St. Lawrence University
PAE-8: Support Programs for Underrepresented Groups

Our Coordinator of International Student Services welcomes all international students to her office with any personal or academic concerns and many take advantage of that. This coordinator also monitors the academic warning lists and meets with any international students who are struggling. International students also participate in an extensive pre-orientation program before new student orientation begins, and during that time, they are introduced to the American classroom culture and intercultural activities.

St. Lawrence, along with other liberal arts institutions in New York held their first 'Faculty of Color Conference' in April of 2013. At what is planned as an annual event, faculty attending discuss recruitment strategies and best practices. New, underrepresented faulty, along with all other faculty, are assigned a full time faculty member as a mentor, invited to attend a peer mentoring group or visit the Associate Dean for a consultation on issues including teaching, scholarship, service, professional activities, tenure process and grant writing.

The 'Campus Connections' program began in the fall of 2012. Administrative staff across divisions were encouraged to join conversations on relevant University issues and to provide specific input as proposed strategic planning ideas move forward. The goal is to build connections early on in SLU careers to help allay the feelings of isolation and/or hierarchy that newer administrative staff and faculty members of the SLU community sometimes report. Overall, it is hoped these gatherings foster a culture change for employee relations across divisions at St. Lawrence. New staff members also had the opportunity to be paired with a staff mentor; meal, drink and coffee tickets paid for by the University encourage connection of the staff members throughout the year.