University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATORY-HARASSMENT, AND RETALIATION
https://www.uww.edu/student-handbook/policies-discrimination
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or retaliation for all students and employees. Discrimination is inconsistent with the efforts of the university to foster an environment of respect for the dignity and worth of all members of the university community and to eliminate all manifestations of discrimination within the university. The university is also committed to the protection of individual rights under the First Amendment (and related principles of academic freedom) and in preserving the widest possible dialogue within its educational environment.

Discrimination or discriminatory harassment that is based upon an individual's characteristics which are protected under institution policy, state law or federal law ("protected status") is prohibited. Harassment is a form of discrimination and is prohibited. In addition, any form of retaliation against students or employees will not be tolerated. Any person who believes they have been subject to this type of prohibited activity should immediately report it to the Dean of Students Office (for student-related misconduct) or the Office of Human Resources (for employee-related misconduct).

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY
http://www.uww.edu/policies/equal-opportunity
A. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is fully committed to equal opportunity in employment and affirmative action in employment and to being in compliance with all federal and state laws, executive orders, policies, plans, rules and regulations, including:

The Equal Pay Act of 1963
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (Employment)
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
Executive Order 11246, as amended by EO 11357 and 12086
Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986, as amended
Title I & II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Vietnam-Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974
Retirement Equity Act of 1984
Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (Wisc.Stat.111)

B. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will provide equal opportunity in all terms, conditions or privileges of employment, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, performance evaluation, selection, job assignments, working conditions, fringe benefits, compensation, promotion, training, transfer, layoffs, disciplinary actions, and termination.

The institution prohibits discrimination because of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, veterans status, ancestry, creed, sexual orientation, marital status, arrest record, military service, guard or reserve status, except where, through business necessity a characteristic is proven an essential bonafide occupational requirement.

C. Whitewater is committed to a positive, continuing, result-oriented program to assure meaningful employment opportunities to all segments of the community and specifically to ethnic minorities, women, and to persons with disabilities. These groups have suffered in the past from barriers to employment and promotion. The Affirmative Action program includes a continuing analysis of the employee structure to discover where there is under-utilization of ethnic minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; establishment of goals to remedy deficiencies, and guidelines and procedures to maximize opportunities for the recruitment of ethnic minorities, women and persons with disabilities. Every position vacancy announcement must convey that UWW is an AA/EO employer. Every person or committee charged with the responsibility of filling an unclassified vacancy must indicate to the Affirmative Action Officer or designee the specific means to be used in broadening the pool of potential talent so that applicants are reached and provided the opportunity to compete for employment.

D. The implementation and monitoring of the Affirmative Action Plan are the responsibilities of the Chancellor and specifically-designated officers. These officers are the Provost, and the Equal Opportunity Officer or designee.

The Chancellor. The Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is responsible for development and implementation of all federal, state, UW System and campus policies and procedures for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. The Chancellor will be immediately aided in this task by the Provost and Vice Chancellor who is designated as the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer.
The Provost and Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer is expected to:
Monitor all personnel actions (hiring, termination, promotion, salary increases) to assure University compliance with all federal, state, and UW-Whitewater guidelines for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity.
Coordinate discrimination complaints arising out of charges of unclassified employment violation.
Research the status of employment, promotion, salaries of women, minorities and the persons with disabilities at UW-Whitewater.
Supervise the implementation of Affirmative Action hiring procedures in order to fulfill the commitment of the university.
The Provost will be immediately aided by the Equal Opportunity Officer who is also the Affirmative Action Officer.
The Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Officer.This Officer consults with the Chancellor, Provost,Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs and Director of Human Resources in matters of employment and equity, and shall also:
Serve as an ex-officio, non-voting, member of the Equal Opportunity Committee.
Aid the Committee in developing policies and/or guidelines for the implementation of the Affirmative Action Plan.
Serve as liaison between the Assistant Chancellor the Provost, the Assistant Chancellor for Administrative Affairs and the Equal Opportunity Committee.
Communicate the affirmative action and equal opportunity policies and procedures to all employees, faculty, and staff..
Work in conjunction with Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs to operationalize affirmative action and equal opportunity policies and procedures.
Monitor goals and hiring procedures for all units and provide guidance to all Search & Screen Committees.
Receive and investigate discrimination complaints from employees and students, provide findings based on the investigation and recommend remedial action to the parties.

