Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.19
Liaison Jim Walker
Submission Date Jan. 31, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

University of Texas at Austin
PAE-8: Support Programs for Under-Represented Groups

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, affinity groups, academic support programs, or other programs in place to support under-represented groups on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs sponsored by the institution to support under-represented groups within the student body:

The primary outlet for enrolled student support is the Multicultural Information Center.

The purpose of the DDCE’s Multicultural Information Center (MIC) is to empower students to be agents of social change by providing diverse educational opportunities, leadership development, and support services. The MIC promotes awareness of issues related to culture and diversity and supports the retention and matriculation of all students at The University of Texas at Austin.

The MIC houses the following six student agencies:
• Afrikan American Affairs
• Asian/Desi/Pacific Islander American Collective
• Latino Leadership Council
• Longhorn American Indian Council
• Queer People of Color and Allies
• Students for Equity and Diversity

From the DDCE Impact Report 2009: http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/pdf/DDCE_ImpactReport.pdf

Another important undergraduate resource is the Gender and Sexuality Center.

Established in 2004, the mission of the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) is to provide safe spaces for all members of the UT Austin community to explore, organize, and promote learning around issues of gender and sexuality. The center also facilitates a greater responsiveness to the needs of women and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities through education, outreach, and advocacy. The center, now part of DDCE, is guided by a strategic plan developed by the center’s staff and members of the GSC’s Advisory and Working Group comprised of students, faculty, and staff, and community members who also provide feedback,
conduct outreach, and evaluate programs and services. One of the center’s major goals is to contribute to the successful transition of first-year students to the UT community and ensure students’ graduation, as well as integrate women and LGBTQ students into campus life and improve the efficacy of LGBTQ and women student leaders.

From the DDCE Impact Report 2009.

For students in residence halls:

The Division of Housing and Food Service in Student Affairs (not DDCE) employs an Assistant Director for Diversity and offers several programs focused on students living in residence halls (nearly 8,000 of 30,000 undergraduates, and the majority of the freshman class every year).

For first-generation college attendees, the Gateway Program and Longhorn Link:

The Gateway Program was started at The University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1994 to maximize the academic success and social connections of new first generation and underrepresented students at UT Austin. Gateway Scholars has expanded to include UTransition, a learning community for first generation and underrepresented transfer students, the Achieving College Excellence (ACE) Program, a service for students who seek additional academic assistance, and the Welcome Program, a diversity education program for incoming first-year students, and Longhorn Connection.

Pasted from <http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/lcae/gateway.php>

The Longhorn Link Program - Student Support Services - is a federally funded TRiO program. This program is funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The University of Texas at Austin was awarded funding in the Fall of 2001. The program provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students towards the successful completion of their post secondary education. The goal of the Longhorn Link Program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and facilitate the process of transition from one level of higher education to the next.


A brief description of the programs sponsored by the institution to support under-represented groups within the faculty:

See "Staff."


A brief description of the programs sponsored by the institution to support under-represented groups within the staff:

The faculty and staff are supported by Equal Opportunity Services. This division includes ADA/Disability Resources and contacts and information on Affirmative Action and non-discrimination policies, and sexual harrassment and sexual misconduct resources.

The Diversity Education Institute offers year-round educational and interactive programming for faculty and staff to build a more inclusive environment on campus.

The Division of Housing and Food Service's Organizational Diversity Initiatives promotes residential and workplace environments which acknowledge, affirm and activate our commitment to diversity on a daily basis. An example is that each Associate and Assistant Director is responsible for creating, implementing and evaluating an Area Diversity Plan based on 10 points of organizational diversity. Each Associate and Assistant Director is then evaluated and held accountable with merit implications for progress made towards achieving their diversity action plans.

Pasted from <http://www.utexas.edu/student/housing/index.php?site=6&scode=0&id=400>

In addition to Staff Council and Faculty Council, the governing bodies for staff and faculty, the following support organizations are currently active on campus:
Asian/Asian American Faculty and Staff Association
Black Faculty and Staff Association
Christian Faculty Network
Engineering Faculty Women’s Organization
Faculty Without Partners
Faculty Women’s Organization
Hispanic Faculty/Staff Association
Pride and Equity Faculty and Staff Association


The website URL where more information about the programs in each of the three categories is available :
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.