University of Nebraska at Omaha
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. http://www.unomaha.edu/office-of-equity-access-and-diversity/about-ead/non-discrimination-statement.php

Formal complaints of discrimination/harassment are investigated by the Assistant to the Chancellor in the Office of Equity, Access, & Diversity. This individual also serves as the Title IX Officer and coordinates UNO's response to reports of sexual misconduct. UNO's Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART) gathers information about non-emergency bias incidents and supports those who have become or witnessed someone become a target of an act of bias. It is also their goal to increase opportunities for communication and restorative justice for students, staff, and faculty; collect data demonstrating how student, staff, and faculty experiences affect overall campus climate; and address incidents and trends as they are identified through training or other means that will improve the campus climate in regards to bias.

Students: *Collaboration with Omaha Public Schools, with more continuous presence of Admissions Representatives at the high schools. Intentional follow up with students that are selected for verification. *Collaboration with our community colleges so that their TRIO programs have access to our visit programs. *Somos Familia are events for Spanish speaking families. Undergraduate Admissions hosts 2-3 a year. *The Urban Health Opportunities Program (UHOP) is designed to diversify the urban Nebraska medical workforce by identifying and preparing qualified students from underrepresented groups to enter and succeed in medical school. Considered applicants are high school seniors who have a minimum ACT cumulative and math section score of 23, and are Nebraska residents. Selected UHOP scholars will include those considered underrepresented by the Association of American Medical Colleges. UHOP scholars receive full tuition remission at UNO and receive guaranteed admission to UNMC's M.D. program with the completion of UHOP requirements. http://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/health-careers-resource-center/premed/uhop.php. *TRIO Project Achieve: Provides support to UNO undergraduate students who qualify as first-generation students, students who meet established income guidelines, or student with disabilities. http://www.unomaha.edu/project-achieve/ *The Davis/Chambers scholarship recognizes the most academically talented students from diverse backgrounds that have trouble meeting the financial requirements of a college education. The Davis/Chambers Scholarship is recognized as one of the University's most important ways of honoring outstanding Nebraska students. *Summer Scholars provides college-bound metro area high school juniors the opportunity to enroll in a course at UNO to earn college credits, prepare for college life, and connect with UNO faculty, staff, and students. The goal of the Summer Scholars Program is to expose high school students to the dynamics of a college campus environment through a six-week pre-college summer session. Many participants come from underrepresented backgrounds. http://www.unomaha.edu/student-life/inclusion/multicultural-affairs/bridge-program-and-scholarships.php *The Goodrich Scholarship Program: Many recipients are first-generation students. http://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/goodrich-scholarship-program/D12 Faculty/Staff: As part of the new hiring procedures for staff, administrators, managers, supervisors, and faculty are consulted prior to advertising open positions. Recruitment designed to attract persons of color is discussed; applicant pools are monitored for inclusion of females and persons of color, and the legalities of successful interviews are discussed. (http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=edadfacproc)

Students: These programs do not exclusively serve underrepresented populations, but underrepresented populations often make up a significant proportion of their total populations: -Success Academy https://www.unomaha.edu/student-life/achievement/academic-and-career-development-center/success-academy/index.php - Thompson Learning Community Mentoring Program http://www.unomaha.edu/thompsonlc/Mentors.php - The Goodrich Scholarship Program and Project Achieve http://www.unomaha.edu/achieve/ - The Sisterhood and Brotherhood https://www.unomaha.edu/news/2016/02/student-org-spotlights-sisterhood-and-brotherhood.php Faculty & Staff: - Faculty Development Fellowship http://www.unomaha.edu/academic-and-student-affairs/academic-affairs/academic-human-resources/faculty-development-fellowship.php - Essential initiatives for retention of culturally diverse faculty and staff are offered. These strategies are in place during three phases: recruitment phase, relocation phase, and mentoring phase. The recruitment phase includes such things as targeting advertising at conferences, which will be well attended by culturally diverse faculty. The recruitment phase includes initiatives such as scheduling formal and informal events to welcome new faculty. The mentoring phase offers strategies such as reviewing the strategic plan with all new faculty members illustrating our emphasis and commitment to inclusive environments and connections to the community. http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=edadfacproc

Additional websites containing information about the programs and initiatives: http://www.unomaha.edu/achieve/ https://www.unomaha.edu/policies/docs/prohibited_discrimination.pdf http://www.unomaha.edu/student-life/wellness/docs/sexual-misconduct-policy.pdf http://www.unomaha.edu/office-of-equity-access-and-diversity/_docs/employee-sexual-misconduct-procedures.pdf. http://www.unomaha.edu/student-life/student-safety/help-myself/bias-hate-support.php http://www.unomaha.edu/academic-and-student-affairs/academic-affairs/diversity-and-inclusion/index.php