University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

It is the policy of the UW-Eau Claire to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation for all students and employees. This policy applies to all programs and activities, and employment practices and operations including the conduct of all students and employees arising out of their employment, educational or academic status, as well as to the conduct of all guests, visitors, vendors, contractors, subcontractors and others who do business with UW-Eau Claire.

Prospective and current students, student organizations, job applicants, and employees will be informed of policies and procedures regarding discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation.

https://www.uwec.edu/kb/article/policies-discrimination-harassment-and-retaliation-policy/

Students who have experienced or witnessed an act of discrimination, bias incident, or hate crime can receive support from our Bias Incident Reporting Team (BIRT) and our Dean of Students Office. In addition, the BIRT staff are responsible for revising response plans for bias incidents with the ultimate goal of improving climate on campus.

All bias incident forms and reports that are not submitted via the bias form are given a thorough investigation by the BIRT staff. Once the Bias Incident Reporting Team receives the bias/hate incident reporting form, an initial letter is sent out within 48-hours to the individual who made the submission. The letter contains personalized content reflecting the incident, along with a robust list of campus resources. First and foremost, the BIRT ensures the immediate safety and support of those affected by incidents of bias/hate. Next, the BIRT assigns the bias/hate case to the appropriate campus department for immediate review and next steps, which can include providing support to individual(s) and/or communities, forwarding the report for investigation, and strategizing the need for additional educational programming.

After the completion of all available actions, a final letter will be sent to the individual who initially submitted the bias incident reporting form. The final letter will include any actions taken (pursuant to confidentiality restrictions), and there will be an opportunity to ask any remaining questions about the process, outcome, or efforts to stem future incidents. Once the final letter is sent, the case will be closed. The case may be reopened at any time, should additional information become available. Further, anyone involved in a bias/hate incident can ask questions about the case at any time.

The Affirmative Action Office at UWEC also handles incidents of discrimination and discriminatory harassment. A detailed overview of their procedures can be found here: https://www.uwec.edu/kb/article/policies-discrimination-harassment-and-retaliation-policy/

The Upward Bound program at UW-Eau Claire is a federally-funded TRIO program dedicated to the preparation for, admission to, and successful completion of a college degree for eligible first-generation and/or low-income high school students. Through academic support, study group sessions, leadership workshops, financial assistance and more, we help to ensure success for students who may otherwise fall through the cracks.

What does Upward Bound provide?
-Tutorials and Study Skills Training
-Interest and Career Exploration
-Academic and Personal Counseling
-Self Leadership Training and Goal Setting
-Cultural Enrichment
-College Exploration, Application, and Financial Aid Assistance
-Six-week summer residency program (one high school elective credit awarded)

Who qualifies?
9th through 11th-grade students from Eau Claire North and Memorial high schools.
Students whose families meet income guidelines (as determined by the U.S. Department of Education) or are from a family in which neither parent has graduated from a four-year college.
Students who have been identified as having the potential for success in postsecondary education - college, university, professional or technical school. Students need not have received especially high grades in school to initially qualify.
After filling out an application and establishing eligibility, two recommendations from adults and an interview are required. Students must show a willingness to make a commitment to participate throughout high school until graduation and to keep Upward Bound notified of post-secondary progress.

PA – 7 Support for underrepresented groups

At UWEC there are many programs to support students from underrepresented groups:

-Affirmative Action

The Affirmative Action Office supports UW-Eau Claire’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion by providing education and outreach on anti-discrimination laws and policies, receiving and investigating complaints related to discrimination and harassment, creating and disseminating our annual affirmative action plan, providing relevant workforce data to campus stakeholders, and providing resources and oversight for employee recruitment processes.

-Center for Racial and Restorative Justice

The Center for Racial and Restorative Justice, a clearinghouse for research, scholarship, advocacy and action, aims to educate students and our communities about the history of race in America and the barriers to upward mobility for people of color in areas such as education, criminal justice, health care, commerce, and housing.

Through a multipronged approach, the center will ensure that UW-Eau Claire is preparing graduates for life in a truly changing landscape. Understanding the concepts of race, justice, equity, equality, restorative justice, and critical identity theories will help our graduates stand above their counterparts as well as become leaders in ongoing social and cultural change.

-Fostering Success

Fostering Success is a program that provides resources and support for students who have formerly been in foster care, are experiencing homelessness, or may lack family support. The Fostering Success offices and campus store are located in Brewer Hall, room 271.

-Gender and Sexuality Resource Center

The Gender & Sexuality Resource Center is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive campus for all students, while advocating for and celebrating those identities that have historically been and continue to be marginalized. We believe in education and inspiration, not alienation, and that is reflected in all programs and events. Exploring privileges and oppressions is at the heart of our mission, and in so doing–and with a focus on intersectionality–we engage the campus community in ways that create room for understanding and empowerment.

-Multicultural Student Services

Multicultural Student Services strives to foster the success of students of color through mentorship, innovative programming, supplemental advising, and identity-based development. We are dedicated to cultivating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment. Through outreach and community building, we celebrate and validate the lived experiences of our students to enhance their collegiate experiences, prepare them to graduate, and positively impact our global society.

-Services for Students with Disabilities

The Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office facilitates accommodations and services to students with disabilities that ensure equal access to university programs, services and activities. UW-Eau Claire is committed to providing all students with accessible educational opportunities. UW-Eau Claire follows UW System Policy, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

-Student Support Services

UW-Eau Claire's Student Support Services (SSS), funded by a federal TRIO grant, provides access to a wide range of academic assistance for its 300 student participants. SSS offers its students a variety of supplemental services.

The TRIO Ronald E McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is a graduate school preparatory program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and sponsored by UW-Eau Claire. Named after American astronaut Dr. Ronald McNair, the McNair program aims to level the playing field in graduate education and diversify the American research community by class, socio-economic status, and ethnicity.