E. The Equal Opportunity Committee (formerly the Affirmative Action Committee).The Equal Opportunity Committee is the campus committee whose members are representative of the campus constituencies and governance. Their function is to afford advisory assistance to the Chancellor, Provost and Equal Opportunity Officer to insure that affirmative action and equal opportunity continue as fundamental responsibilities of the institution and are carried out appropriately in all aspects of employment and student life.

F. This institution prohibits sexual harassment on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. It will continue to work to eliminate harassment of employees or students based on any prohibited category.

G. The University Handbook for UW-Whitewater contains grievance procedure and procedures for discrimination complaints. Complaints by bargaining unit employees alleging prohibited discrimination are covered by the grievance procedures in their union contract.

H. This institution has a special mission in meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. Modifications to physical facilities have been made and will continue to be made across the campus to insure equal access to campus facilities and programs. Reasonable accommodation in employment for disabilities can be requested through supervisors and the Equal Opportunity Officer. Reasonable modifications for students with disabilities can be requested through the Center for Students with Disabilities.

I. This institution provides reasonable accommodation for religious belief and practice, either through voluntary substitution, flextime, floating holiday time, or labor agreement provisions, as is appropriate.

J. This institution will monitor subcontractors for compliance with equal opportunity and affirmative action laws and policies, and promote the inclusion of minority-owned businesses in its procurement processes.

K. The Provost and Equal Opportunity Officer will report directly to the Chancellor when violations of nondiscrimination law or policy occur, so that corrective action can be taken.

L. The Provost and Equal Opportunity Officer are directly responsible to the Chancellor for the implementation of applicable law and regulations in all campus personnel actions and of balancing the workforce.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
https://www.uww.edu/university-committees/administrative-committees/affirmative-action
The Committee, when called upon, functions as the administrative review body for discrimination complaints investigated by the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office. If a party to a discrimination complaint is unsatisfied with the EO Officer's recommendations, the review request must be made within 15 days to the Chair of the Committee. The Chair will coordinate the process to insure compliance with procedures and deadlines. The Committee will address its review to the Chancellor; the Chancellor's decision and recommendations on the matter shall be the final decision. If further review is desired, it can be directed to the appropriate state or federal agency.

UW-WHITEWATER DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
https://www.uww.edu/policies/discrimination-complaint-procedures
Any employee or student who has reason to believe that he or she has been discriminated against in a University education program or activity or in their employment, may contact the Equal Opportunity Officer in the Office of Human Resources. Discussion or complaint can be verbal and informal; confidentiality can be preserved unless the complaint becomes written and formal. Informal solutions may be agreed to as an appropriate means to resolving an issue. If resolution cannot be obtained informally, the following formal procedures may be utilized:

Send a detailed written complaint to the Equal Opportunity Officer, stating the specific actions considered discriminatory including time, date, place, manner, and parties who witnessed or would know about the events.
This University follows EEOC and state guidelines. To be timely, the complaint must be filed within 300 days of the last incident complained about.
Upon review of the initial facts, if the EO Officer concludes that, under the law, discrimination may have occurred, an investigation will be carried out. If the Officer concludes discrimination has not occurred, a written report of reasons will be made to complainant. Complainants may have recourse to state or federal agencies if they are dissatisfied with the "no discrimination" finding.
If an investigation is commenced, it will include notice of the particulars of the complaint to the party complained against, and the party complained against will have 30 calendar days to respond; complainant confidentiality cannot be preserved at this time.
The time frame for findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on the investigation is 30 calendar days from time of receipt of the written complaint by the EO Officer. In the spring semester, that may have to entail accommodation of summer break into the time frame.
If the complainant is satisfied with the EO Officer's recommendations, they will be submitted to the Chancellor for consideration and decision. The Chancellor's decision, which may include specific actions or recommendations for discipline, is final. A party disciplined has resort to normal appeal procedures by policy. At that point, the EO Office phase of the case is closed.
If the complainant is not satisfied with the findings and recommendations, within 15 days after receipt of them, a request for an administrative review by the Equal Opportunity Committee will be sent to the Chair of the Equal Opportunity Committee, who will convene the Committee.
Within 45 days of receipt of the request by the Chair, the Equal Opportunity Committee will be convened, review the record and other documents, and render its recommendations. If the Committee needs any further information to clarify matters, the Chair will request it and receive it in writing.
The Committee will make its recommendations to the Chancellor, who will make the final decision within 30 days.
If the complainant is not satisfied, he or she can request administrative review by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Milwaukee, WI, when Title VII issues are involved, or the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. when Title IX issues are involved, or the Division of Equal Rights of the Wisconsin Department of Employee Relations in Madison, WI.

