University of Texas at San Antonio
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The inclusivity statement, intended to go hand-in-hand with the university's mission and core values, recognizes UTSA's heritage, woven into the fabric of our institution, and reaffirms our commitment to Inclusive Excellence.

The Statement
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.

It is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to provide an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the UTSA community. In accordance with federal and state law, UTSA prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran status in all aspects of employment and education. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to this policy. https://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter9/9-1.html

https://www.utsa.edu/eos/policy.html#Regulations

1. Title VII, Americans with Disabilities, Age, Equal Pay, affirmative action for non-discrimination of university employment.

2. Non discrimination to Students in financial Assistance, or exclusionary practices such as race, color, or national origin, as well as Non-Discriminatory Regulations for students Title VI, Title IX.

Established April 2018 UTSA believes that a university campus is the ideal setting for open and healthy discourse between students of different backgrounds, values and beliefs. As a marketplace of ideas, the university is committed to providing an educational experience that engages our students in new and differing opinions.

As a limited public forum, students, faculty and staff may peaceably assemble and speak anywhere on campus, provided they do not disrupt the university’s educational mission or its ongoing programs or operations. This includes petitioning, posting signs, distributing literature, setting up tables and exhibits and/or peacefully demonstrating. Bias incidents are events that involve or may involve the targeting of an individual or group based on their protected characteristic(s) such as race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion, or their political views and affiliations. Interpersonal Incidents
If you believe you have experienced or witnessed a person-to-person incident, please access the following UTSA resources:

EOS is committed to developing and sustaining a learning and working environment that is diverse, inclusive and free of illegal discrimination and harassment in any form.

To report behavior that is disruptive, concerning, or potentially harmful to self or others, please contact the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
Anyone encountering a situation that requires immediate police, medical or other emergency services should call 911 or the UTSA Police Department at (210) 458-4911.

For other issues and concerns not listed above, a student may wish to contact the Student Ombudsperson for assistance.

https://www.utsa.edu/campusclimate/ Campus Climate Team: Although UTSA condemns hate speech, it recognizes that most forms of offensive speech are protected by the First Amendment. UTSA has zero tolerance for activities that do not fall within the protection of the First Amendment such as harassment, true threats, fighting words and incitement to imminent lawless action. An individual may not be coerced, intimidated or badgered into viewing, listening to or accepting any communication.

Recruiting Students from Underrepresented Groups:
UTSA is a Hispanic Serving Institution. We have a recruitment strategy that focuses on schools and districts that have a high % of under-represented students, have low college-going rates, high % of economically disadvantaged students and those on free and reduced lunch. Additionally, we are especially interested in helping first-generation students pursue a higher education and achieve their educational goals.

UTSA's TRIO program (https://www.utsa.edu/studentsuccess/advising/trio-sss.html) :
“Educational Talent Search (ETS) is a TRiO program that identifies and assists individuals from underrepresented backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. ETS at UTSA currently serves students at middle schools and high schools in San Antonio. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to support high school graduation and encourage postsecondary degree completion for participants, most of whom will be the first in their families to complete a bachelor’s degree. Grant-funded to serve a combined total of 500 students at John Jay High School, Rayburn Middle School, Holmes High School, and Sul Ross Middle School.”

PREP (https://klesse.utsa.edu/prep/) :
“PREP is a successful, hallmark pre-engineering program at UTSA that has served over 50,000 students in the State of Texas during the past 40 years. The PREP team seeks to contribute to the development of the future generations of STEM professionals, and provide opportunities for high school and middle school students to identify pathways to and through higher education. The program follows the mission of creating equitable access and participation of underrepresented students in STEM by offering low cost, innovative, active learning, on-campus experiences, motivating and inspiring speakers, and by promoting collaboration between institutions of higher education, school districts, industry and the community at large.”

Recruitment of academic staff from Underrepresented groups (https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/programs/diversity-inventory/UTSA_Inventory%20Benchmarking_Report_2021.pdf) :
We overhauled the search process for academic staff to include Implicit Bias training, policy changes and we have programs to accelerate this process.

Recruitment Staff and Faculty:
The University of Texas at San Antonio strives to improve the recruitment of diverse faculty and staff as this positively impacts student performance and increases their sense of belonging. Promoting diversity within the faculty and staff enables students from different backgrounds to identify with professors and staff, experience diverse curriculum and programs, and enhance their trust in the University community.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence engages in a number of strategies designed to attract excellent faculty and staff to UTSA. Some of these strategies focus on: equity in the search process, developing inclusive position announcements, diversifying the applicant pool and implementing nationally recognized recruitment best practices.

