Portland State University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Policy. Discrimination or harassment based on a Protected Class or Protected Classes is strictly prohibited by PSU. Retaliation is also prohibited by PSU. https://www.pdx.edu/ogc/sites/www.pdx.edu.ogc/files/3.15.13%20REV%20Policy%20on%20Prohibited%20Discrimination%20and%20Harassment%20signed%20final.pdf

The Bias Response Team (BRT), which includes key campus-wide stakeholders, communicates and meets regularly to respond to a reported bias incident, and to support students, employees and community members who experience or witness an act of bias. The BRT comprehensively, collaboratively, and consistently works to address bias incidents that affect Portland State University (PSU) students, faculty, staff and community members. When we are informed of bias incidents, we will work hard to get to the root causes and to improve the culture and climate at PSU. Team includes: Vice President, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion Vice Provost for International Affairs and Dean of Graduate Students Chief of Campus Safety General Counsel Associate Vice President, Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life Assistant Vice President, Student Access and Success, Diversity and Multicultural Student Services Associate Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion. Title IX and ADA Coordinator Associate Vice President, Human Resources Director of Counseling, Student Health and Counseling Assistant Dean and Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards Director of Housing and Residence Life Athletics Director Director of the Queer Resource Center The goals of the BRT are: -To develop educational and outreach programs from the data collected from bias reports; -To provide support and resources to those impacted by bias incidents; -To increase opportunities for communication and restorative justice for students, staff, and faculty; and -To address incidents and trends identified through the reports utilizing resources such as trainings, communications, individual redress, and other means, that will improve the campus climate. In this way, we will put action into the words "equity and inclusion", as well as demonstrate how much we value diversity at PSU and in our community. Those who report an incident will… -Receive resources and support, and -Increase PSU’s ability to identify individual and systemic bias incidents. You also have the right to file a formal complaint of discrimination against anyone participating in a bias incident or anybody who you believe is engaging in discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or retaliation. https://www.pdx.edu/diversity/bias-response-team

Student Recruitment: Bridges is an event for high school students who are first generation or from ethnically diverse backgrounds, who are exploring college opportunities. Students who attend Bridges will learn more about the admission process, financial aid and scholarship opportunities and how to be a successful student at PSU. A series of workshops and tours assists students in gathering essential information needed to make informed decisions about attending college. The Director of Community Outreach and Engagement in the Office of Global Diversity and Equity works with K-8 schools with large populations of underrepresented groups to host campus visits and also brings PSU students to the schools to talk to students about attending college. Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) partners with high schools and community colleges to recruit and support the success of underrepresented STEM majors. Working directly with students at Portland Community College, LSAMP provides support and help for students who are looking to transfer to PSU. The Diversity Action Council has a sub-committee, Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Student. The committee is tasked with, planning, proposing, and implementing programs and initiatives that could improve the recruitment and retention of diverse students. Faculty/Staff Recruitment: The Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion have an affirmative action plan. Every year GDI meets with Deans and Vice Presidents to talk about how to recruit a more diverse pool. PSU has also established a cultural competencies training requirement for all faculty hiring committees and have optional training for staff hiring committees. The Diversity Action Council has a sub-committee, Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Faculty and a sub-committee on Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Staff. Both committees are tasked with planning, proposing and implementing and/or evaluating programs and initiatives that could improve the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff.