HATE/BIAS INCIDENT REPORTING FORM
https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UnivofWisconsinWhitewater&layout_id=2
What is a Hate/Bias Incident?
Any physically or verbally harmful act that is motivated by (or appears to be motivated by, in whole or in part) any quality/qualities of someone's identity (such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc).

What is the purpose of this form?
The purpose of this form is to monitor the occurrence of hate/bias incidents both on and off campus. Submitting this form may or may not result in criminal or university action, depending on the type of incident and the victim's/target’s willingness to take further action. Submitting this form does not constitute a formal complaint.

Information obtained through these reports will assist UW-Whitewater in responding to and tracking incidents of bias and hate. Reports may be anonymous; however, anonymous reports may limit the university's ability to respond to the incident. If you prefer to report an incident in person, please contact the Dean of Students Office in Hyer Hall 200, 262-472-1533.

If you need to report a crime not related to a hate/bias incident, you can contact the UW-Whitewater Police at 262-472-4660.

WHEELS TO WHITEWATER PROGRAM
https://www.uww.edu/news/archive/2015-10-wheels
Since the mid-1980s, a UW-Whitewater program, Wheels to Whitewater (or Wheels as it is known) has partnered with more than ten Wisconsin high schools to identify and select underrepresented and often economically disadvantaged minority students in Milwaukee and the surrounding area who have the preparation and potential to attend and graduate from college.

These students are provided with free transportation to visit the campus to learn about the admissions process, financial aid, academic support and advising, and participate in an interactive panel composed of current UW-Whitewater students from groups such as the Black Student Union, Latinos Unidos and the Southeast Asian Organization.

LLAVE — LATINXS LOGRANDO ALTAS VISIONES EDUCATIVAS
http://www.uww.edu/campus-culture/news-and-events
March 11, 2017
This recent event was sponsored and coordinated by the Admissions Office. This was the first year that the event was hosted by Admissions. In the past, LLAVE was organized by Julie Minikel-Lacocque and the College of Education and Professional Studies.

The Admissions Office's goal was to grow the event, streamline it, and have it be as much about community outreach as it was about university promotion. Another goal was to provide as much of the event in Spanish as possible to make the families feel comfortable and welcome. The main admissions recruiting piece, the viewbook, was translated completely into Spanish for this event.

Working closely with grassroots organizations and educators to spread awareness, the event drew more than 70 people. Participants were provided bus transportation to campus from Madison, and the majority of families took advantage of this free transportation. The event included a student-led tour of campus; presentations on college admissions, financial aid, the Center for Students with Disabilities; an information fair with representatives from every College and other constituent groups from campus; and question and answer panels with an immigration lawyer and current UW-Whitewater Latino students.

The overwhelming response from the families was gratitude to the university for providing not only an event, but also a safe space where questions could be answered in their native language without the fear of judgment. It is the Admissions Office goal to continue this event and grow it year by year.

