Southwestern University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Southwestern University’s recruitment and admission of students, awarding of financial aid and operation of programs and facilities are without regard to sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/transgender status, or any other impermissible factor. Southwestern University is also committed to compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities, including sexual misconduct.

https://www.southwestern.edu/policy/human-resources/nondiscrimination-statement/

The Sexual Assault Risk Reduction committee consists of school officials and students charged with identifying strategies for:
- Ensuring that students know the school’s prohibition against sexual discrimination, including sexual harassment and violence
- Ensuring that students recognize sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence when they occur
- Ensuring that students understand how and to whom to report any incidents
- Ensuring that students know the connection between alcohol and drug abuse and sexual harassment or violence
- Ensuring that students feel comfortable that school officials will respond promptly and equitably to reports of sexual harassment and /or violence;
- Issuing new policy statements or other steps that clearly communicate that the school does not tolerate sexual harassment and violence and will respond to any incidents and to any student who reports such incidents; and
- Revising grievance procedures used to handle sexual harassment and violence complaints to ensure that they are prompt and equitable, as required by Title IX.

Southwestern visits many schools across the state and country that have a higher number of underrepresented students as part of its fall travel. SU also has the Dixon scholarship program, which dedicates funds to outstanding African American, Native American, and Latinx scholars. SU participates in a targeted scholarship program with the Davis New Mexico Scholarship program to attract first-generation students, who are often from underrepresented groups to Southwestern. SU also engages with the National Hispanic Insitute on much of their annual programming to support Latinx scholars to college.

As part of the Tactical Plan, Southwestern University has implemented standardized language for faculty job advertisements to prioritize Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity (DIBE) objectives as part of candidates’ qualifications in addition to expertise and credentials.

The SU Health and Counseling Center hosts the Students of Color Support Group, creating a weekly space for students of color to find community and support. Additionally, the Coalition of Diversity and Social Justice coordinates the Students of Color Mentorship Program, for any student of color at SU who is looking to build a one on one relationship with a fellow student of color that will support them throughout their SU experience. Southwestern University received a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) grant to increase participation by underrepresented students in STEM summer research programs.

The SU faculty have a program, "Faculty of Coloring Uniting for Success", funded by the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) co-led by a Southwestern faculty with colleagues from several other ACS schools.

The Diversity Enrichment Committee has established staff affinity groups where staff belonging to historically underrepresented groups meet 1-2 a month during work hours to build community with each other.