Disability Resource Center The mission of the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is to collaborate with and empower Portland State University students with disabilities in order to coordinate support services and programs that enable equal access to an education and university life. To accomplish this goal, the DRC provides pre-admission and disability counseling, advocacy, educational training, and a variety of accommodations for equal access to the educational process and campus at Portland State University. (Source: http://drc.pdx.edu/) Queer Resource Center The Portland State University Queer Resource Center strives to provide an inclusive safe space in advocating for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning students, staff, faculty and their allies. Our Mission is to serve the PSU and surrounding communities through both outreach education and social programming that promotes awareness. (Source: http://pdx.edu/queer) Veterans Services The Veterans Resource Center provides faculty, staff and administrators with the necessary resources and information to support the student veteran community. (Source: http://www.pdx.edu/veterans/) Student parents Services for Students with Children offers integrated services that support students’ goals to be effective parents while succeeding in their academic pursuits. Through campus projects, community involvement, and advocacy, we strive to increase available resources and opportunities that improve the quality of life for students with children. The RCSC envisions a future in which students with children receive all the supports and services they need to complete their academic goals and provide a brighter future for themselves and their children. (Source: https://www.pdx.edu/students-with-children/) Diversity & Multicultural Student Services Diversity and Multicultural Student Services (DMSS) mission is to build and strengthen a sustainable, educationally diverse and co-curricular environment where all students have the access and support they need to achieve their educational goals. (Source: http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/) +African American Student Services: African American Student Services (AASS) provides academic support services, advocacy and campus navigation. We provide connection to African American community services and resources for incoming freshman, transfer and continuing students. AASS also provides a supportive and welcoming environment for African American students as they transition to the PSU academic environment or continue their education at PSU. AASS assists students who are seeking a cultural connection at Portland State University through community building activities and connecting participants to PSU student groups and faculty, as these are essential components to achieving academic success. +Native American Student Services provides to Native American (NA) and Alaskan Native (AN) students services to support their academic success, including academic advising, guidance and referrals to appropriate student services. Native American Student Services coordinates with the Diversity and Multicultural Student Services (DMSS) offices; the Diversity Recognition Scholarship Program, the Native American Student and Community Center, the Student Support Services/Educational Opportunity Program, and the Tutoring Center as key services for the retention and success of the NA/AN students. (Source: http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/nass) +Latino/a Student Services: LSS provides academic support services, advocacy and connections to campus and Latino community services and resources to new incoming freshman, transfer and continuing students. LSS provides a supportive and welcoming environment for Latino students as they transition to the PSU academic environment. LSS assists students who are seeking a cultural connection to the Portland State University campus by connecting them to student groups and faculty, an essential component to achieving academic success. http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/LSS Diversity Scholarship Programs The program promotes diversity and student participation in campus life through volunteerism and academic excellence. Scholarship recipients will share their unique strengths and diverse perspectives through their involvement in on-campus activities, in the classroom and through their participation in community service. The Diversity Enrichment Scholarship is a renewable tuition-remission credit in the amount of 12 undergraduate credits at the resident tuition rate excluding fees (actual amount varies). This scholarship attracts outstanding students from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education and pursuin their first bachelors degree. The Diversity Enrichment Scholarship gives preferences to those who are/have: -Oregon residents -Financial need (federally defined) -First-generation* college students * First-generation is defined as neither parent has a 4-year college degree from a U.S. university. http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/diversity-scholars The Guide, Persist, Succeed (GPS) Program in the Multicultural Retention Services department offers general academic support to students who are first-generation, low-income and from diverse and multicultural backgrounds. The program will aid you throughout your college experience by providing general academic advising, connections with a diverse and multicultural on-campus community, and referrals to campus and community resources. The Guide, Persist, Succeed Program is for students who are not currently enrolled in one of the following DMSS transition programs: ACCESS, Diversity Scholars, GANAS, NDNSS, Empower, or SSS-TRIO. API Student Services - As part of Diversity and Multicultural Student Services, located in Smith Memorial Student Union 425, API Student Services seeks to bridge students to more equitable and accessible educational experiences for all API identified students in the PSU Community The Cultural Resource Centers The Cultural Centers create a student-centered inclusive environment that enriches the university experience. We honor diversity, explore social justice issues, celebrate cultural traditions, and foster student identities, success and leadership. Learning Goals: Leadership - Intercultural Communication - Identity Development - Social Justice http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/cultural-resource-centers Native American Student & Community Center The Native American Student & Community Center (NASCC) is a gathering space to celebrate and empower student success through culturally relevant programming, academic support, and inter-generational community engagement to preserve and perpetuate inter-tribal connection for Native American/Alaskan Native/Pacific Islander students and our allies through tradition, ceremony, and story. Our center welcomes all people. http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/native-american-student-community-center McNair Scholars The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at Portland State University (PSU) works with motivated and talented undergraduates who want to pursue PhDs. It introduces juniors and seniors who are first-generation and low-income, and/or members of under-represented groups to academic research and to effective strategies for getting into and graduating from PhD programs. (Source:https://www.pdx.edu/mcnair-program/) Men of Color Mentoring Program The Men of Color Program through the office of Diversity and Multicultural Student Services is a mentoring group designed to assist incoming African-American, Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. The aim of the mentoring program is to assist freshman acclimating to the college environment, utilize campus resources, and encourage academic excellence. The programs overall goal is to support the improvement of graduation rates among these identified groups. Affinity Groups: Staff from the Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion has helped to create several affinity groups for faculty and staff across campus. Affinity groups are voluntary, employee-driven groups that are organized around a shared dimension such as race, disability, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.

McNair Scholars Program: http://www.pdx.edu/mcnair-program/about The Portland State University (PSU) Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program introduces juniors and seniors who are first-generation and low-income, and/or members of under-represented groups to academic research and to effective strategies for getting into and graduating from PhD programs, and works with motivated and talented undergraduates who want to pursue PhDs. The McNair Scholars Program has academic-year activities and a full-time summer research internship. Scholars take academic and skills-building seminars and workshops during the year, and each scholar works closely with a faculty mentor on original research in the summer. Scholars present their research findings at the McNair Summer Symposium and at other conferences, and are encouraged to publish their papers in the McNair Journal and other scholarly publications. The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program was established in 1986 by the U.S. Department of Education and named in honor of Challenger Space Shuttle astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair. The program, which has been on campus since 2003, is funded by a $1,155,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education and institutional cost-share funds. The McNair Scholars Program's student-centered approach relies heavily on faculty and university commitment. Activities and opportunities provided by the program focus on building a positive academic community for the scholars while they are undergraduates at PSU. Teachers Pathways Program: http://www.pdx.edu/education/pathways The Teacher Pathways Program was created to provide clear, teaching career pathways and support for culturally diverse students interested in becoming a teacher in the Portland metropolitan area. We are currently recruiting diverse PSU undergraduates, community college students, instructional assistants, and other career-changers who are considering entering the field of teaching. Program objectives: Increase and support the pipeline of culturally and linguistically diverse students interested in teaching careers Cultivate personal, academic, and professional development with a focus on educational equity and social justice Provide an academic support network and close-knit community of diverse students and educators who share a passion for teaching and social justice equity Promote academic and professional excellence Provide mentorship and opportunities to volunteer in classrooms Program benefits: Throughout each term there will be a variety of activities and support services available to Teacher Pathways participants, including: Specialized advising Tutoring and small group study sessions Personal leadership and educational justice seminars Financial literacy and scholarship workshops aid and financial planning workshops Opportunities to volunteer in K-12 classrooms Mentoring from teachers in the Portland metropolitan area Basic Skills Test Prep and assistance with graduate school and scholarship applications Community service activities

Information provided by Julie Caron, Associate VP of Global Diversity and Inclusion