UNIVERSITY HOUSING
http://www.uww.edu/campus-culture/news-and-events
University Housing also makes it a priority in their staff recruitment and hiring process to hire staff members that are representative of all of our students.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY
http://www.uww.edu/policies/equal-opportunity
C. Whitewater is committed to a positive, continuing, result-oriented program to assure meaningful employment opportunities to all segments of the community and specifically to ethnic minorities, women, and to persons with disabilities. These groups have suffered in the past from barriers to employment and promotion. The Affirmative Action program includes a continuing analysis of the employee structure to discover where there is under-utilization of ethnic minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; establishment of goals to remedy deficiencies, and guidelines and procedures to maximize opportunities for the recruitment of ethnic minorities, women and persons with disabilities. Every position vacancy announcement must convey that UWW is an AA/EO employer. Every person or committee charged with the responsibility of filling an unclassified vacancy must indicate to the Affirmative Action Officer or designee the specific means to be used in broadening the pool of potential talent so that applicants are reached and provided the opportunity to compete for employment.

OFFICE OF STUDENT DIVERSITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND SUCCESS
The Office of Student Diversity, Engagement and Success (SDES) supports the mission and core values of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-W) by providing programs that enhance, engage, and support students for success in their academic programs and beyond. SDES programs encompass curricular and co-curricular experiences that champion student diversity, engagement, educational achievement and success.

Our mission is achieved by engaging in collaborative relationships with faculty and staff in academic departments, student affairs leaders, university leaders, student leaders, and student organizations. SDES programs aim to facilitate enhanced student access, retention, engagement, graduation, and success. SDES houses several High Impact Practices (HIPs), which complement other SDES initiatives and campus programs. SDES and UW-W collaborators, together, foster a campus community that is characterized by inclusive excellence and that promotes holistic educational experiences for all students at UW-W.

ACADEMIC NETWORK
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/academic-network
Academic Network supports students' academic and career endeavors by connecting them to campus resources, educational programs, and community events. To serve as an outlet for students' academic, personal, and professional development and serve as a liaison between the Student Diversity, Engagement and Success (SDES) and other departments on campus by providing mentorship.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN NETWORK
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/african-american-network
African American Network focuses on supporting African American students' academic endeavors through academic advising by connecting them with campus resources, community events, and educational programs. AAN also creates and provides outlets for students' academic and social interests, while also serving as a valuable resource and connection.

LATINO STUDENTS PROGRAM
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/latino-students-program
The Latino Student Programs is dedicated to serving the Latino students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater through academic advising, general assistance in adapting to university life, and by creating a safe space for Latino concerns. Our bilingual staff is here to support Latino students in their academic, social and cultural experience at the university. Latino Student Programs also encourages long-term planning for students in order to prepare them for graduate school or job placement. The mission of Latino Student Programs (LSP) is to assist students in achieving their acadmic goals, engage and inform the university about Latino culture, and improve the overall graduate rate of Latino students by providing academic and personal counseling, as well as creative, innovative and cultural support.

NATIVE AMERICAN SUPPORT SERVICES
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/native-american-support-services
Native American Support Services (NASS) provides academic advising and tutoring, as well as financial counseling to Native students. NASS works to improve experiences and increase opportunities during school and after graduation. NASS helps to relieve some of the academic and financial stresses of college life while keeping students informed of valuable research and internship opportunities that will benefit each student in their future.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SUPPORT SERVICES
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/southeast-asian-support-services
Southeast Asian Support Services (SASS) is a program that was developed to assist students towards their academic goals. The Southeast Asian Support Services (SASS) provides resources, guidance, and developmental assistance for Southeast Asian students on an academic, social, and personal level to gear students towards their academic success. In doing so, the program connects students to academic support services, student organizations, and the campus community. Southeast Asian Support Services (SASS) works closely with students to help them achieve their academic goals while also working on assisting students to preserve their cultural heritage.

WARHAWK CONNECTION CENTER
http://connectuww.orgsync.com/WCC
The mission of the Warhawk Connection Center (WCC) is to enhance an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the importance of diversity in our contemporary society. Through collaborations within and across identity boundaries, the Connection Center serves as a diversity resource for and provides outreach to students, faculty, and staff. The Center educates individuals and fosters a sense of community through campus-wide events, displays, and student involvement opportunities, while supporting the initiatives of others engaged in diversity education.

