Rice University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Rice provides a number of programs to support underrepresented groups: (1) HARAMBE: HARAMBE is a cultural program that seeks to create a unifying event for entering African-American students, allowing them to build social and academic connections with peers, faculty, and staff. The hope is that the event will result in a more connected class of incoming students better equipped to seek out institutional resources, peers and professionals on campus for support and guidance. (2) Rice-Houston Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (Rice-Houston AGEP): Rice University is one of many Texas universities that comprise the Rice-Houston Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (Rice-Houston AGEP) Program. Situated in one of the nation's largest, most culturally diverse cities, the Rice-Houston AGEP unites many of the city's research and teaching universities and community colleges in the common mission of significantly increasing the number of underrepresented minority students earning the Ph.D. and positioning them to become leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. (3) The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was established as a nonprofit philanthropic organization in 1969. In 1988, the foundation made a commitment to help remedy the serious shortage of faculty of color in higher education through the Mellon Minority Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUFP). In 2003, the foundation broadened its mission and changed the program’s name to the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program to symbolically connect the mission to the stellar educational achievements of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. At Rice University, the fundamental objective of MMUFP is to increase the number of minority students, and others with a demonstrated commitment to eradicating racial disparities, who will pursue PhDs in core fields in the arts and sciences. The program aims to reduce the serious underrepresentation on university faculties of people of certain minority groups, as well as to address the attendant educational consequences of these disparities. (4) Advocating Diversity and the Need for Cultural Exchange (ADVANCE): ADVANCE hosts weekly Friday discussion meetings. The topics cover a wide range of social issues from sexism to homophobia to international concerns and politics, to name a few. ADVANCE seeks to create an environment at Rice that emphasizes unity by embracing individual differences and is committed to providing a safe space to students interested in dialoguing on the often divisive issues of the day. (5) Barbara Jordan Scholars: The Barbara Jordan scholarship program, named for the first black woman elected to the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress, provides support for a group of Rice freshmen who display the qualities of the late congresswoman. The four-year half-tuition scholarships recognize deserving Rice students who distinguish themselves with activities and qualities she exhibited-including building bridges within and across racial, cultural and ethnic divides-and to maintain and enhance a campus learning environment that embraces civility and respect for the many facial and ethnic traditions that make up our society. (6) Rice Nominators Circle: The Rice Nominators Circle, initiated in 1998, consists of K-12 teachers, counselors, administrators, and community leaders who assist Rice in identifying and reaching out to under-represented students of color. Each year a new group visits Rice for an orientation and workshop about the admissions and financial aid process. (7) Cultural clubs: Rice sponsors a number of cultural clubs that support underrepresented groups including: The Black Student Association (BSA), The Black Graduate Association, The Chinese Student Association (CSA), The Hispanic Association for Cultural Education at Rice (HACER), The South Asian Society (SAS), The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), The Japanese Association of Students and Scholars (JASS), The Korean Student Association (KSA), The Muslim Student Association, The Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), The Rice Taiwanese Association (RTA), The Queers and Allies (Q&A), The Rice African Student Association (RASA), The Native American Student Association (NASA), and The Society of Women Engineers to name a few.

Rice University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment, and it is the policy of the University to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff and student body. Accordingly, Rice University does not discriminate or tolerate any form of discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status in its admissions policies, educational programs, or employment of faculty or staff.

Rice Office of Multicultural Affairs: http://oma.rice.edu/multiorgs.html Although Rice does not produce a publicly accessible inventory of its gender neutral bathrooms on campus, Rice remains committed to gender equality by providing gender neutral restrooms on Rice's campus.