University of Houston
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The policy of the University of Houston (UH) is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, religion, national origin, veteran's status, genetic information, or sex (including pregnancy), except where such a distinction is required by law. Additionally, UH prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment and educational programs on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Employees, students, and visitors to campus with questions and/or complaints regarding discrimination, or sexual misconduct (such as sexual violence) under Title IX may contact Dr. Richard Anthony Baker, Title IX Coordinator and Assistant VC/VP for Equal Opportunity Services (EOS) or the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Dr. Baker serves as the Title IX Coordinator as well as the ADA and Section 504 Coordinator for UH. http://www.uh.edu/lgbtq/about/statements.html

The Office of Equal Opportunity Services is charged with the processing and investigations of all complaints regarding protected classes and the Title IX protocols. If an individual feels that they have been discriminated against on the basis of their race or color, national origin, religion, age over 40, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic information, or veteran’s status, they are encouraged to contact EOS. Students, staff, or faculty, may inquire with Equal Opportunity Services to ask for advice, seek counseling, and/or file a formal complaint. No person inquiring or filing a complaint will be subject to retaliation. http://www.uh.edu/equal-opportunity/ Individuals may discuss with EOS issues relating to unlawful discrimination and harassment, with or without filing a formal complaint. EOS may then conduct a preliminary fact-finding review. At its conclusion, EOS will inform the complainant of the available options. These options may include no further action, a mediated solution to the issues raised or a full investigation. When an incident of discrimination or harassment is reported, the University will consider providing interim accommodations to protect the complainant as necessary while the incident is adjudicated through this Policy. EOS and other appropriate University administrators will work together to identify alternative arrangements that will preserve the rights of both the complainant and the respondent, as well as provide a safe overall educational or working environment until (and perhaps after) the complaint is investigated and adjudicated. Failure to adhere to the parameters of any interim measure may be considered a separate violation of this Policy and may result in disciplinary action. A respondent found to have violated this Policy will be sanctioned. Consideration may be given to the nature of the violation, any mitigating circumstances, prior disciplinary violations, precedent cases, the University's safety concerns or any other information deemed relevant by the Panel. The available sanctions may include, but are not limited to; counseling, training, warning, reprimand, probation, suspension or termination. https://www.uh.edu/equal-opportunity/file-a-complaint/complaint-process/

Students The students the UHS institutions serve increasingly come from historically underrepresented populations. The UH System universities are prepared for this challenge. Our student body is already diverse – 32% Hispanic, 26% white, 16% Asian, 13% African-American, and 9% international. In addition, all UHS universities are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)—the first university system in the nation with this distinction. HSIs are eligible for federal grants designed to increase the participation and success of Hispanics in higher education. To be recognized as an HSI, a university’s undergraduate population must be at least 25% Hispanic. UH serves a student population unique among Texas’ public research institutions: no ethnic group constitutes a majority of students. In FY 2016, the student population was 29% Hispanic, 27% White, 21% Asian-American, 10% African-American, and 9% international. UH is leading the way in closing achievement gaps of underrepresented students. Increasingly, African-American and Hispanic students are graduating at rates comparable to their non-minority peers. One example program: The Academic Achievers Program is sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies and the Office of the President. It was established in the fall of 1994 and is designed to retain and propel more students to graduation. The mission of the AAP at the University of Houston is to recruit underrepresented students. Students who are accepted into the AAP program are eligible to receive a $12,000 four-year scholarship, receive priority registration, and career and leadership opportunities. https://www.uh.edu/class/cmas/programs-opportunities/aap-uh/ Staff The University of Houston System recognizes the importance of and adheres to the practice of providing all prospective and current employees and students with equal opportunity in education and employment in compliance with state and federal laws. The System also seeks to foster an environment free from discrimination. The System has developed this statement of non-discrimination to provide recognition and implementation of this philosophy. The policy of the University of Houston System and its components is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, religion,national origin, veteran’s status, genetic information, or sex (including pregnancy), except where such a distinction is required by law. Additionally, UH System prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment and educational programs on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. http://www.uh.edu/af/universityservices/policies/sam/1GenAdmin/1D5.pdf http://www.uh.edu/af/universityservices/policies/sam/2HumanResources/2A13.pdf Developing a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants is essential for UH to effectively serve our students and achieve our goals. The search committee plays an important role in actively recruiting candidates. To assist search committees in their recruiting efforts, the Office of Equal Opportunity Services has assembled a list of diversity recruiting resources. https://www.uh.edu/equal-opportunity/affirmative-action/#diversityrecruiting Faculty A special effort is a recruitment strategy that specifically targets underrepresented minorities and women. Therefore, a strategy that does not specifically target these groups would not qualify as a special effort. Examples of a special effort would be one where the search committee members deliberately and intentionally solicit applications, nominations, or referrals from: • Minority and women scholar organizations • Women and minority program offices • Professional caucuses or organizations that are organized around women or minority concerns • Internet discussion groups • Minority and women scholars/ professionals on- and off-campus • Community agencies related to underrepresented groups • Meetings of professional organizations • Journals targeted at women and minority readerships • Ethnic Studies departments (for relevant disciplines) • Minority and women doctoral or post-doctoral directories • Departments in HBCUs and other predominantly minority institutions Listed below are examples of special efforts for faculty recruitment: Example 1: Women and minority candidates will be encouraged in all advertisements, which will appear in highly visible publications that are specifically marketed to minority audiences and those with extensive national and international circulations. In addition, women and minority applicants will be identified via position announcements circulated to all schools and colleges of Optometry and via personal contacts with leaders in the field of eye care. The members of the Faculty Recruitment and Search Committee, as well as the faculty at large, will be solicited to nominate underrepresented minorities and women for consideration. Example 2: The department will send an announcement that encourages women and minority candidates to apply to all Engineering Department Chairs including minority serving universities. The department will also post the ad on the National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers online job boards. Example 3: Special efforts will be made by asking colleagues to help identify women and minority candidates; distributing the advertisement specifically to women and minority leaders; and searching resume banks of organizations targeting women and under-represented minorities. http://www.uh.edu/provost/faculty/administrators/recruiting-powerhouse-faculty/recruitment/#4 The Center for ADVANCING UH Faculty Success aims to increase the recruitment and retention of women science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social/behavioral science (SBS) faculty at senior, mid-career and junior faculty levels, with an emphasis on increasing the percentage of women and women of color ranked faculty in STEM and SBS fields to levels at or above the academia national averages. Accomplishments: Developed a Powerhouse Faculty Toolkit to encourage the hiring of diverse faculty members. Formalized a Dual-Career Program between the departments, deans, Provost’s Office and broader community to help dual-career couples find work at UH and in the City of Houston. Included more positive diversity language in University job postings, as well as encouraged postings to minority-specific job boards. http://www.uh.edu/advance/initiative/