UNIVERSITY HOUSING
http://www.uww.edu/campus-culture/news-and-events
University Housing has enhanced the campus climate through a variety of social justice initiatives, policies and programs this academic year. More than 1,300 students completed the Boxes and Walls interactive program that gives the participant the opportunity to experience what it is like to be an underrepresented student on our campus.

Diversity Advocates performed more than 40 programs this year in the residence halls on a variety of social justice topics, and offered many Safe Zone Certification trainings to residents. The Residence Life staff all chose two undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to mentor throughout the year. The staff also served as liaisons to most of the campus student organizations for underrepresented groups such as the Black Student Union and Impact. These liaisons provide support, serve as a resource and conduit of information and give these groups a direct link to University Housing.

University Housing also offers gender-neutral housing to students - which allows students of any sex or gender to room together, including students who do not wish to be identified by any gender and students who feel that they would cooperate better with a roommate of the opposite gender. More information and the Gender Inclusive Application can be found at: http://www.uww.edu/housing/assignments/gender-inclusive-application

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
http://www.uww.edu/diversity/orgs
There are a large number of student organizations focused on underrepresented groups. Several of these groups are also open to faculty and staff membership and participation.

CENTER FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
http://www.uww.edu/csd/about
Students with disabilities are an essential part of the diversity and accessibility that defines the UW-Whitewater campus and CSD is committed to supporting a diverse and stimulating academic community. As part of our mission, CSD actively collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to create an inclusive, accessible university experience. CSD is dedicated to promoting diversity and an equal opportunity for students to fully participate in all aspects of their education and university life.

INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
http://www.uww.edu/diversity/inclusive-excellence-fellowship-program
Mentorship: Each Fellow will be paired with a teacher/scholar who will provide mentorship and support and whose role it is to facilitate opportunities for engagement with UW-Whitewater inclusive excellence initiatives. Fellows will also have opportunities to work with students in the university's Undergraduate Research Program whose research interests align with their own. Fellows will have access to the university's LEARN Center, the Learning Technology Center, and the Whitewater University Technology Park's Innovation Center.

LEARN CENTER SCHOLAR/MENTOR PROGRAM
https://www.uww.edu/learn/supporting/mentor
The scholar/mentor program assists junior faculty in developing scholarly writing and publication skills by working with peers and mentors during the summer. Individuals may work alone or in teams with a tenured-faculty research mentor to examine writing habits, critique their own and the scholarly work of other faculty, and submit an article for publication.

KING/CHAVEZ SCHOLARS
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/king-chavez-scholars
The King/Chávez Scholars is a SDES program is designed to attract exceptional undergraduate students to UW-Whitewater. The K/C program provides students with a comprehensive first year experience through participation in a residential Learning Community, connected courses and exposure to High Impact Educational Practices. Initiated at UW-Whitewater in the fall of 1997, the K/C program has a long history of producing leaders on campus and beyond as alum. It also reflects the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's commitment to upholding the ideals and expectations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chávez.

MCNAIR SCHOLARS PROGRAM
http://www.uww.edu/sdes/diversity-programs/mcnair-scholars
A central feature of the program is the mentoring provided by UW-Whitewater faculty, where each scholar receives guidance in working on a research project, as well as regular contact with a professional role model. The research component requires each scholar to complete a research project and present that project at a professional conference. Scholars participate in a research internship during their second summer at a university, regional, or national research center. This program promotes research in scholarly activities, enrollment in graduate programs, continued enrollment in graduate programs, and doctoral degree attainment.

Ronald E. McNair was best known for his illustrious service to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. McNair was born October 12, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina. He attended North Carolina AT&T State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1971 with a BS in Physics. McNair then enrolled in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1976, at the age of 26, he earned a Ph.D. in Physics. McNair became a recognized expert in laser physics while working as a staff physicist with Hughes Research laboratory. He was selected by NASA for the space shuttle program in 1978 and was a mission specialist aboard the 1984 flight of the shuttle Challenger. Ronald McNair was tragically killed in the Challenger accident in 1986. After his death, members of Congress provided funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program to encourage college students to enroll in graduate studies.

GENDER-NEUTRAL HOUSING APPLICATION: https://www.uww.edu/housing/assignments/gender-inclusive-application