic strategies, psychological support services, undergraduate research opportunities and scholarly forms and publications.
First to Go Program that pairs each first –generation student with a faculty mentor, and a network of LMU staff and Alumni as well as increases awareness about research opportunities graduate/professional school options
center for service and action fellowships for graduate students who are working on sustainability.
As a part of LMU’s Strategic Plan for the Office of Intercultural Affairs, LMU has in place: 1) Faculty Profile that supports LMU’s goal to increase ethnic and gender diversity within the academy. The profile contains data that describes full-time faculty and students by college or school and ethnicity and gender. 4) Human Resources recruitment resources for women and minority faculty 5) Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA) Hiring Summit which reviews college-wide data on faculty search processes and outcomes every three years to increase emphasis on mission and diversity in hiring processes 6) BCLA annual lunches with the Dean 7) BCLA Faculty Parent Group to support faculty with children 8) BCLA annual Dean’s Listening Sessions 9) Faculty Retention Toolkit with strategies particularly useful in retaining women and faculty-of-color 10) President’s Leadership Development Initiative which is a leadership development program that serves as a catalyst for change to create an effective inclusive university environment where all faculty and staff can succeed. 11) Recruiting and Hiring Faculty for Mission is a professional development program that aims to hire candidates who are supportive of and will contribute to LMU’s distinctive mission as a Catholic university, who will enhance ethnic diversity and who will contribute to gender equity.
A NSF Noyce Scholarship grant for $1.2 million over five years to train gifted college math and science students to become teachers in under-served school districts. The program recruits students with an aptitude and passion for math and science through $20,000 in scholarships and paid summer internships.
Enhance curriculum, pedagogy, scholarship and creative work, to involve students and
faculty in the learning process and to prepare them to engage issues of diversity as
concerned citizens of the world.
Many programs and pipelines exist to provide training and skills for students to become employees. There are scholarships, ta positions, research etc that is targeted at students of underrepresented groups.
Does the institution produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?:
Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:
Website URL where information about the institution’s support for underrepresented groups is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.