Sewanee - The University of the South
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

http://www.sewanee.edu/media/provost/Non-Discrimination-Policy.pdf The University of the South stands firmly for the principle that its employees, students, and participants of university-sponsored programs have a right to be free from discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy and childbirth, and genetic information, and free from sexual misconduct in its educational programs and activities and with regard to employment. The University is committed to sustaining a community in which the dignity of every individual is respected. Key to this value are efforts to nurture an environment of civility and mutual respect and to foster a culture of reporting concerns so that the University can respond promptly and equitably whenever an incident occurs. All employees, students, and participants of university-sponsored programs also have the right to be free from harassment and retaliation.

Student recruitment programs include Perspective Sewanee (an initiative of the Office of Admission) and partnerships with community-based organizations such as the Posse Foundation, YesPrep, Chicago Scholars, etc. Perspective Sewanee offers an engaging program for admitted students interested in discovering the diversity of people and the numerous multicultural opportunities Sewanee has to offer. At Perspective, students take a closer look into the community of the University of the South and participate in themed discussions on interculturalism bringing insight from their own experiences and points of view. Students may attend a class and meet with faculty members, coaches, and current students as part of Perspective Weekend. Sewanee has a partnership with three scholarship organizations that recruits mostly students of color from urban backgrounds, namely: The Posse Foundation, YES Prep IMPACT Scholars, and Chicago Scholars. The Posse Foundation is a national nonprofit that provides students with full tuition leadership scholarships from the DC area. Once a Posse Scholar has committed to Sewanee, our institution has made a commitment to meet 100% of their remaining demonstrated need. YES Prep IMPACT scholars are all from the YES Prep Charter School system in Houston. YES Prep has entered into formal partnerships with a diverse and impressive group of colleges and universities across the country. As a partner school, Sewanee enables YES Prep students to enroll in “cohorts.” These cohorts, or clusters, of students are designed to serve as mutually supportive communities once they leave high school and enter their collegiate career. Sewanee provides structured support programs to complement the students' college counseling curriculum they received in high school. Lastly, Sewanee is a Platinum Partner with the Chicago Scholars program. As a Platinum partner, Sewanee has made a commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need through graduation for Scholars, sponsor a campus visit prior to an admitted Scholar confirming enrollment, include Scholars in any bridge and first-year orientation programming, and provide an on-campus liaison for Scholars. The University has an institutional membership with the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium as part of an effort to increase faculty and staff diversity. The Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation awarded Sewanee a three-year grant to increase faculty diversity. Among other forms of assistance, the grant provides for mentoring of faculty of color by colleagues across the academy. Faculty search committees receive training in inclusive faculty hiring practices. Toward diversifying the staff, the University is attending not only to positions recruited nationally, but also to local recruitment. With the help of Professor Angela Jordan, Sewanee Dining reached out to the Hispanic community in Winchester and recently hired two food service staff. Recognizing that a faculty and staff that is diverse at all levels requires not only attention to recruitment, but also attention to ongoing support and development, the University is piloting leadership and management development workshops and programs that are reaching more women and people of color, preparing them to be strong candidates for positions of greater responsibility. One of these programs, which just graduated its first cohort is the Leadership Lab. The cohort composed of 7 participants, all of whom partake in a "9 month leadership journey" that focuses on key concepts such as leadership theory, leadership in context, and leadership practice.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs provides support to students from underrepresented groups. This support takes shape in the form of programming throughout the school year, including but not limited to silent discos, poetry slams, and jazz concerts to help bring more variety to the activities students without cars are able to partake in. ADELANTE is an organization that promotes advocacy among minority students on campus. The organization strives to make permanent institutional changes that will expand diversity and raise awareness on important issues for the Latinx communities across the US. The ADELANTE mentor program pairs Latinx students with faculty and staff mentors. Programs offered through the Center for Teaching, such as Connected Colleagues, pair faculty in a supportive and collegial mentor relationship. External funding from the Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation has enabled faculty from underrepresented groups to pursue off-campus mentoring opportunities, and funding from the Associated Colleges of the South has enabled junior faculty to participate in the Faculty of Color United for Success (FOCUS) program. Additional programming includes: Bridge Program in Math and Science - an opportunity for rising high school seniors and incoming freshmen of various socioeconomic backgrounds to take a summer class and participate in research Ayres Multicultural Center - themed house on campus that serves as a space to hold events for multicultural students Black History Month - put on by the Black Student Union annually to help educate the broader student body about African American history Posse Plus Retreat - an annual retreat facilitated by master facilitators from the Posse Foundation where students, staff, and faculty can engage in difficult conversations regarding campus culture DJ Dance Parties - occur twice a year and create an opportunity for students without cars to get a taste of city life without leaving campus Annual Cultural Fashion Show - put on by the African Caribbean Student Association to share the history and culture behind their country's national dress. Jazz Coffee House Performances - an alternative to the frat house party scene that features mainly black musicians in the area