University at Buffalo
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The University at Buffalo (UB, university) is committed to ensuring equal employment, educational opportunity, and equal access to services, programs, and activities without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction status. This includes, but is not limited to, recruitment, the application process, examination and testing, hiring, training, grading, disciplinary actions, rates of pay or other compensation, advancement, classification, transfer and reassignment, discharge, and all other terms and conditions of employment, educational status, and access to university programs and activities. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the university community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely based upon a protected characteristic.

The university will provide accommodations to ensure the full participation of individuals in university programs, when such accommodations are reasonable and necessary due to an individual's disability, religion, pregnancy, maternity, breastfeeding, transgender status, or sexual violence victim status. The university will provide accommodations to individuals with disabilities in accordance with its Reasonable Accommodation Policy. Religious accommodations will be provided in accordance with the university’s Religious Accommodation and Expression Policy.

Retaliation against anyone who reports discrimination, participates or assists in an investigation, or opposes a discriminatory act, practice, or policy is unlawful and is prohibited by this policy. Retaliation will not be tolerated and may result in a referral to the university’s disciplinary process.

http://www.buffalo.edu/administrative-services/policy1/ub-policy-lib/discrimination-harassment.html

Along with providing support services for students from underrepresented backgrounds, the university also has a discrimination and harassment policy and reporting system so that the institution can address incidents of bias or discrimination against its students, faculty, and staff. The university’s policy regarding bias and discrimination is available to the public via the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion website (http://www.buffalo.edu/equity.html). The Discrimination and Harassment policy specifically states that the University at Buffalo opposes differential treatment of individuals based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or military status. In the event that an individual should experience harassment or discrimination, Judicial Affairs & Student Advocacy (https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/conduct.html) are responsible for enforcing campus policies and provides guidelines to the campus community concerning how one should proceed with reporting an incident. Under these guidelines, students are encouraged to contact university police for issues pertaining to physical confrontation and urged to contact the office of Student Life for all other incidents. In addition to UB’s discrimination policies and response strategies, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion also provides training sessions for unlawful harassment prevention. Within the last three years, Judicial Affairs & Student Advocacy has handled cases pertaining to students as well as staff. Penalties imposed upon individuals who violate the policy include: suspension, restraining orders, and exclusion from commencement exercises.

Any UB student who is negatively impacted by a bias-related incident may contact Counseling Services, and employees may contact the Employee Assistance Program. UB’s Victim Assistance webpage outlines students’ options. Additionally, UB’s Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Unit Diversity Officers provide strategic leadership to address situations on-campus or nationally that traumatize the UB community. One recent example is the Buffalo Supermarket Mass Shooting.

Campus Ministries, Student Health Services, and Counseling Services are part of the response team in order to incorporate supportive resources in UB’s current Bias Response Protocol.

Recruiting Faculty and Staff:

The Office of Inclusive Excellence has a team that visits conferences targeted to underrepresented groups of potential faculty and staff candidates to recruit them to work at UB.

The University's office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion provides guidelines on how to conduct a complete interview process that would attract candidates from diverse backgrounds and is also equitable and inclusive to underrepresented groups.

Through a self-study submitted to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2014, UB identified ways to recruit faculty and staff by engaging with the community and strengthening partnerships that promote the social, cultural and economic vitality of our region (http://www.buffalo.edu/content/dam/www/provost/files/Accreditation/UB_selfStudy_published_20140201.pdf). UB has also signed the City of Buffalo Mayor's Opportunity Pledge in 2015 which ensures that all signatories are committed to diversity and inclusion through their hiring processes.

Because of these polices and programs, faculty diversity has grown between 2005 and 2015. The percentage of white faculty decreased from 74% in 2005 to 63% in 2015. International faculty grew from 9% to 24%.


Recruiting Students:

Multiple departments on campus work in the Western New York community to engage local high school students from underrepresented groups to attend our university.

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has improved the acceptance rate of students from underrepresented groups by working closely with the local community under a concerted effort. The incoming class of 2022 will have 33 out of 180 students from underrepresented groups.

http://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2018/12/underrepresented-med-students.html?utm_source=2016+UB+Reporter%2C+University+at+Buffalo+List&utm_campaign=86fa5239ba-UBNow_12_05_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_af676811e4-86fa5239ba-88001537

Currently, the university has several programs in place that serve as tools to support underrepresented groups. In 1967 Cora P. Maloney College (CPMC) (https://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc.html) was established as a center for enhancing the academic achievement of students by increasing access and opportunity for underrepresented and disadvantaged students. The following CPMC programs are geared toward meeting the unique needs of the university’s diverse student body:

• Daniel Acker Scholars Program (http://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc/acker.html): Recruits underrepresented populations and provides financial support as well as academic mentoring during the scholars’ time at UB.
• Student Support Services (SSS) (http://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc/sss.html): A grant program that enables students to work with mentors, have access to technological resources, tutoring, and graduate school preparation.
• Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) (http://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc/cstep.html): Encourages the participation of underrepresented groups in science and technology by offering students the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about career fields through internships and research opportunities.
• Access to College Excellence Program (ACE) (http://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc/ace.html): A transitional program designed for underrepresented freshmen and sophomore students to ensure that the students have a successful academic career at UB.
• The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program provides encouragement and services to low-income and first generation college students, and aims to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in pursuing doctoral study. Students hone their research and analytical skills during the academic year through attendance at weekly seminars and participation in conferences. The program also offers preparation support for taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and visiting graduate schools and fairs. (See: http://www.buffalo.edu/cpmc/mcnair.html)

In addition to strengthening academic and financial support of underrepresented populations, UB is taking the necessary steps to make the campus more welcoming and comfortable for underrepresented groups. The institution provides a wellness education services program (http://www.buffalo.edu/equity/obtaining-assistance/lgbtq-information-and-support.html that addresses the various needs of students on campus and provides supportive resources for the LGBTQ community as well as students with disabilities. The campus offers gender neutral housing to accommodate the needs of trans-gendered and transitioning students, as well as single stall restrooms on campus.

Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) (https://www.buffalo.edu/eop.html) Assists struggling students who have limited college opportunities due to their educational or economic circumstances. This program grants students access to resources such as summer preparation, counseling, financial aid, and research opportunities.

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Program (LSAMP) (https://engineering.buffalo.edu/home/outreach/diversity/minorities/lsamp.html) is a subset of the UB-STEM program which provides summer workshops, research seminars and faculty mentors to assists underrepresented groups from high school up until the procurement of their STEM field degree.

The Intercultural & Diversity Center (IDC) (https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/diversity.html) is committed to offering high quality programs, events and activities that celebrate UB's diversity and educate our community on topics such as appreciating our commonalities and differences, the role identity plays in our lives and how to be an advocate. The IDC's mission is to support all students in their personal development, create a sense of belonging, celebrate diversity, and discuss issues that broaden a student's perspective.
This is accomplished by:
-Offering students various opportunities to engage in dialogue to develop a respect and appreciation for the different identities, backgrounds and cultures of UB students, staff and faculty.
-Promoting an educational environment for students to gain leadership skills and build relationships with faculty, staff, students and community members.
-Celebrating and promoting an environment of personal and academic growth for all students and specific mentoring programs for underrepresented students to gain experience, support and guidance for a successful college experience.
-Collaborating among the IDC and other departments, students and student organizations on campus to enhance educational benefits for students.

The diversity committee of the Professional Staff Senate provides support through trainings, social activities, a summit highlighting the diversity initiatives on campus and workshops.

There are faculty and staff groups, like the LGBTQ Faculty and Staff association that bring together both faculty and staff in safe spaces to discuss their experiences on UB's campus as a member of an underrepresented group, as well as provide opportunities for community bonding off campus.

Finally, UB offers several programs that provide financial support, mentoring, and academic and career preparation such as iSEED -The Institute for Strategic Enhancement of Educational Diversity Graduate Scholars (iSEED) (http://www.buffalo.edu/iseed/phd-students/iseed-graduate-scholars-program.html).

While UB strives to maintain a supportive environment for underrepresented groups, the institution is simultaneously working to create more opportunities that support the future diversity of its faculty. One of the ways in which the university pursues a more diverse faculty is by providing teaching fellowships, mentoring, and financial assistance to underrepresented groups of students enrolling in terminal degree programs. UB offers the Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program (http://www.buffalo.edu/grad/fellowships/arthur-a-schomburg.html) for students in doctoral and master’s level programs across the university who contribute to the diversity of the campus.

In an effort to diversify the university community, the provost makes available subsidies to departments that identify and hire faculty members from underrepresented minority groups, particularly when candidates become available outside of the formal faculty recruitment cycle. For example, two African American entry-level social work scholars were recruited and hired after the formal recruitment cycle with the assistance of a subsidy from the provost.

https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/diversity.html

UB was ranked 22nd by the Institute of International Education for hosting international students in 2018.

http://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2018/11/open-doors.html?utm_source=2016+UB+Reporter%2C+University+at+Buffalo+List&utm_campaign=4c14fae3cb-UBNow_11_14_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_af676811e4-4c14fae3cb-88052353

Response to recent Buffalo mass shooting: https://www.buffalo.edu/inclusion/resources/buffalo-shooting.html