Stealth Recruitment Portal:
The Stealth Recruitment Portal is a virtual space that provides pinpoint information about the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), UTSA Colleges, and the City of San Antonio with the goal of connecting potential faculty with Chairs and Deans of respective disciplines. In addition, the Stealth Recruitment Portal serves as an enhancer to the Accelerated Faculty Diversity Hiring Programs (FDP) thus allowing potential faculty candidates to share their cover letter, CV, or resume with the appropriate Dean, Chair and hiring authorities for opportunities that align with the Accelerated Faculty Diversity Hiring Programs. The Stealth Recruitment Portal allows this exchange to take place seamlessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Diverse Faculty Campus Visit (DFCV) matching grant (https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/docs/DFCV-Matching-Grant-Program-Application-Form.pdf) :
With the goal to increase engagement and initiate productive relationships with particular and underutilized promising candidates, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, invites Dean’s and Chair’s to apply for a Diverse Faculty Campus Visit (DFCV) matching grant. The DFCV matching grant program is designed to supplement funding from your College, School or Department to support a campus visit of a faculty candidate to showcase UTSA programs, promote faculty candidate engagement with UTSA faculty, staff and students, and advance the goals of the Faculty Diversity Program.

First-Generation & Transfer Student Programs (https://www.utsa.edu/firstgen/) :
The First-gen and Transfer Student Center at UTSA has a peer mentor program to support students who are the first in their family to attend college.

Faculty:
The University of Texas at San Antonio strives to improve the retention of diverse faculty and staff as this adds value to the campus environment and improves student success. Retaining diverse faculty and staff promotes diversity in; student to faculty and staff mentorship, varied curriculum and programs, thus promoting an inclusive campus community.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence engages in a number of strategies designed to retain excellent faculty and staff. Some of these strategies focus on: mentorship, awards and recognition, professional development and campus climate.

Tenure Track Networking Club (https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/programs/retention/tenure-track-networking-club/index.html) :
The Tenure Track Networking Club (TTNC) at the University of Texas at San Antonio is a faculty retention program which utilizes mentorship as a tool in the retention of minority faculty. The TTNC introduces tenure track faculty to tenured faculty who serve as mentors to provide insights on the “hidden” tenure track curriculum leading to demystifying the tenure process. One of the goals is to provide minority assistant professors with the tools necessary to increase their capacity to earn tenure.

Staff:
As a part of Inclusive Excellence, UTSA initiative and Strategic Plan on Inclusive Excellence will utilize practices and philosophies that embed all forms of diversity into every aspect of UTSA. A Cultural Intelligence committee will sustain, increase and unify the cultural intelligence of the UTSA community through the implementation of new platforms and tools. A Campus Climate committee will assess and develop strategies to improve UTSA’s campus climate through data collection and monitoring activities. These committees will lead specific efforts within the inclusive excellence spectrum. A Cultural Intelligence committee will sustain, increase and unify the cultural intelligence of the UTSA community through the implementation of new platforms and tools. A Campus Climate committee will assess and develop strategies to improve UTSA’s campus climate through data collection and monitoring activities.

UTSA has a number of websites to review information on underrepresented groups.

Recruitment:

Recruitment of Faculty:
1. https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/programs/recruitment/index.html

Recruitment of non-academic staff:
1. https://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter3/3.02.html

All Gender Restrooms (https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/resources/restrooms.html):
Some people often feel uncomfortable when using segregated restrooms. Female/male sex-segregated bathrooms are not accessible spaces that everyone can use. Many people are subject to harassment, intimidation, legal charges, and violence on an every day basis.Transgender, genderqueer, and/or gender non-conforming people are particularly affected by bathroom segregation because of the visible gender differences that may not correlate with cultural gender norms. Even in cities, towns, and college campuses that are generally considered “liberal” places where it is “easier” to be gender non-conforming, many people are still harassed in both women’s and men’s rooms. Many non-transgender and gender conforming people also experience difficulty and inconvenience in sex-segregated bathrooms. Parents with differently-gendered children are not able to accompany them in gender-segregated bathrooms (a mother with her son or a father with his daughter). Disabled people with differently gendered attendants or family members are not able to bring them into gender-specific, multi-stall bathrooms.

Affinity Groups:
The University of Texas at San Antonio considers Affinity Groups to be an essential component that connects various members of the workforce with each other and with the University. Therefore, an inherent element of the mission of an Affinity Group is to promote the welfare of UTSA and its purpose.
Affinity Groups are voluntary associations of people who have common interests. Affinity Groups play a vital role in articulating, promoting and supporting the needs and goals of their various communities and organizations. Their primary focus is to develop and improve the campus climate by increasing the presence of diverse faculty and staff. The groups can assist the organization with the recruitment, retention, and promotion of top diverse talent. In addition, they can help increase morale, provide insights into diverse areas, build bridges to the community and empower members.

Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board (https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/our-approach/advisory-board/):
The Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board proactively and systemically address strategic issues of critical importance to develop and maintain a welcoming and inclusive campus at UTSA.The Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board, in parallel with the former Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council (DIAC), is an inclusive board made up of faculty, staff, and students with over 30 representatives from across the campus. The IEAB uses nationally recognized best practices as a foundation for their work, shaping priorities based on feedback from the broad membership and representative segments of the UTSA community to address Diversity and Equity issues. The IEAB is agile and can create additional committees, councils, and task forces to advance specific aspects of Inclusive Excellence and meet the diversity and equity needs of the UTSA community.