The University of Houston has a wide variety of support programs for underrepresented groups available to students, faculty, and staff. A brief sample includes: The Center for Diversity and Inclusion, The Urban Experience Program, The LGBT Resource Center, The Language and Culture Center, The Office of International Scholar Services, The Women and Gender Resource Center, and the Center for Students with Disabilities. Each of these centers provides academic and counseling support for their respective groups in addition to taking on members for volunteer, internship, student worker positions. A full list with descriptions can be found on the "Campus Resources" page on the Center for Diversity and Inclusion's website, linked below. http://www.uh.edu/cdi/resources/campus_resources.html CENTER FOR ADVANCING UH FACULTY SUCCESS Women science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social/behavioral science (SBS) faculty are underrepresented in holding key STEM administrative leadership positions at the dean, associate dean, and department chair levels. Programs that include leadership training and advancement paths provide participants with clear information, a supportive climate, and real-world experience in a leadership position. The Center for ADVANCING UH Faculty Success has and will continue to create programs that provide mentoring relationships and clear pathways for the career development of women and women of color faculty. Accomplishments: The percentage of women among those promoted to Full Professor increased to more than 40% in ADVANCE disciplines during the last promotion cycle (which followed mid-career workshops hosted by the Center for ADVANCING UH Faculty Success), representing the highest number of women promoted in any promotion cycle since 2012 (see Figure 1, below). UH has reached our ADVANCE goal for women department chairs. UH now has seven women department chairs, and almost half of all the associate deans in ADVANCE disciplines are women. Furthermore, 33% of President Khator's cabinet members are women, and campus-wide, UH now has 25% female deans. An ADVANCE subcommittee developed leadership competency maps that describe competencies and developmental suggestions for selected leadership positions that can be used by department chairs, etc. to mentor emerging faculty leaders. Chairs and mentors are encouraged to use Career Path Materials (Department Chair Career Path Info Sheet and Suggested Process). ADVANCE Advocates are assisting departments in the introduction of the mentoring guidelines (from Assistant to Associate Professor and from Associate to Full Professor) to their respective faculty which highlights their role in supporting the implementation of ADVANCE in their colleges and departments. A concept model for a pilot in grants(wo)manship mentoring has been developed and is being refined with the NSM college Associate Dean for Research for roll-out during the summer of 2017. http://www.uh.edu/advance/initiative/

The University of Houston’s Graduate School and Office of the Provost is excited to relaunch the program called the Future Faculty Fellowship (F3) aimed at preparing graduate students for careers in academia. Fellows will participate in a range of professional development activities, including workshops, discussion panels, topical seminars, and online training focused on effectively engaging, instructing, and assessing learners in diverse disciplines while increasing the awareness of the demands of faculty life as scholars and educators. While participation in the F3 program is specifically designed to significantly enhance the Fellow’s future chances of securing a permanent faculty position, the F3 program also develops a professional skill-set equally important for non-academic careers.The F3 is funded, and based off tenants set forth by the Center for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded network of 23 premier universities. The University of Houston is one of the universities involved in this academic pursuit. A core goal for the CIRTL is learning through diversity and is described as, "literacy and engagement of all students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is a priority goal for U.S. higher education. The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) seeks to contribute to this goal by enabling present and future STEM faculty to enhance the learning of all students whom they teach irrespective of, but not limited to, preferred learning styles, race, ethnicity and culture, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, age or socioeconomic background." http://uh.edu/graduate-school/Future%20Faculty%20Fellowship%20Call%20for%20Nomination%20-%20FINAL%2005.02.161.pdf https://www.uh.edu/education/features/F3-fellows-2016/ https://www.cirtl.net/about/core_ideas/learning_through_diversity

http://www.uh.edu/oisss/ http://www.uh.edu/lgbtq/ http://www.uh.edu/class/english/lcc/ http://www.uh.edu/csd/ http://www.uh.edu/uep/ http://www.uh.edu/wgrc/ http://www.uh.edu/legal-affairs/equal-opportunity/affirmative-action/index.php http://www.uh.edu/legal-affairs/equal-opportunity/file-a-complaint/index.php